My Fiancé Keeps Trying to Raise Me (16 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
“Could it truly be you…?”
She tried to remain calm, but her trembling voice gave her away, trailing off into silence.
Moments later, a command came to lift her head, and Anet slowly raised her gaze.
The Empress Dowager seated on the sofa looked far too young to be the mother of a grown son and a grandmother to boot.
She must have been five or six years older than the King of Heyworth, yet she appeared even younger than him.
‘Are members of the Alkan imperial family naturally this youthful?’
No—since the Empress and the Empress Dowager weren’t of direct bloodline, perhaps the imperial family preferred spouses with youthful features.
Anet, who had unconsciously wondered if she herself now met that standard, shook her head inwardly.
‘I don’t just look young—I really am a child.’
She was so nervous that absurd thoughts kept popping into her head.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager, her pale sky-blue hair perfectly swept back without a single strand out of place and her spine held rigidly straight, examined Anet with cool, sharp eyes.
The oppressive weight of that scrutiny—from head to toe—made Anet swallow hard, just as she noticed the Empress Dowager’s eyebrows sharply arch upward.
Instinctively lowering her eyes in haste, Anet felt a stinging gaze prick her cheeks.
“Hah… I’m utterly speechless.”
At last, a voice tinged with exasperation drifted out once more.
Anet, still bowing her head, felt an inexplicable chill settle in her chest.
Truth be told, she already knew.
She wasn’t like Bridget, raised delicately within the palace walls, but merely a girl who’d rolled in the dirt alongside knights while hunting monsters—dubbed even as the “seed” of beasts. There was no way the Empress Dowager could favor her as a match for her precious son.
And yet something utterly baffling had occurred, making the situation even less tenable.
When she’d first come to the Empire, she’d expected precisely this kind of reception, but the Emperor and Empress’s kindness had softened her heart, and unknowingly, she’d begun to hope.
Just as she worried they might truly propose replacing her as bride, she swallowed a complicated breath.
“Does Kardin know of this as well?”
“I sent word immediately, but they told me the Grand Duke had gone out on a monster hunt. So I’m not sure if the message has reached him yet…”
“Hmm.”
At Charlotte’s words, the Empress Dowager sighed deeply and nodded.
Watching this, Anet suddenly realized how dearly beloved her fiancé-to-be, Grand Duke Harzent, must be.
‘Perhaps he’s the Alkan imperial family’s sore thumb.’
That must be why the Emperor himself had gone so far as to create the Purification Stone and, fearing his son might never find a proper match, had arranged this political marriage—even at great personal cost.
‘That’s probably why they’ve treated me so kindly, too.’
Because she was to become the Grand Duke’s wife.
Anet felt an odd twinge of envy toward the Duke she hadn’t even met yet.
She’d clung to her brother Franz—her only remaining family, after losing both parents—dragging him down with her.
If not for her, Franz would never have lost his mother, nor his father’s favor.
He might have already become Crown Prince, rather than still competing, at twenty-seven, against a much younger half-brother…
“Since we’ll soon be family, you may speak freely.”
Suddenly, the Empress Dowager spoke.
Surprised, Anet quickly replied, “Yes, of course,” her expression dazed.
It wasn’t shocking that the Empress Dowager saw no need for formalities—whether Anet was a princess or a future Grand Duchess. Yet the phrase “someone who will soon be family” sounded oddly natural, and that struck her as strange.
In the meantime, at the Empress Dowager’s gesture, maids swiftly brought out sweet desserts, an antique teapot, and teacups, arranging everything neatly.
Anet, seeing the charmingly set table, felt herself brighten unconsciously.
Truthfully, she’d once wished to partake in a proper tea time—like Bridget, or even just an ordinary noble lady—sipping tea and nibbling cookies leisurely, instead of tearing into dried jerky inside a tent erected by her subordinates.
Of course, that thought had vanished cleanly the moment she saw young noblewomen scattering in fright at the sight of her.
“Oh my, some of these don’t seem to be made in the imperial palace?”
Charlotte, inspecting the table, asked in a surprised tone.
The Empress Dowager cleared her throat before replying, “The Empress doesn’t care for sweets, but I wasn’t sure of your preferences, so I had them prepare a variety.”
“I see. These are from a famous dessert shop in the capital—I recognize them.”
Charlotte smiled, adding that noble ladies who didn’t know her tastes often gifted her these.
Anet, marveling at the almond-studded cookies, colorful macarons, and the tart shells brimming with custard cream crowned by plump, jewel-like strawberries, suddenly jolted upon hearing their exchange.
She’d assumed the Empress Dowager disliked her, yet such thoughtful dessert preparations suggested perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all.
It was a baseless hope, but Anet unconsciously eased her tension slightly.
At once, her stomach growled, and her appetite stirred.
In truth, the Empress Dowager’s unexpected invitation for afternoon tea had unsettled her so much that she’d barely eaten lunch.
