I Returned as the Obsessive Duke’s Wife Once Again

Chapter 2 – Part 4

“In a few moments, the wedding of Duke Raphael and Lady Kristin will begin shortly,”

The High Priest who was in charge of the Grace Hall said in a loud voice to all the nobles gathered in the Grace Hall.

He officiated at every wedding in the Grace Hall, and as his distinctive deep, bass voice filled the hall, the tumultuous room was suddenly silent.

Then he spoke.

“It is said that if a couple is married in Grace Hall, will be blessed with eternal happiness. Please, may our Duke Raphael Rodney and Lady Kristin Edith will live happily ever after.”

“Is their marriage even genuine?”

“I can’t understand why Duke Raphael would marry Kristin from a mere Edith family.”

“Maybe it’s time for Edith to get in line, I didn’t think the family of Edith would ever shine again after the death of the former Viscountess Elesia, and with Lady Rose Veronica and Elena being such a mess.”

As the High Priest continued the wedding proceedings, various nobles behind their fans muttered comments amongst themselves.

More than half the whispered remarks were about how the two did not suit each other, and that Duke Raphael must have lost his mind.

Kristin had expected such reactions. Even before the wedding, sharp criticisms had been following her wherever she went.

Yet, their words did not shake her resolve. No matter how many ripples one may stir in a still lake, the waves would not last long. After all, this wedding would not be happening.

So she had no desire to be wounded by the hurtful words of others.

“My Lady.”

“Yes.”

Two maids assisting Kristin with her wedding dress slowly spoke to her again.

“Now it’s your turn to walk down the aisle, and when the lights go out and come back again, it’s time for you to make your entrance, My Lady, and I’m sure your life will be brightly lit as well. Congratulations.”

With that, one of the maids handed Kristin a bouquet of white lilies.

Kristin smiled at the maids and asked, “Thank you. But, what should I do?”

“Pardon?”

One of the maids, taken aback by Kristin’s words, asked her again.

“I don’t understand what you mean. Is there a problem?”

“It’s just… the wedding, you see. Anyway, thank you for your hard work.”

Without another word, Kristin rose from her seat. She checked her reflection in the full-length mirror.
Her wavy red hair, falling to her waist, adorned with a tiara studded with blue rubies, shimmered brightly.

Due to the makeup, there was a slight pink blush on her cheeks, making her look like a shy bride about to be married.

There was nothing wrong with her appearance. She planned to dramatically exit the hall, not to go through with the wedding.

No matter the outcome, she was determined not to complete the wedding ceremony.

“I may not fully understand your troubled heart My Lady, but I’ve heard that even brides who didn’t want the wedding in the first place end up living happily after taking their vows.”

“They say that those who marry at Grace Hall are blessed by the divine and live wonderfully.”

But Kristin could only manage a bitter smile at those words.

If that were true, she should have been happily married to Raphael Rodney.

She should have spent the rest of her life being loved by him and loving him back.

But, that didn’t happen.

In the end, she faced death.

Kristin recalled the experience of falling into the cold sea.

She shivered slightly as she felt the chill return, like an awl stabbing through her body, and tightened her grip on the bouquet.

“You may proceed now, My Lady.”

“Thank you.”

With the help of her maids, Kristin stood carefully in front of the wide-open door. As she stood in the doorway, bright lights flooded her eyes.

It was early morning, so the bright sunlight and dozens of candles provided a radiant glow, making the chandelier shine even more elegantly.

It was a dazzling sight, and Kristin’s gaze fell to the carpeted floor before she looked ahead.

The nobles rose from their seats and applauded as Kristin entered.

And the two people who immediately caught her eyes were her childhood playmates, the Marquis of Winston, and the familiar face of Beatrice Charlotte, the Baroness.

Since they were on her side, Kristin gave them a small greeting.

The Marquis of Winston responded by removing his hat and giving her a nod, his eyes already reddened.

He must have spent the night sleepless until the wedding.

But Kristin could not know his true feelings.

She had always assumed that Winston was only nice to her because he was her playmate.

