C53
Silence. A very heavy silence fell. A silence that remained unchanged even after a long time had passed.
There were several moments of silence during the trial, but this time the outcome was a bit different. People simply blinked as if they had heard an impossible sound.
The judge did the same.
"What did you just say?"
"My husband, Leandro Cassius, is having a significant issue conceiving an heir."
As I repeated the same without making a single mistake, I finally got a clear response.
"So, if it's a significant issue... for succession..."
At that moment, it was easy to imagine what thoughts were common in the minds of many people.
I continued to make shocking comments without any consideration for those who found it hard to accept my words.
"He has been avoiding intimacy with me since we got married. From the first night until I left the Cassius mansion, all that time. We have never done anything resembling a married couple."
Sharon assisted from the side.
"This fact can also be confirmed by two witnesses, Laura Emerson and Kayden Moremo. They were responsible for managing the bedrooms of the plaintiff and the defendant, respectively."
"I have done everything possible to resolve this issue. I asked him the reason dozens of times, but my husband never told me anything."
A few dozen times was a bit exaggerated. But if you round to the nearest whole number, it would be twenty times, so let's say that.
"Why did my husband, who claims to love me so much, do that? I still don't understand."
Why can't we sleep together if we love each other? Honestly, there's only one reason.
"In addition to this issue, for the reasons you have seen and heard so far, I have chosen divorce. My heart does not change. I will definitely divorce my husband."
When I finished speaking and returned to my seat, Sharon applauded as if to wake people up.
"I would like to question both witnesses about this. First, the maid, Laura Emerson..."
"There's nothing more to hear!"
An angry Farrell shouted.
"How dare you utter such a scandalous insult to Young Duke Cassius?! We can never let this pass! The crime of defaming the duke's successor..."
Farrell, who was grinding his teeth at me, stopped speaking. He read something in my faint smile.
Suddenly, he looked back at his master. Leandro Cassius's face, who had said there was nothing to fear, was pale.
Seeing Farrell's expression distort, I gained confidence.
"As expected, you didn't say that, Leandro."
Before the trial began, I had some doubts. I wondered if the Leandro Cassius I know would honestly reveal his personal affairs to others.
Among the Cassius family, famous for their pride, Leandro had particularly strong pride. The novel claims that he was raised to be the successor of a great family from birth, but after losing his mother at an early age, he was desperate not to be looked down upon by others.
"After forming a family with Liena, he worked even harder because he wanted to be the perfect older brother."
There was also an episode where Liena took care of Leandro, who suffered health problems from overexertion, and consoled him by saying she liked her older brother just the way he was.
Could Leandro honestly reveal the true story of their relationship? When would Liena, who was deeply involved in the trial, know everything?
Well, even if he had confessed, there was nothing to worry about on our part. As long as Farrel doesn't know, he won't see this as a major threat.
"At most, some employees can testify that the two of us slept together often."
However, by observing Farrell's dramatic change of expression, it seems that Leandro concealed it, as expected. Was he sure there was no way to bring up such a delicate issue?
It's a conservative society where divorce is not easy. How many noblewomen would bring up such a delicate issue in a public event like a trial?
Furthermore, from what I experienced, the Wallace family was particularly patriarchal. If it had been the real Ethel, who was educated and raised by the count and his wife, she might have kept quiet.
"But if you thought I would be the same, you were wrong."
Leandro, you don't know me even though we have lived under the same roof as husband and wife for the past two years.
If you really wanted to fight with me, you should have been prepared to get down in the mud.
What ultimately became Leandro's obstacle was not the recorder or the butler's change of heart but the hypocrisy of his attempt to remain a good person until the end.
While Leandro and Farrell panicked, Laura testified.
"I have served Ethel-nim for the past two years, but I have never seen them sleeping in the same room. Even on their first night as newlyweds."
Even now, when I close my eyes, the events of that night come vividly to my mind.
Leandro, who had been sitting in front of me on the bed for a while, suddenly stormed out of the newlywed room.
"... I'm sorry. It's just impossible."
Simply leaving those words behind.
A similar situation occurred the next day and the day after that. Without fail, Leandro disappeared, leaving me behind, and I was left alone.
Honestly, I was heartbroken. It was lonely. It was difficult. Even though I didn't really love him, my husband rejected me so blatantly.
"This is a farewell now."
After Laura's testimony, the public was buzzing explosively like never before.
"Was the rumor really true?"
"What rumor?"
"Well, there was a story in the past that Young Master Cassius had an issue with that."
"Oh, I remember."
"But didn't that turn out to be false?"
"How do we know if we haven't seen it with our own eyes?"
The judge, concerned about other thoughts, couldn't silence them. Liena, who would have a sudden impact on the public, is no longer present.
Laura exited, and the butler entered. His testimony was even more detailed and shocking.
"Even after marriage, the young Duke used the bedroom he had used since childhood, not the marital bedroom. Likewise..."
He hesitated for a moment and continued speaking.
"In reality, he consulted me about this. It's a bit difficult to tell you the details, but he clearly said that it's difficult to be a normal couple with Ethel. He doesn't love her as someone of the opposite sex."
Sharon responded.
"If what the witness said is true, there is a contradiction. Even during the trial, the defendant claimed to love the plaintiff."
She looked at Leandro.