ELND Chapter 63

Chapter 63

 The Villainess’s Downfall (3)

“You… you bastard!”

Seeing Henry’s coldly retreating back, the rage Camilla had been suppressing exploded.

At that moment, the only thing left in her heart was betrayal.

That cowardly bastard! I’ll strangle him with my own hands right here and now!

Camilla’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

“Camilla…!”

Sensing danger, Henry instinctively spun around.

He dodged just in time and immediately grabbed Camilla’s wrist.

“Let go of me! Let go, damn it!”

Grinding her teeth furiously, Camilla struggled, having failed in her attack.

“Camilla, you—! How could you even think of stabbing me in the back?”

Henry’s face had gone deathly pale as he shouted.

But Camilla only scoffed, her face drenched in sweat and blood.

“We may not be married, but I’ve spent countless nights with you. And you dare turn your back on me?”

She screamed, trying to wrench her wrist from his grip.

“How can you treat me like this?!”

“Camilla, please, come to your senses!”

Henry clutched her wrist even tighter, his voice echoing with panic.

“Let go! I said let go!”

Camilla shrieked and struggled to plunge the knife into him. Her eyes flared again with that terrifying glint of bloodlust.

At that instant, Henry realized what it truly meant to feel one’s knees go weak.

If he stood there in shock any longer, he might really die in this shabby inn room.

In a moment of desperation, Henry raised his hand and slapped her across the face.

Smack!

“Wake up, you crazy woman!”

His roar thundered through the room.

The blow was so strong that Camilla fell to the floor, and the knife she was holding clattered down beside her.

“Haa… haa…”

Panting heavily, Henry bent down, picked up the knife, and hurled it into the wooden wall with all his strength.

“Camilla! Were you really about to stab me with this? You’re insane. You’ve completely lost it!”

His eyes blazed with contempt and disgust as venomous words poured out.

Camilla stayed silent for a moment, her head bowed—then a low, eerie laugh slipped from her lips.

“Kh… kuhuhu… hahaha…”

Her laughter grew louder, echoing eerily as she threw her head back.

Henry’s face twisted in disgust, but Camilla suddenly glared at him, her voice cold and steady.

“So I’m supposed to bear all this humiliation alone? Why… why only me?”

“Camilla…”

“Who do you think made me do all this in the first place?”

Camilla pushed herself up from the floor, trembling.

“All of this… everything… happened because of you.”

Her sweat-drenched face twitched unnaturally.

“And now you want to waltz back to Robellia like nothing happened?”

She grabbed Henry by the collar, bringing her face close to his.

“Because of you, my garden has been destroyed.”

“…”

“And you think I’ll just stand by and watch you walk away like an innocent man?”

Camilla let out another spine-chilling laugh.

Henry looked utterly sick of her. But after a moment, he forced his expression to soften and gently took her wrist.

“Listen to me…”

“Don’t touch me! Let go!”

“Camilla, I have a plan.”

“You think I’ll believe a word that comes out of your snake’s mouth?”

“If Robellia finds out about us now, things will get much worse—you know that as well as I do!”

Camilla froze at his shout.

Henry seized the opportunity to tighten his grip on her wrist, speaking in a soothing tone.

“You’ve lost all your personal property. If I also get kicked out of the Bart estate without a single coin of alimony, we’ll have nothing, Camilla. No future at all.”

At the gentleness in his voice, her expression began to soften.

The Bart family was Robellia’s family by birth.

Though Henry was the current head, the influential retainers all sided with Robellia.

If she found out about his affair, Henry could lose not only his marriage but every bit of his personal fortune.

Camilla knew that much was true.

“So you’re saying…” She narrowed her eyes. “You plan to take control of the Bart family’s fortune, divorce her, and then marry me?”

Henry slowly nodded.

“Yeah… all I want is to be with you, Camilla.”

Camilla stared at him for a long moment.

But the cold, fierce mask she wore soon melted away under the warmth of tears.

It had been so long since anyone spoke to her with such tenderness.

Henry pulled her into his arms and patted her back softly.

“Trust me and wait a little longer, Camilla. I’ll make the whole world know that you’re my woman.”

“…”

“…Even if I have to kill Robellia to do it.”

“Ugh…”

Camilla finally broke down and sobbed.

