Chapter 57

"What are you doing!?"

Logan shouted as he ran over.

The moment Amelia recognized his figure, she let out a deep sigh of relief.

Melissa also noticed Logan and gasped.

For a moment, her expression showed panic.

First, Melissa let out a small "tsk" and subtly returned the pendant she had just taken from Amelia.

Then she stood up with a calm demeanor and put some distance between herself and Amelia.

Logan rushed to Amelia's side.

"Amelia, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Yes... somehow..."

After confirming that there were no obvious external injuries, Logan let out a deep breath, clearly relieved.

"I'm sorry... If I had arrived earlier..."

Amelia had never seen Logan's expression so filled with regret and lack of composure.

Before she could say that it was just bad timing and not to blame himself, Melissa spoke up.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Melissa, a maid serving the Hagel family. I have come to discuss the dowry at the behest of the head of the Hagel family."

At the same time, Logan stood in front of Amelia, as if to protect her.

His expression, which had been calm a moment ago, now showed clear hostility.

Melissa, who seemed to have judged Logan's high status from his attire and appearance, smiled politely and bowed deeply.

"I am Logan of the Hernberg family, the head of the Hernberg family."

Upon revealing his identity, Melissa's shoulders trembled slightly.

Without hesitation, Logan continued.

"The talk about the dowry can wait. First, explain this situation."

His voice was sharp and filled with anger.

From Logan's perspective, Melissa had been straddling Amelia a moment ago.

For a duchess to be overpowered by a mere maid was unacceptable.

It was a clear act of disrespect, and in the worst case, it could be punishable by death.

However, Melissa spoke without hesitation.

"Then, with all due respect, when I was guiding Lady Amelia to the mansion, she tripped over a stone or something. When I tried to help her, we both fell, resulting in that position... I couldn't prevent the fall and ended up causing a misunderstanding. I am deeply sorry."

Melissa had overcome numerous work mistakes, conflicts, and interpersonal issues with countless lies.

Lying on the spot was second nature to her.

"......So, you're saying it was an accident?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Logan fell silent at Melissa's unapologetic response.

He wasn't out of arguments.

Instead of directly challenging her, he decided to let her speak and then point out the inconsistencies and weak points in her story.

In matters of interpersonal communication and negotiation, Logan was far more skilled than Melissa.

However, Melissa, who was just a maid and a petty troublemaker, mistook Logan's silence for an opportunity.

She continued without hesitation.

"I have served as Lady Amelia's maid for over ten years. So, I am well aware of her tendency to trip."

"Hmm... So, you were her personal maid at the Hagel family?"

"Yes, that's right."

Melissa smiled, confident that her statement was convincing.

In reality, it was the opposite.

Unaware of Logan's tightly clenched fists, she continued to lie effortlessly.

After taking a deep breath to calm himself, Logan asked, somewhat exasperatedly,

"......The pendant seems to be off?"

"It appears that Lady Amelia panicked when she fell and the pendant came off."

"I see."

By this time, Logan had already noticed that the pendant was damaged, but he didn't mention it.

In his mind, the pieces of the case against Melissa were falling into place.

Unaware of Logan's thoughts, Melissa continued to lie effortlessly.

"Isn't that right, Lady Amelia?"

She looked at Amelia with a confident, victorious smile.

Amelia must surely agree with me.

The resistance she showed earlier was just a momentary lapse, and she will surely accept everything I explained.

That's what Melissa convinced herself.

She had to convince herself.

In reality, even Melissa, who was usually composed, was not entirely calm in front of the duke.

One wrong word could lead to her imprisonment or even execution.

She had been lying through her teeth in such a situation.

If Amelia denied her story, she would be in a much worse position.

Melissa was internally very uneasy.

Amelia must surely give the answer I expect.

If she didn't, her expression would betray her.

However, Logan was not so foolish as to miss the thin veneer of Melissa's confidence.

"Amelia"

Amelia looked up at Logan when he called her.

"You're okay."

Logan nodded, as if to say, "I understand everything."

Amelia's doubts vanished.

In fact, she had never had any doubts to begin with.

Following her firm resolve, Amelia spoke.

"......It's all a lie."

"......What?"

Amelia glared at Melissa and shouted.

"It's all a lie! Melissa demanded my pendant, and when I refused, she forcibly took it. In the struggle, the pendant was damaged... and in the end, she tried to hit me by straddling me!"

Amelia was surprised at how loudly she could speak.

The frustration she had felt toward Melissa burst forth, and the words came from deep within her.

While Logan and Melissa were talking, she had been thinking.

