Spent the First Night with the Male Lead, Thinking I Was Terminal (10 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
“What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself.”
Lloyd Persy sat with an arrogant posture, glaring coldly at Grit.
Under his gaze, Grit wore a friendly smile on his lips, while fury boiled within him.
He had been certain Clea would return to the ducal mansion within a day.
After all, no matter that she was his own child, in his eyes Clea was pitiful—a girl incapable of doing anything without her family’s support.
Yet that girl had turned her back on her household and tried to leave on her own.
At first, Grit had felt only ridicule and arrogance.
He had firmly believed she would return within a day—
since she had left only around evening, she would surely slip back unnoticed in the dead of night.
But days passed, and Clea still did not return.
Noble adults, once of age, are typically prideful; thus, they sometimes even regard their own parents as unworthy of attention.
But once outside, they come to realize—
that warmth, fine clothing, delicious food, and the safety of knowing no one will attack you until morning, are not things freely given.
‘How dare she treat me this way, even before inheriting the Grand Duke’s title!’
Grit clenched his fist.
Even if Clea refused to return, Grit had stationed knights from the mansion, ready to retrieve her at any moment.
Knights of House Odoi were more than capable of subduing common ruffians—
after all, knights were elite warriors, thoroughly trained, unlike mere street thugs.
Yet she never returned, and every one of the knights was assassinated on the spot.
Regardless, since Clea’s absence was undeniable, Grit had first intended to send a letter to Lloyd in Clea’s name.
But before he could act, Lloyd himself stormed into the Odoi mansion without any prior notice.
And ever since then, things had been exactly as they were now.
“You haven’t forgotten how much money the Duke has drawn from our family, have you?”
“I know well, even without the Prince needing to say so.”
“Then does your behavior toward me now even make any sense?”
Lloyd furrowed his brow at Grit.
Meeting that gaze, Grit suddenly felt a strong urge to stand up and scold him—asking where he’d learned such impertinent manners.
He, too, was one of the Empire’s Dukes—
not from a fallen house, but among the few Dukes within the Empire.
Yet even so, he lacked the courage to voice those words aloud.
Though he was a Duke, the man before him was destined to inherit the Grand Duchy.
Grit understood perfectly well what defying House Persy truly meant; he knew this was a time to humble himself utterly.
“Was my request—to properly safeguard one daughter—so difficult for you?”
“I understand well what the Prince is referring to.”
“Then where is Clea?”
Lloyd growled, his expression still twisted with anger.
Those who saw Lloyd’s demeanor assumed—
that surely the Grand Duke and Duchess had heard about the incident between Lloyd and Clea, and had scolded him for it.
They believed his foul mood stemmed precisely from that reprimand.
But they were mistaken.
In truth, the Grand Duke and Duchess remained completely unaware of what had transpired between Lloyd and Clea.
“Hey, Lloyd. Calm down.”
“What?”
“Clea couldn’t possibly be in danger—it’s not some remote village, but right in the heart of the capital.”
Steve, seeing his father in such an uncomfortable predicament, stepped forward to help.
But his choice was entirely wrong.
Steve had always considered Lloyd a friend.
They had spent time together, exchanging all sorts of conversations, even imagining the future of the Empire they would one day lead.
But that belief shattered completely with Lloyd’s next words.
“Who do you think you are to call my name so casually?”
“L-Lloyd?”
“If my relationship with Clea collapses, what relationship could possibly remain between you and me?”
“Well… friends…?”
“That’s utterly laughable, Steve Odoi.”
Lloyd shot Steve a look brimming with contempt.
Everyone present was instantly thrown into confusion by the sudden turn of events.
No one had expected Lloyd to speak so bluntly to Steve.
Steve stared back at him with trembling eyes.
Meanwhile, Lloyd clicked his tongue in annoyance and spoke unilaterally.
“If you wish to maintain any connection with me—or with House Persy—you’d better find Clea immediately.”
As Grit and Steve tried to say something in response, Lloyd abruptly stood up the moment he finished speaking.
Though they desperately wanted to stop him, they couldn’t bring themselves to reach out.
They feared what fresh humiliation might come if they tried to restrain him here and now.
Indeed, had they actually tried to block him, Lloyd would have flown into a true rage this time.
His mood was deeply foul.
When Clea had poured tea over him, Lloyd had expected—as always—that by the next day, a heartfelt apology letter would arrive in his room.
But that day, not a single note came.
‘Just who do you think you are? What gives you the right!’
Lloyd pictured Clea’s face in his mind.
She had always acted so subserviently before him—
a doll-like figure who knelt when told to kneel, smiled when told to smile.
But starting one day, her behavior had changed completely.
