18.
“It’s not as though the muscle was torn, nor the leg cut off.
Compared to that, this really is fortunate.”
In her past life, the Marquis of Soderspurd had undergone a major surgery to amputate his leg.
That could just as easily have happened again.
But this time, the wounds were small and scattered—treated with little more than medicine.
“They said it might leave scars!”
For anyone else, the pain alone would be enough to make them groan, and the thought of permanent scars would be unbearable.
Yet Nina spoke of it so calmly, almost as if it were someone else’s problem.
Perhaps that was why Neville suddenly burst out, exasperated.
“There’s no need to make such a fuss.”
“Are you kidding me?
Do you have any idea what kind of treatment you’ll get if you’re scarred?”
“…I do.
But even so, it doesn’t matter.”
For a noblewoman, a scar was a blemish—an indelible stain.
And yet, through this incident, the Grenville family now owed her a clear debt.
If she failed to secure a safe divorce, then having even a little of the Grenville family’s power to lean on would still be a gain.
“Nina, don’t tell me you still have no intention of divorcing brother-in-law…?”
Her reputation was already in shambles, her standing diminished to its lowest.
And now, with scars on her leg?
It was plain as day that the rank of any remarriage candidate would fall drastically.
And yet, if she truly didn’t care, didn’t that mean she had no plans to divorce?
“…By the way, Mother and Father didn’t come today, did they?”
Neville asked with a stricken look, while Nina gave a faint smile and turned the subject.
If her parents learned of the divorce, they would no doubt begin quietly searching for a second husband.
If she wished to slip away somewhere unknown, keeping it secret until the very day was the safest course.
“They stayed at home.
Because of the strange rumors going around…”
Of course.
It must have already reached her parents’ ears—rumors no doubt spread by the Duchess of Norde.
Naturally, with her parents’ far-reaching connections, there was no way they would know less than Neville.
“You know it too.
Even if Mother and Father swore to cut ties with you, they can’t stand by and watch when someone insults their child.”
What parent could simply watch while others slander their child?
They stayed away because they didn’t want to ruin their friend’s birthday.
Even if they could endure that moment, Nina knew the sight alone would weigh heavily on Duke Grenville’s mind.
“But is it true?
You know… that thing from a while ago…”
“…Yeah, it’s probably true.”
As much as she wanted to deny it in front of family, you can’t cover the sky with the palm of your hand.
“Damn it, the person spreading it—he’s got to be in the house, right?”
“…We’re looking.”
Her little larks were combing the place with their eyes wide open to collect their repayment.
They might not be professionally trained informants, but no secret lasts forever.
One day, they would catch them.
“This is insane.
What are you planning to do?
Can’t you please just give up on brother-in-law?
You really can’t?
You’ll die without him or something?”
No—she’d already given up long before she came back.
It was only circumstances that kept her from divorcing yet.
“I’ll take care of the mess I made somehow.
Please tell them I’m sorry.
I’ve really reflected a lot, so tell them not to worry about me anymore.”
“Nina… are you out of your mind?”
“What?”
“The Nina I know would never apologize…”
Neville shot her a doubtful look.
He remembered the sister who, no matter how much he coaxed or threatened—If that’s the case, then just get a divorce.
For God’s sake, snap out of it.
Otherwise, I’ll pretend I don’t even have a sister—still refused to admit fault and instead demanded, How could you not take your child’s side?
“That’s right, you said you’d hurt your head before.
Maybe that’s why…”
Neville muttered gravely to himself, nodding with a serious face, before fixing her with a piercing gaze.
“Nina, don’t ever hurt your head again.
You have to protect it.
Promise me, okay?”
Even the maids said the same thing…
Well, really, what was so hard about granting the request of a younger brother she hadn’t seen in a long time?
Realizing once again that she truly had been a disgrace, Nina felt a sting of bitterness and gave a small nod.
“But… can you walk on your own?”
“No, I think I’ll need crutches.”
Her ankle was slightly swollen and throbbed with pain, as if she had twisted it.
If she forced her foot into heels in this condition, the injury would only get worse.
