After Declaring Divorce, My Husband Became Lewd

When she opened her eyes, it was already afternoon, and the space beside her was cold. Richt seemed to have gone to the capital. Isabelle grimaced as her muscles ached as she tried to sit up a little.

It felt like yesterday’s events were a dream. If it weren’t for the tingling, throbbing sensations around her lower area, she might have thought it was a dream. She brought her hand up to touch it, and the sensitive area was quite swollen. Well, after what happened, being in perfect condition seemed strange.

She still couldn’t believe that Richt had been so violent and cold. It was absurd. How could he treat her as if they were mating like beasts?

After three years of marriage, Isabelle believed she knew him to some extent. However, that wasn’t the case. With a face and gestures he had never shown before, Richt had insulted Isabelle.

Her thoughts were tangled. She didn’t know how to interpret and accept yesterday’s events. Richt was a man who at least asked Isabelle’s wishes when they made love, who wouldn’t touch her if she wasn’t feeling well.

What had changed him? Or was this the true nature of her husband that she didn’t know?

It couldn’t be. A man cannot live three years hiding his true nature.

The only thing she could think of as the reason for his changing was the divorce. Her demand must have flipped some switch in him.

There was no other answer. Even if there were, how did it matter now? The words had already been spoken, he had no reason to hold onto her, and only the process remained.

Isabelle shook her head to clear her thoughts and slid off the bed. As she stepped out of the room, her maid, Mia, hurried over.

“Are you awake? You slept for so long; I couldn’t bring myself to wake you.”

“I’m just a little tired.”

“Are you hurt, madam? Should I call the physician?”

Mia said worriedly, looking at her complexion, which had taken on a dull color in a day. There were still some painful areas, but calling a doctor wasn’t necessary.

Her back was stiff, and the muscles between her hips and legs were tight, making every step awkward. Isabelle yearned for a hot bath to relax her body.

“No, I’m fine. Instead, prepare warm water for me to wash up. Please.”

“Yes.”

Following the instructions, Mia filled the wooden bathtub with warm water and handed Isabelle a bath tray. A pleasant scent rose from the water with a few drops of fragrant oil. Isabelle took a deep breath and adopted a relaxed posture.

“How is it that your skin is so delicate, madam? If you’re this beautiful to my eyes, how beautiful must you be to the Duke’s.”

“Enough, Mia.”

It was a compliment that she never felt familiar no matter how often it was given. Mia casually tossed around words like soft hair, fair skin, eyes resembling stars, and the undeniable status of being the empire’s most beautiful woman.

It was a frequent occurrence, but Isabelle was always embarrassed because she had never considered herself to be very fair.

“If others hear, they’ll laugh.”

“They wouldn’t dare! You’re too humble, madam.”

“It’s not that.”

“If I were a man, I’d probably have a crush on you. I’d like to be born again in my next life just like you, madam.”

Mia’s eyes, while wiping Isabelle’s arms with a soft sponge, suddenly landed on her reddened chest. Isabelle, belatedly realizing the state of her body, submerged herself in the tub, leaving only her face visible. A cough of embarrassment escaped her.

Mia had often bathed her, but this was the first time Richt had left such visible marks on her, passionately kissing and licking, to think he would do something like this. The embarrassment of revealing her intimate life to a maid caused Isabelle to shift her gaze away.

“I understand the Duke. Leaving you here, how lonely it must be for him in the capital.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“No! How could I dare to mock you, madam? If I have upset you, I apologize.”

Seeing Isabelle’s intimidating expression, Mia quickly waved her hands in the air, bowing her head. In response to Mia’s adorable display, Isabelle couldn’t help but reveal a gentle smile. Only then did Mia breathe a sigh of relief.

“I thought you were angry.”

“Of course not.”

The relationship between Isabelle and Mia was a bit different from that of other nobles and their servants. To an outsider, it didn’t seem like a master-servant relationship; their connection was intimate, lacking in formality.

Although Isabelle treated Mia as an equal, Mia never forgot her place. She was quick-witted, clever, and had excellent manners.

Their connection had formed when Isabelle came to the Calitheon estate after getting married to Richt, and she was sad to think it would soon be severed. Mia gently brushed Isabelle’s hair back from her face. Feeling the delicate touch, Isabelle sighed.

“Mia.”

“Yes?”

“If I were to leave this place, would you come with me?”

“Why are you suddenly saying that, madam?”

“Just, hypothetically.”

“Is something wrong with you?”

“Nothing like that.”

“Don’t lie. I might be a fool who can’t read your expression, but you haven’t looked well since this morning.”

“I think the time has come for me to leave this house, and it pains me to leave you behind.”

“I am always here for you. Are you going to the Duke’s residence in the capital?”

“No, I’m going to Dranselle.”

“Dranselle? That’s where Viscount Timogere is.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you going there…….”

“I told Richt that I want a divorce.”

“What?”

Mia exclaimed, looking like she’d seen a ghost.

“Is that so surprising?”

“Of course!”

“I can’t explain in detail, but it seems that’s the way it will be.”

“That’s ridiculous, is it because of the Grand Madam?”

Isabelle chose not to respond. Trying to lie to the perceptive Mia would be futile.

“You should tell the Duke. No, I’ll tell him.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“If it’s difficult for you to say, I can—”

“Mia!”

Isabelle’s voice became firm.

“Promise me, you won’t say anything.”

“Madam…”

“Give me an answer. Promise.”

