I Never Wanted His Child - Chapter 98
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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It was highly likely that the person Dahlia saw was Milina.
“Do you remember any details about their appearance?”
“It was dark, and the person was wearing a cloak. All I could tell was that they were short and wearing a skirt under the cloak.”
“Was anyone following them or accompanying them?”
“Sister-in-law.”
Dahlia traced the rim of her glass with her finger.
“Are you interrogating me?”
“I was just curious since you mentioned seeing someone suspicious.”
“But…”
Dahlia’s gaze turned cold. She cut a shrimp in half and put it in her mouth.
As she leisurely savored her food, Dahlia spoke.
“The way you’re looking at me is exactly like that. It’s delicious. You should eat.”
Dahlia smiled and focused on her breakfast.
“Aren’t the Miss startled by all this?”
Dahlia’s calmness was surprising, given the situation.
Dahlia did not respond to Emilia’s question.
Left with no choice, Emilia picked up her fork and knife. But watching Dahlia eat with such enjoyment made her feel uneasy about eating.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“Oh, my stomach isn’t feeling well. Seeing all that blood in front of my door… it could have been my blood.”
She wasn’t used to being threatened. An assassin was the last thing she had expected.
“You seem more optimistic than I thought. You have a rather naive side.”
“What? What do you mean, Miss…?”
Dahlia continued cutting her food, her eyes fixed on Emilia.
“You married for political reasons, aligning with a different faction. To some, that might seem hopeful, but to others, it could be a threat to their position. Do you think the supporters of the king are happy that sister-in-law became the Duchess?”
“…No.”
“Exactly. So it’s not surprising that someone might want to harm you.”
“I see.”
“Have you never been disliked by anyone? Not everyone likes and understands you. People’s feelings aren’t so simple. So be careful from now on.”
“…”
“Who knows if someone else might move against you again, Sister-in-law? Of course, the Duke’s estate isn’t easy to infiltrate, but somehow, an assassin managed to reach your door this time.”
As Dahlia said, the security at the Duke’s estate wasn’t lax.
This led Emilia to a hypothesis.
The Duke knew of the threat to her but did nothing to stop it.
Initially, he might have protected her due to the royal family’s involvement.
However, if an assassin succeeded in killing her, it would be difficult for the royal family to hold the Duke directly accountable.
There would be some talk about the estate’s security, but that would eventually die down.
“…You’re right. I thought this place might protect me.”
“Sister-in-law, do you love my brother?”
Dahlia’s unexpected question made Emilia’s face contort.
“Is it difficult to answer? Let me rephrase. Does my brother love you?”
“…”
“Neither, right? You’re both eager to kill each other, and yet you think you’ll be protected here?”
How laughable.
If her death were genuinely grievous and concerning to everyone, things would be different, but right now, she was unwelcome everywhere.
Her disappearance wouldn’t be a significant concern to anyone.
Perhaps the royal family might think differently, but that too would change after the marriage.
Dahlia smiled as she met Emilia’s gaze.
“Noble marriages aren’t about love but duty, right? You marry for need and protect each other out of obligation. Over time, some form of affection might develop…. But your situation with my brother is entirely different.”
Dahlia’s words left Emilia speechless.
“What do you have, Sister-in-law? A ruined family, a hollow title as Duchess, and… hmm.”
Dahlia set down her fork and knife.
“Pride? Self-respect? But those only matter when you have something to back them up. When someone with nothing clings to pride, it’s just pitiful. It’s ridiculous.”
Dahlia chuckled softly, shrugging her shoulders.
“So, don’t overstep your bounds. At least I treat you like a sister-in-law.”
Dahlia no longer hid her emotions.
“Don’t hold my brother back. Use the medicine I gave you properly. That way, you can at least run away later.”
She openly displayed her contempt. It was a different level of disdain compared to the occasional disgust the Duke showed towards her.
* * *
Adrian looked at Milina’s notebook.
She had recorded more details than he had expected.
From the day she first entered the Duke’s estate, she had written daily entries.
As he read, Adrian could vividly picture Milina’s first encounter with Emilia, her impressions of her, and all aspects of her life at the Duke’s estate.
