Artworks of splendor lined the route of intricate golden stonework.
Following a servant, who was more finely dressed than the others, we entered a banquet hall within the imperial palace.
The gaze of the person seated at the head of the table was overpowering as I entered.
“Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Looking remarkably like Serdis, the Emperor laughed heartily, causing his blond hair, reaching down to his neck, to ripple once.
“I knew I would see your Grace again, but I did not think it would be as my son’s partner.”
His distinctive deep voice reverberated. It was softer than when we first met in reality. Thanks to this, I sat near the Emperor with a comfortable heart.
“Do you like it better now that we meet as family?”
The Emperor’s red eyes stared at me, then softened compassionately.
“Yes, it is better! Hahaha.”
“I am at a loss knowing that His Majesty views me favorably.”
The warm atmosphere between the Emperor who had me as his daughterinlaw and myself, the possession of the Emperor, continued.
And then, there was a woman at the Emperor’s side, smiling with her eyes.
I turned my gaze to the woman, who, with her long, forestgreen hair rolled up, appeared somewhat intimidating.
“I apologize for the late greeting. I am Anette of the Earl of Leangberia.”
She was the Empress, Serdis’ mother.
Aside from seeing her from afar at the party, this was the first time we had formally met.
“You’re more beautiful than I heard, Your Grace.”
Upon hearing the tender voice, I raised my head.
“Compared to the beauty of Her Majesty the Empress, I’m nothing but a drop of fresh blood.”
“Pretty people do speak prettily. How do you take care of your skin to make it so lovely?”
“Would you believe me if I say I don’t do anything special?”
“Don’t say that, let’s just share it between us.”
The Empress said pleasantly.
Not long after, Hertian entered the banquet hall.
“I was delayed because of work.”
Following him, Serdis entered.
“I’m glad. I didn’t come late, did I?”
I’ve become accustomed to meeting him popping up suddenly.
Moreover, since this place was Serdis’ base, the imperial palace, I thought I’d meet him at least once.
One thing was different.
“You’re here too? I thought you wouldn’t come, pretending to be busy as a duke.”
Unlike a few days ago, he was acting as usual.
He was neither angry, nor pitiful, he just wore a playful smile on his face.
Hertian, who saw his absurd appearance, glared at him. He seemed to be thinking the same as I was.
‘What the hell is he up to?’
Yesterday, he was ready to rip the wedding invitation apart, but today he was smiling as if something pleasant happened. It was clear he came here with some other intention.
I briefly made eye contact with Hertian.
It seemed he roughly understood my intentions.
“For the first time, we’re all having a meal together.”
Serdis sat opposite me, next to the Empress, and smiled brightly at me.
It had been a long time since I’d seen such innocent eyes, so I had goosebumps.
“Anette, congratulations on your wedding.”
Did I mishear?
What congratulations?
Just the other day, in front of others, Serdis was making a big fuss, and now he’s congratulating me on my marriage.
How should I react to this?
“With His Highness the Crown Prince congratulating me, it will be a happier wedding.”
Let’s just smile for now.
I smiled as broadly as I could, showing my gums.
“Of course, I should congratulate. It’s not a political marriage, you two are getting married because you love each other.”
Did he aim for this?
“Yes, it’s a sudden fiery love, but we’re second to none.”
“It’s amazing to be able to burn like that.”
He wrinkled his nose and laughed.
I roughly figured out the reason he showed up today.
He doesn’t believe we’re real lovers.
Since there’s a record of me finding a man to contractually marry.
“But why does it look like the two of you are being forced to marry?”
So he plans to reveal that we’re in a contract marriage.
“Serdis.”
Right in front of the Emperor.
“No, it just looks like that. They don’t look like other lovers. They smile at each other, but there seems to be a wall between them. Like people who have to get married because of a contract.”
He rested his hand on the table and propped his chin, and the emperor silenced him.
“A contract marriage. What nonsense are you talking about.”
“Oh, you might not know, father. It’s just a story I heard. It’s said that young ladies or young men who don’t want to marry their arranged spouses agree to pretend to be lovers and have a contract marriage.”
Bang, the emperor’s hand hit the table.
“What kind of absurd thing is that!”
“I’m just saying it’s a thing. I heard Anette was meeting the son of the Beiren family until recently. I thought maybe she quickly married because she disliked him.”
Inside, I shouted a hundred times.
Please, shut your mouth!
Did it feel good to reveal in front of the bride that she dated another man!
“It’s not that I’m suspecting you, Anette.”
It must have felt good.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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