I Ended Up Living Next Door to My Ex-Husband (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
Turning around, I saw a beautiful man smiling gently at me.
His long honey-blond hair was tied neatly into a single tail, and his deep violet eyes gazed softly into mine.
“I’m not sure if you’ll remember me.”
He was so strikingly handsome and gentle in demeanor that behind his smiling figure, I could almost see an illusion of white roses in full bloom.
‘In the novel, aside from Cedric, there was no other man of such beauty… Who is this person?’
The man, appearing slightly nervous, smoothed the white cravat tied neatly to his sophisticated gray suit.
“I am Adrian Monther, butler of the Dark Mansion.”
As Adrian introduced himself, he bowed slightly and naturally took my hand in his.
‘Ah, right—the Dark Mansion hardly appeared in the original story, so I’ve never seen its butler before…’
Just as that thought crossed my mind,
a soft, tender sensation brushed against the back of my hand.
Startled, I looked down and saw Adrian pressing his lips to the back of my hand.
Straightening his posture, he smiled gently.
“I have long awaited your visit, Your Highness Rebecca.”
His violet eyes shimmered with sincerity as he spoke those words.
All I could do was stare at him, utterly bewildered.
“Thank you. I really had no idea you’d be this happy to see me…”
Adrian was, in every way, far beyond my expectations.
Though I didn’t understand why, he seemed deeply moved by my arrival at the Dark Mansion.
“Do you have a personal request for me? Whatever it may be, I’d be honored to fulfill it for Your Highness.”
As he spoke, Adrian exhaled slowly, his cheeks faintly flushed.
“Oh, it’s not a request, exactly.”
I turned toward Mina to hand over the dessert I’d brought with me.
But Mina was simply staring dreamily at Adrian, lost in her own thoughts.
‘So Adrian is the famous person Mina mentioned.’
I cleared my throat a few times, but it was useless.
Finally, I had to lightly poke Mina’s arm before she reacted at all—
and as a bonus, her face instantly flushed bright red in surprise.
“I’ve realized I’ve been terribly neglectful of the mansion’s staff lately, so I brought some desserts suitable for their break time.”
“Your Highness… prepared these herself?”
Adrian blinked slowly, clearly unable to believe it.
Despite his friendly demeanor, it seemed even Adrian hadn’t been entirely unaware of Rebecca’s past erratic temperament.
But only for a moment—he soon regained his composure and smiled calmly again.
“The staff will all be deeply moved.”
“Yeah, well—they’ll have to at least pretend to be moved in front of their superiors, since the Grand Duchess gave it to them. They might curse me after work, though.”
“Haha! That’s absurd. I’ll gather the staff immediately. They’ll be even happier once they hear Your Highness came here personally to reward them!”
“Huh? No, really, there’s no need to go that far…”
Still flushed, Adrian quickly walked toward the mansion’s main entrance.
Throwing the doors wide open, he smiled warmly.
“You are sincerely welcome to the Dark Mansion, Your Highness Rebecca.”
It was the first genuinely heartfelt welcome I’d received since arriving in this world.
[This is the timeline separator]At that same moment, in the Imperial Palace of the Western Empire.
Cedric had already arrived in the capital early that morning.
From the northern territories to the capital where the palace stood was roughly a five-hour carriage ride—
but for Cedric, who owned a special carriage enhanced by infernal technology, two hours was more than enough.
Coincidentally, that day was scheduled for a meeting at the palace regarding the Infernal Technology Carriage Manufacturing Agreement.
Having just left the meeting he’d been stuck in all morning, Cedric had only just arrived at the corridor leading to the Emperor’s Chamber.
Someone standing before the chamber doors spoke first.
“Your Grace, Grand Duke Cedric Twins—you’ve arrived right on time. I’ve already heard the news.”
It was Deputy Minister Diart.
His face, as always, was stoic and impassive.
Yet every time Cedric met him, he could clearly detect a subtle trace of disdain passing over Diart’s features.
As usual, however, Cedric offered a polite, indifferent greeting.
“Thank you for coming at my request, Deputy Minister Diart.”
“Strictly speaking, Your Grace, it wasn’t your request—it was the Emperor’s. And also His Holiness the Pope’s command.”
Diart lowered his eyes, his expression deliberately haughty.
It had been six years since contact between the Human and Infernal Realms—broken since ancient times—was reestablished with the founding of the Western Empire.
Though much had changed, there were still those in the human world who distrusted or looked down upon demons.
‘And yet they’re so eager to acquire infernal technology.’
Just recently, Cedric had heard rumors that Deputy Minister Diart had lost a considerable fortune investing in the Infernal Goods Gift-Exchange Market.
Just as the corner of Cedric’s mouth twisted slightly upward,
a summons permitting their entry into the Emperor’s Chamber arrived.
Grand Duke Cedric entered first, and Deputy Minister Diart naturally followed behind.
“Oh! You’re both right on time.”
The moment they stepped inside, Emperor Retz—backlit by bright sunlight—greeted them cheerfully.
“Especially you, Cedric! I thought you’d be late with that long meeting. Everyone, please sit down!”
Emperor Retz, who had barely turned forty, was the very architect behind the groundbreaking reestablishment of ties between the Human and Infernal Realms.
This young, clever emperor had, just six years prior, been merely the king of a small nation in the northern Western Continent.
