To You, Whom I Shouldn't Love (24 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
Jet-black hair and blue eyes.
His hair, drenched from braving the torrential rain, clung to his forehead—but it lent him a strangely alluring charm.
The man standing before her was the very same one she had seen five times in recurring dreams. Though she might have dismissed him as merely resembling that figure, she was certain.
This man was unmistakably the one from her dreams—otherwise, how could the scar on the back of his hand be identical?
The moment that thought crossed her mind, her heart—once chilled to numbness—began pounding hotly with life.
Riena felt an overwhelming urge to speak with this stranger, for no other reason than that he matched the man from her dreams.
It seemed absurd even to herself, yet it also felt strangely reasonable. What were the odds of meeting in reality someone seen only in dreams? This could not be mere coincidence.
“My lord, please step aside so I may speak with him myself.”
Riena spoke firmly as she dismounted. The Captain of the Knights hesitated briefly before stepping aside. Immediately, the black-haired man stepped forward and bowed deeply before Riena.
“I sincerely apologize for disturbing you in the middle of the night.”
Only then did Riena realize why his voice sounded so familiar. It was exactly the same as the one she had heard in her dreams.
There was one difference, however: unlike the voice in her dreams—drowned in despair—his voice now carried unmistakable joy.
Even amid her confusion, Riena found this puzzling. Though he was apologizing, his tone did not sound apologetic at all.
Yet her thoughts did not linger long. The man reached into his coat and handed her a letter. Preserved by some sort of magic, it remained perfectly dry despite the downpour.
Riena did not take it right away but asked cautiously,
“Why is this…?”
“This is a letter Count Daik sent me before he passed away. Please read it before we speak further.”
At the mention of “Count Daik,” Riena snatched the letter almost before he finished speaking. She was so overwhelmed that she did not even register the rudeness of her action.
“A letter from Father?”
If his words were true, this might be her father’s final letter.
With trembling hands, Riena unfolded it.
To Cassel.
The handwriting at the top was unmistakably her father Count Daik’s—graceful yet forceful and sharp. The very script she had so deeply missed.
“Really… really…”
Riena burst into tears before she could read any further.
Upon hearing of her father’s death, she had lost all sense of composure. His passing was sudden, giving her no time to prepare, and the shock had been immense.
For days, she denied reality, weeping until she fainted. She drifted through the funeral in a daze, and by the time she finally regained her senses, over a week had passed.
During that week, her stepmother, Countess Daik, had cleared out all of her father’s belongings—disposing of them as if they were cursed objects, leaving nothing behind.
When Riena later confronted Countess Daik about it, the woman didn’t even blink, even going so far as to retort, “Is it so wrong to put them away when they only bring me pain?”
Riena knew anger wouldn’t bring back her father’s lost possessions, so she stopped protesting. Instead, she began scouring the mansion for any trace of him.
She found his handkerchief misplaced in her wardrobe, a note tucked between the pages of a book, and even the cufflink he’d hidden in the attic during a childhood treasure hunt.
Each tiny discovery brought silent tears—but those moments were fleeting. No matter how hard she searched, she found nothing more, and each time, despair returned.
Would her memories of her father slowly fade away? His face, his voice, his warmth—all the things she never wanted to forget—would they vanish?
That thought terrified her.
Yet merely reading the words “To Cassel,” penned in her father’s hand, made it feel as if he were speaking to her in person, his voice vividly clear.
The black-haired man—clearly named Cassel—did not rush her as she wept. He offered no comforting words, no gentle inquiries, but waited silently.
Though she knew little of him, Riena sensed he was deeply considerate, even if not expressive—just as he had been in her dreams.
“I’m sorry. It’s just… I thought of Father.”
“I understand.”
Wiping away what might have been rain or tears, Riena resumed reading the letter.
To Cassel.
I heard you inherited your title. Losing your father so suddenly must be deeply painful. William was my dearest friend. Though I cannot claim he was the best father to you, please remember that he worried about you until his very last moment.
Only then did Riena grasp the true meaning behind Cassel’s earlier “I understand.” It wasn’t empty politeness—it was comfort drawn from his own experience.
She continued reading. The passage that followed spoke of Cassel’s father, William.
It recounted what a diligent and capable man he had been, and all the efforts he made to raise Cassel as a worthy heir.
Feeling as though she was reading something private she shouldn’t see, Riena was about to stop—when suddenly her name appeared.
By any chance, do you still remember my daughter, Riena? That spirited little Ria who played with you as children?
Startled by the unexpected mention of herself, Riena unfolded the letter again.
They had played together as children? She swore she had never seen this man before. She couldn’t possibly forget someone with such a commanding presence.
But if her father wrote it, it couldn’t be a lie.
She’s turned twenty this year. If my memory serves, you’re only a year apart. And I say this not just because she’s my daughter—she truly grew up beautiful and lively. So much so that some strange rogue has been persistently pursuing her.
