Chapter 46
Eloise pressed her forehead, feeling dizzy at her son’s next words. Cairn’s unwavering eyes now turned to the Grand Duke, Philian.
“Father, if you were me, could you give up on Lilien?”
A faint, knowing smile played at Cairn’s lips—he already knew his father’s answer. Just as expected, the Grand Duke, who had his own checkered past, readily sided with his son.
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you.”
“But…”
The Grand Duke’s next words put a slight crack in Cairn’s confident expression.
“…Does Lilien even want to marry you?”
The last time the Grand Duke had seen her, Lilien seemed completely oblivious to Cairn’s feelings. If anything, she appeared determined to put distance between them.
“With the Count’s house in ruins, does she really have any other choice but me?”
From the start, this wasn’t a negotiation, but a notification. Knowing nothing would reach Cairn at this point, the Grand Duke simply nodded. Compared to what he himself had done to win Eloise, his son’s methods were almost mild.
“Word will reach Lili tomorrow. Take good care of her.”
“Yes, Father.”
* * *
Of all times, it was right after Christian’s departure that misfortune struck the de Bermore household. An agent from the imperial bank arrived in person with a final notice demanding payment, and Lilien knew immediately that the worst had come.
The fact that the bank representative had come all the way to their country estate, instead of just the count’s downtown office, was a clear message: it was to publicly declare the family’s bankruptcy.
It worked—as soon as word spread, the neighboring tenants and farmers were in an uproar.
The bank wasted no time: the house and the estate were immediately seized. For nobles, land was status itself, so losing it overnight was tantamount to total ruin.
Lilien wanted to know exactly what was going on, but the count only repeated the same line.
“My dear, you don’t need to worry about this.”
He insisted on handling everything himself, and left the house early that day.
But exactly five hours later, a crisis Lilien hadn’t even considered unfolded.
“Miss, the Count—!”
A messenger brought urgent news: Count de Bermore had collapsed from sudden dizziness as he was getting out of his carriage and was rushed to Baltan’s largest hospital.
As Lilien waited for news, trembling in the corner of the drawing room, she felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. The servants, on the other hand, were in a panic. The ever attentive Matilda had quietly dismissed the staff and now sat across from Lilien.
“Are you alright?”
Matilda wrapped Lilien’s hands in her own. Lilien couldn’t bring herself to say she was fine, because she wasn’t.
“Matilda, I need to ask you a favor.”
Matilda pursed her lips and nodded slowly.
With crisis upon them, Lilien’s mind grew startlingly clear. From this moment, she was the new head of the house.
“Tell everyone that as of today, all the servants are dismissed. We can’t afford to pay wages anymore.”
“Miss…”
“Please tell them I’m truly sorry… And if there’s anything I still owe, let them know Lilien de Bermore will repay it someday, so please give me time…”
“I understand. Please wait here, I’ll let them know.”
The Count had failed to adapt to the new industrial age and had been swept away, leaving nothing behind. There was no chance of regaining their former glory—and if they couldn’t sell what fixed assets they had, they might even end up with more debt.
“And Matilda,”
Lilien wiped her clammy palms on her skirts.
“You too.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I need you to leave and find a better place.”
“What? I can’t do that! I want to stay here—”
“No, you can’t. You’re precious to me, Matilda, but we’re still employer and employee. I can’t take care of you anymore. And you have to think of your little sister, too. You knew this day might come, didn’t you?”
Lilien felt tears threatening but held them back.
“Thank you for everything.”
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