I Ended Up Living Next Door to My Ex-Husband (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
“Your Highness Bi, I have prepared what you requested.”
Adrian handed me the newspaper and smiled gently.
“How is your stay at the Dark Mansion? Is there anything uncomfortable for you?”
It had already been a week since I came to the Dark Mansion.
Life here had already grown familiar.
Most of all, Adrian the butler—who watched over me day and night—had made this possible.
“Not at all. It’s incredibly comfortable.”
I flipped through the newspaper’s economy section and replied absentmindedly.
Adrian let out a soft sigh of relief and smiled brightly.
“That’s truly wonderful, Your Highness Bi.”
He then began pouring tea into my cup and continued in a low voice.
“The artworks you mentioned have been sold to the shop offering the highest price: Alpierre’s in the capital.”
“Really? How much do you think it’ll come to?”
“The total is estimated at approximately 1.87 billion lute.”
Before moving into the Dark Mansion,
I had asked Adrian to dispose of the art pieces Rebecca had collected over the years.
To Mina, who asked why, I simply said it was to lighten the load for the move.
But the real reason was different.
‘I’ll absolutely make sure you end up crawling in the mud like a beggar.’
I recalled Duke Bold’s parting words and let out a quiet snort.
‘Let’s see how well your plans truly go.’
The divorce law of the Western Empire had been an unexpected trap.
According to imperial law, if a woman divorced, her settlement would be sent to her natal family and managed at the family head’s discretion.
Though customary practice usually dictated that the natal head promptly returned the settlement to the divorcée herself.
‘But that miserly Duke Bold certainly won’t follow custom.’
Though Duke Bold’s sudden visit had been undeniably unpleasant, it had also been somewhat fortunate.
His contemptible threats had clarified exactly what I needed to prepare for.
‘I’ve learned that while the settlement goes to my natal family… any personal assets I held before the divorce remain entirely mine, Duke Bold.’
I resolved to maximize my personal wealth before the divorce was officially announced.
‘Thanks to the original story, I clearly know how to grow wealth in this world!’
As I carefully read through the economy section of the newspaper, I slowly curved my lips upward.
It was after reading an analysis article about the “Demon World Commodity Gifting Market.”
“Adrian, deposit the money from selling the artworks into my private bank vault. A suitable investment opportunity will appear soon.”
“Investment… did you just say investment?”
“Yes. Ah—and make sure my natal family never finds out.”
“Yes, I shall do exactly as you command, Your Highness Bi…”
“Then I’m counting on you.”
“…I truly had no idea Your Highness Bi took interest in such matters.”
Adrian blinked in surprise, then a soft smile spread across his lips.
“It feels like a dream—being close enough to discover sides of Your Highness I never knew before.”
I looked up quietly at Adrian’s beaming face.
‘Is it really that dreamlike?’
Thinking back, Adrian hadn’t been able to hide his happiness ever since he learned I’d be moving to the Dark Mansion.
Since then, he’d followed me everywhere, even claiming the role of personal secretary.
Each time, he’d marvel at my every action as if it were miraculous that I truly lived and breathed before him.
‘Here it comes—I’ve got a hunch. Could this be…?’
Staring at Adrian’s smiling face, a mischievous thought suddenly crossed my mind.
I glanced behind him and saw Mina watching his back with dreamy eyes.
“Hey, come a bit closer.”
At my words, Adrian stepped forward to the sofa where I sat and slowly bowed his head.
His neatly tied golden hair spilled softly over his shoulders.
A fresh floral scent, as if from a dawn garden, brushed past my nose.
Adrian looked up at me with crescent-shaped violet-blue eyes.
“What is it, Your Highness Bi?”
His voice was a gentle, warm baritone—just like his smile.
I leaned closer to his ear and whispered.
“Adrian, I’m just wondering…”
Adrian nodded earnestly, ready to answer anything.
His Adam’s apple dipped deeply before rising again.
“Could it be… you have a crush on me?”
His violet-blue eyes widened in shock at my teasing question.
I struggled to suppress my laughter and gazed down at him.
Slowly, a flush began creeping up his cheeks.
“T-that’s… How could I possibly… Your Highness Bi…”
“Really?”
When I pressed him skeptically, Adrian’s blush deepened, and he fumbled for somewhere to look.
His reaction was far more flustered than I’d expected, and I finally burst out laughing.
Mina, standing far off, stretched her neck and craned her head curiously in every direction.
“Haha, just kidding! Just a joke! You reacted so seriously it made even me feel awkward.”
At my playful scolding, Adrian touched his flushed ear and lightly bit his lower lip.
Just then, a faint tremor passed over the corner of his lips.
“…Ah, I nearly forgot—I have news to deliver.”
Adrian quickly stepped back, smoothing his reddened throat.
Thinking he was trying to change the subject, I smirked up at him.
“Suddenly? What news?”
But Adrian hesitated awkwardly for a moment before barely parting his lips.
“In truth… it might not be welcome news for Your Highness.”
