The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 174

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed using her mother’s connections would be the best option.

They had just made peace, after all.

Surely, her parents’ network would be far more reliable than her own, which she could barely remember anymore.

Nina looked at him nervously, worried he might find her interference bothersome. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

“What does Mother like?”

“…Sorry?”

Mother?

“Before receiving help, shouldn’t we first show some sincerity?”

“Oh, right! That’s true.”

Realizing he didn’t see her suggestion as meddling, Nina beamed.

If he had scolded her for overstepping, she would’ve been hurt, but thankfully, he hadn’t.

“My mother and I have similar tastes. I think she’d like it if she received a tea set as a gift.”

“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”

A soft curve formed at Ash’s lips.

“…Huh? Oh… okay…”

Nina tilted her head slightly.

Why did it feel like… he was treating her with such a strangely gentle demeanor? Was she imagining things…?

* * *

Ian arrived the following day, sometime after lunch.

Returning home after two years, Ian wandered through the house with eyes that sparkled like moonlight on water.

It seemed seeing the house again after so long was more urgent to him than eating.

At this rate, he might just stay up all night. So Nina, alongside Ash, took Ian by the hand and led him to the dining room.

Since he’d come by carriage, Ian hadn’t had a proper meal yet.

After unpacking in the bedroom and making sure he was fed, it was already around the time for afternoon tea.

A full and clear autumn, just past summer.

In the glass conservatory bathed in golden rays like beams of sunlight.

This was a place where Nina’s beloved lavender was in full bloom.

About a year ago, she’d spent a large sum to have lavender planted so she could enjoy its violet haze year-round, and it was still beautiful every time she saw it.

Beautiful enough to consider making quite a profit by selling seedlings in the future.

As the day of divorce drew nearer, all she could think about was building her independence fund.

Though she had reconciled with her family, she still had no intention of remarrying.

“Ian, would you take a look at this?”

Nina began showing Ian the letters she had received.

“What are these?”

Ian tilted his head with round eyes.

“They’re letters from your friends’ parents. If there’s anyone you’re close with, I thought we might arrange a meeting later. They want to invite you, your uncle, and me to a party.”

They were letters from the parents of students who had attended Saint Hennige Academy with him.

“Hm… just a second.”

Judging by the uninterested look in his eyes as he flipped through the letters, it didn’t seem like he was particularly close with any of them.

Then, Ian’s hand paused mid-turn.

“I’m not that close with most of them… but I’m good friends with Sister Adela.”

Adela. The daughter of Count Ruin.

Calling her “Sister” suggested they were in the same class.

But the one person he said he was close with turned out to be a girl older than him…

Could she be… his girlfriend?

Nina stared at Ian, then slowly turned her head to look at Ash.

Meeting her gaze, he raised his eyebrows as if to ask, ‘What is it?’

“I was just thinking how mature our nephew is, unlike someone else, even from a young age.”

Ash didn’t have a face that would be considered lacking anywhere, and as a child, he was just as pretty as Ian. It really was strange.

Why had this man ended up single his whole life?

Why, of all people, did he have his first kiss with her…?

Nina gave her head a small shake to clear away the creeping irrelevant thoughts.

‘Come to think of it… I should probably change out some of the decorative paintings soon.’

They hadn’t hosted any parties so far, so there hadn’t been a need to replace them.

Aside from portraits, decorative paintings were supposed to be rotated regularly.

‘Wait…?’

Just then, a strange thought crossed her mind.

Now that she thought about it, had she ever seen any family portraits in this house?

The previous Duke—Joshua—and Ash were half-brothers.

Then logically, there should be portraits somewhere of the former duke before that, the former duchess, Joshua, and Ash—four in total.

And yet, in the long gallery of House Bayern and the mansion’s hallways, all the paintings seemed to be individual portraits or ancestral family portraits.

“…Is something wrong?”

“What’s the matter, Aunt?”

Did her expression really look that odd?

“No, it’s nothing.”

Nina brushed off the curious gazes directed her way and pulled herself out of the unnecessary train of thought.

There might simply not be any family portraits.

Just like how, even though they were married, there were no couple portraits of her and her husband.

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