Wicked Husband-Chapter 75 - 74

Cesare stood at a respectful distance, ensuring that Eileen and her father were within view but out of earshot, and began conversing with Diego.

Eileen turned awkwardly to her father. It had been a week since she had last seen him, right after the wedding. Although the time apart wasn’t long, it felt as if several months had passed.

"Father, have you been well...?"

Before Eileen could finish her sentence, her father leaned in, whispering urgently.

"Help me, Eileen."

Eileen blinked, startled by the unexpected plea. Her father, wiping cold sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, stared at her with wide, distressed eyes.

"Did you send me to the ranch?"

"The ranch?"

"Yes! I’m at a ranch right now, milking cows!"

"Cows...?"

Eileen struggled to grasp what her father was saying. The image of him, accustomed to a life of indulgence in alcohol and gambling, now milking cows on a ranch was completely incongruous.

Just as she was about to press for more details, her father fell silent, his shock evident.

Diego was watching them intently. He had removed his uniform jacket, draping it over his shoulder and revealing tattooed forearms beneath his rolled-up shirt sleeves. When their eyes met, Diego offered Eileen a silent, enigmatic smile.

Diego’s tattoos, previously concealed beneath his uniform, were boldly visible in the bright sunlight, making a striking impression. His imposing stature, combined with the tattoos, lent an additional layer of intimidation to his presence. Anyone unfamiliar with him might instinctively turn away if they encountered him on the street.

However, it wasn’t just Diego; all of Cesare’s knights exuded an air of unapproachability. Having spent their lives as soldiers, they were formidable figures not easily dealt with by ordinary people.

Eileen might have been frightened, too, if she hadn’t known them since childhood. Her familiarity with them made her understand the kindness beneath their tough exteriors.

She smiled back at Diego, who playfully winked at her.

Unable to resist his gesture, Eileen let out a soft laugh. Diego, who had been beaming with pride, quickly resumed a more serious demeanor. Cesare, observing their interaction, allowed a small smile before returning to his conversation with Diego.

Turning her attention back to her father, Eileen noticed his expression had grown even more somber. He silently wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. Eileen hesitated before speaking.

"Are you working at the ranch?"

Unlike before, when he had been brusque, her father remained silent. When he didn’t respond, she pressed further.

"How did you end up there? Did someone introduce you to the job?"

Once again, there was no reply. While her concern for her father should have been her primary focus, another worry began to surface.

’So, is the house empty now?’

Without someone to manage it, the house would quickly fall into disrepair. Eileen’s thoughts immediately turned to the orange trees in the garden—rare and precious, a gift from Cesare. She knew that when she returned to the Grand Duke’s residence after leaving the palace today, she would need to ask Sonio to find a caretaker for the property as soon as possible.

Her concern for the house shifted back to her father, who had yet to answer her questions. Eileen decided to offer a simple, comforting gesture.

"I’m glad to see you’re looking well."

"...Hmph."

Her father scoffed at her words. Eileen couldn’t understand why he was mocking her, especially since he indeed appeared healthier. Perhaps it was due to his change in habits; he no longer spent his days in bed or drinking excessively. His once ruddy face now had a healthier complexion, the dark shadows under his eyes had faded, and his gaze was sharper.

’Maybe working at the ranch wouldn’t be so bad...’

She kept this thought to herself, knowing it would only anger her father further. As she prepared to speak again, her father suddenly muttered something.

"You have no idea, do you?"

He wasn’t looking at her but at Cesare as he spoke.

"It’s always been like this. They’ve kept you in a flower garden, ensuring you knew nothing of the real world."

He continued to stare intently at Cesare, even under the midday sun, before slowly shifting his gaze back to Eileen. With an expression and tone of frustration, he added,

"Your mother was the same. Why were you both so obsessed—no, infatuated—with such a man?"

He looked at Eileen as though she were the most unfortunate person in the world. As his words trailed off, he clicked his tongue and added an unexpected remark.

