Chapter 3: Thorny Path (Part 7)

After getting enough rest, she spent her day drawing the scenery outside her window. She idled away the day, and soon darkness fell.

Will he come again today?

Even though they hadn’t shared a bed the previous night, Sophia feared Killian might visit her room again tonight, so she remained tense.

It was late enough that her eyes were starting to close, but Killian didn’t show up. Finally relieved, Sophia lay in bed and had a peaceful sleep.

The next day, at the same time, Sophia waited tensely for Killian again, but fortunately, he didn’t show his face afterward either.

On the third day of him not coming, Sophia was finally able to escape the anxiety and restlessness. However, just because Killian didn’t appear in the bedroom didn’t mean life at the Loden household was easy.

Sophia still struggled with the morning greetings to the Duke and Duchess. She thought it was better not to see the Duke of Loden at all because the Duchess continued to ignore her greetings.

Since she couldn’t reciprocate with hostility, Sophia tried to speak with a smile, but the Duchess just stared at her blankly without responding.

Being ignored once or twice was fine, but being constantly ignored inevitably took a toll on her self-esteem.

At least it’s better than being harassed….

Though she wasn’t happy about it, she decided it was better than being bullied, so she chose to think positively. Perhaps sensing her thoughts, the Duchess changed her strategy.

“Such a pity about Lady Aeri.”

She spoke in a way that was clearly meant for Sophia to hear, turning her insides out. Ignoring her earlier greeting, she spoke in a regretful voice, clearly intended for Sophia to overhear.

Lady Aeri… Wasn’t she the lady the Killian Loden had a crush on?

It was something she could ignore, but being compared to someone else bothered her.

If Killian hadn’t been forced to marry Sophia, he might have married Lady Aeri. So, Sophia felt guilty for inadvertently obstructing someone else’s marriage.

If only my brother hadn’t fought so much!

Her heart felt heavy, and she directed her frustration at Raymond, who had caused this situation. It was because of the rivalry with Marcus that they ended up in this worst-case scenario.

Sophia didn’t resent him just because of her situation. She was angrier because the maids who came with her were also being bullied.

The maids of the Loden household subtly harassed the people from the Dveshi household. They would deliberately drop freshly washed laundry on the floor or accidentally spill food while serving it. In such situations, Sophia was the only one who could protect them.

‘What do you think you’re doing!’

When Sophia shouted, the bullying stopped. The servants returned to their places as if nothing had happened, so Sophia had to keep a vigilant eye on them.

At least the servants were wary of Sophia, but the real problem was the people of the Loden family.

Sophia had to live cautiously in the Loden household, and Marcus was the one who made her most uneasy.

The Duke and Duchess of Loden, even if they disliked her, didn’t show overt hostility, but Marcus glared at her as if he wanted to kill her every time they met in the hallway. Just seeing him walking from the end of the corridor made her breath catch.

Will he harm me?

She worried he might suddenly lash out and grab her by the collar, but strangely, he never laid a finger on her.

She didn’t know the exact reason, but she could guess. Marcus was a man who paid attention to others’ opinions. Since she always moved around with a knight, he probably didn’t dare to touch her.

However, this only applied to Sophia. Marcus occasionally picked fights with the maids or servants of the Dveshi household. Though it wasn’t severe, it was enough to sour Sophia’s mood.

The problem was that when Marcus was involved, she couldn’t help them. So, she could only advise the people from the Dveshi household to be careful, as there weren’t many chances for them to clash with him.

Just as Sophia was adapting to her new life, thinking it might last a little longer, even this routine came to an end. The Duchess of Loden, who had initially been indifferent, began to make her move.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

A week after the wedding, the Duchess suddenly responded to her greeting. Surprised by the unexpected situation, Sophia briefly showed a bewildered expression but quickly composed herself and spoke.

“Thank you for accepting my greeting. I would appreciate it if you continue to do so.”

“That depends on how you behave. I think a week is enough time to adjust, so there’s something you need to do starting today.”

“Something I need to do?”

“Yes. I’ve managed the household, but now it’s your turn. However, since the Dveshi household is incompetent, managing finances would be difficult. I’ll give you a task that suits you.”

Ignoring the Dveshi household, the Duchess stood up. She signaled for Sophia to follow her, leading her down the corridor to a room where she stopped.

“I’ve temporarily stored the work here in the guest room.”

Entering the room, it was filled with handkerchiefs piled high.

“We’ve been short on handkerchiefs embroidered with our family crest lately. Embroidery is a basic skill for a lady, so you can do it, right?”

“You want me to embroider all of these by myself?”

It was clear to anyone that this was a task meant to trouble her. Since the maids didn’t know how to embroider, no one could help her. So, they must have targeted her to embroider the handkerchiefs.

“I’m the only woman in our family. But my wrist has been hurting lately, so I can’t embroider. So, you have to do it, right?”

“Do you really need that many handkerchiefs?”

“Whether I need them or not is for me to decide. So, please do it.”

Sophia maintained a polite demeanor, but the Duchess’s attitude was firm.

“Yes.”

If she refused, she could be accused of being ungrateful, which would disgrace the Dveshi family, so Sophia had no choice but to comply with the Duchess’s instructions.

Having received the desired answer, the Duchess left the room, no longer needing to converse. Listening to the sound of her heels fading away, Sophia blankly stared at the handkerchiefs.

It wasn’t until she regained her senses that she realized she was alone in a room filled with handkerchiefs.

“Sigh.”

With a deep sigh, Sophia sat on the sofa and picked up the embroidery hoop that was already prepared. She had learned it as part of her bridal training, so there was no problem. It was just a large quantity.

“Should I be thankful it’s not a tiger?”

The crest of the Loden family was a lion, so it wasn’t too difficult. Of course, it was more intricate than the bear crest of the Dveshi family, but it was manageable.

Sighing again, Sophia threaded the needle and set it into the embroidery hoop.