He paused briefly, then carefully continued.
“Princess Bianca… will return to the Light Mansion tomorrow.”
At the sudden announcement, I stared wide-eyed at Adrian.
“Princess Bianca is coming back? Tomorrow?”
“…I apologize for bringing such tidings, Your Highness Bi.”
Adrian’s expression darkened.
He must have assumed I’d be displeased by Bianca’s return.
‘Well, given Adrian’s perspective, that’s understandable.’
The previous Grand Duke and Duchess had passed away before their late-born daughter Bianca even turned one.
It was only natural that Cedric cherished his younger sister deeply.
But the obsessive Rebecca would never have tolerated that.
Bianca had fled to the capital to escape Rebecca’s abuses, and only returned to the Northern Grand Duchy after Rebecca was locked in the tower.
Yet now, her return was happening far earlier than in the original story.
The thought that events were unfolding as before—only earlier—suddenly made me uneasy.
‘No matter how hard I try, will my ending stay the same… just with a different timing?’
I shook my head firmly.
Even if the destined conclusion couldn’t be avoided, I couldn’t just sit idle and accept it.
‘I’ll take things step by step, starting with what I can do now. First…’
Just as I tried calming my unease,
“Your Highness Bi… regarding Princess Bianca’s welcome gathering… you probably… probably won’t be able to attend, will you?”
“Welcome gathering?”
“Yes. Though you’ve been invited by the Grand Duchess, you certainly don’t have to attend if you’d rather not…”
I shook my head firmly.
“No, I must go.”
Adrian blinked, clearly doubting his own ears.
“Your Highness… are you truly… all right with that?”
“Of course. I’ll definitely attend the welcome gathering that day.”
Who was Bianca, after all?
She was Cedric’s cherished youngest sister, the one he loved dearly.
Winning Bianca’s favor would benefit me in countless ways.
‘I can’t possibly skip the welcome event when I need her goodwill. Ah—if only I could give her a welcome gift too…’
Deep in thought for a moment,
‘…Ah!’
A brilliant idea struck me, and I quickly turned to Adrian.
“Adrian, you said you’d do anything for me, right?”
“Of course, Your Highness Bi. Has the moment finally come for me to serve you?”
Adrian’s face lit up with joy.
I smiled gently at him.
“Yes—it’s something only Adrian can do.”
[This is the timeline separator]That night, in the Grand Duke’s bedroom.
Cedric had already prepared for bed hours ago.
Yet sleep wouldn’t come, and once again, he found himself pacing by the window.
Sighing wearily, Cedric perched on the windowsill.
He wore a crimson night robe, a glass of whiskey in one hand.
For a moment, he gazed down at the Light Garden cloaked in darkness below the open window.
Then, as always, his gaze drifted toward the Dark Mansion.
Cedric’s thoughts drifted back to his conversation with his aide earlier that day.
‘Ask the Grand Duchess whether Her Highness will attend Bianca’s welcome gathering.’
‘Pardon? If I may be so bold—did you truly just say to invite Her Highness to that event?’
‘…Yes.’
The aide couldn’t hide his surprise.
Cedric had decided it would be best—for the sake of maintaining appearances of their ongoing marriage.
But soon after, he was startled by how easily he’d made that decision.
‘I’m personally inviting Rebecca to Bianca’s welcome gathering.’
Cedric had gone to great lengths to prevent any encounters between the two until now.
That he’d so casually extended an invitation to Rebecca was astonishing, the more he thought about it.
‘I must be lowering my guard. After all, we’re already divorced… and Rebecca truly has become like a different person.’
Since moving out, Rebecca had vanished from sight just as she’d promised.
As if… she’d never existed in his life at all.
‘Once the divorce is finalized, I’ll leave for the Dark Mansion right away. Then we’ll never have to see each other again.’
Cedric took a sip of whiskey, reflexively repeating Rebecca’s words.
Then, almost unconsciously, he turned his head toward the Dark Mansion again.
His eyes instantly locked onto a familiar figure strolling through the Dark Garden.
A woman wrapped in a thick shawl over a white chemise—Rebecca.
Cedric couldn’t tear his eyes away from her after so long.
‘…Does she still not know about the “Demon Lord’s Gift”?’
Watching Rebecca walk carelessly through the pitch-black garden, Cedric recalled their wedding night.
That day, he’d intended to return straight to Rebecca after coming back from Mount Manakin.
He’d wanted to see her smile brightly at the sight of the “Demon Lord’s Gift” on their wedding night.
‘But in the end… I never showed it to her, not even once before our marriage ended.’
Cedric looked down and let out a self-mocking smile.
He slowly lifted his head to find Rebecca again—
But his brow furrowed the moment he saw another man standing beside her.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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It had to be something like this, Original Rebecca sounds pittiful
He’s going to be soooo surprised when the new Rebecca comes back
LOL I KNEW IT. LOVE IT. I’M IN LOVE WITH THIS NOVEL!!!