“The Duke should know about it too.”

“No. I don’t want him to. I don’t want to cause trouble for Richt because of my brother anymore.”

If Diana was right, if the marriage continued, Viscount Timogere would attach himself to Richt like a parasite, siphoning off his lifeblood. While the vast wealth of the Calitheon family might not run dry, it was certain to cause scandal in social circles.

Isabelle didn’t want to see the name of Rich Calitheon tainted because of her.

“You love the Duke, don’t you?”

Isabelle bit down hard on her red lips.

Love. Yes. She had loved only Richt throughout her life, even before she knew he was the man her family had chosen to marry.

The first time she’d met him was at a society party at a masquerade ball. Isabelle just had her debut, so she wasn’t used to parties, and the new atmosphere and unfamiliar sensations were both enjoyable and awkward.

After dancing with several men, she stepped out into the garden to get some air, and was approached by a fringe nobleman. Whether he was excited, drunk, or just plain rude, he made ungentlemanly advances on Isabelle.

He reeked of alcohol, groped her, and persistently tried to remove her mask, demanding to see her face. Isabelle, unable to break free from his strong grip, was helpless. Since it was nighttime, there was no one around to ask for help.

In the midst of this helpless situation, a man appeared like a savior. He easily pushed the drunken man off of her, and went on his way, leaving her in good shape. His back view was elegant.

Unable to endure the situation, Isabelle secretly followed him, wandering around. The man went out onto the balcony to see if the party was free, and he removed his mask in frustration.

Moonlight settled on his smooth cheeks. His elegant nose and facial features were polite yet sexy. Isabelle gasped inwardly as she took in the man’s face.

It didn’t take long for her to learn his identity, that he was the Duke of Calitheon. It didn’t take much of an event for her to fall in love with a man she’d barely met.

When she closed her eyes, she thought of him, and even when she opened them, thoughts of him still lingered. Amidst wondering if it was some form of infatuation, a thunderbolt-like news struck: her engagement had been decided. Isabelle did not want to marry a man whose face she didn’t even know. However, she lacked the courage to rebel against her parents.

Since she was a child, she had lived her life without going against her parents’ wishes, and she would continue to do so. Like a cow led to the slaughter, she went to the place where her future husband awaited her, only to meet the Duke again in a place she didn’t expect. She doubted her eyes.

‘Is this man really my fiancé?’

She questioned it inwardly many times.

How? How could something like this happen?

It felt like a dream. But unlike Isabelle, who was bewildered and excited, he showed no signs of remembering, but that didn’t matter. It felt as if Richt and she were destined.

Thinking back to those times, she couldn’t help but burst into a hollow laugh. The water in the bath had long since cooled. Isabelle finished her bath.

Although she intended to lie back down on the bed with her refreshed body, Mia dragged her to the kitchen table and set out an assortment of food. There was oven-baked duck with butter and pepper, accompanied by mustard sauce, finely sliced vegetables, and sliced wholewheat bread with a subtly fragrant apricot jam.

Despite not having eaten anything all day, Isabelle had no appetite. Mia looked worriedly at her, who was staring blankly at the table.

“You’re only harming yourself if you don’t eat. You need to have strength.”

“Alright.”

Due to Mia’s coaxing, Isabelle reluctantly took a sip of lemon water, then grabbed the cutlery. As she cut the edge of the duck meat with a knife and stabbed it with a fork, an old-fashioned voice rang out.

“You woke up late.”

It was Diana, her mother-in-law. Isabelle pushed her chair back and stood up, while Mia quickly stepped back a few steps.

“You, who always woke up on time, what’s happened?”

“I… overslept. I apologize.”

“No need to apologize. Seems like you’re quite tired. Richt left in the morning, right?”

“Yes.”

Diana’s graceful gaze swept over Isabelle’s whole body. It was a gentle gaze, but it made Isabelle’s skin tingle as if she were being pricked by thorns. Isabelle smoothed down the front of her dress, unnecessarily concerned about the red traces from the night before left behind.

She felt nervous, as if she had been caught in an affair with her husband. It was a strange thing to think about. As Richt had said, they were still a married couple, and there was nothing sinful about making love between a married couple.

But, for some reason, she felt uncomfortable inside. Diana was waiting for the two of them to get a divorce, and in a situation where Isabelle had made her own decision, spending a passionate night with her husband felt like a sin in itself. Her mouth felt dry, and her body kept involuntarily shrinking.

Diana didn’t show her displeasure openly. It wasn’t out of consideration for Isabelle; rather, she didn’t want to acknowledge the hidden ugliness beneath her noble facade.

Her ways of expressing dislike were subtle and clever. It usually happened in a way that no one else could know, only making Isabelle feel it, and it primarily occurred in places where there were no watchful eyes.

So even the occupants of the mansion, including Richt, were unaware that Isabelle was hated by Diana. Except for the perceptive Mia.

“The new chef is quite skilled. The duck is perfectly cooked. Eat plenty.”

“Yes.”

“Why do you seem to be losing weight?”

“I naturally have a lean physique.”

“After the meal, let’s have a cup of tea in the garden.”

“Yes.”

With that, Diana left the room. Isabelle’s appetite, which was already absent, vanished completely.

“Prepare refreshments and tea, Mia.”

“Aren’t you going to eat all of these? Why did the Grand Madam come here?”

Mia said, looking around the richly set table.

“Quickly, Mia.”