My husband and Jeremiah.

Both of them appeared calm—too calm. But I felt as though I were standing on the brink of an explosion, unable to settle my nerves.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Reinhardt Helares, Supreme Commander of the Estantian Republic’s military.”

“Jeremiah Alexander Linzer, Commander of the Holy Knights of the Reyal Theocracy.”

The two men shook hands, their gazes meeting.

Jeremy was not only the Commander of the Holy Knights, he was also a prince of the Adelaid Empire.

A great power.

That alone reassured me somewhat. My husband would not dare treat someone of such standing with open disrespect.

At the very least… this wouldn’t turn into bloodshed.

“Sienna and I studied together at the Reyal seminary.”

Most people would have been overwhelmed by my husband’s presence, but Jeremy only smiled, responding with ease.

“We were quite close. Despite being royalty, Sienna was humble. She smiled often, and she was an excellent student—she rarely gave up the top rank.”

I felt embarrassed hearing nothing but praise. It was only because of someone like Jeremy that I hadn’t been entirely alone. In truth, I had spent most of my school days withdrawn, keeping to myself.

As I quietly listened to him speak of my past, my husband leaned back in his chair, long legs crossed, resting his chin on one hand.

“…Smiled often…?”

He repeated the words slowly, as if testing them.

“…Smiled often…?”

Was he displeased by the idea that I had once smiled?

With that carefully composed, unreadable expression, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

But one thing was certain, he was in a very bad mood.

“Allow me to apologize for this sudden and discourteous visit. I was quite worried, as I had not heard from an old friend in some time. As you know, Sienna has gone through much… and in the meantime, she even married. I regret that I couldn’t attend the wedding of my closest friend.”

Jeremy’s words carried weight, a subtle barb aimed at the hastily arranged marriage after the revolution.

“That’s quite alright. Though, it is unfortunate that you happened to visit while I was away, leaving only my wife to receive you. Please forgive the lack of proper hospitality.”

My husband’s response was just as pointed.

Of all the times, why had Jeremy come when he was not home?

The tension between them rose sharply, unspoken yet unmistakable.

All I could do was sit there, uneasy, watching.

For a while, silence filled the room—broken only by the faint clink of teacups.

“I’ve enjoyed the tea. I should take my leave before I impose any further.”

Jeremy was the first to break the silence. He stood, draping his white uniform coat over his shoulders.

“However, before I go… may I say a few things?”

I shook my head slightly at him, urging him to stop.

But Jeremy showed no sign of backing down.

As if inviting him to continue, my husband gave a faint nod, his head tilted at an angle.

“Sienna is very frail. I would appreciate it if you could take good care of her from now on.”

“…I will do my best.”

“And Sienna, for certain reasons, was unable to complete her studies.”

“Jeremy.”

I called him by his nickname without thinking—an unspoken plea for him to stop.

At the same moment, the veins stood out sharply along my husband’s hand as he gripped the armrest.

…Don’t tell me he’s reacting just because I used Jeremiah’s nickname?

“Would you perhaps consider showing her some mercy—allowing her to return to the Reyal Theocracy for a time, for her sake? So that Sienna may complete her studies.”

It was a request that could easily be seen as overstepping.

In truth, it felt less like a plea… and more like a deliberate provocation.

“Sienna is, after all, a talent the Reyal Theocracy would find difficult to lose.”

Despite Jeremy’s pointed words, my husband appeared outwardly composed—calm, even relaxed.

Instead of answering, he simply stared at Jeremiah, a faint smile curving his lips.

And then—

“It seems my wife excelled not only in school… but in bed as well.”

He delivered the remark casually, sipping his tea as if it were nothing.

I shot to my feet in shock.

“You—!”

“The sounds she makes are quite pleasant, too. I assume you’ve never heard them? I was her first, after all.”

Jeremy flushed, clearly taken aback by my husband’s vulgar words.

I stepped in front of him instinctively, shielding him with my body.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Commander Helares. Even if I was the one who spoke out of turn first, you should at least preserve your wife’s dignity in front of others.”

Before Jeremy could escalate things further—before he might even draw his sword—I hurried to usher him out.

Leading him out of the drawing room, I walked him toward the front door, my voice barely above a whisper, as though I had committed some grave offense.

