Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money

Chapter 173

Episode 26: My Wife (3)

T/N: Bonus 3~

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“…What?”

Dionna asked, struggling to raise the corners of her trembling lips.

Everyone who heard what Aristine said looked back and forth between Dionna and Aristine with puzzlement on their faces.

‘Did Dionna get a lover?’

‘I thought she liked His Highness Tarkan?’

‘But what does that lover have to do with the Princess Consort?’

Only Durante looked at Dionna with heavy eyes.

Dionna’s mind froze as people’s attention turned to her.

Aristine frowned.

For some reason, Dionna seemed more agitated than before. She was already pale earlier but now, she was completely white like she was doused in bleach.

‘Why is she so flustered?’

“I, I don’t know what you are talking about,” Dionna moved her stiff facial muscles as much as possible to try and make her face smile.

“Huh?”

“The only thing I’m worried about…is Your Highness’s health.”

“My health?”

“Yes, I came here worried because I heard that Your Highness, the Princess Consort had collapsed.”

‘What is going on?’

Aristine felt something was off, but she didn’t want to pry so she just nodded her head.

Last time when there was a commotion about the maids, Dionna ran over too, saying she was worried, but Aristine didn’t expect her to run over with worry this time as well.

‘No matter how hard I think about it, we are not that close.’

She wasn’t sure about last time but this time, it was clear that Dionna came here because of Tarkan.

But the fact that she was saying something else…

‘Is it a battle of pride between the couple?’

Claiming ‘I’m fine, I don’t care’ and using that to appeal to Tarkan.

Or maybe she wanted to hear excuses from Tarkan, not from Aristine’s mouth.

‘Hmm…’

It was a feeling that Aristine could not understand.

(Dionna)“You look better than I thought so I’m glad.”

(Aristine)“Thank you. Please take a seat.”

(Dionna)“Thank you, Princess Consort.”

Dionna sat down modestly and bit the tender flesh in her mouth.

‘That was almost a disaster.’

She never imagined that Aristine would say such a thing. To think someone would tell their husband’s lover, ‘Don’t worry, nothing happened between my husband and I.’

She never thought someone like that existed but there was one right in front of her.

Dionna swallowed drily.

She could vividly imagine what would happen the moment she got caught in front of so many people—and Tarkan, at that.

Naturally, every privilege she enjoyed would disappear and she wouldn’t be able to stand next to Tarkan any longer.

Tarkan would drive her away coldly without looking back even once.

‘…Sure enough, I can’t let my guard down around this woman.’

Dionna snuck a glance at Aristine.

‘Especially since I don’t even know if she has evidence of me colluding with the Silvanus handmaids.’

Last time, Aristine asked Dionna to testify about the Silvanus handmaids.

Dionna testified that she informed the maids of Tarkan’s preferences to help Aristine and that Rosalyn was there too. Of course, she left out her specific wording.

Aristine accepted that testimony and nodded without adding anything. It was a fortunate situation, but it also felt like she was being led on.

?It must be tough for you too. ?

?Stay strong. ?

Judging by the words Aristine said to Dionna when Dionna was rebuking the maids, it was clear that Aristine knew the full story.

But despite that, she was still keeping her mouth shut.

—I can tighten your leash at any time. So better behave well.

That was the only way Dionna could interpret it.

She was misunderstanding the situation completely but there was no way for her

to know that.

Aristine looked at Dionna’s unwell complexion and felt odd.

‘I feel like she’s looking at me but acting like she’s not…’

Even if she wanted to look at someone, why not look at Tarkan?

‘You two can fight over your pride or what not but don’t bring me in the middle of it.’

She didn’t care whether they reconfirmed their passionate love, or suffered through thick and thin together, she just wanted to get out of this uncomfortable situation.

‘Why do I have to be part of your couple fight? If you’re going to do that, don’t stare at me.’

This situation would put anyone in a bad mood, but Aristine was even more annoyed because she pursued a clean relationship with Tarkan as a business partner.

She hated it when personal affairs negatively affected business relationships. Especially now when it was an urgent priority to resolve the issue of securing iron ores.

She didn’t want to have to worry about this too.

She was going to let it go since Dionna wanted to stand on her pride, but since Dionna kept acting like this, there was no need to turn a blind eye.

Aristine sighed and opened her mouth, “Dionna, I know you are feeling troubled right now.”

“What?! Why would I be troubled?”

Dionna overreacted and replied in a defensive manner.

“You’re not?” Aristine tilted her head and raised a brow, “You said you’re worried.”

Of course, you’re not really worried about me but about my relationship with Tarkan.

Aristine swallowed the latter half of that sentence.

If she said that, Dionna would absolutely deny it because she wanted to act prideful in front of Tarkan.

Instead, she gave Dionna a look.

‘I understand everything so put your pride away for now.’

“Ah…” Dionna glanced at Tarkan then she nodded her head, “Yes, that’s right.”

Dionna smiled like nothing was wrong but then, her eyes met with Durante. Dionna quickly turned her eyes away.

Her heart was racing.

Durante knew about everything she said to Aristine on her wedding day. He even knew that she goaded Mukali into believing that Aristine was having an affair.

Dionna clenched her fists tightly.

Durante must be looking at her with ridicule right now. Maybe he was having fun watching her panic over getting caught.

‘You’re only alive because of my older brother…!’

As that thought crossed her mind, Dionna unconsciously looked at Mukali.

She knew that Mukali would always take her side, but she just wanted to confirm it.

However.

“…!”

Seeing the look that Mukali was giving her, Dionna flinched, and her body stiffened.

‘…why?’

Why was he looking at her with that expression?

Mukali always looked at her with a caring gaze, but there was guilt underneath that he couldn’t hide.

But right now…

However, before Dionna couldn’t ponder any further, Aristine began to speak, and Dionna’s attention shifted.