The Secret Affairs of the Fake Duke Couple (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 11
Cain lifted his head and met Jane’s gaze. He leaned back against the chair’s backrest. A fleeting wave of boredom passed over him.
Jane tightly gripped the hem of her dress. She tried hard to relax. She couldn’t keep getting this nervous every time she met him.
Just then, a breeze blew through the gap of the open window. The cool wind carried a familiar fragrance toward Jane—it was fig, her favorite scent.
The aroma eased her heart considerably. Even enough courage stirred within her to speak to the otherwise icy Cain.
“If you have business with me, just say it.”
“It smells nice.”
Jane forced her stiff facial muscles into a smile, beaming widely enough to reveal her dimples.
In the past, Cain had especially adored the dimple that appeared only on her left cheek.
His eyes, when gazing at her dimple, used to shimmer with a sweetness like melted honey. But now, they were cold as ice.
“I’d appreciate it if you kept unnecessary conversation to a minimum.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean you don’t need to exchange pleasantries. Just say what needs to be said.”
Cain was pointing out Jane’s comment about the fig scent.
She hadn’t meant anything significant by it—it truly was just polite small talk, as he’d said.
She’d only spoken to lighten the awkwardness of their conversation and the heavy air in the room.
Jane realized something.
Even the lightest words permissible between servant and master were forbidden to her.
“I understand. I’ll be more careful from now on. I do have business with you.”
Cain gave a slight nod. Taking it as permission to sit, Jane settled onto the sofa arranged in the center of his office—facing him directly.
“Speak.”
Cain didn’t even bother to move to the sofa opposite hers out of courtesy.
He remained seated in the mahogany chair paired with his desk, staring intently at her.
“You asked me to become the child’s mother. Please tell me exactly what I’m supposed to do.”
“If I tell you, can you actually do it?”
Despite his calm tone, his words dripped with obvious mockery.
“If there’s something I must do as Duchess, I’ll learn it and do it.”
Though her heart trembled, Jane’s voice remained steady—even as Cain openly dismissed her. She acted as if none of it mattered to her.
It was the right attitude, the correct response—but inside, she twisted with pain. It was a futile drain on her emotions. Cain shook his head as if shaking off his own feelings.
“Your resolve is impressive. If I asked you to warm my bed for me, would you do that too?”
Jane’s eyes widened in shock.
Was Cain really the kind of man who’d say something like that?
Her lips quivered. His sarcasm scorched her mind blank white.
Even considering their past, Cain was being excessively cruel to Jane.
It was unjust treatment. Jane ought to have shouted, to have raged—but she couldn’t. All she’d get was more hurt.
Love truly made a person pitiful and pathetic.
Determined to sort out her feelings for Cain quickly, Jane forced herself to reply calmly.
“If you require it, I’d be happy to.”
This time, Cain’s eyebrows twitched. He brushed a finger across his lips.
“You seem confident.”
“I was only taught not to shrink back when faced with what must be done.”
Jane barely managed to keep her voice from trembling. Cain let out a laugh full of disbelief, then quickly grew serious again.
“Pity—I suppose you were expecting something. Rest assured, you don’t need to worry about my bedroom affairs. I’ll manage on my own.”
Irritated, Cain undid a button on his shirt. With every movement of his long fingers, the collar parted slightly, revealing glimpses of his chest.
Over this mysteriously alluring sight, rumors about Cain drifted through Jane’s mind.
“He’s completely different at night. In bed… oh my… such a proper gentleman… just once, to be held against that vast chest… I’d die happy.”
They were rumors about Cain’s romantic escapades. Apparently, he generously shared his affections with those around him.
Her past worries—that he might feel lonely, even briefly, after she left—now seemed utterly foolish.
Jane had no intention whatsoever of condemning Cain’s past relationships.
Women wouldn’t possibly leave a fine man like Cain alone, and since he’d remained unengaged and free until now, there was nothing wrong with it.
Moreover, despite seeing many women, not a single scandal had ever attached itself to his name.
He apparently pleased women thoroughly and parted ways cleanly. Some even reportedly maintained good relationships with him after their breakups.
That was exactly why women became even more infatuated with him.
In the Kingdom of Emblun, which encouraged free love, his behavior wasn’t problematic at all.
But marriage changed everything. Free love was only acceptable among the unmarried. Once either party married, any such involvement became adultery.
Though society often turned a blind eye as long as one wasn’t caught, ever since the Queen’s ascension, laws against adultery had been established.
The courts had been in constant uproar over illegitimate children.
“We’ll need to talk more about that aspect.”
Jane didn’t want to bring shame to House Hastings.
Since she and Cain were marrying, she at least wanted to avoid failing so badly in her role that she sullied the family name.
But was that really the only reason?
Jane questioned herself, then scoffed inwardly.
Honestly, she disliked the idea of him holding other women. When they’d been strangers, she could dismiss those floating rumors and live on.
But once they lived together and she saw it with her own eyes, she couldn’t even comfort herself with lies anymore.
“What more is there to discuss?”
“I’d like you not to see other women while we maintain our marriage.”
It was a condition Jane set to protect herself.
If she ever saw Cain return with another woman’s lipstick or perfume on him, she might turn to ash.
Cain stared at Jane for a long moment, then opened a drawer in the side table.
He took out a cigar from its case and snipped the end.
