“I will definitely divorce you.”

Rebecca’s attitude was extremely relaxed.

Her indifferent expression remained unchanged.

She seemed like someone who had not a shred of emotion left for him.

Whether it was love or obsession.

It was then that his expectation that Rebecca would refuse the divorce by any means necessary was completely off the mark.

“Ah, but there’s a condition.”

…Of course there is.

An irritated sigh escaped through Cedric’s lips.

“If it’s some absurd demand like not granting the divorce until I hand over all the assets of the Grand Duke’s household, forget it. I’m sick of hearing the same story repeated.”

“Oh, that’s not it. Given that it’s the Twins Grand Duke’s family, you’ll give me a mansion to live in and living expenses as alimony. You’ll do that much, right?”

Her expression was refreshingly unconcerned, as if she truly didn’t care about all the assets at all.

Cedric blinked slowly, hiding his confused look.

“…If that’s really all you want.”

“Yes, we can work out the alimony details later. Let’s talk about the divorce conditions first. If my conditions are accepted, I’ll sign the divorce papers right away.”

“What exactly is this great condition of yours?”

Cedric was now genuinely curious.

At his question, Rebecca’s lips, which had been expressionless all along, curled up slightly.

“Keep our divorce a secret from everyone, including the servants, for 6 months after the divorce.”

Cedric’s dark eyebrows gradually furrowed.

“Is that all there is to this condition?”

“What do you mean ‘is that all’? You don’t know it’s a matter of life and death for some people.”

Rebecca murmured softly, as if overcome with anxiety.

However, Cedric did not dwell on her words about it being ‘a matter of life and death.’

He didn’t have the luxury to do so.

He was too preoccupied with trying to gauge Rebecca’s intentions behind this incomprehensible condition.

‘Is this woman serious?’

A habitual suspicion arose.

First, he needed to confirm if Rebecca’s words were true.

Just then, as a good idea struck him, Cedric’s lips curled up in a relaxed smile once again.

“If we’re to keep our divorce a secret for half a year, you’ll have to stay at my castle during that time.”

“That’s right. Do you dislike it?”

“Not at all. I’ve endured for 5 years, so what’s another half year if you’ll grant me the divorce?”

That was sincere.

“But if we’re to divorce, it might be difficult to stay in the same mansion. So I was thinking…”

Cedric blinked his blue eyes slowly.

“How about staying at the ‘Dark Mansion’ during that time?”

“The Dark Mansion… You mean the empty mansion right next to this one?”

“Yes.”

Cedric let out a leisurely sneer.

This would surely be the end of her act to hide her dark intentions.

Rebecca was someone who couldn’t bear to be apart from Cedric for even a minute if they weren’t in the same building.

For such a person to spend half a year away from him in the Dark Mansion?

‘That would be difficult to endure even with outstanding acting skills.’

This time, he was sure he would be able to see her true intentions.

As he watched Rebecca’s brow gradually furrow, thinking his prediction was not wrong, at that moment.

“Is it well-maintained there?”

“…Maintained?”

“You said it’s been an empty mansion for a long time.”

“Of course it’s well-maintained.”

“Does the fireplace work properly too?”

“It does.”

“There aren’t any mice or bats, right?”

While Cedric dutifully answered ‘Probably not,’ he found this situation confusing.

Only after Rebecca had meticulously asked questions like ‘Will meals be properly prepared like they are now?’ did she nod her head.

“I like it. Let’s make the divorce agreement.”

Her attitude was like someone coming to contract a house.

Not only that, she even raised the corners of her mouth in a slight smile as she said she liked it.

Cedric was momentarily at a loss for words.

“…Are you serious right now?”

The words he had been holding back in his mind unconsciously slipped out.

This woman, she wouldn’t go crazy staying there, would she?

It was to the point where Cedric was starting to worry instead.

However, Rebecca’s attitude remained utterly composed.

“Of course. I think that would be more comfortable and better.”

“…”

“Can I sign the divorce papers right now? I suppose it would be better to move my belongings first thing tomorrow morning, right?”

Rebecca asked as she took out a fountain pen from a small drawer under the table.

She seemed ready to leave for the Dark Mansion at any moment.

Cedric stared blankly at Rebecca for a moment before finally coming to his senses.

“…We need time to prepare a separate confidentiality agreement. I’ll prepare it along with the divorce papers, so it’s better to handle everything at once then.”

“Ah, right. Of course.”

Disappointment tinged Rebecca’s face as she fiddled with the fountain pen.

Cedric found her somewhat unfamiliar.

“Let’s sign together at the Glass Garden at 3 PM two days from now.”

“Alright.”

Rebecca’s compliant response was enough to make him laugh incredulously.

Usually, their conversations started with Rebecca’s obsessive demands, followed by Cedric’s refusal and disregard, and this pattern repeated endlessly.

At those times, it felt like an endless battle in a sticky swamp that kept pulling at his ankles.

Cedric had been utterly sick of that repetition to the point of suffocation.

…But now, for the conversation to flow so smoothly.

When something he had expected to be difficult ended more easily than anticipated, he felt both deflated and uneasy.

‘It can’t end like this. Surely she’ll try to persuade me again…’

As Cedric was lost in thought, raising his teacup, that’s when it happened.

