The Stand-In Empress's Wedding Night (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 24

The corset was so tightly laced that Catherine could barely breathe, yet she felt quite satisfied as she admired her figure in the mirror.

No man could remain unmoved by such perfection.

But even before Rinel became emperor—back when they were merely engaged—he had never been particularly warm toward Catherine.

He had always been courteous, always formal.

Catherine even found that aspect of his personality charming.

After all, truly shining jewels are never easy to obtain.

Still, back then, Rinel hadn’t been as cold as he was now.

He began utterly ignoring Catherine only after their engagement was broken—specifically, after she was caught in a secret affair with Count Edan Bennett.

“Count Edan was merely a comfort for my lonely self.”

When word of Catherine’s improper relationship with Count Edan reached Rinel’s ears, he neither scolded her nor pressed for explanations; he simply and quietly ended the engagement.

Had Rinel made the matter public at the time, Catherine—and her family, the House of Duke Kalios—would have become the laughingstock of noble society.

After Rinel broke off the engagement, Catherine severed ties with Count Edan as well.

He was good only for nighttime pleasures; in truth, he turned out to be a man with neither dreams nor ambitions.

“My eyes must’ve been clouded. I never realized he was just a foolish nobleman obsessed all day with forging swords in his forge.”

Catherine bitterly regretted having betrayed Rinel—who was soon to become emperor—for Count Edan.

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