The Plan of the Terminally-Ill Wife's Divorce (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
The night air felt incredibly refreshing as I emerged from the underground prison. The guard I’d sent outside was watching me hesitantly.
“I’d hoped that, given how things turned out, you’d finally tell me the truth… but the nursemaid…”
“Oh dear.”
I pretended to wipe my eyes with my sleeve, and the guard immediately assumed I was the “poor Miss Anette.”
Back when Anette truly was the pitiful daughter of a marquis, no one had cared—but now, just a few fake tears were enough to change people’s attitudes.
I deliberately bit my lip.
“Please take good care of the nursemaid until the very end.”
“Of course.”
What punishment did thieves usually receive? Whatever it was, she’d never be able to work in a noble household again—never again secretly torment vulnerable children.
Just as I turned toward my room, someone stepped out from the darkness.
“You seem to have recovered.”
“Your Grace?”
Darius’s black hair and dark eyes blended into the night. Recognizing the Grand Duke, the guard quickly bowed.
“It’s rather late to be visiting your family home one last time.”
He gestured as if to escort me, and I slowly walked out from the prison.
“She was my nursemaid after all. I wanted to hear her side.”
“Did her explanation seem forgivable?”
“No.”
I shook my head with unmistakable disappointment.
“All she had for me until the end was resentment.”
“Oh dear.”
We walked slowly toward my room in silence—neither of us spoke.
“Thank you for walking me back.”
“Was that maid truly the one who stole your necklace?”
My hand slipped off the doorknob.
That question wasn’t part of my plan at all.
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“In the initial report I read, you seemed frail and timid. But the person I’ve met is refreshingly strong-willed.”
Only the two of us stood in the corridor. In the quiet stillness, Darius fixed his gaze on me.
“You’re not the type to cry helplessly just because a servant stole your necklace. Not the Anette I know.”
“So am I the kind of person who’d run after someone who stole my necklace and kick them squarely in the backside? Am I?”
Right. I’m the one who even tore Kaitlyn’s hair out. No matter how precious that necklace was, I wouldn’t collapse sobbing over its loss—I’d go find it myself.
“It’s true the nursemaid tormented you; she couldn’t deny that. But when she insisted she didn’t steal it, her expression didn’t seem like a lie.”
This was a crisis.
‘Protagonists are fundamentally on the side of justice.’
If he found out I’d framed the nursemaid, all the goodwill I’d carefully built might vanish instantly—he’d think I’d used unjust methods.
Would he press me, asking if I were really lying now, assuming the nursemaid wasn’t?
Would he question whether he could trust me over something so trivial, after we’d just agreed to spend our lives together?
Yet entirely different words slipped from my lips.
“If I truly hated everything my nursemaid had done to me and couldn’t let it go—so I falsely accused her of stealing the necklace…”
I tightly grasped his trembling hand. Though legally an adult, this 20-year-old male lead was still naive beneath his tough exterior.
“And if Your Grace knew the truth yet chose to pretend ignorance… then we’d share our first secret as husband and wife. Will you keep it?”
Instead of answering, Darius lowered his eyes. That was enough.
Today we married—and as a keepsake, we shared a secret.
[This is the timeline separator]Darius returned deep in thought after escorting Anette to her room. He hadn’t expected her to confess so readily to her misdeed.
〈Suppose it’s true that I framed my nursemaid.〉
〈Then, Your Grace, will you become my accomplice in this secret?〉
She’d admitted it as calmly as if handing over a wedding ring—acting as though she wouldn’t care even if he demanded an annulment over it.
He’d never believe that, beneath her composed exterior, Anette was actually terrified about how things would unfold.
A pink rose with thorns. During dinner, everyone had been captivated solely by her seemingly sweet appearance, assuming she was just another delicate, lovable noble girl.
But the woman he’d met in the night breeze…
She wasn’t merely an ornamental flower. She possessed resolve—and thorns to protect herself.
She never hesitated to strike back at those who attacked her.
Darius actually found Anette’s thorns rather appealing.
〈Southerners are so spoiled by peace their minds have all rotted away.〉
〈At least there’s someone here who still thinks.〉
He didn’t need a flower that could only bloom in the South’s blessed climate. To become his ‘wife,’ she had to sprout and blossom even in harsh cold and adversity.
Trapping someone in a scheme wasn’t right.
Yet strangely, sharing this sin with her didn’t feel unpleasant at all. Instead, a hopeful anticipation grew—that perhaps they could form a good partnership.
‘My heart’s already softening toward her as my wife, even before the wedding feast is over.’
Darius scoffed at himself.
[This is the timeline separator]Secrets bring people closer. Without any miraculous intervention to free the wronged nursemaid, we left the South.
“The North is a cold land—colder than you imagine.”
