“How do you think I felt when I barely missed you in the forest last time? That heart-stopping moment still haunts me.”

He had vowed never to let her slip away again, but as if mocking that vow, she repeatedly darted out of Darius’s protection.

More than the shock of learning that the trusted Lady Egritte was actually a traitor, more than the relief of resolving one of the castle’s problems, Darius felt his heart sink at my impulsive action.

‘When Darius couldn’t catch me in the ash forest.’

At that time, Darius’s expression was as devastated as if the world had collapsed. Thump. Recalling that expression, somehow my chest also ached with a tingling sensation.

‘Don’t be mistaken. That pained expression was because of Rose, whom he grew up with since childhood.’

Darius was only scolding me with an expression he made worrying about another woman. No, that’s how it had to be.

‘Remember the original story. Darius is Evangeline Stockwork’s man.’

“You saw that I have a spirit. If Your Grace hadn’t come, I would have resolved it with the spirit.”

This isn’t right. I know he’s saying this out of concern and worry for me.

Still, I feel hurt. Instead of scolding out of worry, he could praise me for doing well. I just had a near-death experience. Couldn’t he comfort me with kinder words?

“I don’t know what I did wrong. As the investigation will reveal, Lady Egritte has been up to tremendous things all this time.”

“You could have at least said a word.”

“No, I’ll do it again next time.”

Darius looked at me in disbelief.

“Fine.”

He growled.

“You have no intention of preventing accidents, and I feel like my heart will fall out because of you, so there’s no choice. Stay confined to your room for a while. I’ll only feel at ease if you don’t go anywhere.”

* * *

It was our first marital quarrel.

I burrowed into the blanket with puffy cheeks.

“My lady, I heard there was a big incident today.”

The maid attending to me kindly looked after me, but I was too upset to even answer.

‘I prevented this castle from going bankrupt.’

Moreover, I eliminated an evil presence that had been secretly operating in the castle.

And this is what I get in return? What, confinement? What did I do wrong!

I did wrong.

‘I don’t care about His Grace the Duke’s concern.’

I know he said those things because he was worried about me. That I don’t need to get involved in dangerous matters. That he’s concerned. That I shouldn’t make him look like an incompetent husband.

I should have apologized for those feelings. I didn’t consider your feelings, I’ll be careful. If I had said that.

“Oh, Your Grace.”

Along with the sound of the door opening, the maid greeted Darius as he entered. And soon I felt weight on the bed where I was lying.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

I heard the sound of the maid opening the door and leaving. I remained still.

Darius also showed no sign of getting under the covers.

“Anette, you are my only family.”

“……”

“My mother passed away early, and my father also died of illness. Have you thought about how much it means to me to have you as my only wife?”

The man who had been so coldly rational when confronting Lady Egritte was now emotional.

“The moment I saw Lady Egritte lay hands on you, I ran to her room without even thinking to call someone. You sent me the mirror today to reveal Lady Egritte’s embezzlement. But if you thought there was something wrong with Lady Egritte, you should have just accompanied me.”

He quickly continued.

“Then I would have protected you right there. Not rushing in belatedly.”

He placed his hand on the bed.

“I want to protect you. I want you to trust and rely on me.”

Liar.

“Lady Egritte’s betrayal was shocking today, but until then, she was the most respected lady in this castle.”

My voice was cold despite Darius’s earnest persuasion.

“How long have I been here? Do you think I could have accused the respected Lady Egritte based on just a bad feeling, without sufficient evidence? Why did I go alone? Because I had to pressure her first!”

He’s treating me kindly and properly in front of me, but I clearly remember how he spoke about me when I wasn’t there.

Trust and rely on him? He means show weakness for him to exploit.

He carefully lifted the blanket and tried to touch me.

“That’s enough.”

I swatted his hand away like an angry cat. I hated him for speaking kindness he didn’t mean.

