Why is Fredric in front of my bedroom?

Even though they had been married for a year, Lily was puzzled by this unfamiliar sight and called his name. She had muttered it to herself, but Fredric heard and turned to look at her.

He said he had been back for an hour, yet Fredric was still in his outdoor clothes. Seeing him perfectly dressed in his coat, it seemed he was about to go out again.

After returning home after two days, where is he trying to go now?

Lily immediately erased the sudden doubt that arose. Wherever Fredric was going, it was none of her business.

“What’s the matter?”

Curious about why he was standing in front of her bedroom, Lily asked Fredric, who had now approached her.

His eyes visible through his spotlessly clean glasses looked more irritable than usual, but Lily paid no mind. Whatever had upset him, it likely had nothing to do with her.

“Why did you fight with Mother?”

…I thought it had nothing to do with me, but I guess not.

With it being related to Samantha, a sigh welled up inside her.

But Lily didn’t show it outwardly and looked straight at Fredric. The reason his outdoor clothes caught her attention again was because she thought he might have been too busy listening to Samantha’s complaints to change, rather than planning to go out again.

So is that why he came to my bedroom? To appease Samantha’s anger as quickly as possible?

“I asked why you fought with Mother.”

When Lily didn’t answer, Fredric frowned and asked again. His irritated voice laced with annoyance scratched at her eardrums.

Others might have been intimidated, but Lily was not. Why should she be intimidated when she had done nothing wrong?

Rather, Lily straightened her back and spoke in a calm tone.

“I simply told Mother that since she was concerned I might go mad like my mother, there was no need to worry because I don’t love you.”

Fredric sneered.

“And you said I might be impotent.”

Lily was a bit flustered by the blatant and embarrassing word, but only for a moment. She quickly composed her expression and bowed her head slightly as she apologized.

“That wasn’t my intention, but if it offended you, I apologize.”

She meant it sincerely. Though she had said those words when her rationality snapped due to Samantha’s verbal abuse, she had never actually thought Fredric might have that kind of problem.

But whether her sincerity didn’t come across or not, Fredric twisted his lips. He folded his arms and tilted his head askew as he looked down at her.

“Is that how someone apologizes? It doesn’t seem so to me.”

“That…”

Before Lily could respond, Fredric continued.

“If I’ve misunderstood, I apologize. Having been born a commoner, I’m not well-versed in noble etiquette.”

He was mocking the part where Lily had asked Samantha if she lacked manners because she was a commoner.

Lily was a bit surprised that the proud Samantha would mention even that. It must mean she felt that wronged and shocked by what Lily had done to her.

Of course, Lily didn’t think Samantha had told the whole truth. Like most people, she probably only said the parts favorable to her. That’s why Fredric was saying such things.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding, let me explain everything…”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

Once again, Fredric cut Lily off before she could finish and spoke firmly.

“There’s no need to listen either.”

“…You already know everything Mother said to me.”

Fredric answered by simply looking at her. It was an affirmation.

Ha. Lily gave a hollow laugh as she brushed back the hair that had fallen over her face. Though she had never thought Fredric was on her side, his attitude was still disappointing.

It was also surprising that there was still room left to be disappointed in him.

“If you already know everything, then I have nothing more to say. Excuse me.”

“Wait.”

As Lily tried to walk past him, Fredric grabbed her wrist as if snatching it. It happened to be the same spot that Brian had gripped. Naturally, the humiliation she had suffered from Brian came to mind, and her small shoulders stiffened.

There’s no need to be afraid. It’s okay.

Lily struggled to compose herself and looked up at Fredric, who was blocking her path again. But a faint fear that she couldn’t quite hide lingered in her green eyes.

Fredric’s eyes curved gleefully, as if he had uncannily sensed that fact.

“It would be better to abandon your useless pride, if only for your mother’s sake.”

At the mention of her mother, Lily’s eyes widened.

Are you threatening me with my mother again? Again, again, again!

Anger welled up, but it wasn’t really anything new. It wasn’t the first time Fredric and his family had threatened Lily using Grace’s life as leverage.

Getting angry every time was foolish. It might be understandable if they were dealing with reasonable people, but since that wasn’t the case, it was even more pointless.