Henry held her tighter, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

“Can I really… trust you?” she whispered.

“Of course,” Henry said with a bright, angelic smile.

“Camilla, who else can we trust if not each other?”

When Camilla nodded weakly, Henry glanced at the wall clock.

“I have to go. Robellia will be waiting.”

“…Robellia?”

Camilla’s eyes flickered uneasily.

Henry smirked faintly.

“You idiot, I just told you. Robellia can’t know about us until I’ve secured the Bart estate.”

“But—”

“If I stay any longer, she’ll get suspicious. I really have to go.”

Camilla reluctantly nodded.

Henry kissed her cheek lightly and opened the door.

“I’ll see you at the imperial banquet, my love.”

And with that, he left the shabby inn without hesitation.

The moment he was gone, the faint smile lingering on Camilla’s lips twisted into a dark sneer.

“…My love?”

A sinister laugh escaped her.

“Henry, do you think I’m as stupid as Robellia, who falls for every word you say?”

No one knew better than she how greedy Henry truly was.

And now he was claiming he’d risk everything—including murder—for a penniless woman like her?

Ha! Even a passing dog would laugh at that.

Camilla, the daughter of a destitute baron, had clawed her way up through cold, calculating judgment.

Henry would never abandon Robellia for her.

Kill Robellia? Please. That spineless coward doesn’t have the guts without me.

Biting her nails anxiously, Camilla muttered through clenched teeth.

“Robellia, Robellia—why is it always you? Why do you get everything without ever lifting a finger?”

She tore at her damp hair in frustration and screamed.

“No… this is all because of those two bastards.”

Her teeth ground together with a chilling sound.

Camilla finally yanked the knife from the wall where Henry had stuck it.

Her deranged eyes gleamed as she stared at the blade.

Then, with a sharp crack, she stabbed it into the table.

Thud! Thud!

Each strike came with her muttering in a low, venomous tone:

“Robellia, Rebecca… Robellia, Rebecca, Robellia…”

The murderous aura around her grew thicker.

“Do you really think I’ll just sit here in the filth while you two live happily ever after?”

Meanwhile, having left the inn, Henry sighed irritably as he descended the stairs.

At the tavern on the first floor, he went straight to the counter and raised a finger.

“One glass of rum.”

It wasn’t as though a shabby tavern like this served fine liquor—but at that moment, Henry didn’t care. He needed alcohol.

The rum arrived, and he downed it in one gulp.

“Another.”

He slumped forward over the counter, looking for all the world like a man drowning in despair.

But in truth, he was suppressing laughter.

Kuhuhu… Camilla, did you really think I’d stick with you now?

He remembered the day they’d last visited the exchange office together.

Camilla had insisted on investing under her own name—thank heavens for her stubbornness.

If I had invested in my own name that day… ugh.

Henry shuddered at the thought.

Sure, losing the money was unfortunate, but at least he’d escaped the mountain of debt that swallowed Camilla whole.

Now only one task remained:

To shake off the clingy woman and secure his place as head of the Bart family.

But to do that, I need to win Robellia back completely.

His brow furrowed. Lately, Robellia had seemed distant.

“Strange… really strange.”

The woman who used to welcome his every touch with bright affection now looked at him with cool indifference.

Could she have discovered his affair with Camilla?

He had wondered—but whenever he tried to test her, she said nothing.

It was as if Henry meant absolutely nothing to her anymore.

That silent indifference made him anxious.

Now that his path to social advancement through Camilla was ruined, Robellia was all he had left.

“Damn it, why are women always so complicated?”

Rubbing his short blond hair irritably, Henry took another gulp of the cheap rum.

It burned down his throat, and he grimaced.

Then he gave a short, dry laugh.

Robellia, I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but getting you back will be easier than twisting a child’s wrist.

After all, he was her first man—her only man.

He tossed a few coins on the counter and stood.

“Owner, you’d better start buying better rum.”

He even managed to mock the bartender before putting his hat back on with a smirk.

As he stepped outside, he reminded himself of his real goal.

Forget the distractions. At the imperial banquet, I’ll make sure His Majesty notices me.

But what Henry didn’t know… was that from that very day—the long-awaited imperial birthday banquet—
the fates of many people, himself included, were about to change forever.

The day of destiny was now fast approaching.