MATILDA, HAVE YOU SEEN MY EARRINGS?
WHICH EARRINGS?
THE ONES MY HUSBAND BOUGHT ME, MY MOST CHERISHED EARRINGS. I CAN'T FIND THEM.
WHY ARE YOU WEARING THOSE...?
THEY WERE SO PRETTY, SO I BORROWED THEM FOR A BIT.
WHY, IS THERE A PROBLEM?
SINCE WE SHARE A HUSBAND AND A HOME, SURELY SHARING A PAIR OF EARRINGS IS FINE, RIGHT?
WHAT?
OH RIGHT, I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO GETS TO HAVE HIM AS A HUSBAND.
...WHAT DID YOU SAY?
MELANIE,
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW?!
HECTOR, THAT'S NOT IT...
I...
I ONLY WORE THE EARRINGS AS THEY WERE IN MY BEDROOM DRAWER.
I THOUGHT HIS GRACE GAVE ME A SURPRISE GIFT.
I'M SORRY... I'M REALLY SORRY, MADAM.
CLAIRE, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?
HECTOR...
TO THINK SHE WOULD LAY A HAND ON YOU OVER SOMETHING SO TRIVIAL!
IT WAS MY FAULT.
HECTOR...
HAVE YOU NO SHAME AS THE DUCHESS?!
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE KICKED OUT OF THIS HOUSE, WATCH YOUR BEHAVIOR!
LET'S GO.
IF SHE HAD HARBORED NEITHER AFFECTION NOR EXPECTATIONS, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT LESS,
BUT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE, THE MADAM LOVED THE DUKE.
SHE BELIEVED THAT IF SHE WAITED, HE WOULD LOOK HER WAY SOMEDAY.
HOWEVER, WITH THE APPEARANCE OF CLAIRE BRONDO AND HER SON,
EVEN THAT SLENDER SLIVER OF HOPE VANISHED.
CLAIRE BEGAN WINNING THE SERVANTS OVER TO HER SIDE.
WHY ARE YOU GIVING THIS NECKLACE TO ME...?
IT SUITS YOU MUCH BETTER THAN ME.
OH MY—
ARE YOU ALRIGHT? YOU AREN’T HURT, ARE YOU?
LIKE THE STAGE ACTRESS SHE WAS, SHE PRETENDED TO BE HUMBLE AND GENEROUS,
WRAPPING THE SERVANTS RIGHT AROUND HER FINGER.
THEN, SHE BEGAN ACTING AS IF SHE WERE THE MISTRESS OF THE DUCAL ESTATE.
WE SHOULD CHANGE THE CURTAINS. THEY’RE FAR TOO DREARY.
SINCE MADAM WOULD NOT STEP OUTSIDE HER ROOM,
THE SERVANTS NATURALLY FOLLOWED CLAIRE'S WORDS.
THE MISTRESS ACTED AS THE DUCHESS,
AND THE REAL DUCHESS WAS REDUCED TO BEING CONFINED TO HER ROOM.
IN THAT DUCAL ESTATE WHERE THE ROLES HAD BEEN COMPLETELY REVERSED,
THE YOUNG MASTER WAS CRUELLY NEGLECTED.
NOT ONLY THE DUKE AND HIS WIFE, BUT EVEN THE SERVANTS
WALKED ON EGGSHELLS AROUND THE MISTRESS AND NEGLECTED THE YOUNG MASTER.
WHY DOES EVERYONE TREAT ME LIKE I DON’T EXIST?
IS IT BECAUSE FATHER ABANDONED MOTHER AND ME?
NO. THAT’S NOT IT AT ALL, YOUNG MASTER.
EVEN TO THE YOUNG MASTER, SOMETHING FELT WRONG AND UNSETTLING.
PLEASE, AT LEAST TAKE ME WITH YOU, FATHER.
PLEASE.
THE YOUNG MASTER BEGGED AND BEGGED.
WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING LOOKING LIKE THAT?!
HOW COULD HE...
HOW COULD A PARENT TREAT THEIR OWN CHILD LIKE THAT?!
HE BEGGED BECAUSE HE WAS TERRIFIED OF BEING ABANDONED.
