# 42
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The residence intended for Ariana was located in the deepest part of the hotel, with direct access to the private beach via the glass balcony doors in the inner room.
The scene under the bright sunshine looked like it would collapse at any moment, but Ariana, as soon as she arrived at the residence, summoned the Duke's family doctor.
“Ma’am, have you summoned me?”
Dr. Pialli rushed to Ariana energetically, in an obedient attitude that she had never expected compared to the days of the luxury train or the ducal palace.
'What is this …? I haven't told him yet why I'm sick?'
She expected him to once again mock her as being overly sensitive, but this was an unexpected direction.
"It's not a big deal, but the thought of constant events makes me nervous. Can I get painkillers beforehand?"
"Of course, ma'am. With the painkillers I prescribed earlier-"
But before the examination could continue, Emily, who had been waiting outside the room, knocked on the door and shouted.
- doctor! There's a phone call for you!
Dr. Piyali hesitated for a moment.
Since this trip to the south was sudden, he probably couldn't follow up on his family's affairs properly.
Ariana smiled as she took her medicine.
“It's okay, doctor. Check the call first.”
"Thank you, ma'am. I'll be back soon."
Since it was a short transfer, it was natural for him to leave the examination bag here temporarily.
“Then the doctor must be called in the middle of the matter...!” Yes!"
Emily's negative feelings toward Dr. Bialy were instructive.
For her mistress's sake, she didn't feel guilty for deceiving the doctor a little.
Meanwhile, Ariana checked her screening bag.
Although it looked like a suitcase, the boxes were neatly arranged in a small bag.
The most important drugs were marked “K.C.” and were clearly Kenneth’s.
The labels listed diverse uses: stimulants, analgesics, and...
“…ha.”
Ariana bit her lip as she looked at a green bottle carefully kept in a velvet box.
'So, this really exists.'
So, despite their monthly meetings, there was a reason for the delayed pregnancy.
[That kid was wrong]
Indeed, Kenneth. Our child was truly born from your mistake.
That's why she didn't shed even a single tear at her funeral.
In an instant, she clenched her hand so hard that the veins on the back of her hand showed.
'There is no need for children from a woman he will get rid of.'
She felt a strange heat in her eyes. She didn't expect the fact that Kenneth didn't want Baby to be confirmed by such concrete evidence.
Although her hands were shaking, her movements did not hesitate thanks to the mounting anger.
'No time.'
Ariana emptied the pills from the green bottle.
Doctors usually work with pharmacists for a long time, which makes the pills look similar. The birth control pills Kenneth was taking looked similar to other medications.
[If you're that worried, I'll prescribe you some tranquilizers]
Especially with the sedatives she received on the train...
Ariana quickly took out the previous bottle of medicine from her small bag on the side table.
As she emptied the contents of the green bottle and filled it with her pills, her heart was pounding like it was going to rupture her eardrums.
But what's the difference?
'All I need is my baby.'
This time, I can't die, but I will disappear from your life.
I don't need you in my future.
“Ha.”
She felt as if her heart was almost killing her from the intensity of its beating. But when she finished replacing the pills with trembling hands, Dr. Piyali knocked on the door.
-Ma'am, I'll come in again.
“Ah, yes, come in.”
Ariana quickly adjusted her position to receive the doctor. She arranged the bag to look as it was, but will it be discovered?
“Was it urgent?”
"Hello."
Dr. Piyali shook his head with an expression that suggested anything was possible.
“The maid made a mistake, the call was for someone else.”
"Ah, like that then. Sorry if I'm causing any trouble for Emily…"
“No, no, it's not!”
Dr. Beale almost frowned at the maid's mistake, but when he heard the Duchess defend her, any intention of reprimanding her later vanished.
Ariana suppressed her anxiety as best she could as she watched Dr. Piyali continue his prescription. Fortunately, the doctor did not notice anything strange.
But before she could let him leave, a question leaked from her lips.
“…But, Doctor.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Is the Duke in good health?”
Ariana asked, looking at the examination bag indifferently. Before she found the pills, she was astonished by the amount of bottles allocated to Kenneth.
'How is he taking all these medications?'
Dr. Piyali's features seemed hesitant as he tried to evade.
“Ah... he's healthy, there's no need to worry at all.”
“Even with all this busyness?”
Ariana remembered the train ride and the day's events. Except for the moments when he was persistently watching her while eating, he was always busy with his assistants.
“Of course, compared to a normal person, he, uh, exerts himf a little bit more...but to get back on track like this, it's inevitable.”
“But doesn’t taking all these medications cause problems?”
Ariana asked incredulously, but Dr. Piyali ignored that part.
Side effects were inevitable, but he wasn't obligated to tell Ariana that.
“The Duke manages everything carefully. Moreover, he cares about your health as well...”
“So then...”
Ariana furrowed her thin eyebrows slightly. I wondered why Dr. Piyali suddenly changed his position.
'Did Kenneth catch me making fun of me during my examinations?'
One word from him makes people easily change their attitudes and become more careful and concerned about it.
However, to know how she was treated with such disdain by the doctor and still show no compassion towards her was very Kenneth-like.
“…Okay, I understand. You must be tired after arriving, so go rest, doctor.”
Ariana raised the corners of her mouth with difficulty and said goodbye to Dr. Bialy.
But when she was alone and thought about Kenneth, her chest felt tight.
Ariana looked at the sea and deliberately shook her head forcefully.
'Don't think too deeply.'
I'm leaving. Just think of the cruel things he did to me.
At that moment, Emily returned to the inner room after dealing with Dr. Piyali.
“Ma’am, I’m back!”
“You're welcome. Good job, Emily.”
“Haha, did the doctor really trick us?”
"naturally."
Ariana smiled embarrassedly as she saw Emily full of joy.
At first, she decided not to get attached to her, so how did she end up conspiring with her in such a prank as a lady-maid relationship?
“Ma’am, but was the doctor nice to you this time?”
“Ah, yes.”
If his awakening thanks to Kenneth's influence is considered "kindness."
Emily frowned as she rubbed her apron, then gathered her courage with difficulty.
“So… can’t we ask Mr. Engels to do the same?”
“Emily, did Mr. Engels seem rude to you?”
“Well, honestly, yes.”
"Oh, my God."
“The whole train ride, I was watching from the side, and I felt really angry...!”
Indeed, Emily had been waiting while Ariana listened to Roger's quick, dull lessons on business.
'Maybe she even saw Kenneth's sarcasm sometimes, so she felt aggrieved on my behalf.'
Regardless of the possibility that it was Roger Ingalls who placed the gun on her bed, his respect could not be bought on Kenneth's orders.
‘I must fulfill my duties as mistress of the house well so that he can keep his head down even a little.’
But why should she try so hard if she's going to leave?
Anyway, whatever I achieve here, Kenneth's next wife will probably get the credit.
But Ariana smiled sadly as she saw Emily's innocent eyes angry on her behalf.
'No one has ever expected anything from me in my life.'
She didn't expect this person to be a complete stranger, not her family or her husband.
If someone wanted something from her that much, Ariana wanted to respond even just a little.
Moreover, she didn't want to spend her time here waiting for Kenneth in the bedroom.
“Okay, Emily.”
“I will try to reach an understanding with Mr. Engels.”
Instead of understanding, it was more of doing some useful work to earn a minimum of respect.
“First… ask Miss Clark to come on a business trip, and find the best tailor in the area.”
Moreover, she had to do her best at what she could do while she was here.