“Starting today, a manners tutor will teach you, and I’ve also called in the madam of a boutique shop adored by the ladies of the capital.”

The man, facing a stunned Adeline, lifted the corners of his mouth.

“Do you understand? Just obediently follow along. Make sure you don’t do anything that irritates me.”

Leaving her with this threat.

Until then, Adeline could not have imagined such a situation unfolding. The shame of being a concubine as the Marquis’s daughter was bad enough, but Duke Torpheo subtly insulted her with manners lessons, and intentionally ordered dresses that a noble lady would never wear.

“Ah, figures.”

It was strange from the moment he agreed to rescue her. He was a cold-hearted man, known as the Iron Duke. There was no way he would have forgiven Adeline, who had essentially deceived him.

But knowing she couldn’t retaliate, he increasingly tormented her.

Adeline stopped in front of the dining room. The housekeeper, following her, opened the door.

What quibble would he use to corner her today?

As she closed her eyes in despair at the opening door, a voice came.

“You’re here.”

The sound of a chair being pulled and a voice that lingered in her ears made Adeline open her eyes.

The Duke, who had approached, embraced her waist.

“My beautiful Del, today as well.”

He buried his head near her neck.

With every breath from Cassius’s lips, his hot breath tickled Adeline’s neck.

It was maddening.

Whenever he touched her like this, memories of their nights at the villa surfaced.

Involuntarily feeling her body heat up, Adeline furrowed her brows.

Behind her were many maids and servants.

“The dress suits you very well. It accentuates your beauty, Del. I’m very pleased.”

He touched her as if he didn’t care about the stares, teasingly uttering his words.

Knowing it was all to torment her.

Despite feeling humiliated by his actions, Adeline hated herself for responding to his touch.

She despised the man before her, but the memories of Mel tormented her.

As her heart grew chaotic, Adeline pushed him away.

“…Stop it.”

Adeline tried to escape his embrace.
“What? Ah, are you embarrassed by the stares? If my Del is embarrassed, everyone leave.”

At Cassius’s dismissal, the servants who were in the dining room left.

As the door closed and it became a world just for the two of them, the smile on the Duke’s face vanished in an instant.

“What is this? Weren’t you told to fulfill the duties of a concubine?”

He reverted to the Iron Duke Cassius as if his previous demeanor never existed.

“Why… why are you doing this? How can you make me wear these clothes, Mel!”

The man before her was Mel, with whom she had spent a season before he became Duke Torpheo.

Adeline was tormented seeing the Duke act in ways Mel never would.

She believed Mel’s feelings for her were genuine. Was this the price for betraying his sincerity?

Emotions welled up inside Adeline.

She would have preferred it if he had simply accused her of deception and lies.

But he didn’t. And she knew that this approach was not easy for him either.

“You’re not like this… right? Please, stop it. I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I’ll do anything. I’ll atone by being by your side. So, can we please stop this?”

The Duke looked at Adeline as she clung to his sleeve, begging. But the words that came were not what she hoped for.

“Atonement, huh? Fine. Your atonement will be to fully perform your role as my concubine.”

“…”

“I want you to wear the dress I gifted you for the upcoming dinner with the local nobles. Follow whatever Madame Violetta says.”

‘A dinner with nobles?’

Adeline was stunned, unable to believe her ears.

“You’re going to present me at a dinner?”

Her voice trembled helplessly as she asked.

She tried to hide her trembling hands in the folds of her dress, shaking so much that it was necessary.

“Of course, you should attend. It’s an event to introduce my concubine.”

Cassius reached out and gently caressed Adeline’s cheek, fully aware she was trembling.

“I want you, Del, to be the most beautiful on that day. It’s the day I present my flower.”

When he showed a cruel smile, her world was engulfed in despair.

An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most

One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.

This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:

1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.

It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.

(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)

2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.

The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.

3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.

Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).

Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.

Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.

4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).

5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!