After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 28
“Taste, huh?”
Dehart scowled and flicked the necklace with his fingertips. It was an incredibly refined and pious design for such an unassuming piece of jewelry.
“I wonder if she realizes she’s married to a cursed duke…?”
Tutting, Dehart pursed his lips and exhaled deeply. His emotions seemed to shift remarkably and swiftly, a sight that would surprise even Ryan.
Soon he was pulling the necklace out of the box as if he were forcing himself to do something he hated, and with slow, deliberate fingers he put it on and slid it invisibly inside his shirt. It was akin to a child who disliked onions but, not wanting to disappoint a teacher they liked, forced himself to eat them.
“…Looks good.”
Dehart glanced sternly at the mirror before slowly shaking his head. No matter how much he thought about it, he and Sebelia weren’t compatible. From preferences to perspectives, they were polar opposites. Nevertheless, he didn’t dislike her enough to refuse her gift.
“…Hmm.”
After tapping the table a few times, Dehart rose from his seat and headed to bed. Perhaps due to her upbringing in the Capital, she often struggled to sleep without his warmth.
* * *
Time passed swiftly. Dehart was unexpectedly relieved that she never glimpsed inside his shirt.
“Damn it.”
As the weather turned warmer, Ryan suggested a boating trip. Dehart hesitated for a moment. But then something happened that would chill him to the bone in a way that boating couldn’t possibly compare to.
“…Explain that to me once more.”
“There’s no doubt that there’s a mole on the inside.”
The man massaged his temples, his face tense. “Many of our recent contacts have been injured or turned against us, and I can only assume that information has been leaked.”
Dehart chuckled briefly and brushed his hair back. “Cease the operation, and… make sure to find out who it is, definitively.”
His golden eyes took on a menacing glint.
* * *
Sebelia sensed that there was something amiss in the manor as of late, but she refrained from hastily voicing that thought aloud.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you on the boat.”
She vaguely noticed that Dehart was at the center of this gloomy atmosphere. He had suddenly begun to present himself impeccably since last time. Sebelia found his changed appearance somewhat unfamiliar but easily averted her gaze, just as she did now.
“My Lady, are you listening to me?”
“Oh, yes.”
Sebelia snapped back to attention and met Dehart’s gaze. His eyes narrowed but looked at her with some leniency.
“Good, then stay inside the mansion and don’t go out for a while. If you get bored, don’t worry, Flora and my Aunt are here.”
“I will.” Sebelia nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”
Observing her with a mix of emotions, Dehart seemed as if he wanted to say something, but he bit back his words. Then, he bid her farewell in a soft tone.
“Take care, my Lady.”
For the next few days, Dehart was nowhere to be seen. Sebelia, feeling restless, searched for him several times to no avail.
And then the day arrived.
* * *
It had been an inauspicious morning, Sebelia thought as she recalled the day in retrospect.
“Explain yourself, madam.”
The room was in disarray, as if struck by a bombardment. Dehart, immaculately dressed, greeted her, with not a single wrinkle on his attire. However, there were unfamiliar stains on his otherwise flawless sleeves…
In his hand was a familiar box.
“Things I’ve never seen before. These things I didn’t even know existed, tell me about them.”
The air was suffocating, his demeanor coarse. Sebelia was already struggling to regain her composure.
“What’s this…”
The box containing letters exchanged with her father was half-crushed in Dehart’s grasp. The pendants and necklaces it held were rolling at his feet. Unable to comprehend the situation, Sebelia shook her head in bewilderment.
“Dehart, what is going on here?”
“Ha.”
With a rough sweep of his hand across his face, Dehart laughed contemptuously. It was a laugh as if he had been holding back something all along, ready to throw it away. Sebelia hesitated, confronted by this entirely new aspect of him.
“Oh, my Lady… If you needed gems and silk, you should have just asked. If the money I provide isn’t enough, it would have been more efficient to throw a tantrum and break our pottery.”
Sebelia’s face turned pale at the incomprehensible words. However, Dehart’s verbal onslaught continued.
“It must have been satisfying to sell off the secrets of your contemptuous husband and get jewels in return. Getting revenge and money at once… What a wise and intelligent wife I have. I see now.”
Only then did Sebelia realize that she was in a terrible situation. She had sold her husband’s secrets?
