The Plan of the Terminally-Ill Wife's Divorce (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2
Gulp.
“Can’t you even put on your clothes properly? I told you to dress decently because the Grand Duke’s carriage is arriving soon!”
The nursery maid returned through the dressing room door, her voice sharp with irritation.
‘I’m certainly not someone you can boss around like that.’
The daughter of the late Marchioness—the eldest young lady the maid was supposed to protect.
Yet I was grateful for the maid’s harsh treatment. Her scolding and disdain had pulled me back to reality.
Had she not interrupted me just then, I might have remained lost in sentimentality for quite a while.
‘If that squawking woman hadn’t thrown herself at me to stop me from banging my head against the wall, my soul might have already fled Anette’s body.’
My cold gaze swept over the maid.
Did she even realize? Right after the possession, when I’d been struggling to adapt and tried to escape this body—if she’d just let me go, that would’ve been her last chance to change her fate forever.
‘But human hearts can’t help but act on what they know, can they?’
With that gratitude in mind, I gave her a gentle smile and beckoned softly.
Today was a crucial day—the original male lead was arriving at the Fosse Marquisate. Important for both me and the original story. Yet…
“Are you seriously giving me this to wear?”
“What?”
“Get rid of it. Now.”
Thud. The cotton undergarment was shoved far across the table—the very item the maid had just handed me.
“What on earth do you think you’re doing? Where did you learn such rudeness!”
The maid flared up instantly.
“Rudeness?”
I lifted the corner of my lips.
Who exactly dares to lecture whom about manners?
In romance novels, it’s always a battle of dominance.
“You expect me to wear that rag in front of the Grand Duke himself? That sackcloth?”
“S-Sackcloth?!”
“Where’s my muslin chemise? It would pair beautifully with the new dress my stepmother sent me. Only something like that is worthy of wearing today.”
The Marchioness Fosse had specially given Anette a brand-new dress today—to uphold appearances before the Grand Duke.
Muslin, satin with a translucent sheen, petticoats to puff out the skirt—no matter how despised I was, I remained the Marquisate’s eldest daughter. My wardrobe should contain such garments, not this commoner-grade cotton undergarment.
“Maid, don’t tell me you’ve lost that outfit? The brand-new one I haven’t even tried on yet?”
The maid swallowed hard. For the first time, clear distress flickered across her face—previously so openly dismissive of me. Anyone could see her anxiety.
“My goodness.”
I deliberately feigned astonishment.
“How on earth did you lose it, Maid?”
“Lose it?! Young lady, old clothes are better for undergarments! If your outer dress is already new, wearing brand-new undergarments too would chafe your skin raw!”
‘No doubt she sold it off. She knew Anette wouldn’t dare say a word.’
“Then show it to me. Bring it here right now, in front of me. Why are you standing there like an idiot? Didn’t you hear me, Maid?”
“B-But! We don’t have time now! It’s somewhere in the wardrobe. You should’ve mentioned it sooner! We must go to dinner right away!”
The maid reminded me of the appointment time, certain I’d panic.
Indeed, no fool would miss the first meeting event with the male lead. But…
“That’s exactly why I said I won’t be going. Please convey my regrets to His Grace—I’m unwell and unable to attend today.”
I beamed brightly at the maid.
‘The docile, easily ignored Anette you knew is dead. She died the very day you stopped me from ending my life.’
A moment of silence for Anette’s pitiful soul, wherever she may be. Who knows—perhaps she’s taken over my body while I inhabit hers.
Though honestly, I wouldn’t wish that on her. My body’s situation isn’t exactly pleasant either. Anette, if you must possess someone, please take the youngest daughter of that doting family I couldn’t join.
Arms crossed defiantly before the maid, I didn’t even bother brushing my hair, let alone changing into the dress.
The maid gasped in shock.
If I refused to appear before the male lead like this, she’d surely face severe punishment from the Marchioness.
“Young lady, really!”
‘Exactly. You’re the one in a bigger hurry than I am, aren’t you?’
Seeing I wouldn’t budge, the maid’s face twisted in frustration.
She looked as though thinking, “Damn it! Why won’t she listen today of all days!”
After all, the Marchioness must have stressed repeatedly how vital it was to impress the Grand Duke—even sending a new dress herself.
If I skipped such an important occasion over mere undergarments, how furious would the Marchioness be? The maid would lose every ounce of trust she’d built up until now.
“You there—go fetch Miss Kaitlyn’s clothes.”
The maid, who’d been nervously biting her nails, finally made up her mind and issued the order.
“What? Miss Kaitlyn’s clothes?”
The maidservant gaped in surprise. Kaitlyn, the current Marchioness’s daughter, was treated like royalty—unlike Anette, the household outcast.
To dress me in Kaitlyn’s clothes? If it went unnoticed, fine—but if discovered, Kaitlyn certainly wouldn’t stand for it.
“What else can we do?! Miss Anette refuses to attend dinner dressed like this!”
Though clearly the maid’s fault for losing the clothes, she shifted blame onto me and snapped.
