Rather Than Be Taken, I Will Take (12 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 11
The mansion had been in an uproar since early morning.
Though Ludmila, a socialite, had never missed a day in the morning papers, never before had her name occupied the front page with such a scandalous report.
Moreover, the news concerned infertility—a topic fatal to both her family and herself.
Upon hearing the news, the butler Ludbeck knocked on the door of Ludmila’s study, where she had been working since morning.
The door opened at her light reply. Inside sat Ludmila, poised and unwavering, absorbed in her duties.
“I apologize for disturbing you so abruptly, Marchioness. It’s just that this news appeared in the morning paper.”
Ludbeck hurried toward her at twice his usual pace and handed her the newspaper he’d been holding.
The moment Ludmila calmly took the paper and glanced at the front page, her quick-witted butler swiftly spoke up.
“I’ll immediately contact the newspaper to retract the article and issue a correction. Furthermore, I’ll demand accountability for publishing such a dishonorable piece without verifying the facts—”
“There’s no need for that.”
“…Pardon?”
Unlike the butler, who had been speaking fervently, Ludmila lifted her head with a chilling calmness.
Caught off guard by the unexpected reply, the butler hesitated. Ludmila gently tugged at the corners of her straight-set lips.
“It’s fine. You don’t need to intervene.”
“But…”
Ludbeck tried to persist, utterly bewildered, but fell silent under the piercing gaze of her crimson eyes.
Ludmila neatly pushed the newspaper aside.
“Instead, could you call the estate’s facilities manager for me?”
“Ah—yes, of course.”
Taken aback by the sudden shift in topic, Ludbeck reflexively questioned her before hurriedly nodding with a flustered expression.
After the butler bowed respectfully and left, silence thickened in the room where Ludmila remained alone.
Her gaze, which had been fixed pensively on the closed door, slanted sideways.
A faint smile escaped her lips as she looked at her own photograph printed in the newspaper.
Where on earth did they get that picture?
Posing like a tragic heroine straight out of a theatrical drama, her image matched the sorrowful tone of the article perfectly.
She was nearly grateful to the newspaper for delivering exactly the kind of article she wanted.
Ludmila picked up the paper again and scrutinized its contents carefully.
Beyond just what she’d told Venia yesterday, the article was filled with rumors she’d never heard before. Gossip truly spread like a plague.
Just as diseases mutated and evolved as they passed from one person to another, rumors also grew distorted and exaggerated with every retelling.
In that sense, attending the tea party yesterday had been a rather wise move.
Though she’d admittedly felt some displeasure at becoming fodder for nasty gossip, being the subject of public discussion was hardly unusual for her.
If this meant avoiding another night with Kedilen, it was a cheap price to pay. Still…
‘…So I’m tangled up with that man again.’
Ludmila found herself increasingly preoccupied by Aden, whom she kept encountering lately.
Though they’d only met twice—and she could still dismiss it as insignificant—the way Aden behaved each time clearly went beyond mere support.
Recalling the day she’d turned her back on him, she realized nothing much had changed from the past.
She had simply spoken the words Kedilen had been about to say himself.
If that had drawn the interest of that brutish man, she couldn’t argue—but was that really enough to entangle her in this mess?
‘Please kill my husband.’
A voice buried deep in her memory resurfaced.
Having conversed with countless figures since entering high society, that day held nothing particularly special for Ludmila.
If anything, it marked the first time she’d proactively sought help from someone else to escape Kedilen.
Though her approach had been far too extreme to earn Aden’s aid, it was also the moment she’d squarely confronted her own will to survive.
‘Was it… really that extreme?’
Ludmila, out of habit, rubbed her fingers together before picking up her pen.
Back then, all she’d known was a vague desire to live. Her ultimate conclusion had been simple: only Kedilen’s death would end her suffering.
Kedilen had no intention of letting her go. And given that someone would recognize her wherever she fled, escape was impossible.
Thus, his death had seemed the only path to her freedom—which was why she’d gone to Aden.
She knew it was a dangerous gamble, risking exposure of her vulnerabilities to a stranger—but better certainty than a failed half-hearted assassination attempt.
Yet Ludmila had lost that life-or-death bet. The outcome had been death.
Now, upon reflection, she realized she’d played her hand too drastically.
If only she’d chosen a less drastic path…
“Sigh…”
Ludmila pressed her fingertips to her throbbing temples and exhaled. It was all just speculation.
Continuously assigning meaning to the past and indulging in hypotheticals was foolish.
What mattered now were the matters right before her.
As she washed her weary face, a knock abruptly shattered the room’s stillness.
Composing her expression and straightening her posture, she gave a brief reply. The door opened.
A stout middle-aged man entered and bowed.
“I was told you wished to see me, Marchioness.”
The estate’s facilities manager studied Ludmila carefully.
“I intend to carry out repairs and maintenance while Kedilen is away.”
“At this very moment?”
