Edmund always accepted her like this. When he held her tightly, Olivia felt like she’d become utterly perfect. It truly seemed like she’d become his real wife, receiving his one and only, unadorned love…

“Olivia?”

Edmund, who had been kissing her persistently like he’d never pull away, suddenly withdrew his lips.

“…As I thought, you’re not feeling well.”

Edmund’s hand touched her cheek. Olivia stared at Edmund’s frozen face with a dazed gaze. For some reason, her vision swam and her eyelashes felt heavy. Only after seeing moisture on his hand did Olivia realize she was crying.

“Is it hard enough to make you cry? D*mn it. And I didn’t even notice, like some clueless lunatic…”

Edmund couldn’t finish his words and let out a self-deprecating sigh.

When Olivia blinked, fat teardrops tumbled down. Edmund meticulously wiped her face until the tears stopped and repeatedly kissed her eyelids.

“We should stop here for today.”

“N-no. I’m fine. This is just…”

“Olivia.”

Edmund deliberately put on a stern expression.

“That contract clause wasn’t made to torment you. Just because of some obligation, you don’t have to endure anything by my side.”

His voice was strict, unlike the gentle hand caressing her eyes. Olivia couldn’t raise any objection.

Edmund wet a soft cloth from the nightstand beside the bed and wiped Olivia’s body. She refused out of embarrassment, but couldn’t stop him. Edmund even personally dressed her n*ked body in a chemise.

“You need to go to your study, don’t you?”

Unlike her, lying comfortably in bed, Edmund sat at the bedside wearing a hastily thrown-on shirt. He looked ready to leave the room any moment. Edmund was always burdened with heavy work. He surely had tasks left to handle today too.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“…You’re going now?”

I wish you wouldn’t go. Thinking that, words that sounded whiny came out without her realizing.

Edmund seemed surprised by Olivia’s question, but his widened eyes quickly curved pleasantly.

“If you want, I won’t go. Not until you fall asleep.”

Olivia’s lips twitched at the answer, more willing than she’d expected. Since Edmund indulged her pathetic whining, greed suddenly welled up.

Can’t you stay even after I fall asleep?

Can’t you stay by my side continuously, forever?

What if you loved me instead of that woman of yours… would that be so wrong?

Pleading words circled inside her mouth. She wanted to prostrate herself at his feet and beg right now.

Like the tears she couldn’t hold back, the emotions she should hide seemed ready to flow out between her teeth on their own. Olivia ground her molars and turned her back to Edmund.

Edmund’s large hand settled on her curled-up body. Pat, pat—the hand tapping her back was heartbreakingly considerate.

“Don’t be sick, Olivia.”

It was a night made more miserable by his affection.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, the other side of the bed was empty. He must have left long ago, as she couldn’t even feel a faint warmth.

Olivia quietly swept the cold empty space before raising her body, which felt heavy. The sun outside the window already hung high in the sky. She’d woken later than expected.

Then, with a small knock, the bedroom door opened. It was Ann holding a silver tray.

“Ann?”

“Ah. You’re awake. I brought lunch just in case, so that’s fortunate.”

Ann smiled brightly as she neatly arranged the dishes she’d brought on the bed table.

“His Grace earnestly asked us to let you sleep deeply. So if you hadn’t woken yet, I was going to take the food back.”

“His Grace did?”

“Yes. Early this morning before he left for the palace, he was so worried about you.”

Hehe, Ann let out a sly laugh with obvious meaning. Olivia could easily guess what she was thinking. Edmund’s affectionate nature caused misunderstandings not just for Olivia, but for the ducal house’s servants too.

“As soon as he arrived at the palace, he sent these flowers.”

Ann pointed to a vase on the nightstand beside the bed. It hadn’t been there last night.

“He instructed us to keep them in the bedroom since they’d help lift your spirits. The scent is quite nice, isn’t it?”

The flowers with large, lush buds had a wonderful scent, just like Ann said. The fresh floral fragrance tickled her nose.

But Edmund’s guess was wrong. Rather than improving, Olivia’s mood while looking at the flowers curved further downward.

In the past, she would have been thrilled by Edmund’s thoughtful affection. That is, before she knew he had a lover. Now that she knew everything, she just felt miserable.

Edmund’s affection now only served as a fuse drawing out Olivia’s gloom. If he’s this affectionate to me, how much more affectionate must he be to his real lover? Pathetic thoughts kept shoving Olivia into the mire.

“Now, please eat. It’s a stew the chef simmered gently all morning with veal from the south. After you finish the stew that’ll soothe your stomach, I’ll bring you your favorite dessert.”

“I’ll eat later. I don’t really feel like eating anything right now.”

“His Grace strictly ordered that you must eat. You need to eat to recover your strength quickly.”

Olivia made a pleading expression, but Ann was unusually firm.

“After you finish eating, you can meet with the physician. He’s waiting in the drawing room.”

“The physician? Why? I clearly said yesterday I wouldn’t meet with one.”

“His Grace summoned him personally… He won’t leave until he sees you.”

Ann explained with a troubled look at the tearful Olivia.

Having no choice, Olivia had to empty the stew full of meat and even meet with the physician.

The physician naturally found nothing wrong with Olivia’s body. He only prescribed medicine to help strengthen her stamina before leaving.

“My lady, I’ve prepared a special nutritional drink for you!”

Just as Olivia was breathing a sigh of relief in the drawing room after the physician left, this time the head chef suddenly approached and disrupted her peace. He was the head chef responsible for the ducal house’s kitchen, whose face was usually hard to see.

“What is this?”

Olivia instinctively covered her nose. The cup the head chef held contained pitch-black liquid reeking of a foul smell. It didn’t look like something she’d want to put in her mouth at all.

“It’s a medicinal decoction made only with precious ingredients His Grace sent. It will surely help preserve your health.”

“His Grace sent precious ingredients?”

Olivia’s expression grew strange as she looked down at the cup dubiously.

“Can I really eat this…?”

“Pardon?”

The head chef made a puzzled expression like he didn’t understand.

“Of course you should drink it, my lady. Then who else would dare consume something so precious?”

The letter she’d seen in Edmund’s study suddenly came to mind. It was an afterimage that had been tormenting Olivia constantly since yesterday. Olivia shook her throbbing head lightly.

“My lady, what’s wrong? Does your head hurt?”

The fussing head chef looked ready to run out and fetch Edmund immediately. Olivia accepted the cup containing the medicine, unable to shake off her doubts.

“No. It’s nothing. Thank you. I’ll drink it well.”

Proving the adage that good medicine tastes bitter, the medicinal decoction had a terribly awful taste. When Olivia held her nose and emptied the cup with difficulty, the head chef gave Olivia honey cookies like a reward.

“They’re still warm. Did you make these yourself too?”

“I thought you’d have a hard time with the medicine. Ahem.”

The ducal house’s servants were all very affectionate, perhaps resembling their master. It was no exaggeration to say Olivia had been able to adapt to her new environment safely all thanks to them. 

Surrounded by her beloved affectionate contract husband and kind servants, Olivia had spent half a year very happily.

But now she knew the truth. In reality with her sweet dream shattered, Olivia felt like she’d lost forever a part of the happiness she’d felt.

This was the end result of her twisted love, greedily occupying the place beside Edmund using the pretense of a contract marriage.

Only one day had passed since she realized the truth. Olivia suddenly felt dread at the countless days ahead she’d have to endure. She had no confidence in the lonely struggle with no end in sight.