"Working at the ranch is better than dying."

Then he fell silent again. Eileen considered reprimanding her father for using the Grand Duchess’s name to his advantage but decided against it. Any attempt to reason with him would likely result in further disdain.

Eileen kept her gaze fixed on her feet while her father intermittently let out bitter laughs. The silence stretched on, and it seemed Cesare and Diego’s conversation was nearing its end.

Diego’s frown suggested their discussion hadn’t gone well. Frustration evident, he ran a rough hand through his hair. But as soon as he sensed Eileen’s gaze, he quickly forced a smile.

Watching Diego’s smile, Eileen felt her father’s words pierce her heart.

"It’s always been like that. They’ve kept you in a flower garden, ensuring you knew nothing."

Cesare, Diego, the other knights, even Sonio—they all kept things from Eileen. But she understood that there was always a reason behind it. Everything was done for her sake.

Eileen glanced at the wedding ring on her finger, a tangible symbol of the dreams she had as a child. Yet, it often felt oddly foreign.

Despite Cesare’s desire for her to remain uninformed, Eileen sensed he was waiting for the day when she would uncover the truth.

She noticed the flower petals scattered at her feet, fallen from a nearby tree. Gently, she nudged one with her shoe.

It had always been this way. Whenever she spent time alone in the palace, Cesare would bring her to the garden. There, she would pass the hours happily, admiring the plants, completely unaware that she was waiting for him.

From the moment Cesare discovered Eileen’s love for plants, he never forgot it. He remembered details she herself had long since forgotten, ensuring that all her needs—whether she was aware of them or not—were met.

Eileen had grown accustomed to Cesare’s attentiveness since childhood. She no longer found anything strange about it, though she understood that others might view their relationship as unusual.

Even now, though she didn’t fully grasp the entire situation, she accepted it, believing it was all for her benefit.

An ordinary person might have sensed something was amiss the moment they noticed an anomaly in the wedding ring or anything else.

But Eileen couldn’t bring herself to doubt Cesare. Raised within his protective embrace, she had never learned to question or be wary of him. Her entire world had been shaped by his care, leaving her uncertain of how to exist outside his protective walls.

As Eileen’s thoughts drifted, Cesare and Diego’s conversation drew to a close. Sensing their approach, Eileen pushed aside her complicated thoughts. Diego offered her a respectful salute and spoke.

"I’ll escort the Baron back, my lady."

"Sir Diego."

Without thinking, Eileen called out to him. Diego paused, curious about what she had to say, but Eileen herself was unsure.

"...Be careful on your way back. Thank you for today."

In the end, Eileen could only offer a polite farewell. Diego smiled, perhaps finding her words somewhat lacking, but he saluted again before turning away. Her father, with an expression as though he were being led to his doom, followed Diego reluctantly.

Left alone with Cesare, Eileen hesitated before asking,

"Did you send my father to the ranch?"

Her father wouldn’t have gone to the ranch of his own accord; someone must have forced him there. And there was only one person who could have done that.

Cesare confirmed it readily.

"Should I bring him back?"

She should have immediately demanded that Cesare release her father, but the words caught in her throat.

After all, the only reason Cesare had bothered with a baron of such low status was because he was Eileen’s father.

It was easy to understand why Cesare had sent him to the ranch—to prevent him from exploiting the Grand Duchess’s name for his own gain.

’Maybe he should stay there a little longer... Perhaps it might even help him quit drinking.’

Though it was a thought she quickly dismissed, Cesare seemed to voice it for her.

"It appears the Baron has adapted quite well to pastoral life. The cattle have even grown fond of him."

Cesare’s words, though spoken with a veneer of logic, seemed almost absurd—implying that she shouldn’t deny the cattle their new companion.

Hi guys, sorry about the one update per day. I am currently busy with my school and exams and also my job so it is only one Chapter I am going to be realeasing per day. Thank you for being patient with me.