The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 214

“Today I’m going to teach you a game called Handkerchief Tag. It might feel unfamiliar because it’s not a well-known game in the Nessman Empire.”

After briefly explaining the rules of handkerchief tag, she picked the first ‘it’ at random.
It happened to be Greg, the mischievous blond boy who had caused trouble with the academy kids earlier.

“Alright. The person who’s chosen ‘it’ must perform a forfeit and compliment the person sitting next to you!”

“D-Do I have to do that right now?”

“I’ll make an exception since it’s the first round. But from the next round on, the ‘it’ must complete the forfeit. Understood?”

“Yes!”

The children chorused enthusiastically.

As they began singing the little tune that accompanied the game, Greg stood awkwardly, clutching the handkerchief in his hand, then began to run around the circle.

With a hesitant expression, he finally placed the handkerchief behind the back of the boy he’d fought with earlier.

‘Looks like I don’t have to worry anymore.’

The awkward tension vanished in an instant when the next child grabbed the handkerchief and dashed after Greg in pursuit.

A soft smile curved Nina’s lips.

The children quickly grew familiar with the game’s rhythm, laughter spreading as they played.

Academy students or noble heirs, there was no distinction now.

They took turns being ‘it’, chasing, laughing, and teasing one another, and the worry that had been lingering in Nina’s chest seemed to wash away completely.

“…Make sure the children don’t get hurt.”

“Yes, Madam.”

After instructing a servant not to take their eyes off the children even for a moment, she began walking toward the group standing a short distance away, those who had been quietly keeping an eye on things.

* * *

“…You can’t seem to take your eyes off your wife.”

While Nina was leading the children, Ash, who had been attending to the guests, turned his head toward the voice.

Marchioness Lambert stood there, her expression unreadable.

Even if she was part of Duchess Taylor’s circle, not everyone here viewed Nina favorably.

Some were attending for political reasons, or simply for personal gain, setting aside their dislike for the sake of appearances.

Most hadn’t come to befriend ‘Duchess Bayern’ at all, but rather to help their own children form a connection with Ian.

Marchioness Lambert was one of those people.

“Your wife has changed a great deal.”

“She hasn’t changed. Perhaps she’s merely returned to how she once was.”

Before their marriage, Nina had never been the sort of woman to draw scandal.

In fact, she’d once been admired as the very model of a noble lady. Graceful, disciplined, and impeccable.

“You’ve gained a wife far too good for you, Your Grace.”

For two years, the gossip about them hadn’t been limited to Nina’s supposed misconduct.

There had also been countless stories about how cold and unfeeling Duke Bayern had been toward his wife.

The Marchioness’s faint, cutting smile made it clear she hadn’t forgotten that.

“…I know.”

He tried not to show it, especially not in front of his wife, but the anxiety never left him.

He feared that one day she would go through with it… that she would truly choose divorce and walk away from him for good.

‘If only there were some reason to make her stay…’

The reason he had postponed the divorce in the first place had been distrust.

He couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t betray him, that she would side with Marquis Azelot and strip him of Ian’s guardianship.

But now that distrust was gone.

And with it, so was his excuse.

Even if she were to demand a divorce this very moment, he would have nothing left to say.

Had she decided to ignore his confession altogether?

The way she acted as if it had never happened—never mentioning it, never looking his way—was enough to make his heart burn painfully in his chest.

Clenching his cold hands into fists, Ash stepped toward Nina, who was approaching.

“You’ve worked hard today. You must be hungry.”

“I was just starting to feel a little peckish.”

He seated her and rolled up his sleeves, tending to the fire and placing meat and vegetables on the grill.

At that moment, Marchioness Lambert approached again and murmured under her breath,

“After today, the scandals that have plagued you will lose their strength, Duchess Bayern.”

Nina’s eyes widened.

Marchioness Lambert was a close friend of Nina’s mother, Duchess Taylor, and she was also once the head lady-in-waiting of the Empress’s palace.

She had retired nearly ten years ago after giving birth to her son.

So how, Nina wondered, could she possibly claim she would strip power from the rumors that had tormented her for so long?