It seemed she would have to spend just one night at the Duke of Grenville’s estate, then find a pair of crutches in the morning before returning home.
Marsha will cry her eyes out.
Nina gazed down at her bandaged leg, her eyes subdued.
She honestly didn’t care if it left a scar—but the thought of Marsha being upset about it was something she couldn’t ignore.
In front of the private room, in the corridor.
Allen glanced at Ash.
“You all right?
You look pretty shaken up.”
Ash gave a small nod.
He was shaken.
He had never imagined his wife would get hurt in his place.
Leaning back against the corridor wall, Allen spoke carefully, his voice low.
“…Your wife.”
“…….”
“She seemed to know something was going to happen.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Ash’s voice sharpened.
Allen let out a sigh.
“…She told me not to stand there, said it felt ominous.”
That was why Allen’s face had been so serious all along.
If he had stayed where he was, he might have died.
“At first I thought she was just picking a fight, but looking back… I think she was worried I’d get hurt.”
“…….”
Ash leaned back against the wall, his expression complicated.
If she hadn’t been watching him the whole time, there was no way she could have reacted that quickly.
“…Are you all right?”
The memory flashed through his mind—how she had asked after him before even realizing her own pain.
Her face, pale as death.
The trembling he had felt through her body pressed against his.
That small frame wound tight with tension.
And then, the way she had curled up in agony, groaning in pain.
All of it tangled and twisted in his head.
Was this really the same person he thought he knew?
The Nina he remembered was not someone who would risk injury to save another.
She had only ever known how to love herself.
She believed money and power could bend the world to her will, and to get what she wanted, no trick or cruelty was beneath her.
Even binding her servants with debt—no sane person would do such a thing.
The chasm between his wife’s past and her present left him adrift.
Which one was her true self?
He could no longer tell.
***
After spending a single night at the Duke of Grenville’s estate, Nina boarded the carriage.
“I’ll tell our parents that you finally seem to have come to your senses this time.
Please, don’t cause any more trouble—and stay healthy.”
Instead of cutting ties, Neville had chosen to worry about her.
“Please accept my apologies for my rudeness, and thank you for saving me and my friend, madam.”
That was the Marquis of Sothersford’s apology.
“I am truly sorry.
I have no idea how I could ever repay you for this, but whatever is within my power, I will do.”
“Madam, I also feel deeply responsible for what happened.
Compensation is only natural, but if there’s anything else you need, please let me know.”
The Duke and Duchess of Grenville, granting her their promises like tokens to be redeemed.
And finally…
Ash, seated beside her in the carriage for the ride home.
She had told him she was fine, that he should go back to his own house first, but—
“…Are you telling me to leave behind the wife who was hurt in my place and go on ahead?”
And so, with those words, he had insisted on accompanying her all the way home.
For a single outing, the gains were considerable.
A man who once couldn’t even bear to breathe the same air as her—now sitting with her in a closed carriage?
So… I guess I don’t irritate him quite that much anymore, do I?
It felt worth breaking her vow to stay away from social gatherings for the time being.
Or so she thought…
Don’t fool yourself.
Nina forced the little windmill of hope spinning in her mind to a halt.
She had been staring at him without realizing it, and the moment he sensed her gaze, her husband’s eyes turned cold in an instant.
Nina reminded herself, once again, that when it came to her husband, it was best to think conservatively.
No matter how great the debt of saving her life, with the family’s downfall hanging in the balance, letting her guard down on a rash judgment could ruin everything.
From the look in his eyes, it seemed he still didn’t trust her in the slightest.
Truly a fortress…
How many hours had passed in that suffocating silence as the carriage rattled on?
At last, the steady rhythm of hooves ceased—the carriage had come to a stop.
Home, finally.
She longed to wash up and collapse into bed.
After spending the entire day confined in the carriage, enduring that heavy silence, both her body and spirit felt utterly drained.
Ash folded the newspaper he had been reading and stepped down first.
Nina braced herself against the wall and carefully moved to follow.
Each step sent a sharp, tingling pain shooting through her right leg.
A low groan escaped her lips as she gingerly extended her leg outside the carriage.