There Is No Paradise Where You Escaped - Chapter 57

Alice anxiously bit her nails as she alternated her gaze between the two dancing couples. She had just confirmed with her own eyes the rumors that had been swirling around the capital. And here, everyone treated Vivianne not as Vivianne Aveline but as Vivianne Baytness, showing her the proper respect of a duchess. Up to that point, everything had gone smoothly.

That was until the Duke of Baytness and his duchess-to-be danced on the same stage with different partners.

To make matters worse, the Duke’s partner was none other than Sarah Chadwick. And who could possibly be Vivianne Aveline’s partner?

Those familiar with the rumors surrounding Viscount Benjamin Quinlan were likely already pointing fingers at Vivianne, branding her a whore. If the Duke’s duchess-to-be were caught up in such a scandal, her position as duchess would surely slip away.

That sly, fox-like Sarah Chadwick wouldn’t miss her chance. 

With the Queen’s backing, she would ensure this engagement succeeded, claim the title of duchess, and reign at the pinnacle of high society.

Alice shook her head violently.

“I won’t let that happen. Even if it means we all go down together.”

As the orchestra’s music ended, the dancing couples exchanged courtesies and scattered. Sarah bid Edwin farewell before turning away, while Vivianne, having given Viscount Quinlan a polite nod, was about to do the same—only for Benjamin to seize her wrist.

Alice, who had been about to approach Vivianne first, froze in her tracks.

Benjamin said something to Vivianne, and the lady’s bright complexion paled. Without a moment of hesitation, she followed him toward the balcony.

      『 What is going on now? Should I go to the Duke first…?』

But the Duke, who had been observing the balcony keenly, seemed to have decided to interrupt their private moment and began striding toward them.

Alice sighed softly and glanced at Sarah, only to find that she, too, couldn’t take her eyes off the Duke stepping onto the balcony.

Sarah whispered something to Lady Dunvers. Judging by her gesture toward the balcony, it seemed like she intended to act first.

Alice immediately started moving.

Sarah Chadwick must not be allowed to interfere first with whatever was happening between those three.

────── ✾ ──────

“A week before Lord Aveline disappeared… he asked about the Duke of Baytness.”

Vivianne had been relieved that she hadn’t stepped on Benjamin’s foot even once. What she had assumed to be a mere chance acquaintance was now causing big waves.

Returning to the balcony, she stood still, letting the cool autumn wind wash over her.

The way her gray eyes wavered and her lips trembled was pitiful—was it because she loved and thought of her father, or because she had come face-to-face with a truth she wanted to avoid?

“Do you know my father? What do you mean when you say he came to see you a week before he disappeared?”

“I knew him well. I was one of the people who considered investing in his company.”

“In… investing? Then you…”

Her father’s ambitious gold mine project had attracted investors who trusted him without question, simply because of his noble status. No one believed that the head of the prestigious House of Aveline would deceive people with lies. And yet, investors lost their money.

But her father lost everything, too. He was left with nothing but debt.

It had all been the work of his business partner, Karl Schmidt, but her father took the full blame. The public raged against him, condemning him, pointing fingers, and demanding he take responsibility for the disaster. And he did—silently, without protest.

“I was fortunate not to lose any money. Strangely enough, Lord Aveline himself warned me against investing. He said something seemed off about the company’s affairs. Once he sensed something was wrong, he tried to stop everyone from investing. But those who were blinded by greed ignored his warnings. And when things fell apart, they placed all the blame on him… But I know the truth. Lord Aveline was just as much a victim of this scam.”

Even in the face of public scorn, her father had never once defended himself. Her mother had tried, frustrated beyond words, but no one had believed her. Or perhaps… they simply didn’t want to believe it.

Vivianne’s wariness of Benjamin softened. He was the only person who had believed in her father, without needing an explanation.

“A week before he disappeared, your father came to me. He asked if I knew anything about the Duke of Baytness. At the time, I didn’t think much of it… not until Rodinia Castle fell into the Duke’s hands.”

