Wicked Husband-Chapter 116 - 115

It wasn’t unusual for Cesare to ask for Eileen’s opinion, and each time, she would carefully consider her thoughts before responding. But she hadn’t expected him to ask her opinion on such an important matter, especially in front of so many people. Answering such a question before knights or soldiers might be one thing, but doing so in front of a gathering of esteemed guests complicated matters considerably.

Eileen blinked in confusion for a moment. She had practiced various possible questions and answers with Sonio while preparing for the tea party, but this kind of inquiry hadn’t been among them.

Her response needed to be measured, as it could carry political implications. She glanced at Cesare, hoping for some kind of signal or hint about how to respond.

But Cesare simply chuckled softly, showing no concern, as if it didn’t matter what she said.

Despite her attempts to read his intentions, Eileen couldn’t pick up any clues. Left with no choice, she hesitantly ventured a safe answer. "I think... it would be nice to attend...?"

Her uncertainty made the end of her sentence rise in pitch, almost like a question. Cesare’s smile deepened in response.

"If my lady wishes to attend, then we must," he said smoothly.

As soon as he gave his agreeable answer, the noblewomen’s eyes sparkled with excitement. To be among the first to hear that the Grand Duke would be attending the hunting festival was a major scoop. Attending Eileen’s tea party had yielded more benefits than they could have imagined.

It was rare for the Grand Duke to attend such events, so most had assumed he would skip this one too, making the news even more thrilling. As the noblewomen reveled in the gossip, they couldn’t help but steal glances at Eileen.

There stood the Grand Duchess, blushing as she gazed adoringly at her husband, embodying a sense of purity and innocence. Opposite her was the Grand Duke, watching her with eyes filled with affection. The contrast between their demeanor and the grandeur of the occasion only heightened the allure of the moment.

***

The noblewomen continued to chat animatedly after Cesare’s departure. He lingered for a while, but didn’t stay until the end of the tea party. Everyone understood how precious his time was, so no one tried to stop him from leaving. They felt honored to have spent even a short time in his company.

Once Cesare was gone, the atmosphere at the tea party grew even livelier. The noblewomen buzzed with excitement, thrilled to have had such a lengthy conversation with the Grand Duke—an experience none of them had ever had before.

"I never realized the Grand Duke could be so kind," one remarked.

"Cutting the cake for us himself! How considerate," another added.

"He normally doesn’t enjoy the hunting festival, but he accepted right away because the Grand Duchess wished it," yet another pointed out.

As praise for Cesare poured in, Eileen smiled a bit awkwardly. She was accustomed to his kindness, but it was always a surprise for others to see this side of him.

While Eileen responded to the lively chatter of the noblewomen, she found herself glancing at Ornella. Once a vibrant leader of the conversation, Ornella was now much quieter, though she maintained her perfect smile.

With it now clear that her relationship with Cesare was superficial, Ornella seemed to have run out of things to say. Yet, she showed no outward signs of embarrassment, remaining seated gracefully, as if nothing had changed since her arrival.

When their eyes met, Ornella slightly twisted her lips, a hint of something unreadable in her expression. Eileen quickly lowered her gaze, feeling a flutter of discomfort.

As Eileen balanced attending to both Ornella and the other noblewomen, the sun began to set, signaling that it was time to wrap up the tea party.

"I had such a wonderful time; I didn’t even notice the hours pass. You will invite us again, won’t you?" one of the ladies asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Next time, we should have tea at my house. It may not compare to the Grand Duke’s garden, but my greenhouse is quite lovely," another offered, eager to secure a promise for their next gathering.

The noblewomen were keen to ensure these meetings became a regular affair, some even attempting to entice Eileen by mentioning their own beautiful greenhouses, knowing her love for plants.

As Eileen saw her guests off, she received countless invitations in return. She handed out small gifts—packets of tea leaves and cookies from the tea party—and exchanged warm parting words.

The last to remain was Ornella. Her posture suggested she had been waiting for the others to leave, and even as the noblewomen climbed into their carriages, they cast curious glances back, eager to see what conversation might unfold between the Grand Duchess and Lady Farbellini.

However, the seasoned socialites knew better than to meddle, no matter how much they craved gossip. With a knowing silence, they quietly entered their carriages and departed.

Eileen, trying to calm her trembling hands, took a deep breath and offered a small gift to Ornella as well.

"Thank you for coming today..." she said softly.

Ornella didn’t accept it immediately; she simply looked down at the gift. Just when Eileen’s hand began to feel awkwardly suspended in the air, Ornella finally took it.

"Eileen."

Eileen flinched at the sound of her name. Ornella leaned in, pretending to adjust Eileen’s perfectly arranged hair accessory, her fingers brushing through Eileen’s hair as she drew closer.

"You should visit the Farbellini estate sometime. I ought to serve tea to the Grand Duchess too, shouldn’t I?"

As she spoke, Ornella’s gloved hand subtly gripped Eileen’s hair and gave it a slight tug. Before Eileen could react to the discomfort, Ornella smiled brightly.

"Don’t refuse, okay?"

Eileen bit her lip, feeling the pressure of Ornella’s gaze as she withdrew her hand, attempting to end the conversation as if nothing had happened.

"...Yes."

Swallowing the throbbing pain, Eileen met Ornella’s gaze and made a promise. "I’ll be sure to visit, Lady Farbellini." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Ornella’s eyes narrowed slightly at her response. With a dismissive smile, she adjusted her dress and stepped into her carriage.

Eileen watched the carriage disappear into the distance, her heart racing, before she turned and headed back inside the mansion.