Rogue? What did that mean?
Nothing made sense. As far as Riena knew, no man had ever approached her with romantic interest. She’d never even had the opportunity to meet someone suitable.
The only person who came to mind…
“Could he be referring to Lord Belliar?”
But who in the Empire would dare call Johannes a rogue?
Trying to calm herself, Riena kept reading.
You once ran up to me with matching flower rings, vowing to marry when you grew up. Though I laughed it off as childish fancy, I thought it was a fine idea—you two always seemed happiest together.
Flower rings. Marriage…
Those fragmented words stirred something within her.
I even spoke with your father William about it. He agreed it would be good. But then you suddenly left the Daik territory and became heir to your house, so I never brought it up again.
But Cassel, as I grow older, I worry more and more. If something were to happen to me suddenly, how heartbroken would Ria be, losing her father overnight? She has no one in this world to protect her.
That’s why I wish to give her a new family as soon as possible.
So I must ask—should you still remember Ria and that childhood promise, would you take responsibility for her?
I’m not demanding it.
I simply wish to know—should anything happen to me, and Ria is left alone in this world, would you become her family?
At that point, tears nearly spilled over again. Judging by the letter’s contents, Count Daik must have worried about his only daughter even in his final moments, perhaps right up until his last breath.
Even if not, the core question remained: would you care for Riena as family?
The words after that blurred before Riena’s eyes—she could no longer read them.
In short, this letter was a proposal.
Why Count Daik had arranged this without telling her no longer mattered.
Her mind was consumed by a single thought.
“If something were to happen to me…”
It was as if Count Daik had foreseen what was coming.
Or perhaps… had speaking such ominous words brought this fate about?
Confused, Riena looked up at the man—Cassel.
Was that her cue?
Cassel gave a subtle glance to the knight standing behind him, who promptly retrieved something from his bag and handed it to Cassel.
Cradling the object carefully, Cassel knelt on one knee before her. Unlike the unstable figure in her dreams, he now appeared profoundly solemn.
“Please, get up. Your trousers will get soaked.”
Riena hurried to help him rise, but Cassel didn’t budge. Instead, he offered her the bouquet he’d just received from his knight.
Three small sunflowers, wrapped in white baby’s breath.
The bouquet was slightly crushed and wilting—likely from rushing here in haste—yet Riena found it endearing. It felt sincere, brimming with his earnestness.
As if entranced, Riena accepted the flowers. Then Cassel reached into his coat and pulled out a small box.
Inside lay a rather large diamond ring, which sparkled brilliantly even in the darkness.
“Could it be…?”
Only then did Riena realize what Cassel intended to do.
He was proposing—to Riena Daik, a woman he’d never properly seen before.
Bewildered, she glanced between the ring and his face, until he spoke softly, apologetically,
“I couldn’t prepare a new ring in my haste.”
“…”
“But this was my mother’s engagement ring. It holds special meaning to me, and I hope you won’t be displeased.”
Displeased? The very idea was absurd. Riena knew well how meaningful it was in noble families to propose with a parent’s or grandparent’s ring.
Cassel apologized for not having a new ring, but to her, this one held far greater value.
She hesitated—should she stop him before he spoke further, or let him finish?
Still undecided, lips trembling slightly, Cassel spoke first.
“My lady of House Daik, I know this is sudden. But I ask, despite the impropriety.”
His blue gaze locked firmly onto hers.
She couldn’t recall where or from whom, but once she’d heard about blue flames—unlike ordinary fire, they burn with a cool, blue hue.
Yet despite their appearance, they burn far hotter than red flames.
The moment she met Cassel’s eyes, Riena wondered if that were true.
His gaze was hotter and more intense than any she had ever seen in her life.
She couldn’t tell whether it held deep affection, desire, longing, or some other fierce emotion.
Yet merely meeting his eyes made her throat burn with thirst.
Even as rain poured onto his face, Cassel didn’t so much as blink.
Would she ever again meet someone who looked at her with such single-minded devotion?
Unconsciously, Riena swallowed hard—then Cassel spoke again.
“Will you marry me?”
It truly was a proposal. For a moment, Riena stopped breathing.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
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Chapter Comments (2)
Inline Comments (6)
It was a command.
I kinda like this bossy Cassel huh 😌😌🤔🤔🤔 even his shy side
“Taking a walk in the rain at this hour of night? Do you have any idea what kind
Fuck that pedophile freak!!! 😡😡😒😒 I hope the step mother suffers 😡
“Why should I care about that, Joanna?”
Nah this is foul. Joanna’s a commoner this is the only way for her to survive. I don’t blame her. Pretty classist sentiment this is.
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I still don’t get how the countess has this much power when she’s not even blood related. Like I get she’s the elder but then when riena turns of age shouldn’t she be the proxy head or smth?? Idk I feel like that’s more plausible.
Wat happened to the other guy—raol or smth??? Wasn’t as going to go to him first?