I Became the Affair Partner of a Trash Duke — Chapter 15

ASK YOUR FIANCÉ DIRECTLY, SOPHIA.

AFTER ALL, NOTHING MATTERS MORE THAN HONESTY BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE IN LOVE.

YES, I'LL DO EXACTLY THAT, VIOLETA.

HM?

IS SOMEONE OUT THERE?

DUKE OTERO... HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN STANDING THERE?!

YOUR GRACE!

I'VE BROUGHT THE LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS.

THERE ARE ONLY THREE PEOPLE RECEIVING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM OUR DUCHY.

AND AMONG THEM, LUCAS HERNANDEZ STANDS OUT. AS THE TOP STUDENT, HE RECEIVES FULL FINANCIAL COVERAGE.

AND, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, HE'S... HER YOUNGER BROTHER.

YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY TELL THEY'RE SIBLINGS.

BOTH THEIR GAZE AND THEIR PERSONALITIES ARE STRIKINGLY SIMILAR.

BUT IF THE FUNDING STOPS, HE MIGHT HAVE TO DROP OUT.

WON'T YOU RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION?

I FEEL SORRY FOR THE STUDENT, BUT...

RIGHT NOW, THAT BOY IS NOT MY PRIORITY.

GO AHEAD WITH THE PLAN.

INFORM THE ACADEMY THAT THE FUNDING WILL BE RESTORED THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

BUT IF THAT LADY RETURNS THE ENTIRE DEBT THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW... WON'T WE JUST BE RIGHT BACK AT SQUARE ONE?

THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

THERE IS NO WAY SHE CAN RAISE THAT KIND OF MONEY.

BESIDES, SHE WILL SOON FIND OUT THAT HER BROTHER IS NO LONGER RECEIVING HIS SCHOLARSHIP.

IN THE END, SHE WON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT MY TERMS.

SHIFT'S OVER! EVERYONE HEAD HOME!

YOU HAVE THE NIGHT SHIFT TODAY, RIGHT? THE FOREMAN WILL BE AROUND, SO MAKE SURE TO CHECK IN WITH HIM BEFORE LEAVING.

YES, I UNDERSTAND.

BY THE WAY... DID YOU HAVE LUNCH WITH SOPHIA TODAY?

YES, WHY DO YOU ASK?

I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A FRIEND OF MINE, BUT YOU WERE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

IS THAT SO...

WE'LL HAVE LUNCH TOGETHER TOMORROW, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST ASK.

I AM YOUR MENTOR, AFTER ALL.

IS SHE ACTUALLY UPSET THAT I ONLY ATE WITH SOPHIA?

IT'S JUST LIKE THOSE INNOCENT FLASHES OF JEALOUSY BETWEEN MY NOBLE FRIENDS BACK IN THE DAY.

YES, I'D LOVE TO.

PEOPLE ARE ALL THE SAME.

AND PLEASE, MY LADY, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING DOWN TO THE FACTORY, ALRIGHT?

WHY WAS NANNY WORRYING SO MUCH ANYWAY?

IF SHE KNEW HOW WELL I'VE ADJUSTED HERE, SHE WOULD DEFINITELY BE SURPRISED.

OH, IS SOMEONE ELSE STILL STAYING LATE?

I THOUGHT THEY SAID I'D BE THE ONLY ONE LEFT AT THE FACTORY...

PLEASE DON'T COME OVER HERE, I'M BEGGING YOU...

DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!

PLEASE!

JUST IGNORE ME AND KEEP WORKING.

WOULDN'T WANT YOU ACCIDENTALLY HURTING YOURSELF.

AND YET, IS BREAKING UP REALLY THE ONLY OPTION WHEN A PARTNER CHEATS?

JUST PRETEND HE ISN'T HERE, IGNORE HIM...

GOING BY YOUR LOGIC, REVENGE IS AN EVEN GREATER STUPIDITY THAN BREAKING UP.

BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS, AREN'T THERE?

WHAT IF BOTTLING UP THAT REVENGE ONLY CAUSES THE WOUND TO ROT EVEN MORE?

NO, BREAKING IT OFF IS THE ONLY WAY OUT.

OH, REALLY?

I SEE YOU'RE RUNNING YOUR CONSULTATION BUSINESS DOWN HERE TOO.

DID HE SERIOUSLY OVERHEAR MY ENTIRE CONVERSATION WITH SOPHIA?

AND WHAT IS IT TO YOU? I WAS SIMPLY HELPING A COWORKER.

YOU'VE FINALLY LOOKED AT ME.

TELL ME, DO YOU ACTUALLY CHOOSE WHO YOU CONSULT?

I DON'T CHOOSE THE PEOPLE, I CHOOSE THE SITUATIONS.

BUT DO THE CIRCUMSTANCES EVEN MATTER WHEN THE OUTCOME IS ALWAYS THE SAME—A BREAKUP?

SO IS THAT WHY YOU DECIDED TO CHANGE HER ANSWER, JUST TO BREAK OFF YOUR ENGAGEMENT?

I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE.

WHAT A TRULY DISGUSTING PLAYBOY!

A SINGLE PHRASE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, "I'M BREAKING OFF THE ENGAGEMENT"!

YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR EXCUSES TO FOOL AROUND WITH WHOEVER YOU WANT!

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, MY LADY.

IF I COULD BREAK OFF THE ENGAGEMENT WITH A SINGLE WORD LIKE ORDINARY PEOPLE DO, I WOULDN'T HAVE GONE THIS FAR.

ENDING AN ENGAGEMENT WITH A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM A NORMAL ENGAGEMENT.

IT REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF.

THE EMPEROR'S APPROVAL?

THEN FIND SOMEONE ELSE. YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM ANY OF THE WOMEN YOU'VE ALREADY HAD FLINGS WITH.

I'M SURE PLENTY OF LADIES WOULD BE THRILLED. WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ME?!

WELL, LOOK AT THAT... IT SEEMS WE'RE FELLOW COLLEAGUES THEN, HELPING OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF OUR HEARTS.

AND YET YOU REFUSE ME, YOUR CREDITOR AND EMPLOYER, SO HEARTLESSLY.

YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A SPOILED CHILD!

I WOULD HELP IF YOUR REQUEST WERE WITHIN THE REALM OF REASON.

AND DID YOU COMPLETELY FORGET MY REQUEST TO PRETEND WE DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER?

AND I DON'T RECALL EVER PROMISING TO GRANT THAT REQUEST.

SO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KEEP DRAWING FALSE CONCLUSIONS?

IF YOU DON'T WANT FALSE RUMORS, THEN LET'S JUST ACTUALLY START AN AFFAIR. THAT WAY, THERE WON'T BE ANY HARD FEELINGS.

WHY, YOU..!

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REASON WITH HIM.

I'M BUSY. I NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK. STOP DISTRACTING ME.

I CAN'T CONCENTRATE AT ALL!

WHY ISN'T HE LEAVING?!

HE'S WAY TOO...

CLOSE!

WHY IS HE LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT?

AS IF HE'S THE ONE IN PAIN.