It was around that time that Emperor Retz himself had traveled to the Twins family—the noble house that, since ancient times, had lost its human imperial status and lived solely as infernal royalty—to personally seek out Cedric, the family head.
Through persistent persuasion, Retz finally secured the aid of demon-blooded nobles and unified the Western Continent.
To Retz, Cedric was an invaluable benefactor—someone for whom no favor was too great.
“Well, of course I’d do anything for you…”
Emperor Retz, adjusting his gold-rimmed monocle as he skimmed through documents, furrowed his brow slightly.
“…But your first request is a secret divorce? Honestly.”
Thud—
He lightly tossed the document onto the table.
Cedric, Deputy Minister Diart, and Emperor Retz—
they had gathered in the chamber today for Cedric’s “special” divorce.
Ordinarily, a divorce required approval from both the Imperial Palace and the Papal See, but Cedric’s request was to finalize the approval while delaying all administrative procedures for six months,
ensuring the Grand Duke and Duchess’s divorce remained strictly confidential during that time.
Though normally impossible, the Emperor had persuaded the Pope and agreed to grant Cedric’s wish.
Thus, even before the divorce documents bore the signatures of both spouses,
Emperor Retz was about to stamp the imperial and papal seals of approval himself.
A decision befitting the unconventional Emperor Retz.
“Alright, I’ll grant it… but you’re absolutely certain the Duchess truly agreed?”
Though Emperor Retz usually trusted Cedric implicitly, this matter made him ask again and again.
“I’ll help with the secret divorce, but as you know, I can’t permit a divorce without the other party’s consent.”
After a brief silence, Cedric gave a slow, quiet nod—and Emperor Retz’s eyes widened gradually.
“Even ordinary nobles know how desperately the Duchess loves you—it’s practically common knowledge…”
“…”
“You’re telling me the Duchess truly wants to divorce you?”
Deputy Minister Diart’s curious gaze also turned toward Cedric.
It was clearly an event startling enough to pique even Diart’s usually impassive interest.
Given that even Cedric himself still found it hard to believe, such a reaction was only natural.
“…She said she would.”
When Cedric murmured those words in his characteristic low tone, Emperor Retz lifted his monocle and tilted his head in puzzlement.
“How strange… Why would the Duchess’s feelings change so suddenly?”
Cedric, too, was baffled by Rebecca’s true intentions.
On that fateful night, Rebecca had been clinging to him tearfully, begging desperately.
But when things didn’t go her way, she abruptly declared divorce, slapped his cheek for the first time—and then began raving like a madwoman.
And then…
everything changed.
‘I no longer love you.’
The memory of her crimson lips made a faint crease appear between Cedric’s brows.
‘…Love.’
He had never once interpreted Rebecca’s actions as love.
Unless she merely used “love” as an excuse to conceal her darker motives.
Yes, that was precisely how he’d always thought…
“Ah… I get it now! That’s it, isn’t it!”
Emperor Retz’s sudden exclamation interrupted Cedric’s musings.
Cedric lifted his head and looked at the Emperor.
Still folding his arms, Retz nodded sagely, then leaned slightly toward Cedric when he caught his gaze.
“You see, the more deeply you love someone, the more irreversible it becomes once that love fades.”
“…”
“The Duchess loved you so fiercely—so now she has no regrets! Haha! Right? I’ve figured it out, haven’t I?”
Emperor Retz laughed heartily, as though he’d just solved a complex scientific equation.
At that, Deputy Minister Diart closed his eyes in despair.
He was convinced the Emperor had poured all his talent into scientific and technological matters, completely losing any capacity for empathy.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be grinning so brightly at Cedric’s visibly darkening expression upon hearing “the Duchess’s love has faded.”
“It’s probably for the best! Weren’t you always troubled by the Duchess’s obsession? Now that she’s come to her senses, she certainly won’t cling to you even after the divorce!”
Looking thoroughly satisfied, as if his curiosity had been fully appeased, Emperor Retz hurriedly reached for the imperial seal.
“Deputy Minister Diart—you brought the Papal Seal as instructed, right?”
“Huh? Yes… yes, exactly as you said.”
“Stamp it first. Right here.”
Just as Deputy Minister Diart prepared to apply the Papal Seal to the spot the Emperor indicated, he shot Cedric a sharp, warning glance.
“It’s precisely six months as agreed. After that, not only must administrative procedures proceed, but the former Duchess’s relocation must also be carried out without fail.”
After all, the Pope had initially opposed this secret divorce precisely because he deemed it sacrilegious for divorced spouses to continue living together.
Cedric simply nodded quietly in response.
“…So it shall be.”
Thwack—
At last, the Papal Seal was stamped onto the divorce documents of the Grand Duke and Duchess.
In that instant, Cedric was overwhelmed by an indescribable, ambiguous emotion.
‘So… is it finally over?’
Before he could discern whether it was relief or regret—
Thud!
The second approval seal landed cleanly on the paper.
Startled, Cedric looked up—only to find Emperor Retz grinning confidently as he handed him the document.
Deputy Minister Diart once again squeezed his eyes shut in exasperation.
But Emperor Retz wore only pride on his face—as if he’d just gifted his dearest friend the perfect present.
“There! Once the Duchess signs, your marriage will be perfectly, completely over!”
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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!!!