“Repair requests have kept coming in. I ignored the minor ones, but look how much has piled up already. Do you see?”
Ludmila ran her fingers over the notably thick stack of documents and leaned back lazily against her chair.
“Won’t Kedilen take issue with this?”
“Well…”
Everyone on staff knew Kedilen was a perfectionist, contrary to his public image.
Though he entrusted all internal matters entirely to his wife—allowing a certain degree of leniency—crossing that invisible line always brought his wrath.
At best, one faced a demotion; at worst, dismissal or even fines.
The manager hesitated, then sighed and nodded.
“Yes, understood.”
“Good. Let’s start with the most conspicuous areas first. I’ve already prepared a list. Review it and report back to me today.”
The manager took the list, its neat handwriting unmistakably Ludmila’s, and frowned.
There were far too many items. Yet he couldn’t voice his complaint, so he simply bowed and said, “Understood.”
After he left and the door closed, Ludmila rested her chin in her hand.
That day, Kedilen’s eyes had held deep bewilderment as he looked upon her lifeless body.
If he hadn’t deliberately killed her, then eliminating basic dangers should take priority.
Repairing the chandelier in the foyer—a simple task, but the first button always mattered.
Two days later, Ludmila checked the calendar for Kedilen’s scheduled return and let out a heavy sigh.
[This is the timeline separator]Late at night, when the manager urgently requested an audience, Ludmila nodded as though she’d anticipated it.
After changing clothes, she entered her study and immediately received his report.
“A knife mark?”
The manager handed her the inspection certificate for the foyer chandelier—the centerpiece of the list she’d prepared.
The massive chandelier had two additional support cables, installed as a precaution against unforeseen accidents.
Yet one of those two cables had been severed, and the other bore clear knife-like cuts.
Moreover, the severed end was unnaturally smooth—as if sliced cleanly in one stroke with a sharp blade.
No matter how many times Ludmila double-checked, the manager kept insisting there was no mistake.
As she read the report, her mind grew tangled in complex thoughts.
So it hadn’t been mere coincidence after all.
“Marchioness, this is—”
“Has anyone else seen this report?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking if you’ve told anyone else about this.”
Startled by her unusually forceful tone, the manager quickly shook his head.
She exhaled, bit her lip briefly in thought, then began firmly, “Good.”
“You did well. For now, let this remain between us alone. I’ll report directly to Kedilen myself. And just in case, have those cables reconnected. Check them daily, and report to me immediately if they’re cut again.”
“Understood.”
“You may go.”
After the manager bowed and exited, the already silent room sank into an even deeper stillness.
This was no accident—it was deliberate.
But what were the odds it would have fallen right onto her head at precisely the right moment? She’d naturally assumed it was an accident.
Moreover, Kedilen’s shocked expression just before her death clearly indicated he hadn’t done it.
“Was I too naive?”
Ludmila covered her forehead, realizing she was in far graver danger than she’d thought. She’d assumed her death was accidental.
Now suspicion pointed toward murder. Someone other than her husband wanted her dead.
Or perhaps it was Kedilen himself—wearing the perfect mask at the perfect time was second nature to him.
She wanted to investigate further, but Kedilen would return soon.
Without reaching any solid conclusions, she had to prepare to face that nightmare once again.
Moonlight filtered through the lattice window, casting a pale hue upon Ludmila’s skin.
Her lips let out a quiet sigh.
[This is the timeline separator]Kedilen returned about a day and a half later, when the sun had begun its descent past noon and the hazy crescent moon still hung in the eastern sky.
Crack!
The moment he entered, a harsh sound filled the room, now tinged crimson.
Ludmila’s staggering body lost balance and collapsed onto the floor.
Kedilen, gripping his wife’s cheek roughly, loomed over her with blazing eyes and whispered hoarsely,
“How dare you disgrace my sister and make her a laughingstock, forgetting your place?”
His fury flushed Ludmila’s innocent cheek red.
Male lead first thought she played hard to get, only to realize she
really disliked him
Short intro:
What she can’t stand the most is the streets full of effeminate men, especially that so-called top beauty whom she avoids at all costs.
Shen Yaoxing looks at Jiang Mingyue, who keeps approaching her with coy shyness.
Shen Yaoxing: Bro, don’t be like this, I’m really about to throw up!
She fears nothing in heaven or earth, except for him getting close to her.
*
At first he thought she was just using the trick of feigning indifference to attract his attention. Later, he learned that she truly despised him.
This dealt a heavy blow to Jiang Mingyue, and he vowed to make her, like everyone else, fall at his feet in worship!
***
Synopsis:
Before transmigrating, Shen Yaoxing only wanted to find a reliable man to spend her life with. Who knew that after transmigrating, she would become a reliable woman herself…
A forced misandrist, highly skilled, and reliable female lead
vs.
An initially aloof and arrogant, later morbid, obsessed male lead
_____
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