Rubica was more than capable of doing that. She was stubborn and had a strong will to carry out what she believed was right. On the day they first met, she even tried to pack her things and run away. Maybe she was trying to reach that Arman.
âAnd she didnât give me any information about him.â
Edgar hadnât cared much about it back then. Whether she was in love with someone or not, it hadnât been his concern. He rather welcomed it as he was sick of people who liked him. Of course, he had been slightly irritated with Rubica for not sharing any information about that Aman even though she said she loved him.
Edgar had finished doing a background check on her before proposing to her. There werenât any men around her, and those who had been near her had run away once they found out she had no inheritance and no dowry.
Moreover, Rubica herself hadnât been that interested in men. She preferred doing her cousinâs hair rather than going after men. That was why he thought she was lying, so he scolded and mocked her.
At the time, she had only been a tool to him. He had meant to offer some good conditions and bring her home. Moreover, the marriage had been nothing more than a mean to have her near him as she was the only clue to solve his curse. And even that had proceeded by the strong hope and insistence the king showed when Edgar discussed the matter with him.
Edgar was trying to solve his curse for one reason. The kingdom needed him now. That was all. He had expected Rubica to recognize him and say she knew the way to break the curse and nothing more. He hadnât sought any emotional interaction with her. Sadly, judging from her reaction, she clearly had never met him before.
Edgar regretted it only now. He should have been suspicious and wondered why she acted like that. He should have asked that even later as she wasnât the kind of person who was good at lying. She rather showed her feelings openly.
âThat bastard.â
He threw away some documents on his table. He always lacked time and even worked while traveling. That document could be the result of a very important experiment or the kingâs letter, but now, he couldnât afford to care about that.
âHow dare you leave such a woman?â
He recalled how Rubicaâs clear eyes had looked at him when she said he couldnât sleep with her if he didnât love her, even if she wanted it. At the time, he hadnât noticed because of the pain in his slapped cheek, but his heart was already fluttering. She was an upright person.
âAnd she is so pretty!â
Rubica wasnât just kind-hearted, she was beautiful as well. Edgar considered her plain when they first met, but his eyes had been wrong and failed to recognize her beauty. He could swear she was the most beautiful woman he knew, and he had met every beautiful lady in the capitalâs society. He was sure that his judgment was objective and exact.
That Arman had to be a fool and an idiot. Edgar couldnât let Rubica go to such a man, no matter how much she loved him. Which man, which husband could bear to see his wife meet a bastard and ruin his wife? It might have been different if Arman had been a nice guy, but this couldnât be. He just couldnât let the pregnant Rubica throw herself into a pit of fire just because of her faith in him.
âShe is my wife, so the baby is mine.â
Edgar made up his mind. The baby was Duchess Claymoreâs child. If the baby was the duchessâ child, it was also the dukeâs child. Her past wasnât important. The babyâs biological father was ignoring both of them, so he didnât deserve to claim his rights as the babyâs father.
Rubica is my wife. I donât care if our marriage ends in four years. Right now, Iâm her husband.
âIf itâs a boy, he will become Claymoreâs heir.â
Rubica was smart, so the child could become intelligent after being taught by Edgar himself. Moreover, he would be responsible and clever just like Rubica.
âAnd if itâs a girl...â
He could almost see a little girl who had Rubicaâs light-brown hair and innocent auburn eyes. He excluded the possibility of the girl resembling her biological father. Even imagining that was enough to drive him crazy. Anyway, the cute child, who would be just like Rubica, was going to call Edgar âdaddyâ. Maybe the child would nag on Rubica and tell her to be nicer to daddy, she might even cling onto her skirt and beg her not to leave daddy after four years.
Imagining that scene made his heart ache and warm up at the same time. Rubica could stand strong against people who had power, but she was so weak to the weak. She would never be able to leave if her own child begged in tears. When Edgar thought of that, he almost thanked the man who made Rubica pregnant and ran away.
âI must make sure the child considers me his daddy.â
Then, he had to catch Rubica first and convince her to raise the baby at Claymore as his own. He could talk about the babyâs future and remind her she could starve to death with the baby if she left. Moreover, he was going to even request to get the money he had given her back as she was breaking their deal. But if she insisted and left in the end, he would be...
âI canât let her suffer.â
Even imagining it tore his heart. He would get her a house and send food even if she didnât get to find out it was him. He didnât want her soft hands to become rough.
âBut first, I cannot let her know that before I stop her from leaving.â
Rubica might not mind about starving to death herself, but she would eventually stay at Claymore if leaving would put the baby in danger. Moreover, Edgar was going to love the child. He was going to let the child have and do everything. It couldnât be good educationally, but the child wasnât going to get spoiled as long as Rubica was there.
The sun went down when he made that decision, and the carriage had entered Claymoreâs domain. He was going to arrive at the mansion soon.
***
Contrary to Edgarâs anxious heart, Rubica was in a very calm state. She was embroidering with Elise under the warm light of the fireplace. She had already finished what she had been making. This time she had found a book with patterns that had been passed down in the family for generations and was going to embroider four corners of a handkerchief.
âYouâve already finished it?â
Elise asked in surprise. They had been looking at the same book, but Elise had embroidered only one corner of her handkerchief.
âYou pick up speed once you get used to it.â
Rubica tied a knot to finish the work. Unlike the impressed Elise, she seemed somewhat bored.
âYouâre going to embroider the dukeâs initial, right?â
Rubicaâs hand that was putting the finished handkerchief into the basket stopped. Elise then gave her a pamphlet that had various alphabet designs.
âHe would be really delighted.â
Edgar, delighted? Rubica couldnât even imagine that. He didnât seem to be that interested in showing off and fashion. However, he had refined hobbies and Carl always prepared his clothes and shoes perfectly. He probably had handkerchiefs for the next twenty years stored somewhere.
âAnd he will probably throw a handkerchief away after using it once.â
But she couldnât say she wasnât going to embroider Edgarâs initial to Eliseâs sparkling eyes that now looked green under the yellow light of the fireplace.
âWell, I started doing it as practice in the first place.â
Rubica narrowed her eyes and looked down at the handkerchief. Yes, it was for practicing and there wasnât a need to put much meaning in it. And now, finding out more about the girlâs taste was more important. One day Rubica would have a dress made that was so beautiful that Elise wouldnât be able to resist it and make her wear it.
âCould you choose a few for me?â
Elise found a few letters designs she liked and recommended them to Rubica, and Rubica quickly memorized what they had in common.
âShe likes curved lines more than straight lines, and she prefers luxurious but not too complicated designs.â
Checking her taste again reminded Rubica of that royal blue fabric.
âAnd I think this one would be good for the last letter.â
Rubica looked at the design Elise was pointing at and became sure. The dress she had designed with Khanna was in line with Eliseâs taste. However, Khanna had said it was too innovative and people wouldnât accept it. Rubica knew she had to give up, but she couldnât help thinking about it.
âHow can I make people accept that dress?â
She couldnât think of a good idea for now, so she decided to put it aside and smiled at the girl.
âOkay, Iâll do as you recommended.â
Rubica embroidered Edgarâs initial in no time. Even Claymoreâs seamstresses werenât that fast. And the moment she finished embroidering, she lost all her will.