“Lady Vi, I have prepared what you requested.”
Adrian handed me the newspaper with a gentle smile.
“How is your stay at the Mansion of Darkness? Any discomfort?”
It’s already been a week since I arrived here, and I’ve grown accustomed to life in this place.
This was largely thanks to the constant care of Adrian, the butler, who looked after me day and night.
“Not at all. It’s incredibly comfortable.”
I casually responded while flipping through the newspaper to the economic section.
Adrian sighed in relief and smiled broadly.
“I’m truly glad to hear that, Lady Vi.”
As he began to pour tea into my cup, he continued softly.
“The artworks you mentioned have been dealt with, sold to the highest-bidding store. It was the Alphier store in the capital.”
“Really? How much do we expect to get?”
Before moving to the Mansion of Darkness, I had asked Adrian to dispose of the art pieces Rebecca had collected.
To Mina’s curious inquiry, I had said it was to reduce the moving load, but the real reason was something else.
‘I’ll make sure you end up wandering the streets as a beggar.’
I snorted quietly, recalling Duke Bold’s words.
‘Let’s see if things go your way.’
The empire’s divorce law had been an unexpected setback. According to it, alimony goes first to the woman’s family, and its disposal is at the family head’s discretion.
While the law stated so, the custom was usually for the family head to immediately pass the alimony to the divorcee.
‘But there’s no way that greedy Duke Bold would follow the custom.’
Duke Bold’s unexpected visit was unpleasant but somewhat fortunate, as it clarified what I needed to prepare for.
‘As it turns out, assets owned before the divorce are not affected, Duke Bold.’
I decided to maximize my personal assets before the divorce was publicized.
‘Thanks to the original work, I know exactly how to increase wealth in this world!’
After reading an article on the ‘Demon Realm Commodity Futures Market,’ I slightly curved my lips.
“Adrian, keep the money from the art sale in a private vault at the bank. I’ll soon find a suitable place to invest.”
“Did you just say… investment?”
“Yes. Oh, and make sure my paternal family knows nothing about this.”
“Yes, Lady Vi, as you wish…”
“Thank you.”
“…But I must say, I never knew Lady Vi was interested in such fields.”
Adrian’s eyes widened in surprise, but soon a smile spread across his face.
“Being close and discovering these unknown sides of Lady Vi feels like a dream.”
I looked up at Adrian’s beaming face.
‘Is this really such a dreamlike event?’
Adrian had been ecstatic since learning I was moving to the Mansion of Darkness, even volunteering to be my personal secretary.
Every action I took seemed to amaze him, as if he couldn’t believe I was real.
‘I can feel it, a hunch. Could it be…?’
As I gazed at smiling Adrian, a mischievous thought crossed my mind.
I glanced behind Adrian and saw Mina, her eyes dreamily fixed on his back.
“Mina, come here for a moment.”
At my call, Adrian approached the front of the sofa and leaned over gracefully.
His neatly tied golden hair gently cascaded over his shoulders.
As Adrian leaned closer, the fresh scent of morning flowers from the garden caressed my nose.
Adrian looked up at me with his lavender eyes curving into crescents.
“Why do you ask, Lady Vi?” His voice was warm and soft, reminiscent of his smile.
I leaned in closer to his ear and whispered.
“Adrian, I’m asking just out of curiosity…”
He nodded earnestly, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly with anticipation.
“Are you… secretly in love with me?”
My playful question made his lavender eyes widen in surprise.
I barely contained my laughter as I looked down at him.
His face gradually reddened.
“That, that… How could I possibly dare to… with Lady Vi…”
“Really?” I asked skeptically.
As Adrian’s face turned even redder, he hesitated, searching for somewhere else to look.
Seeing his exaggerated reaction, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
From a distance, Mina craned her neck curiously, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
“Ha-ha, it’s just a joke, a joke! You took it so seriously, Adrian, now I feel embarrassed too.”
Adrian, still blushing, fidgeted and bit his lip slightly, his lips quivering faintly.
“Ah, I forgot I had news to deliver to you.”
He stepped back hastily, rubbing his reddened neck, perhaps trying to change the subject. I looked at him mischievously.
“Suddenly? What news?”
Adrian looked troubled for a moment before finally speaking.
“Actually, Lady Vi, it might not be the most pleasant news for you.”
He took a moment before continuing carefully.
“Lady Bianca is returning to the Mansion of Light tomorrow.”
Surprised, I widened my eyes and looked at him.
“Lady Bianca is returning? Tomorrow?”
“I regret to bring such news, Lady Vi,” Adrian said, his expression darkening.
He must have thought I’d be displeased with Lady Bianca’s return.
‘Well, from Adrian’s perspective, it makes sense.’
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.”
