Ivan, who had always been obedient to his elder sister, was taken aback by her words. And that too, in the presence of Herdin.
Katrina, who was watching Ivan’s expression, nudged Blair.
“Blair! Your Highness is talking with the Duke. What kind of behavior is this in the presence of guests?”
Blair, who had never rebelled before, reacted to Ivan’s words, and with Herdin present.
It was unacceptable to Katrina.
“Furthermore, what do you know about national affairs to talk so loudly, I wonder.”
Ivan chuckled lightly and opposed Katrina’s reproach, but it was clear that he had an attitude of ignoring Blair.
Herdin, while tilting his wine glass, observed Blair’s expression. The woman, who had shown a momentary strong spirit, was losing her light from her eyes.
Seeing that, Herdin’s gaze became chillingly cold. He put down the glass he had been twirling.
“I don’t think my wife said anything particularly wrong.”
At Herdin’s languid voice breaking the silence, the three of them turned their gaze to him.
“As a former subordinate before becoming her husband, is it not right to give advice so that she can be a good wife?”
Katrina, who was momentarily taken aback by Herdin’s sudden intervention, responded.
“Il, this is as a mother teaching her child’s shortcomings. Please don’t coddle that child.”
It meant not to interfere in matters between parents and children.
Herdin lowered his wine glass with a sly smile.
“A daughter who is married off is what they say.”
“What’s all this about all of a sudden……”
“Now, Blair Delmarc.”
As Herdin said Blair’s name to Katrina, his gaze was as sharp as that of a beast hostile to someone who touched his possessions.
“Who other than me is pointing out the deficiencies of my wife?”
His cold demeanor made Katrina flinch unintentionally.
But Herdin casually continued.
“Your Majesty, the opinion Your Highness asked me for……”
He held Blair’s trembling hand and raised it, adding,
“I will consider it after enjoying our honeymoon a bit more. As you said, the Delmarcs have valuable assets.”
Well then.
With a firm arm around Blair’s back, he stood up.
Blair blinked her eyes with a puzzled expression as she was embraced by him.
His embrace, as warm as when he had protected her before the regression, was comforting. Like back then.
Leaving Ivan and Katrina’s astonished sighs behind in the greenhouse, the two of them left.
“We will depart.”
As the two of them boarded the carriage, it began to move.
Herdin, who was gazing outside at the passing winter landscape with a dry look, suddenly felt the eyes on him and turned his head.
The amethyst-like eyes bathed in the afternoon sunlight gazed at him silently.
As if he had been waiting for him to turn around for a very long time.
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t do it with the intention of receiving thanks. As you know, my feelings toward the royal family aren’t particularly positive.”
“Still, thank you. And… I’m sorry.”
For being manipulated by my mother’s and brother’s ambitions.
It was a sense of guilt that always lingered in the corner of his heart, even as his resentment towards her continued to grow uncontrollably.
Instead of answering, Herdin looked at her intently, then turned his gaze back outside.
How much time had passed in silence?
Inside the carriage, various rhythmic breathing sounds began to fill the air. It was only then that Herdin’s gaze returned to Blair.
At that moment, the carriage jerked, causing Blair’s body to shake violently.
Herdin instinctively reached out to steady Blair’s head, which seemed as if it would hit the wall. Silvery strands of hair flowed gently through his fingers.
That wind brought them closer, but Blair remained deep in slumber, unaware of the situation.
Herdin let out a soft sigh and looked at the woman’s face, resting on his hand. She always had an expressionless face, which irritated him because she seemed like a pretty but emotionless doll.
That’s why he didn’t hide his animosity toward her. He deliberately spoke harshly, drew lines, and treated her coldly.
He wanted to see her calm facade crack. He resented her that much.
But now, as he looked at the woman’s eyes losing their light and fading away between Ivan and Katrina, irritation filled him. It felt like having his prey taken away after a long chase.
He should be the only one to make her cry, torment her, and break her.
“……. ”
Herdin, who had been gazing at the sleeping Blair, gently lay her down on the carriage seat.
Blair, who had twitched for a moment, soon fell into a deep sleep again, now with a calmer expression than before.
Herdin silently watched her like that, then turned his gaze back outside the window.
The rhythmic sound of breathing that filled the quiet carriage completed the tranquil afternoon scenery.
“Um…”
Blair, who had fallen asleep, felt her body floating in mid-air and opened her eyes. It was pitch dark in front of her.
Startled, she fumbled, and whatever had been covering her face slid down. It was Herdin’s coat.
As she woke up, she realized that she had been sleeping against him, and she was startled.
“Put me down.”
Blair struggled to get away from him.
It was embarrassing to borrow her husband’s hand like a child when she was a grown adult, not knowing that the carriage had arrived.
But instead of letting her go, Herdin held her even tighter.
The emotionless doll-like face she always had annoyed him. She looked pretty, but she had no emotions. So, he didn’t hide his animosity towards her. He deliberately said harsh things, drew lines, and treated her coldly.
He wanted to see her expressionless face contorted with anger. He resented her that much.
However, now that he saw her eyes, which had been lifeless and dull, looking at him like a startled rabbit, he felt irritated.
It felt like having his prey taken away, as he had chased her for so long.
He should be the only one to make her cry, torment her, and break her.
“……. ”
Herdin, who had been watching Blair as she slept, gently laid her down on the carriage seat.
Blair, who had twitched for a moment, soon fell into a deep sleep again, now with a calmer expression than before.
Upon hearing the news, a cold sensation swept over Herdin’s pupils.
It was the moment when he was approaching the ‘real’ purpose of this contractual marriage.
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.”
