Chapter 77: Love my foot
"Oh, poor Belle. Is that why you read the letter again?" Mia asked, her expression softening with concern as she pulled Belle into a warm hug.
"I am fine now," Belle replied, hugging her back and exhaling in relief. "With you here, I never have to worry."
"Ah! I have some very exciting news!" Mia suddenly exclaimed, sitting on the desk, her excitement bubbling over.
"Alright, tell me," Belle said with a small laugh, amused by Mia’s quick change in mood. She carefully packed the letter and ring back into the box, pushing it to the corner of the desk.
"You remember how everyone thought it was strange that the Duke stopped taking Sofia, the Duchess, with him everywhere? Well, it turns out we were right! He sent her packing the very night after you saw him again, after all this time."
Belle’s mouth fell open in shock. "What? Why?" She asked, leaning forward with sudden intrigue. Mia smirked, satisfied by Belle’s reaction. She had anticipated her interest and made sure to gather as much information as possible before coming to share the gossip.
"They say they argued about him frequenting brothels, and he got so angry that he sent her away. They signed the divorce papers two days ago, and the Duchess’s father even injured the Duke for mistreating his daughter!" Mia relayed, her tone gleeful despite the somber details.
Belle’s brows furrowed as her eyes wandered away, her thoughts swirling. Something about this didn’t sit right with her. She knew Quinn far too well. He would never visit brothels, not because of propriety, but because he loathed the very idea of them. For reasons she never understood, he despised women who sold their bodies, no matter the circumstance.
No, there was something amiss here. A lie hidden in the so-called truth.
"How I wish your father had been like that," Mia muttered, clenching her fists. "The Duke would have paid with his life for what he did."
"How badly is he injured? And did anyone actually see him visiting a brothel?" Belle asked, her tone suddenly laced with concern, which only made Mia frown.