As if she’d become an entirely different person.
Of course, the things she could actually do remained unchanged—but Lloyd felt the strongest sense of unease from this transformation.
Frowning slightly as if displeased, he soon softened into a smile.
He convinced himself that her current behavior was merely an attempt to draw his attention.
“I’ll understand once I see you again.”
Lloyd briefly cooled the anger simmering in his chest.
When he saw her, he would know.
Normally, if any other woman had poured tea on him, he would have lost all reason immediately.
No matter that the offender was a lady—he could never tolerate being publicly humiliated.
Yet at that moment, Lloyd couldn’t move from his spot.
Under Clea’s icy gaze, he stood frozen like stone, as though facing the mythic Medusa.
When had he ever truly met her eyes before?
And how had Clea looked at him during their very first encounter?
Lost in such thoughts, Lloyd bit his lip hard—
so hard he tasted blood—and grew angry anew at the rumors he’d recently heard.
‘Admon couldn’t possibly desire her.’
Having some degree of friendship with Admon, Lloyd refused to believe the claim that he’d spoken privately with Clea.
Admon was the man destined to inherit the throne—
above all, someone deeply mindful of public perception. There was no way he’d approach Clea, whose reputation in society was notoriously poor.
Though Lloyd was nearly certain of this, a nagging unease lingered in his heart.
What troubled him most was that Clea had never outright denied the rumor.
“The day you return, I won’t let you off so easily.”
Lloyd realized this was no time for hesitation. Casting a distrustful glance toward Duke Odoi’s mansion, he resolved to take matters into his own hands—
under the respectable pretense of searching for his runaway fiancée.
“Then perhaps I should pay a visit to the other party involved.”
Turning on his heel, he headed toward the Imperial Palace.
[This is the timeline separator]Had she slept for several hours straight?
Clea sat up in bed, brushing her tousled hair to one side.
The sunlight streaming through the window was far too bright to be morning—wondering if it might already be afternoon, she glanced around.
“Princess Clea, did you sleep well last night? I am Anne, your maid, assigned to attend you and ensure your stay is comfortable.”
A maid, noticing Clea was awake, stepped inside and stood before her, introducing herself cautiously.
Anne. The name sounded vaguely familiar to Clea.
Soon, she recalled exactly who the girl was.
But Clea said nothing further—instead, she simply stated her need to Anne.
“Bring me some water.”
After such a heated night, her throat was parched and cracked.
Beyond mere dryness, she felt actual thirst—so after requesting water, her eyes drifted to the fireplace, which still burned fiercely.
‘Did they really need to go this far just because I shivered slightly from the cold?’
Thanks to it, she hadn’t shivered from the chill during the night—but by morning, the room had grown oppressively warm.
Clea briefly frowned, then quickly relaxed her expression.
After all, it had been done out of concern for her—it even struck her as rather endearing.
She turned her gaze toward Anne.
Anne nodded and promptly brought her water.
After easily finishing one cup, then immediately emptying a second, Clea finally felt ready to speak.
“Where is His Highness?”
“He instructed me to say he is in his study.”
“I see?”
With those words, Clea rose from the bed.
Her eyes fell upon the desk.
Ever since waking, she’d been vaguely bothered by a neatly folded sheet of paper on it—now, she walked over and unfolded it.
Though it might contain important imperial documents, Anne made no move to stop her.
After all, the person she served wouldn’t have permitted her presence here if such matters were of concern.
Thus, Clea read the carefully folded note undisturbed.
“How foolish.”
She let out a soft laugh.
If Anne heard who exactly Clea meant by “foolish,” she’d likely jump in shock right where she stood.
But Clea paid no mind—she simply read the message written inside.
[I slept not with a dog, but with a human—and that human is none other than you, Clea.]That single line lifted Clea’s mood.
She hadn’t expected her brief note to draw such an earnest, immediate reply—clear proof she was on his mind.
‘Though, for someone who claims that, he certainly bit my neck far too much.’
Clea smiled faintly.
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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Chapter Comments (17)
Inline Comments (209)
“Your Highness’s lips, perhaps.”
Oooh girl…😏 She wants something else for dinner i see 🙈
At this rate, heading straight to the bedroom instead of dining was only a matte
….😏🙈 You perverts sitting in a tree k.I.S.S.I.N.G😆
He desperately wanted to shout right then and there, grab Clea’s wrist, and drag
These brute losers ….how can their duchy even functioning properly…? That’s what I wanna know
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I wonder if subconciously he knows that she is sick.
Its quite weird that his aide calls her a close friend when its quite clear that Admon barely registers her presence 🤣
Urgh …i love this …she ain’t no damsel in distress, she’s fierce….i think I’m in love