“Kristin, I hope you’ll be happy.”

“My dear Kristin is getting married. Please, you must live well.”

Upon seeing their faces, Kristin looked ahead again, towards Raphael, who was waiting for her at the altar.

* * *

Raphael was lost in thought as he looked at Kristin.

It was the fall before he married Kristin.

The fall of September.

That was when Raphael experienced something he would never wish to encounter again

He had been killed by someone just as he was about to go to the scene to confirm Kristin’s death and fulfill his final duties as her husband.

Just when he thought it was all over, he found himself waking up in a soft bed.

Checking the calendar, he realized it was the day before he had sent the proposal letter to Kristin.

So, to put it another way, the moment he woke up, it meant not only Kristin had returned to life, but also Raphael himself was alive.

Raphael could feel every sensation from his fingertips as he got up from the bed.

As he was about to be pushed off the cliff, he had sensed the gaze of not just one, but several people watching over the edge.

That meant the one who killed him and Kristin might not have been a single individual.

But their faces were not clear in his mind, so Raphael had to set a trap to find them.

The trap he chose was Kristin Edith.

He had more than enough reason to propose to her – in their previous life, she had accepted his proposal as well. She wouldn’t feel uncomfortable being used by him.

He could also use her to probe the Marquis of Winston’s feelings, but he was confident that if he married her again, the criminals would surely come near him.

Other nobles had lamented why he had to marry Kristin Edith, the daughter of a family that was all but ruined.

It was a marriage that did not seem to fit at all, regardless of social class.

Yet, Raphael had gone through with the wedding out of a sense of curiosity.

What could it be about her that attracted the Marquis of Winston Zenon so much and cared for her so deeply?

What kind of person was Kristin, who was infamous within the empire?

Why did she show up to the debutante ball alone and walk around leisurely, not meeting anyone as rumored?

Strangely, his curiosity about her continued.

Was it because, being the daughter of an insignificant Viscount’s house, she was trying to cling to the last bit of her pride?

Or was it because she was desperately seeking marriage to escape from her stepmother and stepsister?

If that was the case, he was more than willing to take advantage of her desires.

After all, even if he married Kristin, he could simply divorce her later without any consequences.

He was certain Kristin, a mere daughter of Viscount, would not dare refuse a Duke like himself.

‘What an interesting turn of events. I’ve gained two playthings now.’

And so, he had hastened the wedding with Kristin.

The reason for delaying it for about a year after the debutante ball was to find the right timing.

It seemed more interesting to surprise everyone at the right time.

Moreover, if he told her on their wedding day that he did not marry her out of love, he could only imagine the panicked expression on her face as she looked at him. The thought alone gave him a peculiar sense of satisfaction.

Strangely, he found more amusement in toying with Kristin than any other noble lady.

At the time, Raphael thought his mind was playing tricks on him.

He felt that Winston and Kristin were the appropriate playthings to soothe him amid his free life.

But now that he had returned from his death, his heart had changed slightly.

He couldn’t say exactly what it was, but when he saw Kristin walking down the aisle in her gown, her round eyes shining, he felt like he was dreaming.

Kristin was a far more beautiful woman than he had remembered. Her appearance was much more confident than before. There was no hesitation in her walking and in the gaze she cast upon him.

Why had he not seen this side of Kristin the previous year?

Even his heart, which had not fluttered for anyone before, was now stirring.

In the past, Kristin had openly expressed her feelings towards him without any embarrassment.

On the day they got married, she confessed with a shy face that she loved him a lot.

However, Raphael had brought about an inexplicable sense of betrayal towards Kristin.

He even had a fleeting thought that his mistreatment of Kristin was the reason he had been killed.

‘This is absurd. A person cannot change so drastically overnight. It was remarkable that she had torn up the proposal letter I sent, rejecting me so clearly. But here she is, standing before me now.’

That was enough. After all, his fickle heart would likely change again in an instant, no matter how differently Kristin appeared.

Gradually, the Duke reached out to Kristin, who was approaching.