The Plan of the Terminally-Ill Wife's Divorce (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
“I’m petty. Do you really think I have any reason to show loyalty to this family?”
The Grand Duke stared at me with bloodshot eyes—at my shabby room, at the space devoid of even decent decoration, at the woman within it whose eyes burned with vengeance.
Every time his gaze wavered, a sharp thrill rose within my heart.
Yes. Just maybe—could this woman before me be different from the rest of the Fosse family?
Consider that possibility. Go ahead and fall for it, Darius.
After all, you’re the kind of noble hero who never gives up hope in people. Show me that idealistic side of yours.
“You are…”
“Anette Fosse was a meaningless person in the House of Fosse.”
I stated firmly.
“But now I’ve been given a chance to start anew, and I won’t let it slip away.”
Of course, that chance referred to living as the wife of Grand Duke Inkheart.
“I’ll stake everything I have on this new life—for Inkheart. So, Your Grace, I ask only one thing from you: your goodwill toward me.”
As long as the male lead didn’t abandon me in some remote castle to meet my death as in the original story, I’d have my chance at a new life.
“If you wish, you may even divorce me after a few years of marriage. I’d do anything—anything at all—if it means escaping this wretched House of Fosse and starting over.”
I couldn’t miss the opportunity to reassure any potential future heroine that I’d never stand in her way.
I took a candle and stepped closer to him. In the dark night, only that small flame quietly watched over us both.
“So… why not trust me just once?”
I was shorter than him. My head barely reached his chin.
Clang. Thud. Thud.
The heavy sound of metal hitting the floor echoed solemnly. The male lead—Darius—had finally removed that wretched silver mask.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Grace.”
Black hair, equally black eyes—a strikingly handsome face one wouldn’t easily forget.
Those eyes, always cold and composed, now met mine with their true warmth, as if finally deciding to draw me within the boundaries he’d set.
This was a face the original Anette Fosse had never seen in her entire life.
My heart pounded. Was it because he was so handsome? No.
“Just this moment alone is enough for me to never regret becoming Your Grace’s wife.”
At last—the original story was changing. Even if only by a tiny fragment, it had begun to shift.
While the original Anette Fosse had never once seen the Grand Duke’s face, I had now seen his true one.
“And I swear—you’ll never regret marrying me either.”
I’d be a good extra wife: help the male lead revitalize the North, then cleanly part ways when the heroine appeared. With that, I’d build my new life. And that journey had just begun.
[This is the timeline separator]He’d intended never to show his face to a Fosse woman. This marriage was purely political—a cold transaction where the South gained honor through union with a ducal house, and the North secured desperately needed supplies.
Yet despite her overt hostility at their first meal together, Anette Fosse approached him without hesitation and proposed a deal.
Darius stared at the silver mask he’d just removed, disbelief in his eyes.
〈Now I can at least see my husband’s face before I marry him.〉
Anette Fosse had always carried herself with confidence. Every report describing her had been a lie. She’d never once hesitated, bravely standing against every cruelty inflicted upon her.
〈I’m petty. Do you really think I have any reason to show loyalty to this family?〉
Anette Fosse’s eyes sparkled as she spoke those words—a Southern woman bolder than any Northern lady.
‘It’s strange. On my first day here, the Southern air felt sticky and unbearably irritating.’
Yet now, facing her without his mask, the Southern air no longer felt repulsive—in fact, it felt refreshingly cool.
“Anette Fosse.”
At the sound of her name, the woman turned. Something felt odd.
Something was changing—and she stood at the very beginning of it.
The woman who’d declared she’d become his wife and a true member of the North.
“Oh, of course, I’m not proposing marriage out of romantic feelings. Nor am I greedy for the power and prestige of being Grand Duchess. What I’m formally requesting, Your Grace, is an alliance—an alliance called marriage. …That’s right, isn’t it? That’s usually how people say it, right?”
“What did you say?”
“Just forget my last sentence. I’m just nervous. How was I supposed to know I’d actually have to say aloud what I’ve only ever read in books?”
Though the ending was awkward, her proposal was logical.
Anticipating he might not believe her, Anette repeatedly emphasized this marriage was merely formal—insisting divorce would be acceptable once her situation and the North stabilized.
Anette Fosse was no ordinary woman. She spoke of divorce while preparing for marriage. She approached him as if they’d known each other for years, despite having just met.
Was it common for noble ladies, raised under constant abuse in wealthy households, to develop such personalities?
No. Only Anette could be like this.
In that moment, Darius felt an inexplicable certainty: marrying Anette Fosse might turn their political union into something far greater.
‘I’ll need to retract what I told Daniel.’
