The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 65

Deborah couldn’t stop crying in the warm embrace of Marquis Sisley. Every time he gently rubbed her back, a flood of emotions overwhelmed her.

A deep sense of relief from knowing she could rely on him. But right after, regret—because she had deceived him all this time.

Then, fear—what would happen if she told him the truth?

And yet, because she loved him, she wanted to stay by his side forever.

…But at the same time, there was a lingering sadness, knowing that he only loved his late wife.

These emotions surfaced and faded, over and over, sometimes intertwining in a tangled mess. She couldn’t stay calm.

“Hic…”

Deborah cried and cried until she started hiccupping.

Seeing this, the marquis, concerned, cupped her cheeks and gazed at her gently. His touch made her face grow even hotter, and her heart pounded with the fear that he might notice her feelings.

“I-I’m okay… Hic!”

“You are not okay. Mrs. Lauren!”

Marquis Sisley called out loudly toward the door. At once, it swung open, and Mrs. Lauren stepped inside. Her movements were smooth, almost gliding across the floor. But the moment she took in the scene—Deborah clinging to the marquis, crying like a child with uncontrollable hiccups—she froze as if rusted stiff.

“…I will fetch some water.”

With that, Mrs. Lauren regained her fluid grace, turned swiftly, and disappeared through the door, leaving the two of them alone once again.

“Lady Deborah. There was a hidden message in that letter today, wasn’t there? Please, tell me what happened.”

“…Hic.”

Deborah lowered her gaze. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly extended her trembling left hand. A ruby ring rested on her finger.

“…?”

The marquis looked puzzled at first, but the next moment, his brows furrowed deeply. Deborah had undone the ring’s hidden compartment, revealing a small black pill inside.

“…This is poison.”

He had already guessed its nature the moment he saw it. But what she said next was beyond his expectations.

“My brother… ordered me to take my own life.”

“…!?”

The marquis, who was usually composed and gentle, suddenly stood up with a sharp expression. But—

“Hic.”

Her ridiculous hiccup popped the tense atmosphere like a balloon. The heavy tension vanished instantly, and with it, so did Gary Sisley’s stern demeanor.

“…”

Without a word, he slowly sat back down beside her and resumed rubbing her back.

“I see. That must have been hard for you. Thank you for telling me.”

“…Hic.”

“Would it be alright if I tell Mrs. Lauren and Ashley about this?”

Deborah shook her head slightly without lifting her gaze. The marquis looked at her with gentle eyes and spoke soothingly.

“If you truly don’t want me to, I’ll keep it to myself. But, you know, when you were reading that letter today, Mrs. Lauren was the first to notice your distress. She actually cares about you a great deal.”

“…!”

Deborah’s eyes widened in surprise. Her gray eyes, still brimming with tears, sparkled under the light. The marquis gently wiped those tears with his handkerchief and continued.

“Of course, Ashley and I were worried too. That’s why, when you said you had something to talk about, I was relieved.”

“…? Hic.”

“If I can be someone you can confide in, even just a little, that would make me happy. Though… I never expected you to say you wanted a child.”

He smiled faintly, a trace of sadness lingering in his expression.

“I understand that your circumstances are painful, and that’s why you said such a thing. But please, don’t carry everything alone. Share your worries and burdens with us. We can face them together.”

Fresh tears welled up in Deborah’s eyes. She trembled as she tried to respond.

“…Yes.”

Just then, Mrs. Lauren returned with a cup of warm water. Deborah took small sips, gradually calming down, until her hiccups finally stopped. Then, facing the marquis, Ashley, and Mrs. Lauren, she made a request.

“Please… do not tell anyone about what I’m about to say.”

“…That includes Gardener Lauren and Swallow as well?”

The marquis’s tone wasn’t accusatory but rather a way to clarify her request and emphasize the need for secrecy to the butler and head maid. The two of them nodded in solemn agreement.

Seeing this, Deborah took a deep breath and made up her mind.

“…Yes. I do believe they would keep the secret, but if this information were to leak… it could be disastrous.”

Her lips trembled as she spoke. Even she could feel it. But it did not stop her from revealing the truth. She believed—truly believed—that these people, no matter what she said, would not direct their anger at her or drive her away.

“I have no value as a hostage. My country saw me as a liability and exiled me.”

And so, she confessed everything.

…Well, almost everything.

She couldn’t bring herself to admit that, just earlier, she had asked Marquis Sisley to sleep with her.

It wasn’t just because the topic itself was indecent. Now that she had fully realized her feelings, she couldn’t shake the shameful thought that perhaps there had been a selfish desire mixed in with her proposal. The very idea made her want to disappear from embarrassment.

Of course, the marquis did not touch upon that matter. He simply listened to her story in silence. When Deborah finally finished explaining the message in her brother’s letter and the command to take her own life, he leaned back slightly in his chair and let out a deep breath.

“I see… That makes sense now.”

“I deeply apologize for keeping it a secret.”

“No, it couldn’t be helped. Rather, you’ve endured so much… But I must apologize as well.”

“…?”

“Regarding the promise to keep this secret, I will have to inform Prince Riold about the situation.”

“Oh… that does make sense. But will it be alright?”

“You don’t need to worry. His Highness won’t spread the information carelessly… though, he will most certainly be furious.”

“Furious…?”

Seeing Deborah’s anxious expression, the marquis gave her a reassuring smile.

“Yes, but not at you. He’ll be enraged at your country and family for doing this to you. In fact… no, without a doubt, he’ll tell you to sever all ties with your homeland. Would that be a problem?”

“…I don’t mind.”

To Deborah, she had already been abandoned by her country and family. Their ties were long broken. That was why she found it odd that he was even asking.

If she had understood the marquis’s true thoughts, she would have realized why he had said such a thing.

He closed his eyes briefly. In the darkness, he could picture Prince Riold’s sharp, sarcastic smile—one that ruined his otherwise handsome face. The prince’s reaction was easy to predict.

“Heh. What a terrible joke.

They will pay the price for making fools of us.

I will crush them completely.”