“Yawn~”

Rebecca smiled slightly when her eyes met Cedric’s.

“Oh, sorry. I’m so sleepy after taking a bath. Um… by the way, Cedric.”

Of course, Rebecca wouldn’t end the conversation like this.

‘I should have left right away instead of letting my guard down.’

As Cedric was feeling mild regret, that’s when it happened.

“Aren’t you going to leave?”

Rebecca asked, blinking her red eyes.

“I’ve stated my condition for your request. We’ve reached a conclusion thanks to that. We’ve even set a date to sign the divorce papers. It seems we’ve said everything there is to say.”

“…”

“And now… it’s the time I would normally be asleep.”

Her tone suggested she was displeased at having her schedule disrupted.

The first time he had ever been asked to leave by Rebecca.

On top of that, the look in her eyes and tone of voice that treated him like an unwelcome guest.

Cedric stood up, trying to shake off his bewildered feelings.

“I’ve overstayed my welcome. I’ll take my leave then.”

“Alright. Take care, Cedric.”

Rebecca also stood up without any lingering attachment and bid him farewell.

‘…Take care?’

She had always begged him not to go, and when Cedric finally left, she would remain alone and throw a fit.

But now, Rebecca was even quietly following behind him as he walked towards the bedroom door, as if to see him off.

‘Why is she suddenly doing something she never did before…’

Everything was too refreshingly unlike Rebecca’s usual behavior.

Unable to overcome the awkwardness, Cedric was turning his head again when it happened.

Rebecca, who had been calmly saying goodbye, suddenly lost her balance and began to stagger.

“Then I’ll see you on the promised day… Huh? Oh no!”

It seemed she had accidentally stepped on the long sash of her robe without realizing it was trailing on the floor.

“Aaah?!”

It was a critical moment. Rebecca was about to fall flat on the floor.

“Rebecca!”

Cedric instinctively ran up to her.

Fortunately, her body soon found its way into Cedric’s arms.

“…Haa.”

Just as he was about to let out a sigh of relief.

Squish. An unfamiliar sensation was felt on Cedric’s firm abs.

As he gradually realized what it was, his body began to stiffen.

.

.

.

“…”

Cedric neither ignored me falling nor pushed me away.

We remained frozen like that, our bodies pressed together, for a few seconds.

Thud…

To make matters worse, the sash of my robe fell to the floor, and I could feel the barely closed robe gradually opening.

It was obvious that if I moved now, my bare skin would be exposed through the gap in the robe.

‘Ah, I’m going to die of embarrassment.’

The cool yet sophisticated scent emanating from Cedric’s body began to drift to my nose.

I widened my eyes, trying to focus my increasingly hazy mind.

However, what came into view was the thick vein pulsing on his neck.

‘…This is really driving me crazy.’

Although I had tried to act aloof in an attempt to break away from the five-minute standby team…

Cedric was a man so perfectly handsome that just looking at him made my heart race.

Moreover, wasn’t he the object of my dreams that I had always fantasized about while reading the novel?

In this current situation, pressed against such a man, it was incredibly difficult to maintain my composure.

Cedric’s abs, felt through the thin robe, were as hard as rock, and from his chest, which was touching my ear, I could hear a pulsation similar to my own heartbeat.

Feeling that, the breath touching my nose gradually grew hotter.

“Rebecca.”

A low, attractive voice resonated.

As I slowly raised my head, my gaze met Cedric’s blue eyes.

Hair as dark and shimmering as the night sky, thick eyebrows. Mysterious blue eyes.

A high, straight nose bridge and a sharp jawline that seemed as if it could cut. Even his lips with a faint red tinge.

That fatally sexy man was looking down at me intently.

My heart felt like it was about to burst. And I was going crazy with my gaze constantly drawn to Cedric’s lips.

It was then, as I was staring at his beautiful face with dazed eyes.

“So, in the end, you planned to make me let my guard down and then try to seduce me again.”

Cedric, who had been gazing down at me intently, muttered in a low voice.

This man, is it okay for him to have such a handsome face, perfect body, and even such a good voice?

‘Even if it’s in a novel, this is cheating.’

I was beginning to understand, without realizing it, the heart of Rebecca who had been obsessed with trying to spend the night with Cedric.

“It’s disappointing that your method to prevent the divorce is still this kind of seduction. There’s not even a slight change.”

I finally came to my senses at his voice, which was like a biting winter wind.

Cedric had grown colder the more Rebecca clung to him.

I couldn’t let him misunderstand me like this.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m going to divorce you as planned.”

At the same time, Cedric’s eyebrows arched high.

He seemed lost in thought for a while, remaining silent.

How much time had passed like that?

The hands of Cedric holding me began to gradually tighten.

“Ah… Now I see your intention. You’re smarter than I thought.”

Cedric continued to utter incomprehensible words as he twisted one corner of his mouth upwards.

“That’s right, even if we divorce, ‘that’ won’t be erased.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“You, who are aiming for it, should know better than anyone what I mean.”

“…?”

“If we were to spend the night together now, even after the divorce, I…”

Cedric continued slowly, gently lifting my chin.

As our gazes met, I felt my whole body freeze at the coolness in his blue eyes.

“I won’t be able to endure even a single day without you.”