As he pulled the hook of the necklace, the loose string tightened, pressing against her delicate neck. Red flowers then began to hide one by one.
“If you have such a strong desire for monopolization that you feel it’s still lacking, you’re welcome.”
There was almost no nail space left on the hook’s lever.
“Ugh…”
At that moment, a shallow groan escaped from Cloe’s lips.
The once tightening string suddenly loosened. Gradually, a warm sensation touched the area around her neck.
The culprit who had repeatedly touched her skin the night before.
“I need to know which side.”
The man’s resonance reverberated thickly through the thin flesh. With the upper lip connected, the lower lip moved.
“O-of course… The mistaken side…”
Excuses were drowned out by the strange sounds that followed Cloe’s words.
“Well, from now on, I’ll stay on the side where there’s no room for mistakes.”
“W-what is this…”
“You can do whatever you want here because you can’t see, right?”
A sound of something dropping on the floor was heard. The sense of liberation subtly revealed the identity of the source.
Occasionally, hot breath grazed her neck. The lips that met hers with intense force created a strange sensation.
The excuse that was supposed to hide ‘that’ was just a flimsy pretext.
As the peculiar act came to an end, the necklace found its place. Layers of pure white pearl beads covered the marks flawlessly. It was an expensive and beautiful screen.
‘Come to think of it, I had something to ask Her Majesty.’
She recalled the fact she had forgotten due to the adults’ prank.
Liam had firmly emphasized a certain matter.
To find out about the relationship between Kun and Duke Cedric Theodore.
‘Do I really have the courage to ask?’
Although there were still lingering concerns, perhaps it’s best not to think about it anymore.
“Um, Kun.”
If there’s no room for hesitation, just say something. Cloe called out to him without hesitation.
The man reading a book soon turned his head.
Although it might sound strange, Cloe’s eyes were more drawn to the book the other was reading than the graceful coordinated movements.
She was tempted to ask about the book she borrowed from the library, wanting to know what happened next.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“Do you have something you’re curious about me?”
“I heard that there was an article in this morning’s newspaper tarnishing the honor of the royal family. And the person who led that article was said to be Duke Theodore of the Sahir Empire.”
“Sahir Duke, that useless guy must have babbled.”
The face that had delightedly shown joy at being seen after a long time quickly cooled. The thick eyebrows formed a crooked curve.
It was a somewhat unfamiliar sight for her. However, upon closer inspection, it became understandable. The ultimate reason people feared him.
“I’m curious about the relationship between Kun and Duke Theodore. It might be an intrusive question, but as Kun’s lover, I thought I could know this much…”
The mouth that had been motionless for a long time finally lifted at the corners. It seemed to ask where she learned such audacious behavior.
“Cedric Theodore was the only little bastard trying to kill me. Then, as a result, he lost his right eye as payment, that ignorant fool.”
“…”
“With a vow never to get involved with each other again, he regained his remaining eye. After that, he pretended to be a lord in another continent.”
“Why did someone who vowed not to get involved suddenly…”
Cloe mumbled in a worried tone.
Listening quietly, it sounded as if Duke Theodore could defeat Kun now.
“Well, now he seems to have some confidence. I’ve unexpectedly developed a weakness, you see.”
The sky was as dark and murky as the man’s heart. A deafening scream, shaking the ground as if in an earthquake, rushed into his ears.
‘I have to find a way to survive…’
Kalis Arhen wandered inside his study. His ungraceful and swift steps revealed his anxious heart.
Kalis Arhen, the hero of all.
Once a fallen noble, he rose to fame as the man who saved the kingdom.
A man who firmly defended the crumbling dukedom with money and honor, once just a facade.
However, now nothing remained.
No money, no honor, and not even the woman he loved. All he had now was hatred and his physical body.
‘Her Grace asked to see me. There must be a reason. Perhaps she’s considering rescuing me!’
The man declared that he would appear when the brilliance capable of engulfing the world three times in a row shone.
Boom!
Thunder swept through the aristocratic residence once. Then lightning flashed three times in a row.
‘Is it finally coming?’
The mediator who arranged the meeting finally revealed themselves.
The sound of the door opening echoed in the silent room.
Subsequently, a dull sound of footsteps followed.
“Hello, Duke?”
“…Y-Your Grace?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Your only savior!”
Suddenly, the arranged mediator, Duke Cedric Theodore, appeared.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
