“Just like what happened with Baron Bernard, if we want to uncover Nicholas’ intentions, I have to spend some time with him. That’s why I’m telling you in advance, so that you don’t misunderstand like last time.”
Ethan’s lips curled slightly, “So, you still think I’m an idiot, right?”
"What do you mean by that?"
"The situation is different now. Back then, I didn't know the real you. After everything that happened, did you really think that I would suspect you of betrayal just because you were seeing another man again? At most, I would have feared that he was an informant you were hiding," Ethan said in a deadpan voice.
Honestly, he felt insulted.
Camille seemed to think him an ignorant fool.
“Of course, I'm not oblivious to that. Like you said, maybe there's another reason behind all this.”
“Why did you bring this up in the first place?”
“Because you're a person who's familiar with this kind of thing. Even if you thought 'probably not,' the possibility of it being an affair wouldn't be completely erased from your mind. I hate that.”
Camille confirmed again.
“I don't want you to doubt me like that again. At least not about this.”
“……”
For a while, Ethan was at a loss for words, hesitating.
Why? Hearing those words made him feel strange. It was a strange feeling – a slight excitement, with a slight tickle in his chest.
Ethan calmly cleared his throat and asked, “…Why?”
“Do I need a reason to hate him? I just hate him.”
"But surely there is a reason. As you said, it is just a possibility, and I do not seriously doubt you. So why?"
"I hate it. Isn't it enough? Don't you hate being accused of cheating on another woman?"
“…It wouldn't be fun, I guess.”
“Do you understand?”
“……”
“……”
An awkward silence filled the room.
***
What is this atmosphere?
Ethan looked somewhat uncomfortable, avoiding Camille's gaze.
Of course, from Ethan's point of view, her words were probably difficult to understand.
In fact, the fear of being accused of infidelity was a shock to Camille.
“You should experience being caught red-handed to truly understand how I feel.”
Yes. Without experiencing it yourself, you will never know what it feels like to see her husband give her a cold look in an embarrassing situation with another man, as if he was saying: “All you have to do now is take off your clothes.”
Or how miserable I felt as I came up with one excuse after another.
Honestly, she didn't want to go through this again.
“Anyway, I don't want you to think that I'm doing something suspicious again. Like I said before, I've always done my best for Dumont. So please, no more suspicions. Leave it to me.”
Then, Ethan's expression turned serious, "Leave it to you? Are you asking me not to interfere?"
“Yes. If you interfere, Nicholas might become suspicious. Gerard is watching your movements closely. It is best if I act alone, as I did with Baron Bernard.”
“……”
Ethan closed his mouth, thought for a moment, then shook his head, “No way. That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Isn't that obvious? I can't let you handle something as serious as this alone.”
“It's not that serious. Nicholas's main goal is probably just to extract information from me – perhaps about the whereabouts of the missing Baron Bernard, or at most, Dumont's record.”
“What if he finds out that you are trying to manipulate him? If he realizes that you have discovered his true identity, who knows what he might do? No, it is too risky.”
Ethan's voice was firmer than ever.
“Even if he finds out, I will quickly retreat. Do you really think he will hurt me, his enemy’s wife?”
“We are dealing with Gerrard. We cannot accept what is coming.”
“I'll be fine. Trying to silence me would be counterproductive. No matter who he is, he wouldn't take such drastic measures—”
“I said no.”
Ethan interrupted her.
His expression was calm, almost devoid of emotion, but his eyes sparkled as if they held molten silver.
“The conversation ends here. There is no room for reconsideration.”
With that, Ethan stood up.
Camille frowned, “So what do you plan to do?”
“If he comes near you again, don't interfere – push him away. I'll take care of the rest. There's no need to do anything else.”
“Ethan.”
“I said no”
“Aren't you underestimating me too much?”
Then, Ethan turned to look at her with an angry look.
Camille met his gaze directly without hesitation.
"Do you really think I need to be protected all the time? Don't you realize that this is an insult to me?"
“Camille”
“If it weren’t for me, you would never have known that Gerard was behind Baron Bernard’s murder. You would not have prevented the Baron’s assassination. The same was true of the Marcel Patch incident. Not just Inés, but countless innocent women who might have been victims – perhaps even at this very moment.”
“……”
Ethan gritted his teeth audibly.
“Think about it again. There's no need to completely rule me out, it's not that serious. My behavior isn't reckless enough to be easily detected. And even if it were, Gerard wouldn't try to rule me out. As I said, he's overrated, and he'll lose more than he will gain.”
“Can you guarantee that?” Ethan interrupted.
"… What?"
“Can you guarantee, absolutely guarantee, that nothing will happen? And that the possibility of you getting hurt is very small?”
“……”
For a while, Camille was rendered speechless by Ethan's severity.
“You can't guarantee that. There's no such thing as 'never'. You're too smart to not know that.”
“No, but… this is just a theoretical scenario. Logically, the chances of it happening are zero—”
“Logically, no one expected that my uncle would kill my father.”
Hearing Ethan's bitter words, Camille fell silent.
“……”
“Back then, and now—it's the same. My uncle had no compelling reason to kill my father. It was a risky gamble, and he was more likely to lose than he would gain. And he lost in the end. But what happened was that my father died. The dead don't come back. That's what 'never' really means,” Ethan said in a low, hoarse voice.
At that moment, the stubborn, stubborn look in his eyes took on a completely different meaning.
“You talk as if you know Gerard well, but from what I know, Gerard is willing to kill anyone - no matter the cost - if he deems it necessary. And I would never risk something that I couldn't afford to lose, no matter how slim the odds of losing. So, give it up. I won't change my mind.”
“……”
Ethan left the office without saying another word.
Camille stood there alone, staring at the closed door with a blank look.
***
When she returned to her room, Camille collapsed on her bed.
Was I too naive?
She knew that Ethan lost his father at a young age and was deeply scarred by it.
I also knew that since then, he had fought tirelessly to protect the family his father left behind.
He was so protective that Elodie, the good one, eventually resented him. But that was because he was focused on her.
In the original story, Ethan had a deep interest in Elodie.
Camille never imagined that he would act the same way towards her.
Why? I'm not Elodie.
I am Camille, the wife you ignored for five years, the wife you would have divorced long ago if I hadn't turned things around.
What was even more disappointing was that her heart was beating strongly when she heard his desperate words and intense looks.