Vivianne frowned slightly. A deep, thunderous pulse pounded in her chest, shaking her fingertips. She could only pray that she wouldn’t crumble in the face of the unpredictable wreckage of that day.

As she braced herself for whatever Benjamin was about to say next, his gaze suddenly shifted—past her, toward someone behind her.

Vivianne followed his gaze.

Edwin had entered the balcony.

His piercing blue eyes met hers, sharp as a blade. The moment their eyes locked, the heart that had been hammering inside her chest… stopped cold.

“Vivianne.”

His deep, low voice swept through the air like the autumn wind.

Those cold, unreadable blue eyes—always distant, always inscrutable. For some reason, at that moment, she saw her father in him. And in that resemblance, she felt the weight of an unbearable truth.

“Pleased to meet you, Your Grace. I am Benjamin Quinlan.”

Only then did Edwin turn his attention to Benjamin. He received the greeting with a polite but indifferent smile—neither hostile nor particularly friendly.

Then, without hesitation, he turned back to Vivianne and reached out his hand, his smile chillingly devoid of emotion.

“Pardon me, but I have something important to discuss with Miss Aveline. Would you mind if I borrowed your partner for a moment, Your Grace?”

“Be satisfied with the dance, Viscount Quinlan.”

A strange tension filled the space between Benjamin, who had stepped in, and Edwin, who had drawn a firm line between them.

“The problem is, Miss Aveline’s scent was far too enchanting for me to be satisfied, Your Grace.”

Benjamin smiled, closing his eyes slightly. His audacity in refusing to back down before the Duke, in a way, admirable.

The moment Edwin, ever cynical, took a step toward Benjamin—

“Oh my! So this is where everyone’s gathered?”

The arrival of the Countess of Thurston dispelled the dark fog that had settled over the balcony.

Alice put on a show of surprise, clutching her chest dramatically. She kept an eye on both men as she moved to stand by Vivianne, who was still frozen in place.

“I came looking for Miss Aveline. After all, she’s practically the star of tonight’s ball. Everyone’s eager to see her, so if you don’t mind, may I take her along?”

Alice flashed a smooth smile, subtly gauging Vivianne’s reaction. When Vivianne, still in a daze, did not respond, Alice, feeling awkward, licked her dry lips.

“Well, Miss Ave—”

“… Yes. I’ll go.”

Vivianne replied coldly, turning her back to Edwin.

Looping her arm around Vivianne’s as if they were the closest of friends, Alice led her away.

Soon, only the two men remained on the balcony.

Benjamin pulled a cigar from his inner pocket, clipped the end, and offered it to Edwin. Edwin declined, leaning against the railing as he watched Benjamin light the cigar.

Just moments before, those same fingers had held Vivianne’s hand and wrapped it around her waist. As he deeply inhaled the cigar’s smoke, his chest swelled—almost as if it were dancing close enough to touch Vivianne. In that single cigar, the memory rose like the haze: her hands, her breath warm, her body achingly close to him.

“Miss Aveline said that she has no special relationship with you, Your Grace. So, I took the chance to court her.”

Viscount Quinlan, whose soft and languid eyes exuded charm yet danger, was considered a man to watch out for among the husbands of Farrington. Fathers with daughters were no exception. The scandals surrounding Viscount Quinlan’s bedchamber were notorious enough to make even the most tolerant listeners avert their eyes. To men who had wives and daughters to protect, he was a public enemy.

“Just as I was about to ask her out, Your Grace appeared, and I couldn’t even make my proposal. So next time, please allow me to be alone with Miss Aveline.”

Benjamin bowed his head slightly in a show of courtesy.

Edwin stepped closer to him, his gaze tracing from Benjamin’s polished shoes to the sharp creases in his trousers, then up to his well-fitted jacket before finally meeting his eyes.

The slow, deliberate scrutiny sent a clear message—Edwin Baytness was a man who knew how to intimidate.

