The second boutique shop was a success. Perhaps, it was because of the expectation that it was a place that was done by Duke Ferial, so even the young ladies from distant provinces were visiting.
The second boutique shop was glamorous and simple.
Although it was a three-story building, the outside of the building was covered with nature. Vines were used to conceiving a nature-covered building that couldn’t be seen in the capital city. The interior of the three-story building and the dresses made were the same themes.
Although the splendor of the capital was amazing, this limited-edition dress could only be found in the second store with a light and natural image of the suburbs.
Consequently, the word ‘limited that can only be found in the second store’ ignited the hearts of many noble ladies. Zagnac was very happy with the success of the business, and of course, Azela was also happy as well.
“…The name of the second boutique shop belongs to ‘Azela Vellista’.”
“What…?”
Zagnac presented the second boutique shop to her as a gift—to Azela Vellista, not Countess Todd.
“What did I do?”
“It’s a gift I give to Azela Vellista.”
“…It’s too much for ‘Azela Vellista’ to receive.”
In front of Azela, who shook her head, Zagnac leaned his upper body and approached. She stepped back, blushing unknowingly as his face suddenly approached. As she took a step back, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him.
The two bodies became close again. His body odor tickled the tip of Azela’s nose.
“This is the ‘wealth’ that humans are greedy about.”
“…What?”
“Did you forget? Your will to live.”
Azela looked puzzled for a moment. Yes, she forgot. What Zagnac wanted was human energy and her sweet soul.
When she didn’t answer, Zagnac continued with a smirk.
“Some people say they live for money and wealth.”
“If it’s money, I have enough right now.”
“They said that there is no end to human greed for money. I’m giving it to you as a present for me, so take it.”
Azela turned and gazed at the boutique shop. There was nothing wrong with taking it for sure. It was because no one knew what would happen to her after she divorced Daniel.
“…Alright.”
In the end, she nodded her head obediently, and Zagnac smiled contentedly. He spoke, spinning her before leading her to the carriage he had prepared.
“The business has been successfully completed.… So, when are you going to do it?”
Azela did not answer Zagnac’s question. When he asked when she was going to do it, he was obviously asking when she was going to take away Todd’s family’s assets. Instead of answering, she took his hand and climbed into the carriage he had prepared.
As Azela ascended, Zagnac followed her, and the carriage left the second boutique shop to the residence of Duke Ferrial.
“…I will have to do it.”
“What? With that weak tone?”
Azela let out a light sigh and turned her gaze out of the window.
The people on the street were lively. Now, this scenery was familiar. Until she left the mansion for the first time, it was sad that she had once turned away from such a lively street, but how much she had melted into this landscape now.
“Did you forget? Your husband and his mistress killed your handmaid who was like your family?”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Have you forgotten how your precious handmaid died?”
“….”
Azela bit her lower lip hard to Zagnac’s harsh words.
…She didn’t forget. She was worried because she didn’t forget. Daniel and Sylvia killed Irene. It was an obvious fact, and she vowed to take revenge on them because they had killed her family.
Instead of answering Zagnac’s question, she turned her gaze back out the window. When Azela didn’t answer, she heard his absurd laughter from the other side. He smiled with a dumbfounded look and shook his head before asking her again.
“You really mean it?”
“…Daniel and Sylvia killed Irene, so they deserve it.”
“Deserved it?”
“Still, the child in the womb…has no sin. If I take everything from the Todd family, the Todd family will fall. Daniel, full of vanity and desire, must be unable to stand it.”
“That’s his problem.”
“Sylvia, who is next to him, will have to deal with him, too… The child to be born will have to deal with it as well.”
Zagnac raised her hand and interrupted her. He had a complicated look for a moment, and then he pressed his index finger to his temple. He seemed to be trying to understand Azela somehow, but in the end, he shook his head in failure.
“All of this is a problem for your husband and his mistress. If a child is born between them… That, too, is a problem they have to deal with.”
“A child cannot choose their parents.”
Azela turned her head to look at him and uttered firmly. At that resolute tone and expression, he tightly shut his lips.
Her eyes, who were looking at Zagnac, did not waver at all.
“It’s not right for the child to be born to bear all of this.”
“So, you’re going to forgive Daniel and his mistress for killing the handmaid whom you love?”
“That…”
When she did not give an answer to his question, Zagnac also didn’t ask any more questions. Because of that, the carriage became quiet in an instant. The joy of the successful opening of the boutique shop was no more.
As Azela turned her complicated gaze out of the window, Zagnac was just staring at her with an incomprehensible gaze.
An unknown desire was blooming in his deep purple eyes.
He knew very well that he would not find any regrets about life unless Azela took revenge on them. So she must get revenge on them. He had to do it for himself, too… That revenge had to be taken.
…So that he can taste her sweet soul.
Zagnac filled his eyes with dangerous desires for her as Azela was dyed in his desire.
* * *
A few days passed though nothing changed much for Azela, Daniel, and Sylvia. If anything changed, it was only that she felt a little more comfortable because all of Daniel’s attention was on Sylvia.
He cut back on his busy schedule for a while and devoted everything to Sylvia. When she tried to come down the stairs on her own, he picked her up and brought her down, and her food was made from the finest ingredients that the Emperor would eat.
He seemed really happy to have his own child.
However, unlike Daniel, Sylvia didn’t seem happy. It didn’t seem like she welcomed the consideration he was giving her. Rather, she looked a bit anxious and sometimes paced around the garden as if she was thinking of the child in her stomach.
At times like that, Daniel always came out to stop her.
Looking at Sylvia, Azela could not cast her doubts. What was the problem? Why was she so desperately trying to hide it from Daniel and the rest of the mansion?
“Find out what Sylvia has been doing so far.”
“Miss Sylvia’s past actions…?”
“Yeah, what happened, whom she met, and what kind of life she had.”
Azela handed the handmaid an earring with a large centerpiece in it.
Now, it seemed natural for the handmaid to receive her jewel. The handmaid nodded her head as she naturally put the earring into her pocket.
There was definitely something. Still, Daniel and Sylvia looked happy. The two no longer quarreled with her. The two were just a happy couple.
Azela, who couldn’t stand the artificial look, visited Zagnac’s mansion early in the morning.
“…Are you really not going to do it?”
With the corners of his lips lowered, Zagnac asked Azela. Noticing that, she felt that her heart was gradually weakening. It was something that shouldn’t be weakened, though her guilty feelings every time she saw Sylvia’s stomach felt alien.
On the one hand, she felt guilty about the future child, and on the other hand, she felt guilty for abandoning Irene.
Azela grew thinner and thinner at the constant feelings of guilt. Every night, when she fell asleep, Irene would appear in her dreams. She couldn’t sleep well as Irene cried out for revenge.