“Hurry, hurry! If the young lady is late for dinner, will you take responsibility?”
Ignoring the commotion among the maids, I opened my vanity. Tap-tap—the powder settled evenly over my smooth, fair skin.
‘Darius Inkheart.’
It was time to meet the novel’s male lead.
[This is the timeline separator]Exquisitely adorned in a new dress.
Spine straight, refusing to bow.
The confident bearing befitting the Marquisate’s rightful eldest daughter.
I was beautiful.
“…Sister Anette?”
My younger brother, who usually ignored me, stammered upon seeing me tonight. His eyes lingered on me, unable to look away.
Testing the waters, I offered him a sweet smile—and watched his mischievous face flush instantly.
Every guest at the dinner table stared at me. I even thought I heard whispers.
“Has Lady Anette always been this beautiful?”
“She looks exactly like the late Marchioness.”
“Yes, the Marchioness was famously beautiful before she passed.”
“I, Anette Fosse, eldest daughter of House Fosse, greet all honored guests gathered here.”
All eyes turned to me.
But none of it mattered.
Tonight, only one person’s attention held any meaning for me.
Darius Inkheart.
At the far end of the long dining table sat the sole focus of my interest—the male protagonist.
He was the master of this world, the one tied to my very survival.
“I seem to be the last to arrive. I am Anette Fosse, Your Grace.”
I smiled brightly, taking the first step toward a harmonious arranged marriage. And I thought:
Ruined.
Ruined.
‘We’re truly ruined!’
Flash.
On the male lead’s face, staring directly at me, sat a cold silver mask.
‘Shouldn’t you at least show your face when coming to get married?’
Nice to meet you. Since I’m a terminally ill extra, I’ll ask upfront—are you planning to kill me sometime soon?
Even if I recited scripted lines perfectly, how could I hold a conversation without seeing your face?
Yet there it was—that ridiculous mask.
‘Did the Grand Duke wear a mask in the original story?’
The original text stated that Anette, his nominal wife, died without ever properly seeing his face.
Now I understood what that meant.
From wedding day until her death, Anette lived seeing only that silver mask.
“His Grace suffered facial injuries, so he wears this mask for tonight’s gathering. Please understand. As speaking is difficult for him while masked, I shall relay his words instead.”
The Grand Duke’s aide, with soft brown hair, explained politely with a kind smile.
‘This makes starting a conversation nearly impossible.’
If Darius never warmed to me and sent me to the secondary palace as in the original plot, I’d meet assassins and die. Thus, I resolved to prove my worth to him at all costs.
To alter my fate.
‘For Darius, bringing his intended wife to his own castle instead of the secondary palace might be trivial—but for me, it’s a matter of life and death! That’s precisely why extras in novels never forget kindness shown by protagonists!’
“Yes, thank you for coming all this way despite such severe injuries requiring a mask. Your consideration speaks volumes.”
The Marchioness, indifferent to another’s daughter, casually announced the start of dinner.
The Fosse family’s meal, filled with Southern delicacies, buzzed with lively chatter. Everyone laughed and enjoyed their food—except the two visitors from the North, who remained aloof, clearly marking themselves as outsiders.
‘At this rate, I’ll be swept straight into the original storyline before I can react.’
Frustrated, I kept glaring at the Grand Duke’s silver mask.
Tall stature, an aura evoking the bleak Northern winters, clad in heavy Northern fabrics, radiating an impenetrable gravity—he was exactly as described in the original.
I needed to learn even basic things like his favorite food, yet that firmly sealed silver mask revealed not a single expression.
‘Surely he’ll remove the mask while eating.’
Even if his aide spoke for him, he couldn’t possibly have someone else eat his food too.
Not just me—everyone subtly watched the Grand Duke’s dining habits.
The entire table fell silent, as if a pin dropping would echo.
The Grand Duke lifted a spoonful of soup and brought it to his lips.
Drip. The soup, raised to his mouth, slid back into the bowl.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
5 Comments
Chapter Comments (165)
now that we’ve won over the duke of the north’s deputy to our side, everything else will be easy. (ʘᴗʘ✿)
the duke of the north spoke to Anette.
we succeeded. we’ve come halfway.
(◕ᴗ◕✿)What is this? The maids are so filthy! How dare the servants plot against their mistress?
Inline Comments (2)
‘Remember the original story. Darius belongs to Evangeline Stockwork.’
Why does she insist that Darius would never like her? Isn’t she already defying the original work by changing the events?
‘In the original story, Anette was assassinated in the annex by Darius’s unknown
Who really could that be? If she was just the arranged wife and an enemy daughter at that, who could possibly plan on killing her?
YOUR COMMENT
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Miioo
What is this? Is the duke cursed? Poor Annette, she only hopes to be free from this damned family.
agustus_orchid
who is supervising the maids?
how could they sell the lady’s dress and no one noticed?
agustus_orchid
they say first impressions are important.
the duke of the north looks very pleased!
agustus_orchid
well done, Anette.
you showed the maid who the master of the house is.
agustus_orchid
how can a maid speak to the lady of the house in such a loud voice?