My Contract Marriage Got Interrupted (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
That incident.
The event that everyone hesitated to name aloud—referred to only as “that incident” or, at most, “the Ertman Incident”—had occurred roughly fifteen years ago.
It had been such a massive scandal that even young Odette clearly remembered the full details of what had transpired.
In a single phrase, “that incident” could be summarized as follows:
“The Emperor’s younger sister and Duke Ertman eloped.”
The House of Ertman had long been a family loyal to the Imperial Family.
Naturally, their influence was immense, and their ties to the Imperial Family were solid.
That was, until Luther Ertman—the father of the current Duke Ertman, Walter—attempted to flee with the Emperor’s younger sister, Laila Celestine.
Luther had even already established a household through a political marriage, and his only son, Walter, was consistently topping his private academy’s rankings, regularly becoming the talk of high society at the end of every term.
Thus, Luther likely intended to suppress his feelings for Princess Laila and live as the head of House Ertman and patriarch of his family.
At least, that would have been the case—if the princess hadn’t been placed in a situation where she was to be married off to another country.
The Emperor had planned to send his sister to become the queen of a neighboring nation, and that decision ignited their love.
Their tragedy lay in the bitter coincidence that they had just confessed their love for each other around that very time.
This romantic yet scandalous gossip burned through high society for a long while, and Odette and Ellie, residing within the palace, naturally often discussed it.
“The Head of the Royal Household said the late Duke Ertman was an exceptionally handsome man. And since he was only in his mid-thirties back then, it was certainly plausible for such a thing to happen.”
“And wasn’t Princess Laila said to have harbored feelings for him for a long time?”
“If it went that far, it makes sense that both would be willing to abandon everything and run away together.”
“Truly remarkable love, isn’t it?”
Just how extraordinary that love had been—and how it had ultimately ended—remained unknown.
After all, Luther Ertman and Princess Laila had vanished without a trace thereafter.
One thing, however, was certain: the entire House of Ertman bore the brunt of the fallout from this affair.
The Emperor, enraged by the betrayal of the Duke he had trusted and his own sister, flew into a furious rage.
“Bring those damn lovers before me at once!”
“Seal off Ertman Ducal Mansion—they might be aiding them—and interrogate everyone involved. If they refuse to speak, kill them!”
Treating a noble house of Ertman’s stature like common criminals was unprecedented.
And setting such a precedent meant the blade might soon point elsewhere.
Alarmed nobles hurriedly pleaded for leniency toward the Ertmans.
Had Arnold Ertman—the father of Luther and then-current Duke Ertman—not stepped forward at that critical moment, House Ertman would have faced utter annihilation.
“I shall remove the criminal Luther from the Ertman register and return to Your Majesty the southern mines owned by House Ertman, as you desired. Furthermore, to prove Ertman’s innocence, I shall personally serve as supreme commander in the Grand Fouart War.”
Arnold was a veteran who had spent his entire life on battlefields, and his contributions to the Imperial Family were undeniably illustrious.
Moreover, as there was no suitable candidate to lead the war against the Fouart Alliance at that moment, the Emperor’s fury subsided.
“Very well. I accept your proposal, Sir Arnold. But until the Fouart War concludes, House Ertman shall remain guilty. Do not forget—this is the last mercy I shall grant.”
To remain guilty meant House Ertman would continue to bear the disgrace of being a traitorous family.
It was an implicit command to voluntarily abstain from high society and maintain utmost restraint.
Fortunately, the Fouart War ended after five years, and House Ertman was finally cleared of disgrace. Yet, seemingly unwilling to risk further provoking the Emperor’s ire, they completely withdrew from external affairs.
Of course, the fact that the Emperor deliberately kept the current Duke Ertman, Walter, stationed on battlefields all this time contributed significantly to this isolation.
Moreover, after “that incident,” the late Duchess Ertman—the wife of Luther—had returned to her natal home in shock, leaving Walter as the only eligible member of House Ertman for social engagements.
Therefore, the Emperor’s mention of “that incident” in this setting was nothing short of a warning.
A blatant message: regardless of whether their sins had been pardoned, any scandal involving an Ertman and an imperial princess would never be tolerated.
“I am not so rigid as all that. If something happens purely out of sincere desire, what can I do? Even if displeasing, one must sometimes turn a blind eye. But I do not care to see the Imperial name dragged through the mud beyond that point.”
Though it might sound like a warning directed solely at Walter, it equally applied to Regina and Odette.
“After all, two imperial princesses entangled with the same man had already stirred enough scandal.”
It was only natural the Emperor would disapprove.
And especially so if that man belonged to House Ertman.
“Which is precisely why I wanted to avoid any entanglement with Duke Ertman…”
Of course, Odette had initially rejected Walter because she believed he was aligned with Empress Catarina.
But even if that hadn’t been the case, Odette still would not have chosen him.
She could have accepted anyone—even a foreigner—but absolutely not an Ertman.
Because “that incident” had effectively rendered it impossible for any imperial princess to marry into House Ertman.
For Odette, who urgently needed to secure a suitable match, the Ertmans were precisely the kind of family she had to avoid.
“At least now that His Majesty has stated this so plainly, the rumors should subside somewhat.”
After such an overt warning, Walter surely wouldn’t dare bring up his proposal to Odette.
“…I understand Your Majesty’s intention clearly.”