He’d sternly warned Daniel—who’d defended Anette—not to let the mild Southern air cloud his judgment.
It was he himself who’d judged others too hastily.
“If you’re willing to stake everything, then I too will give my utmost.”
He wanted to grant her a chance—a single chance to prove herself worthy of his trust.
Darius scoffed inwardly at his own hope—that Anette Fosse might truly be the one to help him.
“But if your words prove false, you must be prepared to bear the consequences.”
“Of course. Even if you take my life, I won’t hold it against you.”
“You speak of death so lightly. Is it because you’ve never died before?”
Indeed, her bravado confirmed she was unmistakably a Southern woman—utterly unaware of death’s true agony.
“…Well, no living person has ever died before, have they?”
For a fleeting moment, the woman seemed to smile—though it couldn’t possibly be true.
“I promise you the most painful thing I can imagine: as long as our marriage stands, I shall serve you with utmost sincerity.”
Anette’s fiercely gleaming blue eyes clashed with Darius’s dark ones like sparks igniting.
“As long as you hold to that, so shall I.”
If she abandoned the House of Fosse and dedicated herself to the North, Darius would protect and cherish her.
Not as a wife in name only, but as a true partner worthy of respect and care.
But if this was merely deceitful flattery meant to manipulate him, he was fully prepared to make Anette Fosse suffer greatly.
The North might not be tender, but it was fiercely loyal—and never forgave betrayal.
There was no kiss of vow, no embrace, not even a simple handshake. Yet both knew, in that moment, they’d placed their trust in each other and made a silent promise.
[This is the timeline separator]After several formal meetings between our houses, the Grand Duke and I finalized our marriage and officially became husband and wife. Yet there was no grand wedding—only the signing of a marriage contract densely packed with stipulations.
“We can hold the wedding ceremony once we’re in the North.”
The Marchioness expressed her disdain for her ill-treated daughter’s wedding in those very words.
“With this, our house shall finally have its name inscribed upon the Golden Register.”
The Marquis stroked his goatee contentedly as he spoke.
The Golden Register—reserved only for noble houses possessing the most exalted bloodlines among all aristocrats.
No matter how wealthy one was, how vast one’s lands, or how ancient one’s lineage—even the most established noble houses could not casually earn a place on the Golden Register.
Only those with blood ties to the royal family or a Grand Ducal house were recognized as houses of noble blood and thus called “houses inscribed upon the Golden Register.”
And only such houses could arrange marriages with the royal family.
The current Crown Prince was unmarried.
〈The selection for Crown Princess will happen soon—I must elevate our family’s status before then.〉
The Marquis and Marchioness firmly believed that, once their house qualified, their beloved daughter Kaitlyn would surely become Crown Princess.
That was why they’d arranged Darius and Anette’s marriage in exchange for enough cotton and grain to sustain the entire North for at least three years.
‘If she becomes Crown Princess, the world’s truly ending.’
I saw right through the Fosse couple’s ambitions but chose not to show it. Kaitlyn as Crown Princess? Well, dreams are free—might as well dream big.
Though there was no wedding ceremony, the dowry was lavish. On the day I departed for the North, carts laden with wheat and cotton trailed behind me. Even this display was merely for show—far greater quantities of grain and cotton were scheduled to follow after the marriage.
“Sister Anette, I sincerely congratulate you on your marriage.”
Kaitlyn, who’d come to see me off, embraced me like a loving sister. At the end of that warm hug, a blade-sharp malice whispered into my ear.
“A dark, gloomy land where monsters might leap out at any moment—perfect for you. Leave for that backwater and never think of coming back.”
“Is the hair I pulled out growing back well? Up close, it looks awfully patchy—I’m worried.”
If she’d just ripped it all out, I could’ve patched it with a wig. At my whispered remark, Kaitlyn’s face instantly paled—as if that had been her exact worry all along.
Honestly, you’re no match for me—why pick a fight you can’t win?
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
7 Comments
Chapter Comments (137)
Poor Annette, how much she suffered because of this filthy family. The nanny deserved what happened to her.
I’m so glad the nanny is okay in this situation.
May Anet’s soul rest in peace; she suffered greatly.I would have liked to take a photo of Kaitlyn’s reaction when she saw the Duke’s face without the mask.
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
kaitlyn, this is what happens when you get into a fight you can’t win, sweetie ( ꈍᴗꈍ)
agustus_orchid
it’s good to set the rules in advance. otherwise, disagreements might arise later.
agustus_orchid
duke, understand our sincerity.
what should we do for you to understand?
agustus_orchid
anette’s father is a shameless man.
i hope his wish doesn’t come true.
Miioo
Hahaha, Anit is amazing! She doesn’t leave a single word unanswered.