If they were reasonable people to begin with, they wouldn’t make such threats.

Lily glared at Fredric, her green eyes flashing brightly, tinged with fear and anger. Meanwhile, Fredric smiled as if he found her anger amusing.

That shameless and disgusting face grated on Lily’s nerves even more. She wanted to grab his collar right then and there and shout at him, asking how he could do such a thing and if he found it fun to poke at other people’s wounds.

But that would only be like fanning the flames of a burning house, so Lily held back. Thinking of her mother, her most beloved person and only hope, she suppressed her rising anger.

“You of all people… shouldn’t say such things.”

Instead, she clenched her fist so tightly it turned white and spat out each word.

“In exchange for marrying you, and thus handing over the Viscount Benjamin title… we agreed you would take full responsibility for my mother’s hospital bills… Surely you’re not saying you won’t keep that promise now?”

“How could that be, my dear wife.”

Fredric placed his hand on his chest, lowered his gaze slightly, and gave a faint smile. It was exactly the same as when Lily first met him. She bit her lip hard, reminded of the time when she thought he was a polite, wonderful gentleman, never dreaming that he was actually trash wearing the mask of a gentleman.

“I will certainly keep the promise. But the location might change.”

“The location… will change?”

What does that mean?

When Lily asked, not understanding his words, Fredric stroked his chin as if thinking about something and looked into space.

“I hear the medical technology in the Kingdom of Whissen is the best on the continent… I’m considering sending Madam Grace Benjamin to the Kingdom of Whissen.”

The Kingdom of Whissen was a far-off island nation that took over two weeks by ship from the Empire. Saying he would send Grace there meant essentially that he would make it so Lily could never see her mother again.

There was the option of Lily following Grace, but that would only be possible if her husband, Fredric, allowed it. That’s how the Empire’s laws worked, damn it.

Lily’s eyes widened like saucers as she belatedly realized Fredric’s scheme. Her green eyes, consumed by the fear of possibly being separated from her mother for life, began to tremble helplessly.

Lily glared at Fredric, clenching her hands that were trembling as much as her eyes.

“Are you… threatening me now?”

“It’s not a threat, but a warning. A warning not to cause unnecessary discord.”

“How is this a warning? It’s a threat!”

Her voice, sharper than a needle, echoed widely through the corridor.

“How can you threaten me? If anything, I’m the one who was insulted, yet instead of asking if I’m okay, you threaten me using my mother…”

Her eyes grew hot as emotions welled up.

I don’t want to cry. She absolutely didn’t want to cry in front of the man who had mercilessly trampled on her dreams and pride with his false mask.

However, as all the times she had been disregarded by Samantha, Brian, and the servants yesterday and today came rushing back at once, it wasn’t easy to control her emotions.

“Do you even think of me as your wife?”

Because of that, Lily asked the question she had always wondered but never dared to ask, and immediately regretted it. She could guess what answer Fredric would give. He would undoubtedly say that he doesn’t think of her as his wife.

“Of course I think of you as my wife.”

“…”

Taken aback by the completely unexpected answer, Lily blinked her eyes wide.

“Because I think of you as my wife, I let you live off my money without saying anything.”

If he had stopped there, she might have felt somewhat touched, but his additional words mercilessly scratched at Lily’s pride and evoked a sense of humiliation.

“You don’t seem to know, but your mother’s hospital bills aren’t the only weakness I’m holding onto.”

Fredric continued as he tidied up Lily’s disheveled collar.

“The space you stay in, the clothes you wear, the food you eat… I hold all of it as leverage.”

Lily wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. It was all true.

If she hadn’t married Fredric, not only would she have been unable to pay for her mother’s hospital bills, but her standard of living would have plummeted to rock bottom.

That fact gnawed even more at Lily’s pride and sealed her lips. The clothes she was wearing felt as heavy as stones and prickly as thorns.

“So it would be better to know your place and live quietly, my dear wife.”

Having finished adjusting her collar, Fredric lightly grasped Lily’s long hair that fell over her chest, kissed it, and whispered.

“Otherwise, next time you might not be able to see your mother even if you rent a shared carriage.”