“Thank you.”
Etrisha complied without resistance, applying the ice pack to her cheek, only to startle and remove it quickly.
“It’s colder than I thought.”
She awkwardly smiled, clutching the ice pack. Edmond, whose eyes had frequently drifted to her swollen cheek, snatched the ice pack back.
“It’s useless once it melts.”
He gently lifted her chin and re-applied the ice pack himself.
Ah. Startled by the sudden cold, Etrisha gasped and shuddered. Seeing her discomfort, Edmond’s bold touch became more cautious.
He had never paid attention to these details when around his knights. He started to understand his sister’s stern warnings and Rail’s sleepy-eyed looks.
His gaze, lowered, thoroughly examined Etrisha.
Her slender neck, round shoulders, and fragile frame contrasted starkly with male robustness, making it surprising she didn’t faint from Devon’s assault.
‘To scare a woman who’s startled even by just ice… I let that scum off too easily.’
Edmond clicked his tongue, and Etrisha, perhaps interpreting his reaction, smiled awkwardly.
“Were you surprised?”
“You need not concern yourself.”
“But it’s obvious you’re bothered. I can see it in your eyes.”
Etrisha softly smiled, casting her eyes down.
“If you have questions, feel free to ask. Like last time, I’ll tell you everything.”
It was a chance to start a conversation. Edmond had intended to be direct.
After her admission of suffering under her mother-in-law’s tyranny, it seemed the assassination attempt was more an impulsive act by a domestic violence victim.
The thought that his sister could have been a victim disturbed him. Yet, when confronted with the situation, Edmond found himself speechless.
How to broach the subject? To bluntly ask if she had been exposed to domestic violence, or if that scum hit her? Or that she hid for the past four years? Afraid of reopening her wounds like last time?
Frustrated, Edmond sighed deeply. Why was he even concerned about Etrisha’s feelings? Since when had he been so compassionate?
“Count?”
Snapped from his thoughts by her voice, Edmond cautiously re-applied the ice pack.
“There’s nothing I’m curious about.”
“Really? If you wish, I can leave the mansion.”
Edmond slightly removed the ice pack, looking displeased.
“Would Count Devon leave you alone if you left the mansion?”
“True, especially since I’ve requested the confirmation of the will’s authenticity, he might even hire thugs to kidnap me.”
Edmond twitched his eyebrows and held the ice pack. He knew about the secret correspondence but was unaware she would disclose it herself.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you are the Count. You dragged Count Devon out by the neck and even agreed to help with Lady Wickley’s matter. We’re in the same boat now.”
Just that? Isn’t she too unguarded? Knowing he disliked her, why would she show her hand? What if he backstabs her?
She seemed sharp yet sometimes utterly naive.
As Edmond thought this, Etrisha playfully snatched the ice pack.
“Perhaps we should keep this a secret from the household, so Lady Lirien doesn’t worry?”
Scratching his forehead with his index finger, Edmond recalled Berita’s lengthy lamentations when she visited.
Not wanting to endure that again, he lowered his hand and nodded.
“I’ll do that.”
“That’s a relief.”
Etrisha finally smiled in relief and took a deep breath.
Edmond silently watched her, his gaze calm yet profound.
This small incident did not dissolve the barriers. She still posed a threat to his sister and remained an unpredictable outsider. However, the realization that Etrisha was also a victim and vulnerable complicated his feelings of disapproval, making him slightly uncomfortable.
He rubbed his chest as if weighed down by a leaden heart.
Devon, barely covered with a hastily grabbed blanket, arrived at the Diene manor grumbling. He immediately sought out Antara.
“Devon, what in the world happened to you!”
Antara, leisurely getting her nails done, dismissed her servant.
“Mipidian Count, that bastard…!”
“What?”
Shocked, Antara began to soothe her son’s agitated back.
“Devon, stop this pointless fight and just get a divorce! I’m fed up with this. Just thinking about the embarrassment that woman caused me at the dressmaker’s…!”
Devon’s face contorted in anger.
“Divorce? Are you out of your mind? I’d have to hand over all the wealth!”
“What? What do you mean, hand over the wealth?”
“That woman knows about the forged will!”
“What?”
Devon left Antara in shock, angrily ruffling his hair and collapsing onto a sofa.
‘How did she find out? I burned the will, made sure everything was cleaned up…!’
Frustrated, Devon rubbed his face roughly.
If the will still existed, everything would go Etrisha’s way. He was helpless if the verification was already underway at the Mage Tower.
‘You think I’ll just agree to a divorce?’
With a malicious smile, Devon eyed Antara.
“I have a good idea.”
“What is it? Tell me!”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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