Moreover, lacking both eloquence and experience in such settings, she had no confidence in gracefully steering the conversation.
‘Better not ruin the mood by saying something foolish—might as well just eat.’
She clearly remembered Sara once saying adults favored children who ate well.
Whether that applied to her now or not…
Anet rationalized that eating the carefully prepared food was better than leaving it untouched, and gazed at the desserts with even brighter eyes than before.
Meanwhile, a maid began pouring tea from the pot into cups. A fragrant blend of fruit and floral notes instantly filled the air.
Anet, unintentionally wearing a blissful expression, froze at the soft clink as the cup was placed before her. She blinked slowly, then glanced at the Empress Dowager and the Empress opposite her.
Unlike their clear crimson brews, her own cup held a murky brown liquid, frothing with white bubbles.
‘…Is this truly harassment this time?’
When she was little, spiteful maids had occasionally mixed gravel or dirt into her meals.
‘Unless it’s dirt, there’s no way it’d look like this…’
Anet instantly deflated, unsure whether this drink was a maid’s prank or the Empress Dowager’s order, leaving her utterly bewildered.
‘I’d rather just let it go quietly… but can I really drink this?’
Just as she agonized over it—
“Your Majesty, however much Lady Heyworth’s body has grown younger, her palate hasn’t turned childish, has it? Offering her hot chocolate alone seems odd.”
At Charlotte’s words, Anet’s head snapped up.
Her heart, which had plummeted to her feet, began fluttering again.
“Is this hot chocolate?”
“Haven’t you seen it before?”
“Yes!”
Relieved it wasn’t a personal prank, Anet answered with infectious enthusiasm—then abruptly halted, awkwardly adding,
“Chocolate is quite rare in Heyworth…”
It wasn’t a lie. In the Heyworth Kingdom, chocolate was a luxury, nearly impossible to obtain. She’d even heard Bridget and Laon only occasionally enjoyed it, imported from the Empire.
Yet it still embarrassed her to openly admit, as a princess, that she’d never seen it before.
Of course, few were unaware of her position in Heyworth, and she usually tried not to care about others’ opinions—but for some reason, here, she didn’t want to show that side of herself.
“Then you don’t yet know if it suits your taste.”
Fortunately, the Empress Dowager didn’t find Anet’s clarification strange. Instead, she fixed Anet with a steady gaze, as if urging her to taste it.
Her expression remained as stern and unreadable as ever.
But Anet couldn’t shake the growing suspicion that perhaps the Empress Dowager didn’t dislike her as much as she’d thought.
‘Considering all the thought she’s put in… maybe she even…’
“Ah!”
Suddenly embarrassed by her own hopeful thought, Anet quickly reached for her cup.
The sweet, rich aroma—previously unnoticed when she’d assumed it was mud water—now tickled her nose. She took a sip.
“…!”
Her eyes widened instantly as the first swallow slid down her throat.
An intoxicating sweetness flooded her mouth, leaving her dazed.
Overwhelmed by pure bliss, Anet clutched the cup with both hands and gulped down the hot chocolate in rapid succession.
Only after placing the long-empty cup back on the table did she notice the Empress Dowager staring intently at her.
“It—it was delicious! Thank you!”
Blurted out without thinking, her enthusiastic praise was followed by a deep bow. Realizing her mistake too late, Anet slowly lifted her gaze.
Their eyes met just as the Empress Dowager began fanning herself abruptly, then asked out of the blue,
“Is your dress uncomfortable?”
“…Pardon?”
“Ah, never mind.”
Anet tilted her head in confusion, but the Empress Dowager said no more.
Meanwhile, Charlotte picked up a cookie and offered it.
“Since you’ve had hot chocolate, a plain cookie would pair better than cake or macarons.”
“I see!”
Anet, who’d been about to dive straight for the strawberry tart, gratefully accepted the cookie and popped it into her mouth at the Empress’s advice.
The crunch of almonds and rich buttery flavor unfolded deeply on her tongue.
Then, without a word, the Empress Dowager silently pushed the plate of strawberry tart toward Anet. Still flustered, Anet bowed again and gratefully picked up her fork.
As she ate everything the Empress Dowager and Empress offered her, time slipped by unnoticed—until she finally felt her stomach pleasantly full.
“…!”
Too late, Anet noticed the decimated table and the telltale bulge now protruding from her middle.
Panicked, she quickly tried to hide it, but her petite hands couldn’t conceal the round, tadpole-like belly at all.
‘Oh no!’
In that instant, Anet’s eyes filled with despair—the very princess who’d resolved to present herself as refined, both as royalty and as a future daughter-in-law.
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]
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Did the Empress Dowager get indesgestion because Anet is too cute or what?
Wow this novel has it all, huh? No misunderstanding over the ML’s feelings towards FL, kind and loving imperial family wow
Always a favorite of mine when hurt, abandoned, abused MCs gets a chance of having a true family 🥹