The previous Duke and Duchess of Twin, Lady Bianca’s parents, passed away when she was barely a year old. It was natural for Sedrick to be especially fond of his younger sister.
But Rebecca, obsessed and jealous, wouldn’t have let that pass.
Fleeing from Rebecca’s malice, Bianca had taken refuge in the capital, returning to the northern duchy only after Rebecca was imprisoned in the tower.
However, now was much earlier than the original timeline when Bianca returned to the duchy.
Despite the timing difference, it seemed like the events from the original story were unfolding.
‘I’ve tried so hard, but it’s not just the timing that’s changed. It won’t be the same ending, will it?’
I shook my head to dispel my worries.
Even if it’s impossible to avoid a predetermined ending, I couldn’t just sit and wait.
‘I’ll just take things one step at a time, starting with…’
My thoughts were interrupted.
“Lady Vi, regarding Lady Bianca’s welcome event, you probably won’t want to attend, right?”
“A welcome event?”
“Yes. The Duke’s mansion invited you, but if you prefer not to go…”
I shook my head decisively.
“No, I must go.”
Adrian blinked in disbelief.
“Lady Vi, are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ll definitely be there for the welcome event.”
Who is Bianca, after all?
She’s Sedrick’s dearly cherished younger sister.
Gaining Bianca’s favor was advantageous to me in many ways.
‘I need to make a good impression, starting with the welcome greeting. Oh, a welcome gift would be even better…’
Lost in thought, an idea suddenly struck me.
“Adrian, you said you’d do anything for me, right?”
“Of course, Lady Vi. Have you finally found a task for me?”
Adrian’s face lit up with joy.
I smiled slyly at him.
“Yes, there’s something only you can do for me.”
That night in the Duke’s bedroom.
Sedrick had been ready for bed for hours, but sleep eluded him, and he found himself pacing by the window again.
With a tired sigh, Sedrick sat down at the window, clad in a red nightgown, a glass of whiskey in hand.
Gazing briefly at the darkened Garden of Light below, his gaze habitually drifted towards the Mansion of Darkness.
A conversation he had with his advisor earlier that day resurfaced in his mind.
‘Ask the Duchess’s mansion if she’ll attend Bianca’s welcome event.’
‘Excuse me, sir… Are you sure you want to invite Lady Vi to that event?’
‘…Yes.’
The advisor couldn’t hide his surprise. It was a decision made to maintain appearances as a married couple.
But then, Sedrick was startled by his own casual decision.
‘Inviting Rebecca to Bianca’s welcome event.’
Sedrick had always avoided any contact between the two. His spontaneous invitation was surprisingly unlike him.
‘It must be because I’ve let my guard down. We’re already divorced… and it’s true that Rebecca seems like a different person now.’
After moving, Rebecca had disappeared from his life, as if she never existed.
‘I’ll leave for the Mansion of Darkness as soon as the divorce is finalized. Then we won’t have to see each other anymore.’
Remembering Rebecca’s words, Sedrick took a swig of whiskey.
It was then, glancing towards the Mansion of Darkness, that he caught sight of a familiar figure.
A woman, in a white chemise with a thick shawl, walking in the dark garden.
It was Rebecca.
Sedrick couldn’t take his eyes off her, seeing her for the first time in a while.
‘…Does she still not know about ‘The Devil’s Gift’?’
Watching Rebecca walk in the pitch-black garden, Sedrick thought back to their wedding night.
He had intended to return to Rebecca immediately after coming back from Manaquin Mountain.
On their wedding night, he wanted to see her face light up with ‘The Devil’s Gift’.
‘But in the end, I never showed it to her, not even once, until our marriage ended.’
A self-deprecating smile crossed his face as he looked down.
Just as he raised his head to look for Rebecca again, a sudden change came over his expression.
His brow furrowed in displeasure when he saw another man standing beside Rebecca.
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