(Why did I always do as this person said...?)

At home, she had believed she couldn't defy this person.

But after coming to the Hernberg family, she had been exposed to various values, found allies, and was allowed to have her own will.

Once the brainwashing was undone, her sense of subservience to Melissa had dissipated.

There was no way Amelia would follow Melissa's words now.

"Well said."

Logan nodded in satisfaction and patted Amelia's head.

A mix of relief, happiness, and guilt swirled within her.

But she managed a smile and whispered, "......Yes," in a tearful voice.

"......"

For the first time, panic appeared on Melissa's face.

All her lies had been exposed, and the truth revealed.

The interaction between Amelia and Logan symbolized a strong bond of trust.

Melissa's assumption that the duke would never favor her was fundamentally flawed, and it was a foolish question to ask which side Logan would believe in this situation.

"Is that so?"

Logan glared at Melissa with a look that bordered on murderous intent.

"Ah... It's a misunderstanding! I didn't do anything like that!!"

Melissa shouted, her voice cracking and cold sweat pouring down her face.

"Then you're saying my wife is lying?"

"That's not what I'm saying... but I have no recollection of it at all!"

Accusing Amelia of lying was itself an act of disrespect, but it was the only path left for Melissa.

When she first surveyed the surroundings, there was no one around.

There should be no witnesses.

If she insisted she didn't do it, she might somehow get away with it.

That was the only hope Melissa had.

"Indeed, we are a married couple, but it's unfair to only consider one side's opinion!"

"You seem to be misunderstanding..."

Logan spoke calmly and quietly.

"I'm not favoring Amelia's opinion alone."

"But..."

"To be honest, I know a lot about you."

"......What?"

Confusion spread across Melissa's face.

"Amelia was treated very well at the Hagel family, it seems."

The report submitted by Oscar about Amelia's treatment at the Hagel family.

One of the items mentioned was the harassment and abuse by the maid.

The anger that rose within him at the mere thought of it was palpable.

That anger enveloped Logan and was directed at Melissa.

"As a mere maid, you have neglected and mistreated the person you should have served. Your words have no credibility whatsoever!!"

(How does he know...!!)

She tried to suppress the words that almost escaped her.

Even someone as oblivious as Melissa could tell.

The duke standing before her was furious about the mistreatment she had inflicted on Amelia at the Hagel family.

The extent of her actions was not mentioned, but Logan was using it to unsettle her.

How much did he know? How much had he investigated?

The confusion and fear caused by the lack of information.

It was the same tactic Logan had used on Amelia before.

The sudden influx of information left Melissa's mind blank.

The only thing she could grasp was:

This situation is bad.

Very bad.

"Besides..."

Logan continued, as Melissa was unable to form a coherent response.

"Although the time I've spent with her is short..."

He pulled Amelia closer and declared,

"My wife, Amelia, would never lie to hurt someone!!"

Unlike you.

He added silently.

"Lord Logan..."

A tear rolled down Amelia's cheek.

The joy she felt at Logan's words was evident.

"......"

Melissa had no material left for a counterargument.

"......I didn't do it!"

She could only insist on her innocence, her initial calm demeanor long gone.

"Let's put the Hagel family incident aside... but that's not the issue right now."

Logan decided to address the current situation first.

"Are you still insisting you didn't do it?"

"Yes, it's baseless...!!"

Despite her thick skin, Logan sighed.

Dealing with someone who wouldn't listen was frustrating.

At this point, it would be easy to have Melissa thrown in jail based on the numerous acts of disrespect.

Her story was full of holes, and her belief that she could get away with it revealed her low intelligence.

A mere maid and a duke were worlds apart in status.

Logan fully trusted Amelia's words and didn't believe a single word of Melissa's.

......But the stubbornness of Melissa's denial deeply irritated him.

He was so angry, so displeased, so frustrated, and so annoyed that he wanted to make her admit all her wrongdoings and beg for forgiveness.

No, compared to the pain Amelia had endured, this would be too lenient.

If he could, he would beat her until she couldn't stand, punch her face repeatedly, or even drag her through the streets and burn her alive under the scorching sun.

His anger toward the maid who had inflicted unbearable pain on Amelia was relentless.

Perhaps a thorough, hellish interrogation would be fitting.

As Logan was thinking this, a third voice interrupted.

"Tsk. Not only thick-skinned, but also shameless."

Everyone turned to the source of the voice.

"Carol...?"

Amelia's voice was filled with surprise.

The person who had recently befriended Amelia, the elderly woman Carol, smiled and said,

"I'm here as a witness."