Having survived the infamous Port of Olren, flourished amidst countless battlefields, and ultimately reached the pinnacle of Neway, he carried a commanding presence that dominated the room.

“Vivianne dislikes spectacles. As do I.”

Edwin snatched the cigar from Benjamin’s hand. Before Benjamin could react, the lit end had already been crushed mercilessly into the ashtray.

“Be content with the honor of her first dance. Don’t make any more fuss.”

“And if I do? Will I die like Caspian?”

Benjamin’s lips stretched into a wide smirk.

Despite the startling nature of the question, Edwin merely blinked slowly, unshaken. Had there been even a hint of malice in his gaze, it would have been preferable. But those empty eyes, devoid of hesitation or shame, held something far more unnerving. They seemed capable of swallowing anything. Even a soul.

It was the gaze of a man who could shoot his enemy through the heart without flinching—and claim victory without remorse.

“At least you know your place.”

Men possessed an animalistic instinct for measuring each other with just a few words. And Benjamin, who had rarely found himself at a disadvantage in such encounters, finally understood what he had recklessly provoked—perhaps out of nothing more than curiosity.

“Harwood failed to learn his place. But you, at least, Viscount, seem to understand it well. That saves me the trouble.”

Benjamin rolled his tongue inside his mouth, meeting Edwin’s ice-blue gaze directly.

“And one more thing. Refrain from running your mouth like Harwood. For instance—”

“…” 

“… Mentioning Lawrence in front of Vivianne.”

Benjamin could no longer swallow his emotions as easily.

“I trust you’ll conduct yourself properly.”

With a curt smile, Edwin placed the extinguished cigar back into Benjamin’s hand, then turned and left the balcony.

The oppressive air on the balcony lifted the moment Edwin was gone.

────── ✾ ──────

Before her father went missing, he had gone to see Viscount Quinlan to ask about the Duke of Baytness.

Could that really have been a coincidence?

And after that? What had happened next?

What exactly had he asked, and why had he asked it?

Nothing was certain—except for one thing. At that time, her father had felt uneasy about the Duke of Baytness.

More than that, to begin with, was what Benjamin had said even true?

If he had doubts after the auction, why was he only telling me now?

If we hadn’t run into each other here by chance, would he have buried that suspicion forever? And what was Benjamin’s real intention in revealing this to me?

“So… when will the wedding be?”

Alice’s cloying voice snapped Vivianne’s wandering thoughts back from the shadows of the balcony. But even that wasn’t enough to suppress the emotions gnawing at her.

“You should have it before autumn ends, shouldn’t you? The rumors have already spread far and wide.”

“Right? It seems your thoughts are no different from mine. We’re all eagerly waiting for Miss Aveline’s wedding announcement.”

“And from now on, you should accompany the Duke to the capital more often. How can someone destined to reign over Neway’s social scene remain locked away in Rodinia?”

Maybe my father—without my knowing—had already suffered some fate at Edwin’s hands. And yet, unaware of it all, I had been dancing in the palm of the Duke’s hand.

The thought made Vivianne feel pathetic, ridiculous.

Was this the poison hidden inside the cake? Was the Duke’s plot to stir my heart with things that would win my favor—only to crush me later?

“I don’t have the standing to enter Neway’s social circles. And I never will.”

At Vivianne’s sudden declaration, the noblewomen, who had been chatting and laughing, abruptly fell silent.

“I’m always grateful to the Duke. He was like a ray of hope for someone like me—someone with nowhere to go. He even arranged a maid’s position for me at the manor when I needed work. Though I was so clumsy that I ended up being dismissed before long…

One day, I will leave the Duke’s side. When that time comes, I’ll no longer be in a position to attend such dreamlike balls.”

Pitying murmurs rippled through the gathering. Amid the growing whispers, people began debating the truth behind the rumors spreading in Farrington.

With impeccable composure—polite to the last breath—Vivianne turned on her heel and left.

She had to meet Benjamin again.

She had to get answers.