The Plan of the Terminally-Ill Wife's Divorce (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
“You think just because you’re marrying into a ducal house, you’ve become someone special? You’re being sent off to the North—a place where you’d barely survive winter without our family’s help!”
“Forgive me.”
“Insulting me is a family matter. But you’ve just insulted the North—the very place I’m to marry into. That, above all else, I cannot forgive.”
Anette’s voice echoed in his mind—the voice of the eldest daughter of House Fosse.
Could it be that the reason she’d requested a private meeting with him this evening was merely to show him her quarrel with her younger sister? Yet at that moment, Anette’s voice had sounded genuinely filled with anger.
‘Why?’
Could she truly believe the North would become her home for the rest of her life, just as she’d claimed?
Impossible. They’d only just met; there hadn’t been time to form any bond, let alone develop affection for a region she’d never even set foot in before.
‘Is she just bold—or an exceptional actress?’
If it was boldness, then the Marquis had raised quite a formidable daughter. If it was acting, then she could become a masterful con artist.
“Thank you for your service.”
Daniel approached to attend to him. Darius removed his mask. The young Grand Duke’s face, long concealed behind the silver mask, was finally revealed.
His face, framed by raven-black hair, glowed palely in the moonlight.
Kaitlyn, who had mocked Anette for marrying off to some backwater like the North, would surely have changed her mind instantly—so striking was his appearance that she might have torn herself apart with regret. She’d been jealous that Anette was marrying not some gloomy Northern duke, but a handsome one.
“What are your impressions of the South on your first visit?”
“Everyone here is nothing but a bunch of fools, bloated with peace.”
To his knight Daniel’s question, the young Grand Duke replied coldly.
Extravagant feasts lacking restraint, careless attitudes that never once considered the possibility of war.
“I wonder how many of these simpletons would survive if even a single Northern blizzard ever swept through this place.”
“The South is a place where one can live without any preparation at all. In every way, it differs from our North.”
Their North never spared those who failed to prepare for winter.
“But I did find at least one person here in the South who actually thinks.”
Anette Fosse.
She was unlike the other peace-drunk fools of the South. She clearly understood who she was marrying and where she would live.
She had already armored her heart as if bracing for the North’s bitter cold.
She was coldly composed.
“So she’s the quiet type, bullied by the second wife’s children?”
The Grand Duke gave a derisive snort.
Where in the world did anyone get the idea she was too timid to speak her mind?
“My apologies. It seems there was some confusion in the report.”
Daniel’s expression grew awkward.
Though he apologized, Daniel couldn’t suppress the laughter bubbling up from within.
“Miss Anette seems like a truly wonderful person. I was worried, but I’m relieved now.”
Until they’d arrived at House Fosse, Daniel had repeatedly warned him to stay on guard, unsure what scheme the Fosses might be plotting. Seeing Daniel already let his guard down so quickly irritated Darius.
“So it’s not just the informants who’ve lost focus—you too, Daniel? Has the South’s peace already dulled your vigilance?”
The Anette who’d stood so boldly against Kaitlyn earlier had certainly left an impression—but nothing more than that.
“Don’t forget whose blood our North has shed.”
It hadn’t even been a full year since the previous Grand Duke had died.
Father and son had been so preoccupied with managing their domains they’d hardly seen each other properly.
〈Darius, be happy.〉
As he lay dying, the late Grand Duke had offered those words as his final blessing.
Some saw marriage as the first step toward happiness in life.
‘But this marriage serves only one purpose: to secure the South’s grain supplies.’
Thinking of his starving Northern subjects, Darius knew he could easily sacrifice his own happiness.
‘A daughter of the Southern house that brought ruin upon the North.’
He had not an ounce of genuine trust for any woman of House Fosse.
[This is the timeline separator]‘That girl Anette has been acting strange lately.’
Anette’s nursemaid had been a servant in the household since Anette’s birth. Without a mother, Anette had been timid since childhood, always obediently following orders without a word of protest. She’d been an easy child to raise.
‘Ever since they announced the Grand Duke was coming, she’s been like this. Who does she think she is, acting so high and mighty just because she’s getting a husband?’
Even now, she was the same.
Suddenly, upon hearing the Grand Duke would visit, she’d complained her room looked too shabby and ordered the nursemaid to clean it. Clearly, she’d grown arrogant now that she thought she had someone to rely on.
‘And there’s barely any time left before she leaves—how can I possibly correct her spoiled ways now!’
The nursemaid grumbled irritably as she scrubbed with her rag. Just then—
A glint from inside a slightly open drawer caught her eye.
“What’s this…?”
Hesitantly, almost as if spellbound, the nursemaid opened the drawer.
Hidden among Anette’s clothes—clearly meant to be well concealed—was a jewelry box. But her efforts had been clumsy.
The box hadn’t been properly closed, its gems gleaming openly for all to see.
‘So Anette relentlessly hounded Kaitlyn until she got all her things back, I suppose.’
