The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway — Chapter 29

IT'S POURING ALL OF A SUDDEN.

SHOULD I GO INTO THE LIQUOR STORE ON MY OWN? YOU COULD GET WET.

LET'S GO IN TOGETHER. AFTER ALL, IT'S UP TO ME TO PICK A GOOD WINE TO SUIT THE PARTY.

BY THE WAY, I HEARD THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME VISITING EL TABEO.

YOU ARRIVED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, SO WHY HASN'T THE LIEUTENANT BROUGHT YOU BY EVEN ONCE?

I Hear The Port Is Gorgeous...

HE ACTUALLY DID PLAN TO BRING HER.

I Was Just Under The Impression That She Didn't Like Going Out...

...so I Was Doing My Best Not To Annoy Her For The Time Being...!

WELL...

ARE YOU SURE HE ISN'T BEING MORE NEGLECTFUL THAN HE MAKES IT SEEM, MISS INÉS?

I'M SURE HE WOULD'VE BROUGHT ME IF HE HAD THE TIME.

BUT HE ALREADY COMES HOME ON TIME EVERY DAY, AND HE FLIRTS WITH HER DAY AND NIGHT.

HE COULD ALWAYS MAKE TIME. THIS PLACE ISN'T EVEN THAT FAR FROM THE MILITARY PORT...

DON'T BE LIKE THAT.

EVEN WITHOUT CÁRCEL BRINGING ME, I WOULD'VE COME HERE MYSELF IF I'D WANTED TO.

BUT IT'S A MATTER OF BEING ATTENTIVE, ISN'T IT?

IF CÁRCEL WERE TO SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT, I WOULD KICK HIM IN THE SHIN.

UGH...

I WAS WORRIED, BUT SHE ACTUALLY LOOKS MORE RELAXED...

...THAN SHE WAS BACK IN VALEZTENA.

I SUPPOSE I CAN'T DENY THAT THE LIEUTENANT MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

EVEN BEFORE HAVING TO TELL HIM YOU WANT TO VISIT THE CITY,

HE SHOULD BE THE ONE TO ASK YOU FIRST. I MEAN, HOW NICE WOULD IT BE IF HE CAME TO YOU AND SAID, "WOULD YOU CARE TO GO ON A ROMANTIC OUTING, JUST THE TWO OF US?

THOUGH NOT AS HIGH-RANKING AS THE CROWN PRINCE, WHOM MISS INÉS HAD REFUSED EARLY ON, BEING THE ELDEST SON OF HOUSE ESCALANTE MADE HIM PERFECT HUSBAND MATERIAL.

NOT TO MENTION THAT EVEN I AS A MAN COULD APPRECIATE HIS BEAUTY,

AND DESPITE HIS MUSCULAR PHYSIQUE AND TOWERING FIGURE, HE HAD A SURPRISINGLY GENTLE SIDE WHEN IT CAME TO MISS INÉS...

IT SEEMS HIS PASSION, INTEREST, AND KINDNESS TOWARD HER ARE POSITIVELY OVERFLOWING...

...CARE TO TELL ME WHY YOU'VE BEEN ROLLING YOUR EYES IN THAT RATHER RUDE MANNER SINCE EARLIER?

HE COULD BE PERFECT AS LONG AS HIS OLD HABITS DON'T RETURN.

BUT KNOWING HIS FILTHY HISTORY, I CAN'T HELP BUT BE SUSPICIOUS.

SINCE THIS ISN'T A DINNER BANQUET BUT RATHER A SIMPLE LUNCHEON WITH WINE,

I WAS THINKING THAT BAKLAVA MIGHT MAKE FOR THE PERFECT DESSERT.

I THINK I'LL NEED SOMETHING MORE PLAUSIBLE AS BAIT FOR LIEUTENANT ESCALANTE.

HMM...

THAT'S MUCH TOO ELABORATE. BESIDES, IT'D BE HARD TO FIND THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS OR EVEN SOMEONE TO MAKE IT.

EL TABEO IS A VERY PROSPEROUS PORT. I'M SURE WE COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND THIS IS THE VERY FIRST PARTY YOU'RE HOSTING YOURSELF, MISS INÉS.

YOU SHOULD BE DOMINATING THE SCENE HERE BY JUMPING ON THE LATEST TRENDS FROM MENDOZA...

RAÚL, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT OUT HERE TO COMPETE WITH ANYONE? THIS IS JUST A LITTLE WINE PARTY.

OH MY GOD, MARIO!

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING LOOKING BEHIND YOU WHILE CHAUFFEURING SEÑORA ESCALANTE'S CARRIAGE?!

BUT...!

YOU ASKED ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON HER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, SIR...

PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE MOST BASIC RULE...!

WELL? DID YOU SEE ANYTHING SPECIAL REGARDING SEÑORA?

YES, I DID...

