Although the maids tried to convince Annette that it was customary for a lady to arrive a little late for appointments, Annette believed that adhering to basic manners was more important than such notions of ladylike virtue. Aware that she couldn’t afford to make a bad impression on the Duke, she decided to head to the reception room for her meeting with Duke Hargens a bit earlier than the appointed time.
Walking comfortably in her soft shoes and white lace socks that reached up to her ankles, Annette didn’t feel burdened as she strolled along the lengthy corridor. Nervously wiping sweat from her hands onto her dress, she hesitated upon seeing two people already seated in the reception room, which she had expected to be empty.
“Have you arrived?”
“My goodness! Lady, you look so beautiful today!”
It was the Emperor and Empress.
“Ah…”
Why had she thought she would meet the Duke alone?
Upon reflection, it made sense for the imperial couple to attend this politically motivated alliance. Annette, feeling embarrassed, apologized.
“I didn’t realize you were already here. I’m sorry for being late.”
“Not at all. It’s Cardin… Duke Hargens, who’s surprisingly not here yet.”
Lucius awkwardly mentioned Cardin, assuming he would have been the first to arrive, concerned that his absence might give Annette a bad impression.
However, Annette seemed indifferent to the Duke’s absence and quietly moved to sit in the seat indicated by Charlotte.
Sitting on a sofa facing the door, between the Emperor and Empress, Annette felt oddly as if the two were not the Duke’s family but her own.
Then, at that moment,
“Duke Hargens, Your Highness, has arrived.”
With the attendant’s announcement, the door opened smoothly.
Annette took a deep breath.
With each heavy sound of the man’s shoe heels, her heart pounded wildly. Amidst this tension, she felt a slight thrill and a budding expectation.
‘Stay calm. The Duke is just a partner in a political marriage.’
Meanwhile, a man in a formal black suit slowly appeared.
Annette involuntarily stood up from the sofa. Even considering her reduced height, she had to look up quite a bit to see the large figure with broad shoulders and a straight back.
‘This person is… Duke Hargens.’
The Duke, wearing a black mask as rumored, exuded a noble and elegant aura.
His deep golden hair shimmered so brilliantly that it was impossible to imagine a hideous face hidden behind the mask. Instead, the mask made him seem more like a flawless statue.
Suddenly, the Duke’s throat moved noticeably, and he abruptly bowed his head, clasping the mask with both hands. His shoulders trembled slightly.
Only then did Annette realize she had been holding her breath since he entered the room, as he now seemed to be catching his breath.
“……”
Annette bit her lip unintentionally.
Had the news of her condition caused him such shock?
Just as she prepared herself for the possibility of the betrothal being broken, ready to recite the words she had prepared to sway the Duke’s mind, she heard a deep, melodious voice.
“……A doll?”
Her eyes snapped open.
“Not a human, but an embodiment of cuteness.”
“…….?”
She thought she had misheard, but…
The voice undoubtedly belonged to the Duke.
So, the one known as the warmonger, the cruel slayer…
Her betrothed, Cardin Hargens.
‘Has that guy lost his mind!’
Lucius was on the verge of facepalming at his only brother’s ridiculous display, which he was witnessing in real-time. He had indeed come early, anticipating an amusing spectacle, but he hadn’t expected Cardin to spout such nonsense. Dressed to the nines, it seemed Cardin had been late due to his meticulous grooming. Lucius found it exasperating that Cardin had the energy to focus on his appearance but couldn’t keep his wits about him.
“Ahem, you’re right on time.”
Despite his frustration, as the elder brother, Lucius felt it was his duty to cover for Cardin’s faults. He emphasized to Annette that Cardin hadn’t been late for their first meeting, trying to lighten the mood so Cardin could regain his composure.
“Um? Were you here?”
That contemptible fool.
It seemed as if Cardin hadn’t even noticed the Emperor and Empress until that moment.
“Of course. It’s the first meeting between the key figures of the alliance between the Alkan Empire and the Kingdom of Hayworth.”
“Hmm. That’s irrelevant. I’d like to exchange greetings with the person I’ll spend my life with, alone. Would the two of you mind leaving?”
“Ha!”
Cardin’s audacity was astonishing, hardly befitting someone addressing the Emperor.
Lucius’s face twisted in disbelief.
“So…”
“…”
“You’re really telling us to leave?”
“Yes.”
Lucius clicked his tongue in response to Cardin’s unwavering answer, sensing that the most entertaining part of the show was about to begin.
Charlotte shared his sentiment, but seeing Annette gazing at Cardin as if spellbound, she quietly smiled and left the room with Lucius.
After all, there would be plenty of opportunities for entertainment in the future.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