“Even if I hadn’t seen Lady Egritte’s betrayal with my own eyes, I would have believed anything you said. From the moment I burst into that room, my sword was pointed at your enemy.”

“That’s because you saw everything through the mirror.”

“The only reason I’m glad the mirror was there is because I could immediately know when you were in danger. Even without the mirror, I would have…”

Surprisingly, he laughed briefly in the midst of this.

“Honestly, I can’t say I would have attacked Lady Egritte right away. After all, she was my relative, and we had known each other for the past few years. I would have tried to understand the situation first.”

He added firmly.

“But in the end, no matter what, I would have listened to you, Anette. Because you are my wife.”

He spoke again.

“Anette, if you tell me to cut, I will cut. If you tell me to protect, I will protect. But for that to happen, you need to tell me in advance as a precondition.”

He added soothingly.

“…Even if it were Lucian, if you tell me to cut, I would cut without doubt next time. Though I truly hope such a thing doesn’t happen again.”

There’s no need to worry about that, as Lord Lucian would never betray Darius.

“As a lord, I’m grateful for your achievements, but as your husband, I’m angry.”

Darius whispered to me as I avoided meeting his eyes.

“I can’t heal someone like you can. So my best is to prevent you from getting hurt in the first place. But you always rush ahead, not caring if you get hurt.”

He carefully met my eyes.

“Take care of your body. That’s the only request I have.”

Anyone watching would think he actually loves me.

“Do you really want to know why I don’t open my heart to Your Grace? Are you curious why I hear everything crookedly?”

My pent-up spite shone through.

No, please. Stop that mouth. You’re pressing the self-destruct button just to shut his mouth!

But my mouth was moving fluently, defying my will.

“I know. I know that everything Your Grace says to me is a lie. That there are calculations behind it.”

My only joy was seeing his pitch-black eyes slowly freezing over like a winter lake.

“You told Lord Daniel, didn’t you? To be wary of me, not to open his heart. I heard everything. And I thought too. My goodness, everything up to now was a lie. I was naively mistaken, not knowing that.”

He clearly said this.

With those beautiful lips, coldly.

In front of the door I was turning my back to.

A sharper pain than before pierced my chest.

It was ridiculous. Even if I had become a little closer to Darius since then, Darius was still the male lead’s man anyway.

‘By the way, isn’t he going to say he doesn’t remember when that happened? Or is he going to deny ever saying such things?’

“…That.”

Darius’s lips moved. I deliberately averted my gaze from his face.

“You couldn’t have imagined I was listening then, could you?”

‘Don’t make excuses.’

Because I might want to forgive if I hear them.

“I was naive to have harbored even a little dream of newlywed bliss when starting this marriage.”

I am the eldest daughter of the Porche family.

From Darius’s enemy family, an extra who must disappear for the female lead who will appear someday.

“You’re telling me to consult before acting?”

So there’s no need to pretend to be kind and package your real intentions.

“That’s right, what could this southern woman do in Your Grace’s north? Of course I should report.”

If he were the male lead, he should have looked at women other than the female lead like stones. He should have said plenty of careless, hurtful words to his wife on paper. He shouldn’t have given even a shred of possibility.

‘Why tell me to take care of myself? Why say you’re concerned about me getting hurt?’

When it’s not even sincere.

I almost fell for the sweet words. Like common extra villains, I would have lost sight of my place, acted out of line, and my head would have rolled on the guillotine.

I hated him. For making me misunderstand.

“Anette.”

Darius grabbed me as I tried to leave past him. The arm he grabbed trembled slightly. Is it me shaking now, or him?

“Let go.”

Some strength left the hand that was gripping my arm tightly.

“I said let go.”

When I spoke again, the hand gripping my arm slid down to my wrist, then slowly released its fingers.

“What should I say?”

Darius asked, holding the end of my sleeve. His pitch-black eyes, like the night sky, were darkly sunken.

“When I’ve hurt you like this.”