WHEN SHE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CARRIAGE, MR. BALAN JUMPED OUT AND QUICKLY OPENED THE UMBRELLA.

HE ALSO LET SEÑORA ESCALANTE REST HER HAND ON HIS WRIST AS HE HELPED HER DOWN.

HE THEN SAID, "WE CAN'T LET YOUR DRESS GET WET, MISS INÉS," AND ASKED HER TO STEP ON HIS FEET.

BUT SEÑORA HATED THE IDEA AND TOLD HIM TO STOP.

...I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND WHAT ELSE? WHAT DID SEÑORA DO INSIDE THE LIQUOR STORE?

(SUSPICIOUS)

DIDN'T YOU ASK ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON MR. BALAN?

WHY DO YOU KEEP ASKING ABOUT SEÑORA?

I'M ONLY TRYING TO FIND OUT IF SEÑORA ESCALANTE WAS WAITED ON PROPERLY...!

CHAUFFEUR MARIO: FAILURE

THE SEÑORA WAS JUST AS BEAUTIFUL TODAY.

WERE YOU JUST STARING AT SEÑORA'S FACE THE WHOLE TIME...?

SERVANT HUGO: FAILURE

AT NOON, MISS INÉS WAS OUT TOURING THE GARDEN, SO RAÚL WAS WITH HER THE ENTIRE TIME.

I HAD WORK TO DO ON THE SECOND FLOOR, SO I WATCHED SECRETLY THROUGH THE WINDOW.

HE WAS HOLDING A PARASOL IN ONE HAND WHILE FANNING HER WITH THE OTHER, SO HE SEEMED TO REALLY HAVE HIS HANDS FULL.

HE WAS SWEATING SO MUCH THAT MISS INÉS PERSONALLY THREW HER HANDKERCHIEF AT HIS FACE.

YOU LOOK FILTHY. WIPE YOURSELF OFF.

THANK YOU!♡

IS THAT SO...?

SHE'S SO MUCH MORE HELPFUL THAN THOSE STUPID MALE SERVANTS!

AND WHEN MISS INÉS RETURNED HOME AT 1:00 P.M., SHE OPTED NOT TO EAT LUNCH, WHICH CAUSED SOME TROUBLE.

RAÚL BROUGHT OVER AN ASSORTED TRAY OF COOKIES THAT HAD BEEN BAKED LAST NIGHT AND KEPT TRYING TO ENTICE HER TO EAT SOME.

IN THE END, MISS INÉS ATE A FEW, BUT SHE LOOKED QUITE ANNOYED, AS IF SHE HADN'T WANTED TO EAT THEM AT ALL... BUT RAÚL LOOKED OVERJOYED. AND AT AROUND 1:20 P.M., RAÚL WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO THE KITCHEN AND...

...WHAT DO YOU SAY...

...YOU SHORTEN YOUR STATEMENT A BIT...?

SHORTEN IT HOW? IF YOU JUST WANT THE PLAIN FACTS, I RECALL MISS INÉS SMILING FOUR TIMES AND LAUGHING THREE TIMES, AND RAÚL FAWNED OVER HER SIX TIMES.

RAÚL ALSO FLATTERED HER SEVEN TIMES, AND MISS INÉS SCOLDED HIM TWICE. OH, AND RAÚL FILLED MISS INÉS' EMPTY CUP FOUR TIMES... LIKE THIS?

YOU'RE... VERY SMART.

MAID KARA: SUCCESS (ALBEIT PAINFUL)

ESCALANTE RESIDENCE, DAY OF THE PARTY

OH MY, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT...

LADY ACEVEDO

HAVE YOU SEEN MY HUSBAND BY CHANCE, SEÑORA ESCALANTE?

LIEUTENANT ACEVEDO...

...IS OVER THERE IN THE CONSERVATORY. HE WENT IN THERE EARLIER WITH COMMANDER BARCA.

I CAN'T BELIEVE HE GOT MY HUSBAND AGAIN... I HOPE THEY AREN'T GAMBLING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT!

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HUSBAND, SEÑORA ESCALANTE.

COMMANDER BARCA AND LIEUTENANT SALVATORE ARE GAMBLERS.

YOU MEAN, THOSE RESPECTABLE SEÑORS?

WHEN I SAW THEM IN MENDOZA, THEY DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THE GAMBLING TYPE AT ALL.

OF COURSE, AS THE MARQUESS OF BARCA, HE ONLY EVER GAMBLES WITH PETTY CHANGE, BUT HE'S STILL VERY COMPETITIVE.

AND THEN THERE'S MY HUSBAND WHO HAS NO TALENT FOR GAMBLING.

AND OF ALL PEOPLE, HE HAD TO BE SITTING NEXT TO LIEUTENANT ESCALANTE. HE'S PRACTICALLY AN OGRE IN COMPARISON...