EVEN IF IT MEANT BEGGING TO A FATHER LIKE THAT,
HE WANTED TO PROTECT HIS MOTHER AND HIMSELF.
JUST HOW LONG DO YOU THINK A PETTY THING LIKE LOVE LASTS?
MARRIAGE IS A BUSINESS TRANSACTION BASED ON CONDITIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT YOU ALWAYS BABBLE ABOUT LOVE, WHICH IS WHY IT ENDS LIKE THAT EVERY TIME.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS SO CYNICAL ABOUT LOVE.
AFTER THAT, MADAM COULD NOT SLEEP PEACEFULLY FOR A SINGLE DAY OUT OF FEAR OF BEING DIVORCED.
UNABLE TO BEAR TO WATCH THE SIGHT, THE YOUNG MASTER FLED TO THE MILITARY ACADEMY AS WELL.
AFTERWARD, THE DUKE FELL INTO A VEGETATIVE STATE,
AND A FEW YEARS LATER, THE YOUNG MASTER RETURNED AS A DEPENDABLE OFFICER.
AS SOON AS HE RETURNED, HE KICKED OUT THE SHAMELESS CUCKOO MOTHER AND SON,
ALONG WITH ALL THE UNGRATEFUL SERVANTS.
I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME.
JUST HOW DEEPLY WOUNDED THAT YOUNG CHILD MUST HAVE BEEN.
THAT IS WHY I FEEL ALL THE MORE PROUD OF THE YOUNG MASTER, YET MY HEART ACHES FOR HIM.
YOU MUST HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH HEARTACHE, CARING FOR THE YOUNG DUKE ALL BY YOURSELF...
YES... I AM STILL WORRIED ABOUT THE YOUNG MASTER.
THOSE WRETCHES... LIVING QUIETLY IN HIDING WOULDN'T EVEN BE ENOUGH, YET THEY'RE SENDING OUT INVITATIONS STAMPED WITH THE DUCAL SEAL.
I'M AFRAID THE YOUNG MASTER WILL BE HURT AGAIN...
PLEASE DO NOT WORRY, MADAM.
I WILL MAKE SURE THE INVITATION DOES NOT CATCH HIS GRACE'S EYE.
EVER SINCE THE BLUE DIAMOND WAS DISCOVERED IN THE MINE, INQUIRIES REGARDING INVESTMENTS HAVE BEEN POURING IN.
A SURGE IN MINE INVESTMENT INQUIRIES, IS IT...
AS EXPECTED, THE PIRANHAS ARE SWARMING AFTER CATCHING THE SCENT.
WHAT ABOUT THE EXCLUSIVE RAILWAY CONTRACT?
IT IS IN THE FINAL STAGES.
HURRY. THE RAILWAY COMES BEFORE THE MINE.
BECAUSE THE MINERALS THEY EXCAVATE WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE TO PASS THROUGH MY RAILWAY.
YES, I WILL SECURE THE TRANSPORT NETWORK SWIFTLY.
HOWEVER...
KUTAN'S RECENT MOVEMENTS ARE UNUSUAL.
KUTAN?
THE FREQUENCY OF THEIR VISITS TO TERETA HAS NOTICEABLY INCREASED.
UM, PARDON ME, YOUR GRACE... I WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO MENTION THIS, BUT
NOT LONG AGO, SOMEONE FROM KUTAN INQUIRED ABOUT INVESTING IN THE MINE
AND CONTACTED US.
IT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION TO HIDE IT FROM YOU.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WANTING TO INVEST
THAT I SIMPLY BRUSHED OFF THE CONTACT FROM KUTAN AS NOTHING SPECIAL!
WELL, WHY DON'T YOU MEET WITH THEM?
I MEAN MEET THEM AND GAUGE THEIR INTENTIONS FIRST.
TO SEE WHY THEY'RE COVETING OUR MINE ONLY NOW.
While the Duchess is searching for her most precious earrings, it is revealed that they are on the mistress Claire. Although Claire apologizes, Duke Hector scolds the Duchess and protects Claire. Then the arranged marriage, the past of the house shaken by the arrival of Claire Brondo and her son, the neglect of the young master and his escape to the military academy are told. In the present day, the blue diamond mine and the railway agreement are discussed.