The nursemaid carefully took out each item from the box. Rings, necklaces, bracelets—every piece was of the finest quality.
Among them, a blue emerald necklace particularly caught her eye.
‘Anette only just got these items back recently… If one went missing, she probably wouldn’t even notice, would she?’
The nursemaid swallowed hard. The emerald necklace in her hand shimmered temptingly.
[This is the timeline separator]Swish.
Returning from a brief walk, I found my nursemaid cleaning my room as I’d instructed.
“Nursemaid.”
“Oh—Miss Anette!”
The nursemaid trembled as though caught red-handed.
“Have you finished cleaning the room?”
“Y-yes… yes…”
She answered softly, avoiding my gaze more than usual.
“Hmm…”
I ran a finger along the windowsill and came away with dust—proof she hadn’t cleaned thoroughly. She watched anxiously as I rubbed my fingers together expressionlessly.
“Come to think of it, this room was always old and shabby anyway. No matter how much you pretend to clean, no one would notice the difference.”
I scoffed, belittling her efforts. My dismissive words instantly twisted her face with resentment. Even before her mistress, she couldn’t hide her displeasure—proof she still hadn’t shed that arrogant habit.
“What are you waiting for? Go. Don’t waste time here.”
“Y-yes! Right away, Miss Anette!”
The nursemaid hurried out of the room, as if she had something to hide.
The moment she left, I opened the drawer. Inside, the jewelry box I’d deliberately left behind sparkled brilliantly.
“Not as foolish as I thought.”
There were signs someone had touched it, yet not a single valuable was missing—disappointingly so.
Had she taken even one item, I would have exposed her theft and had her thrown out of the Marquis’s household immediately.
〈Just try keeping even one of my belongings. The day I become Grand Duchess, I’ll make sure the whole society knows about your thieving habits, Kaitlyn.〉
On the day I’d fought Kaitlyn, tearing at her hair, I’d gone straight to her after Darius left and given her a stern warning.
If she wanted to be known in society as a vulgar little thief, she could just keep my things. Sobbing and wailing, Kaitlyn returned every last piece of my jewelry.
〈A few items are missing, but I’ll overlook that—consider it a sisterly kindness.〉
After all, compared to what I truly intended to ‘take’ from House Fosse, a few missing gems meant nothing.
〈Do you even know how many of my things I had to sell just to replace those jewels?〉
〈Why should I care? Who told you to lend them out so carelessly?〉
That day, Kaitlyn had handed me back the jewelry box with puffy, swollen eyes—as if she were tearing off her own flesh.
Her helpless, furious expression had soothed my heart.
That was revenge—watching from above as the one who’d humiliated you floundered helplessly.
For that reason, I wasn’t pleased with the nursemaid’s cautious restraint.
‘If I demanded it right now, House Fosse would surely dismiss her.’
I was Anette—and the nursemaid served me. If I claimed she’d disobeyed my orders and shown disrespect, the Marquis would cast her out immediately, if only to preserve my dignity as I married into the Grand Ducal house.
‘But without solid justification, it would just look like a noble girl throwing a tantrum.’
Without clear grounds, the nursemaid would cry injustice and spread rumors throughout the neighborhood after being dismissed. People would assume Anette was ungrateful—firing the very woman who’d cared for her since childhood.
That wasn’t the ending I wanted.
The nursemaid deserved public scorn.
She should be barred forever from noble households, forced to regret deep in her bones her disdain for a motherless girl.
“How should I punish her properly…?”
Though her courage failed her—she hadn’t dared take the jewels—she’d clearly wavered for a moment.
Her unfocused eyes when I entered the room had betrayed that truth: eyes clouded by desire, foolish enough to falter at even the simplest test.
“One shouldn’t harbor desires beyond what one can bear.”
I smiled faintly. As long as I was Anette, I had no intention of sparing anyone who dared look down on me.
“Nursemaid, come here.”
I called back the nursemaid I’d just sent away with a flick of my wrist.
“Nursemaid, you’ve worked hard all these years. Since it’s nearly time for me to leave, I’d like to give you a parting gift.”
I smiled brightly. It was the first step toward pushing her into hell.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
5 Comments
Chapter Comments (150)
What kind of hero is this who doubts Annette about everything? How will he ever like her? Poor Annette, I just hope she finds happiness in this life.
anette, you have been abused.
why are people so self-interested?
｡:ﾟ(;´∩`;)ﾟ:｡hey duke, don’t underestimate anette.
anette wouldn’t want to live like this either.
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?
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agustus_orchid
you’re too suspicious, duke.
i understand you’re right to be suspicious, but give it a chance to trust.
agustus_orchid
duke, you’re a little impressed. admit it. duke, being prejudiced isn’t a good thing.
Miioo
Excellent, well done, Annette. Anyone who disrespects their lady should be expelled.
agustus_orchid
i’m glad Anette got all her jewelry back. kaitlyn, you can keep crying.
agustus_orchid
revenge is a dish best served cold.
i have no pity for the maid.