This Villain Is Mine Now

Chapter 16

For ten long years, the butler had meticulously maintained the Grant household. Despite the tight circumstances, he had never touched the madam’s room. This room was meant for the new mistress of the house. Even though the family had fallen, he wanted to pass on the legacy of the once-glorious Grant family to the new mistress.

Thus, the jewelry box still held an array of accessories. Among the many rings, one in particular caught Lyle’s eye. It was intricately crafted, with multiple intertwined bands resembling vines, and adorned with tiny pink diamonds that looked like blooming flowers.

The color matched Elaina’s hair perfectly.

Lyle placed the ring in his pocket and stood up. As he descended the stairs, a quiet creak echoed through the previously silent corridor, signaling the opening of a door.

A small figure peeked out, looking around cautiously. The child tiptoed into the Archduchess’s room, climbed onto a chair, and opened the jewelry box on the vanity. His face twisted with frustration.

“The ring is gone.”

Clenching his teeth, the child glared at the door, muttering to himself. His eyes were filled with resentment towards someone.

***

The Duke and Duchess of Winchester were enjoying a quiet moment together inside their carriage. They were returning from a trip celebrating their daughter’s successful debutante ball and a smooth conclusion to the social season.

The conversation naturally drifted to Elaina’s potential suitors. When the Duke mentioned Leo Bonaparte, the Duchess laughed and playfully hit her husband’s shoulder.

“Oh, darling, they’re just friends. Marriage? Really?”

“Is that so? Then who do you have in mind?” the Duke asked.

“Well, for starters, it has to be someone Elaina likes. I don’t ask for much. Just someone who can cherish and love her,” the Duchess replied.

Despite her words, one man flitted through her mind. She wanted to tell her husband that anyone but him would be fine, but she bit her tongue. Words have power, and the mere thought of Elaina being entangled with him made her mouth go dry.

As they arrived back at their mansion, Elaina was waiting to greet them at the entrance. Seeing her grown daughter, the Duchess felt a surge of affection.

She is twenty years old. How much longer would Elaina stay at the mansion now that she’s an adult? The thought of her marrying and leaving soon filled the Duchess with a sense of melancholy.

“Welcome back! Did you enjoy your trip?” Elaina asked.

“Of course. We even brought you some chocolates you like. But Elaina, let’s save our chat for after we change, shall we The ride back was quite bumpy, and I have a bit of a headache,” the Duchess replied.

“That’s fine. But I have something important to tell you both right now.”

“Right now? Is it urgent?” the Duke asked, sensing the gravity in Elaina’s voice.

“Yes, it is,” Elaina confirmed, taking a moment before she continued. “I’m getting married.”

The shock of their seemingly naive daughter talking about marriage was short-lived. What followed was an even greater bombshell.

“The person I’m marrying is Archduke Grant. I’m going to marry him.”

As soon as those words left her mouth, the Duchess staggered, nearly collapsing. The Duke quickly supported her, equally taken aback. The servants, too, were in shock. The young lady, marrying whom?

While everyone stood in stunned silence, the Duke was the first to regain his composure.

“Let’s discuss this inside, Elaina. This isn’t the place for such a conversation,” he said, guiding them all into the mansion.

***

Upon reaching the drawing room, the Duchess of Winchester lay down on the sofa with her head resting on her husband’s lap. She was too shocked to change her clothes, her body trembling. As the Duke fanned his wife and closely observed their daughter’s face, he realized immediately that Elaina was not joking. Though cheerful, Elaina was not one to make up stories just to shock her parents.

“Elaina.”

“Yes, Father?”

“Explain yourself properly. Suddenly talking about marriage like this…”

Elaina smiled brightly. She was relieved, to be honest, that it was her father and not her mother she had to explain things to. If her mother had reacted with blind anger and refused to listen, it would have been much more challenging. Grateful for her father’s willingness to listen, Elaina pretended to be shy as she answered.

“You know who I’ve been dancing with all through this social season, don’t you?”

Yes, he knew. At some point, her first dance had always been reserved for that man.

Lyle Grant.

“I know who you’ve been dancing with. But suddenly marriage? Do you really have feelings for him?”

“Yes. I like him very much. I adore him passionately.”

“Elaina Winchester! Do you want to see me dead?” The Duchess sat up abruptly, shouting.

“Why him, of all people? Why? There are so many better men out there. What’s lacking in you that you would choose him?”

The Duchess regretted deeply. She should have kept Elaina away from that man from the beginning.

“No, absolutely not. I will never allow it.”

“Why?”

“Why? How can you even ask why? Can’t you see?”

“He’s quite handsome, isn’t he? Tall and dependable,” Elaina said, teasingly.

The Duchess thumped her chest in frustration. How could her smart daughter speak such nonsense?

“Do you not know what kind of place the Grant Archduchy is? It’s a house of traitors.”

“But they’ve been restored. The Emperor himself pardoned them.”

“Elaina!”

“Please, just trust my judgment this once.”

“Judgment? Did you just say judgment?”

On the verge of fainting from exasperation, the Duchess looked to her husband for support. “Say something! Didn’t you hear what she just said?”

Feeling utterly betrayed, the Duchess trembled. The Duke gently guided her back to her seat and, with a serious expression, looked at Elaina.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re unaware of the things your mother is saying and yet still want to marry Archduke Grant. So, tell us what makes you think he should be your husband.”

“Honey! What is there to listen to?”

“Still, we should hear what Elaina has to say.”

The Duke took his wife’s hand gently, calming her as he turned his attention back to Elaina. “As your father, I prioritize your happiness above all else. Your mother feels the same. From our perspective, Lyle Grant doesn’t seem like a good match.”

“Exactly. How could you choose someone like him?” The Duchess’s voice grew louder with her husband’s support.

Despite their firm opposition, Elaina remained unyielding. “Why did you two get married? Was it because you both thought the other had the best conditions?”

“Oh my, oh my. Listen to what she’s saying, dear,” said the Duchess, not believing what she was hearing.

“No, it wasn’t. It was because you both had feelings for each other. I’ve heard the stories from Grandma. About how you secretly courted each other,” Elaina added.

As the Duchess fumbled for words, Elaina continued. “Conditions. I understand. Lyle may not have the best conditions. But why do I have to choose someone based solely on their conditions?”

“How can you even say that!” the Duchess cried.

“Yes. I’m asking sincerely. I’m your only daughter. The only child of the Winchester family. You could turn a street stone into something more valuable than a jewel. Why should I demean myself by choosing someone based on conditions like other noble daughters?”

The Duchess fell silent. She couldn’t deny it. The pride and slightly arrogant confidence in the Winchester family that Elaina exhibited had been instilled by her.

Desperately, she looked at her husband for help. But the words that came out of the Duke’s mouth were not what she had hoped for.

“Alright. If that’s your decision.”

“Honey!”

“Wait, dear. I’m not finished. But Elaina, what will you do if you realize that what you picked up is truly just a worthless stone? No matter how you dress up a stone, it remains a stone. Do you think you’ll still be happy with it?”

“I agree with you, Father. But what if it turns out that the stone I picked up is actually an uncut gem?”

Despite his frustrating demeanor, Lyle Grant was quite a decent man. His desperate desire to restore his family sometimes made him reckless, but with the right environment, he had the potential to grow.

I do have a plan, after all.

Elaina thought to herself and smiled at her father. Seeing her daughter’s confident smile, the Duchess closed her eyes tightly.

They had raised her to be the most beautiful and well-mannered young lady, yet she had turned out to be the most ungrateful.