He fastened my coat as he advised.
“It’ll take over ten days by carriage. The land is barren, monsters roam freely, and we fight to survive every single day.”
A kind man.
Pride and bitterness mingled in Darius’s voice as he described his domain. What a good lord he was—if only his strong people could live on better land.
“The South you’ve known and our North will be very different.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’ll be my home from now on.”
“How spirited. I never imagined we’d end up like this when I first saw you.”
“Your Grace hated my Fosse family.”
“Yes. I still don’t like them.”
Thud. My heart sank.
Being the “daughter of an enemy house” was my built-in debuff.
“Sometimes I still can’t believe I’ve taken as my wife the very person I swore I’d never accept.”
He still didn’t trust me.
We’d shared only a few meals and a small, mischievous secret—but we’d known each other for such a short time.
‘So don’t rush things.’
Don’t lose heart. As long as I didn’t die, trust would come gradually.
Just as I was reassuring myself, he spoke in an awkward tone.
“Now that you’re my wife, I’ll do everything I can for you.”
His cheeks were slightly flushed.
“You’ve left the abundant South for the North, so there may be many shortages—but I’ll give you everything I can.”
He turned his head away, avoiding my eyes. Seeing the tips of his ears turn red, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Yes.”
I remembered Darius from the original story, who’d spoken of Lady Anette’s death so indifferently.
The Darius who’d erased Anette from his memory with those few words.
But his promise to do everything he could for me was a good omen.
‘Even if this beginning is destined to end, let’s get along well until the original female lead appears.’
“Your Grace! Lady Anette!”
“Kyaaah!”
Thud—our carriage lurched violently. Daniel, seated in front, shouted toward us.
“It’s a monster attack!”
A monster?
Darius caught me as I swayed.
“Stay put. Don’t leave the carriage under any circumstances. Daniel!”
Without a hint of panic, Darius drew his sword and leapt out.
‘Why are you the one going out!’
Screeeech! Screeeech!
A boar as large as a house bared its tusks and snorted fiercely. Each time it stamped its hooves, the earth split open like freshly plowed fields.
“It’s a beast turned monstrous! Likely influenced by nearby monsters.”
“Enough explanation. You guard the carriage. I’ll handle this one.”
“But that’s dangerous!”
Ignoring Daniel’s alarmed protest, Darius charged toward the boar with his sword raised.
“It’s dangerous!”
I couldn’t help but scream. I knew Darius was the male lead and a skilled swordsman, yet before that enormous boar, he looked so small.
The boar opened its mouth mockingly wide—my heart clenched, fearing its sharp fangs would crush Darius whole.
Flash.
Darius’s blade moved faster. With the ease of slicing paper, he cleanly severed the boar’s massive neck.
“You’re insane…”
Why were protagonists always so recklessly bold, so absurdly gifted at gambling on daring feats?
My heart pounded wildly. I glared at Darius as he calmly approached me, shaking off hot blood as if nothing had happened.
Not good—for my heart.
“I’m sorry your first impression of the North is like this.”
“You said you’d do anything I wanted! Then start by listening to those who worry about you, Your Grace!”
I knew the male lead never died—but why did a disposable extra like me, who could die so easily, have to worry about such a powerful male lead?
“I judged it would be resolved faster if I handled it myself.”
“Don’t you know the saying—‘trying to save five minutes might send you to the afterlife forever’?”
That phrase belonged in traffic laws, but it seemed fitting here too.
“It must’ve startled you since it’s your first time, but that creature wasn’t truly dangerous—nor even a real monster. Just an ordinary boar driven savage by monster influence.”
“That’s not the point! I’m telling you I was worried about Your Grace!”
Darius blinked as if hearing something utterly unfamiliar.
“You were… worried about me?”
As though he’d never heard the word “worry” directed at himself before.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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MANGA DISCUSSION
11 Comments
Chapter Comments (117)
The hero is truly despicable, and her family is also pitiful. The original Annette was sacrificed by everyone for their own selfish gain.
anette, use this against the duke for your own good.
don’t reveal your weakness to the duke or the other party.Anette, my baby, should you learn how to use a weapon or self-defense techniques to protect yourself?
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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agustus_orchid
well done, duke. adapt to Anette.
Anette did the right thing.
he doesn’t know how the nanny tortured Anette.
that’s why the duke doesn’t comment.
agustus_orchid
duke, don’t think too much.
you go hunt monsters.
everyone should do the job they know best.
agustus_orchid
Duke, how did you get to this age with so much suspicion?
Maybe it’s all just coincidence.
agustus_orchid
duke, our Anette, is a wonderful person.
a rose is a beautiful flower, but it has thorns.
agustus_orchid
duke, don’t fall in love.
when the contract period ends, you will go your separate ways.