Chapter 8

"Here is the southern tea room."

"Thank you, Beth."

Opal, guided by Beth, entered the room and drew in a breath.

The entire southern wall, except for the window frames, was made of glass, making the room very bright. On such a clear, sunny day, it even gave the illusion of being outdoors.

The walls were painted a fresh green.

There were two sets of seating arrangements in the room, and the fabric of the chairs and the tables were white, making her feel very comfortable.

Several windows were open, allowing a refreshing breeze to come in.

Opal sighed in admiration, realizing there was such a beautiful room, when she noticed someone sitting in a single-seater chair by the wall, which was in the shade.

Judging by the size, it wasn't Hubert.

"Excuse me, am I disturbing you?"

She could tell the person wasn't sleeping from the presence, so she approached and spoke softly.

When she saw the person turn around slowly, Opal thought, "I knew it."

"No, it's fine. I was just looking outside because the weather is so nice today."

"Are you not going outside? Don't you usually take a walk in the garden?"

"It's not a walk. I can't walk. And you must be Mrs. Hubert, right?"

"Yes, you know. Please call me Opal. And you must be Stella, right?"

"Correct. I knew you knew about me. You used to watch me from the attic, didn't you?"

Stella, with her golden curls, smiled and looked like a real angel.

But Opal noticed a mischievous glint in her blue eyes.

She hadn't spent three years in the cruel society for nothing.

"I shouldn't intrude on your time, so I'll leave."

"Why? Aren't you meeting Hubert here?"

"You know well, don't you?"

"Everyone talks about you. If I listen carefully, I can hear conversations in the hallway and voices from outside the window."

"Indeed..."

If she was confined to the room, she must be bored, but eavesdropping was unacceptable.

However, Opal didn't reprimand her and turned to leave.

"You took Hubert from me. I was supposed to be his wife. You bought him with your dirty money!"

"I'm sorry you didn't have the money."

Opal answered calmly, despite Stella's contemptuous words.

Suddenly, Stella burst into tears and started coughing.

Opal was taken aback, and Hubert rushed in and went to Stella's side.

"What's wrong, Stella? Calm down, take a deep breath. That's it. Now exhale slowly... inhale... exhale..."

By the time Stella's coughing subsided, Lady Northam and Stella's maid arrived, making the room noisy.

A footman then carried Stella out of the room.

As soon as the room was left with just the two of them, Hubert's anger flared up.

"What did you say to Stella?"

"It's nothing much."

"That's impossible! For Stella to be so upset... Ah, it might not be much to you, but it must have been a shock to her."

"Is that so?"

"Anyway, I told you not to see her!"

"I didn't know she would be here. There's nothing I can do about it. If you're so worried, you shouldn't have let me out of the attic."

"What...?"

Hubert thought Stella always napped at this time and didn't expect her to meet Opal.

When he was told through Beth that Opal wanted to talk, he thought she was finally coming to apologize.

He thought this room would be better than the stuffy study for her, but everything was ruined.

Moreover, Opal showed no remorse for making Stella suffer so much.

This made his anger rise again.

"I'm deeply disappointed in you. You hurt such a fragile Stella and don't even apologize or show any concern!"

"I am concerned. But there are many people who care for her more and can take care of her better than I can, so I'm not needed, right?"

"Exactly! You're not needed at all!"

"Except for my money, of course."

"Shut up, that's ridiculous!"

"Is it? But you don't have to worry anymore. What I wanted to talk to you about today is that I'm leaving this place."

"Leaving?"

Hubert, who had been distorted with anger, opened his mouth in surprise.

His expression was very childlike, and Opal realized he was indeed more childish than his age.

Growing up as a duke, no one had ever been strict with him, and he had only completed the necessary studies.

"Yes. I thought I would stay at the earl's estate for a while. It's like a visit back home after marriage. This way, you won't have to worry about hurting dear Stella. I'll try to extend my stay as long as possible, so please continue your usual life. We might need to talk before the season starts, though."

"Your father... what will he say?"

"He won't say anything. He probably won't even notice I'm staying at the estate if I don't tell him. So, I'm sorry, but could you lend me a carriage? I can reach the earl's estate in a day, and the driver and horses can rest overnight and return the next day. And, if it's okay, could I borrow a few books from the library to pass the time on the journey?"

Despite her inner turmoil, Opal calmly laid out her plans, which made Hubert increasingly frustrated.

He almost blurted out to stop her, but he held back and tried to remain calm.

"Everything in this house is practically yours. Take whatever you want. The carriage, the books, anything!"

Though his last words were emotional, Hubert left the room with a dignified air.

He should have been happy to be rid of the troublemaker, but his heart was unsettled and restless.

He realized it was guilt—because he only needed her for the money she brought.

Opal watched Hubert leave the room and sat down on the sofa, looking tired.

She didn't plan to take much, as everything she needed was at the estate, so packing would be easy and there was no rush.

But her heart was restless, and she realized deep down she had hoped he would try to stop her.

She had once been drawn to him, and although he had disappointed her after marriage, she knew she had been stubborn too.

Maybe she should have made more of an effort to bridge the gap.

But she knew regret wouldn't change anything.

If she had time to dwell on it, she should take action.

Opal had already decided to leave the mansion and was determined to seek a divorce next year.

She stood up, bracing herself, and began preparing for her departure the next day.