If we were from an insignificant family, they would have thought they could exploit money and control me through Shasha, but the Emperor was not someone who could be treated that way.
With their daughter not only failing to bring in material wealth but becoming the empress they must now serve, their reaction was an expected result.
“Why? I will become the empress, and His Majesty wants to marry me. Are you refusing? Are you not committing disloyalty to His Majesty?”
Come out and say it. Say this is disloyalty, that you are refusing my, the Emperor’s, request. Quickly say such words. I glanced at the Emperor.
But the Emperor, who had been speaking well, kept his mouth shut. In the meantime, the countess opened her mouth again.
“You already have a person to marry.”
Whether sensing the conversation was going to be long, or not letting anyone speak, the Emperor was already seated in his chair. Then he crossed his legs, making a sound as if he found it amusing.
“That marriage is…….!”
Only keeping his mouth shut when it’s important, he slowly opened his mouth to the words about having someone to marry.
“A marriage proposal to Her Highness, who already has someone to marry, is something I’ve never heard of before. The emperor of a nation has ended up proposing to a woman who’s promised to someone else.”
The words of a clearly angry person, but in reality, his voice was brightening as if he found it amusing.
‘At this rate, it will seem like I proposed to that man to avoid marriage.’
I quickly shook my head, in case the Emperor misunderstood.
“I haven’t even met him, and it’s someone my parents decided on.”
“It still cannot happen.”
“Why not? I love that man.”
I pointed dramatically at the Emperor, like a soap opera.
“You used to say you disliked the Emperor, didn’t you?”
“I, I never really said I disliked him… it was more that I… just… went along with what my mother and father said. When did I say I really disliked him?”
The Emperor’s narrowed eyes looked at me again.
“But you did say you disliked him?”
The countess shrugged her shoulders leisurely with her arms crossed.
“Mother……. ”
“After saying that you dislike His Majesty and that you love him now, you sure are good at lying. You said there would be no marriage with His Majesty, that there was nothing to see besides a handsome face.”
So it has come to this. I kept my mouth shut out of consideration.
Of course, I couldn’t argue because it was something I… no, Isabella, the owner of this body, had said, but I wouldn’t stay quiet.
“That’s it. You said you liked obedient men. You said the Emperor was absolutely not to your taste. You said you would marry a stupid man, could it be…….”
Although she didn’t say it outright, the countess was slyly trying to twist my words this way and that.
I stored her words inside me. I couldn’t deny them as they were all true, but I kept them for when I would refute them.
“That’s all……!”
“Why are you trying to say no? It’s fine to insist it’s not. But you would dare to lie about which safety?”
Is this what’s coming out?
The emperor, who took a quick glance, folded his arms and looked at me.
‘Surely the emperor won’t just pretend this didn’t happen, right?’
Suddenly, anxiety overcame me. Therefore, I couldn’t refute the Countess’s words. I was afraid that if I foolishly said more, it would be like sprinkling ash on cooked rice. Ah, really, what do you want to do?
‘There’s no love in this family. Knowing full well what I’ll face from the emperor.’
Neither Isabella to her parents, nor her parents to Isabella, felt any particular emotion. Like love or cherishment. Since they had that kind of relationship, they could say such things without hesitation.
The emperor was fearsome, but they were people who could speak nonchalantly about a matter that could concern their daughter in front of the emperor. To manipulate Isabella as they pleased.
At a glance, they were undoubtedly terrifying people.
Of course, it wasn’t just the parents who felt that way.
Even Isabella, who grew up under such parents, had slight issues with emotions.
“Yes, I did that. I didn’t know I’d fall in love then, and just said anything.”
“I see you finally admit it. But I don’t know if His Majesty the Emperor will like someone like you.”
“That is…!”
I should have said no, but my mouth was tightly shut. A woman who was busy slandering herself. It would be natural to hesitate to marry such a woman.
That’s also what the Countess wanted. To be fed up with my appearance, which had so insulted the emperor.
Hoping that the word “marriage” would be readily accepted. It was all too apparent, but I had nothing to say.
“To say that you will marry His Majesty the Emperor after saying that… it doesn’t make sense…”
At a loss for words, and unable to speak properly at that moment, the emperor’s voice interrupted the Countess and me.
“You presume to deduce my feelings?”
The previously confident Countess’s expression stiffened.
“That, that’s not it, Your Majesty… What I meant was, how could we push such a lacking child towards His Majesty the Emperor?”
“What does it matter? I don’t care. If Isabella said it.”
“You? Will you really keep such a lowly, stupid, selfwilled child who can’t distinguish what can and can’t be said by your side?”
“Yes.”
“Why…”
The Countess, who should have had her way, couldn’t hide her bewilderment as it didn’t go as planned. The frustrating feeling, as if someone was scratching the inside of her chest, slowly subsided.
“I have decided to keep Isabella by my side no matter what happens?”
It made my heart tremble.
‘How much does he want to exploit…?’
Other women might have found it touching, might have asked how he could make such a love confession, but not me.
I knew the emperor’s very sinister intentions.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