OH, SEÑORA ACEVEDO. LIEUTENANT ACEVEDO IS A VERY MANLY-LOOKING GENTLEMAN.

I GUESS YOU'RE RIGHT... HE'S UGLY THE WAY ORTEGA MEN ARE.

MEANWHILE, LIEUTENANT SALVATORE IS ABOUT TO RUIN HIS THIRD MARRIAGE BECAUSE OF HIS GAMBLING AGAIN.

I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S OVER THERE WITH THE REST OF THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN SEÑORA SALVATORE IS HERE...!

MEN ARE IMPOSSIBLE!

THEN SHALL WE GO BREAK THEM UP?

WE CAN DO IT BEFORE SEÑORA SALVATORE SEES THEM.

I'LL CALL THEM OUT IN A WHILE SAYING WE HAVE A NEW DESSERT...

OR I CAN DO A TOUR OF THE RESIDENCE FIRST.

GOOD IDEA, SEÑORA ESCALANTE!

IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE AS THE CROWN PRINCESS,

I WOULD'VE LAUGHED IF SOMEONE HAD CALLED THIS A PARTY.

NOT ONLY IS THIS EVENT TINY IN SCALE,

BUT THE VENUE IS EVEN WORSE.

AND THE GUESTS ARE A FAR CRY FROM BEING PART OF MENDOZA'S HIGH SOCIETY,

SAVE FOR THOSE WHO CAME FROM IMPORTANT ENOUGH FAMILIES TO BECOME HIGH-RANKING COMMISSIONED OFFICERS...

...LIKE CÁRCEL, JOSÉ, AND COMMANDER BARCA.

AS A RESULT, THE PEOPLE HERE ARE LESS CORRUPT...

...COMPARED TO THOSE STUCK IN THE VAIN CITY OF MENDOZA.

THAT'S RIGHT, THIS ISN'T THE PALACE OR MENDOZA.

PERHAPS THE ABUNDANCE I ALWAYS CRAVED FROM LIFE...

...WAS RIGHT HERE IN THIS SMALL HOMELY GARDEN.

THIS IS SEÑORA ESCALANTE'S MASTERPIECE.

IT MIGHT LOOK HOMELY, BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH EFFORT SHE PUT INTO THIS PLACE.

NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, I VISITED THIS PLACE A LONG TIME AGO...

IT WAS WHEN ANOTHER OFFICER WAS LIVING HERE. IT LOOKS QUITE DIFFERENT NOW.

AN UPDATE WAS INEVITABLE!

EVERY INCH OF THIS PLACE WAS TOUCHED BY THE HANDS OF SEÑORA ESCALANTE.

RAÚL IS IN DANGER!

AT THIS RATE, HE'S GOING TO GET DRAGGED INTO THE MARCHIONESS'S BED...

MARCHIONESS BARCA.

SEÑORA ESCALANTE!

WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU!

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU, MARCHIONESS.

I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A TOUR OF THE INSIDE...

AND I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, SEÑORA.

I WONDERED ABOUT YOU SINCE LIEUTENANT ESCALANTE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALONE HERE IN CALZTELA...

AND I WAS ALSO CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THIS HOME WOULD CHANGE NOW THAT IT'S FINALLY FOUND ITS MISTRESS.

"HERE IN CALZTELA," HUH? IS SHE TRYING TO MAKE SOME SORT OF POINT?

I'M SURE IT'S NO COMPARISON TO THE HOME YOU STAY IN, MARCHIONESS.

I WAS HOPING TO GATHER ALL THE LADIES FIRST AND PRESENT A SMALL GIFT...

...BUT SINCE THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME MEETING,

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ROUND EVERYONE UP FOR ME, MARCHIONESS?

OF COURSE, SEÑORA.

I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A LOVELY LIBRARY...!

I PUT A WINDOW IN HERE TO SHOWCASE LOGORÑO HILL AND THE OCEAN.

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL, SEÑORA!

DON'T YOU THINK SO TOO, SEÑORITA GORMAZ?

ON A CLEAR DAY LIKE TODAY, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE SUN SETTING OVER THE OCEAN.

YOU CAN SEE THE SUNSET FROM HERE? OH, HOW WONDERFUL...

...WHO GAVE THAT WOMAN COGNAC?

SEÑORA SALVATORE,

ARE YOU ALRIGHT?

I'M FINE. I'M ALRIGHT, SO JUST...

PLEASE, COME AND HAVE A SEAT HERE.

DID SHE FIND THE ALCOHOL ON HER OWN AND DRINK HERSELF INTO THIS STATE?

RAÚL, COULD YOU COME HERE AND...

...DO YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING, SEÑORA?

THIS HOUSE...

YOU KNOW, THIS PRETTY ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE A HAMSTER WHEEL...

ORIGINALLY,

IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY BELONG TO LIEUTENANT ESCALANTE.

To Be Continued