Placing the cigar between his long fingers, he lit it skillfully. After drawing deeply enough to hollow his cheeks, he exhaled the smoke slowly.
“What if I refuse?”
Jane’s face emerged clearly from the dissipating smoke. Though her expression remained indifferent and showed no emotional disturbance, Cain knew.
He knew she was deeply uncomfortable.
The fiery spark that had shone in her eyes even when a thug yanked her by the hair had now gone utterly dark.
Cain understood why.
‘Being with me makes you uneasy.’
It was always the same reaction whenever they spent time together. At first, her face seemed fine, but as time passed, it gradually turned ashen—whether it was during his visit to the house on the hill, in the carriage returning to Somnium House, or even now.
Watching her, who didn’t avert her eyes from him, Cain continued his thoughts.
Should he consider staying out of her way during their married life, for Jane who so clearly disliked him?
‘No, I can’t do that.’
Cain tossed the cigar abruptly into the ashtray and gave a faint smirk.
“Fine, Jane.”
“What did you say?”
“I’ll do as you wish. I’m actually looking forward to it—the nights I’ll share with my wife.”
Cain smiled. It was the first genuine smile Jane had seen from him since they met—elegantly striking enough to send chills down her spine, yet cold as ice.
“You asked what you need to do. I’ll tell you. You’ll handle everything that comes with being Duchess.”
To Jane, “handle” sounded more like “endure.”
Cain pulled out the contract he’d prepared when first meeting Jane. He picked up a pen and added a few more clauses.
Then he sat down in front of Jane, holding the document. As he drew near, Jane unconsciously held her breath.
Cain glanced at her briefly, then placed the contract on the table with a dismissive flick.
“Review it.”
“Can I… make any changes?”
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
Cain’s voice came out sullen and sharp.
“Jane, though this takes the form of a transaction, don’t forget—I bought you with money. This is an employer-employee relationship.”
“Cain!”
Having endured his rudeness until now, Jane finally snapped.
Cain tilted his chin slightly, as if asking whether she had anything more to say.
His words were painfully accurate, so Jane clamped her mouth shut. Her eyes reddened.
Though the contract contained no mention of money, he had paid off her debt and would continue covering every expense for her clothes, food, and daily needs.
“If you’re short on money, just say so. I can arrange that much.”
“What… money are you talking about?”
“Check the last page.”
Jane flipped through the papers.
‘Alimony?’
“What… is this?”
“Did you think you’d be living with me permanently?”
Cain placed the cigar he’d been holding between his fingers into his mouth.
“No.”
“Then there’s no need to ask. It means exactly what it says.”
The alimony represented the monetary value Cain assigned to the year he’d spend with Jane.
Their relationship had shifted from once-betrothed lovers to employer and employee.
Jane took a slow, deep breath. Then, as if her earlier agitation had never happened, she donned a calm mask and turned her eyes back to the contract.
Cain felt a slight pang of regret. Her helplessly trembling eyelashes had been rather lovely to watch.
“I understand. I’ll… just take a little more time to look over the contract. Let me be clear—I’m not trying to object. It’s just that, well… it is marriage, after all, so for me….”
“You speak as if it’s something immensely important. Isn’t a promise to you just a candle you can blow out anytime you like?”
Cain let out a cold scoff.
Jane’s spirits sank endlessly. She lowered her head, struggling to endure his mockery.
But was enduring really the right way?
It was one thing when they were alone—but if he acted like this in front of others, it would be disastrous. It wouldn’t be good for the child’s upbringing either.
Jane clenched her fists.
“Cain, I have a request.”
Cain looked at her as if utterly exasperated. Before he could silence her, Jane hurriedly spoke.
“Please show me some basic courtesy.”
“…….”
Cain’s sharp gaze swept across Jane’s face, landing everywhere before pulling away.
“……At least in front of other people. You have your own dignity to uphold, and there’s the child too….”
“Already playing the mother, are we? And thinking of my dignity, too. Should I give you a bonus as well?”
It was like rescuing someone from drowning only for them to immediately demand your luggage as payment.
I paid off your debts. I’ll ensure you never worry about food or shelter. And now you’re asking for respect too?
Jane was seriously mistaken.
Cain was about to flatly refuse and tell her he didn’t care about his “dignity”—but at that exact moment, he noticed her hands trembling visibly.
It was that pitiful expression, those pale, slender fingers, that caused the problem.
Male lead first thought she played hard to get, only to realize she
really disliked him
Short intro:
What she can’t stand the most is the streets full of effeminate men, especially that so-called top beauty whom she avoids at all costs.
Shen Yaoxing looks at Jiang Mingyue, who keeps approaching her with coy shyness.
Shen Yaoxing: Bro, don’t be like this, I’m really about to throw up!
She fears nothing in heaven or earth, except for him getting close to her.
*
At first he thought she was just using the trick of feigning indifference to attract his attention. Later, he learned that she truly despised him.
This dealt a heavy blow to Jiang Mingyue, and he vowed to make her, like everyone else, fall at his feet in worship!
***
Synopsis:
Before transmigrating, Shen Yaoxing only wanted to find a reliable man to spend her life with. Who knew that after transmigrating, she would become a reliable woman herself…
A forced misandrist, highly skilled, and reliable female lead
vs.
An initially aloof and arrogant, later morbid, obsessed male lead
_____
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Sure later Cain wil regret everything he’s done to jane..he only looked the bad side from opposite but never looked inside