Normally, he would have asked me to let it go.
Or, more likely, he would not have ordered the investigation in the first place.
Ethan's behavior towards Camille has definitely changed recently.
It was evident that he was struggling with their marital problems, which was uncharacteristic of him.
Of course, the Duchess's transformation was dramatic.
Even Jack, who had known her for years, was still confused as to how she had hidden her true identity for so long. There are still many mysteries surrounding Camille that need to be solved.
It is normal for perceptions to change.
But the real question is: How have you changed?
Camille still has many unsolved mysteries.
They could not be complacent.
Maybe it was just being overly cautious, but it had to be checked.
“Keep an eye on her now. Report immediately if anything similar happens again.”
“Yes”
Even after replying, Jack remained standing in place.
“Is there anything else on your mind?”
“Have you stopped doubting the Duchess?” Jack asked.
Ethan looked up from his papers, “What doubts do you mean?”
“You mentioned that the Duchess might be Gerard's spy.”
Jack never believed this was a plausible theory. It seemed so unlikely, and his gut told him it wasn't. It was like a “what if” scenario given Gerrard’s ambiguity.
“I haven't completely ruled it out. But...”
“But?”
“As I mentioned earlier, if Camille had been a spy, she would not have proposed a divorce. She would have tried to stay close to me no matter the cost.”
“This is just speculation, not concrete evidence.”
“I know. That's why I ordered the investigation, and I haven't canceled the order yet.”
“That's true, but...”
“What's bothering you? Speak clearly.”
Ethan's gaze was cold and steady as usual.
Maybe this is just an overabundance of caution. But I'm not sure yet.
Jack decided it was best for him to keep watching temporarily.
He was about to speak when he heard footsteps approaching from outside. A moment later, there was a knock on the door.
“Me, Camille”
“Come in”
The door opened, and Camille entered.
Jack bowed his head and started to leave, but Camille stopped him.
“Okay, that's okay. This will only take a moment.”
“What's wrong?” Ethan asked.
“I would like to visit my family tomorrow. I have been confined at home for a long time under the pretext of being ill, and my brother seems very worried. I received another letter from him today,” Camille spoke smoothly and without hesitation.
Although it sounded like a prepared sentence, it did not seem strange.
“Are you planning to stay one night?”
“No, I plan to come back the same day.”
“Then there is no need to ask my permission every time. Just tell Victor where you are going when you leave.”
“Really?” Camille looked at Jack for a brief moment.
“……”
Jack frowned instinctively.
"Why? Is there a problem?"
“No, I understand. I will go now. Please, continue talking.”
“Okay”
Camille left quickly, closing the door behind her.
When the sound of her footsteps faded, Ethan said, “Follow her as usual. She can meet her informant at any time, so don’t leave her for a moment.”
“…understood”
Ethan thought Camille had an informant who knew Gerard's secrets.
He was convinced that she had learned of Baron Bernard's plot to steal the ledger through him. According to Ethan, Camille seemed more concerned for this informant's safety than her own.
It made sense.
If Gerard had discovered that someone had leaked information, that informant would have been dead. However, Jack doubted that Camille would risk meeting this informant soon.
When Ethan told Camille that she didn't need his permission to go out, she looked at Jack. It was as if she was insinuating that she was aware that she was being followed every time she left the house.
Jack and his subordinates were professionals. It is unlikely that their surveillance would go unnoticed, and if it had happened, they would have known about it immediately.
Could it be just a guess? Or…
Recently, Jack delegated the task of monitoring to his subordinates.
Not only was it important enough for his direct intervention, Camille also knew his face.
“Looks like I'll have to deal with this personally tomorrow.”
If Camille finds out that Jack is following her, it will be proof that she is not a normal person.
***
As I walked down the hallway, I was lost in my thoughts.
Just before I entered Ethan's office, I overheard part of a conversation inside.
The voices were faint and difficult to distinguish, but I could clearly make out some words: “duchess,” “suspicion,” and “spy.”
As I approached, the sounds suddenly stopped.
They must have sensed my presence.
“So, they're thinking about the possibility of me being a spy for Gerard...”
I was kind of expecting this. Gerard had planted spies in Dumont Palace several times.
However, I wasn't too worried. It wasn't true, and they wouldn't find any evidence to prove it.
Moreover, I thought the doubts would automatically go away once I divorced Ethan. If I were really Gerard's spy, I wouldn't have tried to leave the estate voluntarily.
“The problem is that the divorce process proved to be more difficult than I expected.”
What also bothered me was that the voice I heard wasn't Ethan's, but Jack's. Jack was more suspicious and meticulous than Ethan.
He was so stubborn that his nickname was “Dumont’s Dog.”
“Continuing to doubt and proceed in this way will be exhausting.”
At the last party, I had to use several strategies to avoid any unnecessary suspicion, which required a lot of effort.
I had to tread carefully in the future to ensure a smooth divorce from Ethan, and avoiding Jack's scrutiny every time was difficult.
I have to take action now.
If I could convince him, that would be even better...
Once I got to my room, I started making a plan in earnest.
***
The next morning, Jack was waiting in his office in the outbuilding of the Dumont Palace early.
“It's time to go”
He looked at his watch and got up.
The Duchess had planned to leave right after breakfast, so if he left now, he would catch up with her in time.
As he was putting on his hat and going out, he saw a servant running towards him.
“Sir, the Duchess is asking about you.”
“...The Duchess?” Jack asked in disbelief.
The servant nodded.
“Did she say why?”
“Not specified...”
“……”
Jack motioned to the servant to lead the way.
When he arrived at the Duchess's room, Camille was already dressed and ready to go.
“Come on, Jack,” she said with a bright smile.
“You called me”
“Yes, I'm about to head to my brother's house, and I wanted you to accompany me.”
“……”
Jack instinctively raised a scarred eyebrow. He had thought of various reasons for the Duchess to summon him, but this was completely surprising.
“May I ask why?”
“Well, it's a long way, and I thought it would be nice to have some friends with me. We can talk on the way.”
“……”
Camille laughed lightly.
“There is no need for all this caution. I assure you, my intentions are good.”
“If you are capable of harming me, I will not long serve the Duke,” Jack replied calmly.
“Oh, quite right,” Camille smiled, looking delighted, “Shall we go then?”
“Yes let's go”
The Duchess took her maid's hand and stood up.
I don't know what her plan is, but this might be a good opportunity.
There are still many mysteries surrounding Camille.
Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to discover her true intentions.