Just as expected, Walter nodded.
Yet his next words nearly caused Odette to spit out her tea.
“I heard you clearly, Your Majesty—should something arise from genuine desire, you would be willing to grant your acceptance.”
“Cough.”
Choking slightly, Odette set her teacup down awkwardly, but no one paid her any mind.
The Emperor’s expression twisted faintly the moment Walter finished speaking.
“…It seems, Duke, you have misunderstood My intention.”
“I understood perfectly. Did Your Majesty not say, ‘If it truly stems from sincere desire, what can I do?'”
The Emperor had indeed stated one must sometimes turn a blind eye, even if displeased.
He simply hadn’t anticipated anyone would interpret it quite so boldly—or dare to interpret it this way at all.
“I was deeply anxious that Your Majesty might still hold House Ertman in ill regard because of past events. But thanks to your words, I now feel greatly relieved. As you know, forbidden love often leads to unintended consequences.”
“So? Are you planning to cause such a consequence now?”
“Of course not. Since Your Majesty has graciously declared your boundless magnanimity and willingness to embrace us, there would be no need for such measures. Unless…”
Walter’s gaze briefly flickered toward Regina before returning.
“Does Your Majesty perhaps intend to deny what Her Imperial Highness truly desires?”
Murmurs erupted among the nobles at that question, and the Emperor’s previously bored expression hardened instantly.
To say the wrong thing here would force the Emperor into a corner—either as someone who retracted his own words or as a shameless man who took all the benefits of Ertman’s service yet denied their redemption by blocking the princess’s marriage.
Regardless of the truth, there existed a vast gap between the Emperor’s implied meaning and his spoken words.
And Walter had sharply exploited that gap.
Ultimately, the Emperor chose to divert the conversation rather than answer directly.
“…When you speak like that, Duke, it suggests you’ve given the matter some thought. Based solely on what you’ve said so far, you sound as though you hold feelings for an imperial princess. Is that correct?”
Truly, only a cunning serpent like the Emperor could maneuver like this.
Instantly, all eyes turned to Walter.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for his lips to move.
And then—
“Grandfather once told me that preferences tend to run in the blood.”
Walter’s lips parted as smoothly as a snake’s.
His voice, languid and gentle, seemed crafted to bewitch his listeners.
“I never thought much of that notion—until now.”
“Hah! Does the blood of House Ertman truly carry an attraction to imperial princesses?”
“When someone this captivating stands before you, wouldn’t it be stranger if it didn’t?”
“Duke, did you spend your time on the battlefield sharpening your tongue instead of your sword? Your words flow far too smoothly.”
The Emperor let out an exasperated chuckle, then abruptly rose from his seat.
He knew continuing this conversation would only lead to talk of a marriage alliance between House Ertman and an imperial princess—something he had no interest in endorsing.
“My health isn’t particularly good today. Even this brief exchange has drained me considerably. That’s enough entertainment for now. The rest of you may stay and enjoy yourselves.”
The moment the Emperor departed without looking back, the nobles—who had been holding their breath—burst into animated whispers.
“I half-disbelieved it, but good heavens…”
“Which of the two princesses does the Duke favor?”
“Surely the Third Imperial Princess? Not only was he seated beside her, but he glanced her way just before speaking!”
“If he truly favors the Third Princess, the Fourth Princess will look utterly ridiculous—like she’s been used.”
Unable to ask the princesses directly, everyone busied themselves with speculation.
Yet the prevailing opinion clearly leaned toward Regina.
Given the circumstances, such an assumption was entirely understandable.
“This gossip will likely spread through all of high society before the day ends.”
Amidst the commotion, only Odette calmly lifted her teacup.
The idea that Walter favored Regina wasn’t surprising to her at all.
After all, no one would ever take an insignificant weed like Odette seriously.
She knew that. And yet…
“…Why does my mouth taste bitter?”
Was it because the black tea had cooled and turned astringent?
Yes, that must be it.
And surely, the blurriness clouding her vision was simply because the tea had grown too cold…
Odette blinked her hazy eyes and set down her teacup.
Or rather, she thought she had.
Clang!
The sharp sound jolted Odette fully awake.
Only then did her vision clear enough for her to realize what she’d done.
Due to sleeplessness, her sight had blurred—and instead of placing the cup down, she’d dropped it to the floor.
“Of all moments for this to happen…”
Feeling every eye in the room snap toward her, her face burned hot. Odette hastily rose from her seat.
“I-I’m so sorry! My hand slipped… I should take my leave now, Your Imperial Highness.”
Before Empress Catarina could even respond, Odette tried to slip away—
“…!”
—but her vision suddenly tilted as her body swayed unsteadily.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
But wouldn’t it be the perfect time to speak with Xavier in a safe manner? There are plenty of people around and she needs information from him.
He isn’t suspicious of Duke Ertman? Considering the rumors the Duke amplified, he has motive to drive a wedge between Louis and Odette. Yet Louie doesn’t question Walter’s words? I’d think he’d be suspicious of Walter casting the curse. Walter’s motive for doing so might be unknown but his words, seemingly knowledgeable about the curse itself and blaming it upon Odette, whom the Duke has insinuated a relationship with while Odette says otherwise, gives plenty to be wary about.
Is this woman serious saying ‘I lied to them, why won’t they believe me?’ Wow she seems a bit delusional.