‘Love?’
Adeline hesitated momentarily at the sudden confession.
But soon, she rationalized that the Duke’s question stemmed from his anxiety.
Having deceived him about being lovers, and with the Duke having no one else to rely on due to his memory loss.
‘He might mistake it for love.’
Adeline thought the Duke was confusing his feelings due to his memory loss.
Her own feelings for the Duke were also confused.
Since her rebirth as the young lady of the Credion family in the Solarius Empire, Adeline’s life had been a continuum of loneliness.
The bleakness of the Credion family estate.
Even her father, Severus, had not shown affection to Adeline.
It had been a long time since she had received someone’s kind attention or felt affection.
That’s why she enjoyed her time with Mel, but…
Adeline couldn’t call her feelings for him love.
She didn’t believe in love. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say she didn’t know what love was.
In her previous life and even now, Adeline had never felt parental love.
The abstract concept of love didn’t fit her life as an orphan.
“I like you too, Mel.”
Therefore, she couldn’t speak of love, not understanding it. But saying she liked Mel now was sincere.
‘Can’t you say you love me?’
Cassis noticed that Adeline subtly changed her words from love to like.
A bitter expression crossed his face.
Unaware that Cassis had regained his memory, Adeline thought he was just anxious due to his amnesia.
She looked at Mel with pity in her eyes.
But to the Duke, who was no longer Mel, her gaze seemed nothing but mockery.
“Then, you’ll never leave me?”
He continued pretending to be the amnesiac Mel.
“Why would I leave you, Mel? We’re lovers.”
Considering her mental state after Hailo’s sudden appearance, Adeline’s response was intended to alleviate Cassis’s anxiety.
To further calm Cassis, Adeline offered a gentle smile.
But her smile only intensified Cassis’s sense of betrayal.
Feigning with such a detestable expression.
‘Lovers? What a joke.’
How could we be in such a relationship?
‘You planned to deceive me till the end, didn’t you?’
Watching Adeline with her innocent gaze, he felt his blood boiling.
Feeling like a dagger was plunged into his heart, Cassis closed his eyes.
‘Can she do anything for the sake of her house?’
Her presence in the hidden villa of Torpeo was probably due to her father Severus, a close aide to the Crown Prince.
Her father, who willingly served the Crown Prince, seemed now to use his only daughter.
‘There was never any sincerity from the start.’
The situation became crystal clear.
As the last thread of hope snapped, Cassis’s patience ran out.
If she was going to deceive him to the end, he would mark her as his, even if he couldn’t have her heart.
She would never be able to escape from him.
The Duke pressed Adeline harder, curious to see how far she would allow him for the sake of her family.
He gripped her hands with one of his.
Just like when he had tried to kill her before.
His lips, heatedly descending, lost restraint and delved deeper.
“Then prove it.”
With those words, his lips never seemed to leave hers.
Perhaps driven by the thirst for her heart he could never have, the Duke tormented her relentlessly.
‘Love?’
Adeline momentarily froze at the unexpected confession.
Briefly, she considered that the Duke’s question was due to anxiety.
Having deceived him into thinking they were lovers, and being the only person the Duke with memory loss could depend on.
‘He might be mistaking it for love.’
Adeline thought the Duke was mistaking his feelings for her due to his memory loss.
Her feelings towards the Duke were confused too.
Since her reincarnation as the young lady of the Credion family in the Solarius Empire, Adeline’s life had been a continuous stretch of loneliness.
The desolate estate of the Credion family.
Even her father, Severus, hadn’t shown affection to Adeline.
Receiving kind attention or feeling affection was a rarity for her.
Perhaps that’s why she enjoyed her time with Mel.
However, Adeline couldn’t define her feelings for him as love.
She didn’t believe in love. Or, more accurately, she didn’t understand what it was.
Having never felt parental love in her past life or this one, the concept of love was too abstract, not fitting her life as an orphan.
“I like you too, Mel.”
Therefore, she couldn’t bring herself to say ‘love’ – not understanding what it meant. But her fondness for Mel was genuine.
‘Can’t you say you love me?’
Cassis sensed that Adeline deliberately altered her words from love to like.
He wore a bitter expression.
Adeline, unaware of Cassis regaining his memory, simply thought his amnesia was causing him anxiety.
She looked at Mel with eyes full of compassion.
But to the Duke, who was no longer Mel, her gaze appeared as mere mockery.
“Then, you won’t ever leave me?”
He continued pretending to be the amnesiac Mel.
“Why would I leave you, Mel? We’re lovers.”
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]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