“Jeremy, just go. I can’t believe you had to see me like this… I’m so ashamed.”

“No, Sienna. You’ve done nothing wrong. The fault lies with him.”

“I’m so, so sorry.”

“I’ll be staying in the capital for a while—at the government guesthouse. If you change your mind, contact me. Truthfully… I came to this country to see you.”

After sending him off with repeated apologies, I couldn’t even remember how I made my way back to the drawing room.

My husband was still there, seated with his legs crossed, calmly smoking a cigar.

That composed, indifferent expression only made my anger flare.

“What on earth was that? Why were you so rude to my friend?”

“……”

“No matter how much you dislike me, I can tolerate how you treat me—but Jeremy was a guest! There was no need to act like that toward him!”

Ignoring my words completely, my husband rose from his seat, his expression darkening.

The sudden movement of his large frame made me instinctively step back.

With the cigar clenched between his teeth, he reached out with his free hand and easily lifted me before I could retreat.

Then, carrying me in his arms, he strode toward the window.

Shhrrk—

He pulled the curtains open roughly and flung the window wide.

Cool autumn air rushed in, brushing against my cheeks and cutting through the damp stillness of the room.

Placing me against the window frame, he forced my hands onto it, angling my body so I had no choice but to brace myself there.

Through the window, I saw Jeremy being escorted out of the estate by a servant.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Do you have any idea how much I’ve been holding back with you?”

“Let me go.”

I struggled to break free, but after grinding out his cigar against the window frame, my husband seized my waist with a firm arm.

Then—he lifted my skirt up to my waist, exposing my legs to the outside.

“Why does that bastard act like he’s your former husband, lecturing me like that? Are you two something more?”

“…N-no—”

As he loosened the ties of my blouse one by one, he sank his teeth into my neck.

Like he meant to draw blood, he bit down deeply, leaving a red mark. His heated breath, his lips and tongue, traced the most sensitive part of my throat, while his cold hand moved from my back down to my waist—and lower.

“Do you think that holy knight has any idea what kind of sounds you make under me?”

“…Stop.”

“Don’t forget who you belong to now. You don’t still think you’re royalty, do you? It’s almost laughable—look at you, beneath me.”

I know.

I know I’m nothing now.

And I know you despise me, want to break me, grind me down.

Afraid that even the slightest sound might please him, I clenched my teeth tightly.

I wouldn’t make a single sound.

Outside, unaware of what was happening in the drawing room, Jeremy glanced back toward the window and raised his hand in farewell.

Ah.

So that was why he had dragged me here.

Realizing his intent—to humiliate me as punishment for overstepping—I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood.

At least… from Jeremy’s angle, he wouldn’t be able to see my husband behind me.

That much was a small mercy.

“Go on. Wave goodbye to your dear friend.”

My husband forced one of my arms up.

Suppressing the sounds threatening to escape, I waved back, forcing myself to appear composed.

“When I’m not around, what do you talk about? Did he tell you to divorce me and run off to the Reyal Theocracy? That friend of yours—so innocent on the surface, yet bold enough to approach a married woman. Is that how royalty behaves? I wouldn’t know—I come from the gutter, after all.”

“Don’t speak carelessly.”

“So what did you say? Did you nod along, ready to leave at once?”

“…I didn’t…”

“What a shame. You can’t go anywhere except by my side. Wherever you run, I’ll follow you to the end. Whether it’s hell… or heaven.”

Only when Jeremy had completely disappeared from view did my husband finally release me.

Smack!

Overwhelmed with humiliation, I turned and struck him across the face with all my strength.

He could have dodged it. He could have stopped me.

But he didn’t.

He simply took the blow.

“Bastard.”

I didn’t cry over something like this.

Crying in front of him would have been humiliating.

The hand that had struck him for the first time in my life throbbed, tingling with pain. Perhaps I had hit him wrong with the ring I was wearing—his lip had split, and he wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.

Those calm, blue eyes remained fixed on me.

As if he had done nothing wrong.

He didn’t avert his gaze, not even for a moment.

I bit down on my own lip to endure the humiliation, while he bled from the blow I had given him.

Both of us stood there with blood staining our lips, glaring at each other like we might tear one another apart.