Diane Brook finished her preparations by dropping a hint of perfume on her wrist, rubbing it, and then applying it behind her ears.
The mysterious ocean scent mixed with fresh tuberose, combined with a refreshing floral fragrance, was contained in a turquoise-colored bottle, reminiscent of the Duchess’s eye color.
It was a gift from Johan to Olivia on her birthday, but Diane had intercepted it. Instead, Olivia was given a perfume with a strong scent of musk and dragon’s blood.
Diane remembered seeing Johan’s grimacing face at Olivia’s strong perfume scent and barely suppressed her laughter.
When Diane subtly mentioned to Johan, who was approving Olivia’s jewelry purchases, that ‘the gifted perfume didn’t suit the lady’s taste,’ she chuckled again at the memory.
Diane left her room after twirling in front of the mirror, her red dress shimmering in the silent, dimly lit corridor, heading towards Johan’s bedroom.
Approaching midnight, Johan, slightly inebriated, entered his bedroom. As soon as he opened the door, a strong perfume scent hit his nose. Surprised, the woman in the room turned around.
Olivia.
“You’re here now.”
The secretary Johan had hired for his wife looked at him in shock. Olivia, of all people. Irritated by the absurdity, Johan questioned her presence.
“Why are you here?”
“It rained all day. The bedding felt damp.”
Diane explained, watching Johan’s reaction as he crossed the bedroom.
“I was going to change the sheets for you.”
“Is that your job?”
Johan opened the balcony doors wide. The curtains billowed slowly in the damp air left by the rain, gently moving the woman’s thin dress.
Johan leaned against the wall opposite her, arms crossed, looking down at her.
“Everyone seems to be asleep. So I brought it myself.”
The woman, seen through the haze of alcohol, was quite attractive.
It was more fitting to say that the wife’s secretary came to share his bed, rather than just to see to his sleeping arrangements.
A philanderer who wouldn’t hesitate to get a woman into bed, if that had been the case, he could have easily done so.
Being the center of a man’s attention always brought a thrilling sensation. Especially when the man was as perfect as Johan Leopoldt.
The man left the wall and slowly walked to the cabinet.
With one hand neatly rolling up his sleeve, holding a wine bottle and opener, and the other carrying two glasses, he walked leisurely. His walk oozed a weary sexual charm.
Diane turned to smooth out the bed sheets, accentuating the curve of her hips as she bent over.
“Have a drink.”
Ah, of course.
Diane slowly stood up and turned around at the sound of his voice behind her. Johan, sitting down, gestured to the chair opposite with his eyes.
Diane wanted to always show her most beautiful side to Johan.
Even as she walked towards him, she made sure her silk-stockinged legs were visible through the dress slit.
Diane had never sat face-to-face with Johan alone. There was always the Duchess or an aide like a barrier.
Johan carefully pushed the opener into the cork and gently removed it.
Watching his long fingers and smooth back of his hand tilt the bottle into the glass, she imagined those hands caressing her body, sending a hot thrill down her spine. Her heart raced.
“I’ll just have one since it’s late.”
Diane spoke shyly as Johan pushed the glass towards her.
Diane watched the man pouring wine into her glass, longing to rush to the bed and passionately entangle with him. But she had to restrain herself tonight.
She couldn’t end it as a one-night fling. She didn’t want to seem too easy. She aspired to be the Duchess of Leopoldt, so she needed to tantalize him a bit more.
The candlelight in the middle of the table intimately shrouded the two of them.
Johan was silent, idly swirling his glass, watching the red liquid create eddies. Diane waited for him to initiate the conversation, planning to let him take the lead. Men often enjoy showing off their superior knowledge.
By providing a counterargument and then allowing the man to seize victory in the debate, they feel a sense of superiority. This, in turn, often leads them to put in more effort in bed as a gesture of victory.
Diane sipped her wine, imagining the height of pleasure that Johan might offer. Finally, Johan spoke.
“Do you know the men my wife met?”
“What?” Diane asked, surprised by the unexpected question. It wasn’t the right atmosphere to bring up a worthless bastard.
“My wife’s men.”
Johan’s voice was low and cold, bringing Diane back to reality.
“Yes, of course. But speaking about my former lady’s private life is.”
Johan cut her off.
“You seem to be under some misconception. I am the one who hired you.”
“…….”
“And the one who can fire you.”
Johan crossed his long legs, rubbing his temple wearily.
Diane hesitantly began to speak, seemingly making a difficult decision.
“By the time I knew, their relationship was already deep. I tried to dissuade her, but it was no use. She secretly met that man, avoiding my eyes.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
