Chapter 35

“She’s knocked out already.”

Alberto carried Rabiana, who had passed out after just one glass of whiskey, up the stairs.

At least she didn’t have any bad drinking habits. He had seen women he’d been introduced to turn into complete wrecks after a few drinks. Compared to them, Rabiana was an angel—quietly dozing off, breathing softly.

After laying her on the bed, Alberto pulled the blanket up to her neck. He switched off all the lights in the room and quietly shut the door behind him.

***

“The price spike in the South is a problem, but the East isn’t doing any better.”

“The East is my turf. I’m on decent terms with the lord over there.”

“Then you handle lowering the prices. Next up…”

Alberto began discussing regulating the rates that were disrupting the market economy.

Most agricultural goods from the South came from lands owned by Lawrence Carter, but the East and West regions were different. Other commodities from those regions were also experiencing price hikes.

Before the Selden family’s downfall, they had rivaled the Carter family in power. But overnight, their positions flipped. These days, even mentioning the Selden name brought a somber mood.

They had lost their head of house, and the heir was taken in by the Carters—it wasn’t hard to understand why people grew quiet. Because of that, the Carter domain had been expanding steadily with each passing year.

Strange.

Something didn’t sit right with Alberto. The Carter family had gained from the Seldens’ tragedy. But to say it was a full advantage was questionable—they had also housed a blind girl, Rabiana, for ten years, which surely incurred its own costs.

Still, Alberto pushed away the unease. Maybe he was just being overly sensitive.

By the time they wrapped up the conversation, night had fallen. Having sat rigidly the whole time, focused on their discussion, Alberto tilted his head back. Crack. A sharp pop came from his neck.

“Ah. Time for the boys to show up.”

Lex stretched with a yawn as he checked the alarm clock. By “the boys,” he meant the rowdy, indulgent nobles he often partied with. Alberto’s brow furrowed; that filthy crowd was the last thing he wanted to mingle with.

***

She had known, of course.

Alberto held her only out of obligation. There were no feelings in the act, and since she didn’t know his personal tastes, all sorts of thoughts crossed her mind.

What kind of woman did he like? He was occasionally kind even to someone like her—how tender would he be to a woman he gave his whole heart to?

While she was thinking that, the door opened.

Rabiana closed her eyes, feigning sleep. The only person who would come to this room was Alberto.

Why has he come?

He should be downstairs, drinking with the women…

Footsteps approached, then stopped abruptly.

The gaze that settled over her face was hard to endure; her lashes trembled.

“My Lady.”

“…”

“I know you’re awake.”

How did he know?

Since she’d been found out, pretending to sleep felt pointless. Rabiana opened her eyes. Moonlight showed only a dark outline, but the fact it was Alberto kept the fear at bay.

“When did you wake?”

Alberto climbed onto the bed. The mattress dipped under his knees. Rabiana felt the weight vividly.

With nothing to say, she lay still—until Alberto grasped her chin.

Slowly he leaned closer. The sudden waft of alcohol made her head spin.

Just as Alberto tilted her chin, Rabiana hurriedly caught his wrist.

“Why?”

His low, rough voice asked for a reason.

“You… smell like alcohol.”

“You do as well.”

That wasn’t the real reason, so Rabiana fell silent.

Alberto had been drinking and reveling with other women; the moment he returned to the bedroom, he came straight for her.

It didn’t feel good at all—made her feel like a mere substitute.

Perhaps he had restrained himself downstairs, mindful of gossip.

But to rush in afterward and try to kiss her… it felt as if she were just a doll to satisfy his desire, and she hated it.

Alberto wasn’t drawn to her.

Rabiana knew that. And feeling this way felt strange to her. They were husband and wife, and being intimate when either of them wished was natural. She had no right to interfere in his personal life.

“I don’t care who you see.”

Maybe… maybe that was what Alberto really wanted to hear.

“I…”

Alberto’s breath scattered over her lips.

“Are you still afraid of me?”

They were thinking completely different things.

Rabiana, lost in emotions close to jealousy—completely forgetting how afraid she had once been—kept her lips tightly sealed.

Was she afraid of him?

She didn’t know.

Back when she heard him talking to Bianca, she’d been so frightened that she hid in a wardrobe. Back then, Alberto had felt like a grim reaper—like a killer who took lives.

And yet… she trusted him. Because at least to her, he had been kind.

Whether that kindness was real or not didn’t matter.

What he’d given her was too valuable—so much so that Rabiana was willing to endure a little fear.

“…I’m not afraid.”

“Then why.”

“…I don’t want to say.”

Saying it out loud would make her seem petty—and more than that, it would be overstepping.

‘It’s unpleasant… that you drank with other women and then came to sleep with me.’

If she said that, Alberto would surely scoff and say:

‘That’s what you’re here for. Don’t talk back—just bear my child.’

Even though he hadn’t said it, the words echoed in her mind like he had.

Rabiana shook her head slightly, trying to drive the thought away.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No.”

“Do you want to break the promise we made?”

“…No.”

Being too honest can be a poison. Rabiana regretted not using the excuse of feeling unwell instead.

Alberto buried his nose in her neck. His smooth nose parted her hair and touched her pale skin.

His chest rose and fell as he drew in a deep breath.

It tickled. Feeling at a loss, Rabiana clenched her fists tightly.

“You have to say it for me to know.”

Alberto seemed drunk. His lower body, unusually pinning her down, felt intrusive. The occasional scent of alcohol on his breath was enough to fog even Rabiana’s clear head.

Gripping and releasing the sheet with her toes, Rabiana slowly spoke.

“If you want to see someone else… you can.”

Alberto’s body instantly tensed. The reaction struck too close to the mark, and Rabiana felt her heart go cold.

“If it’s another woman you want to hold instead of me—mmph!”

Alberto’s lips crashed into hers before she could finish. His tongue forced its way in, pushing deep inside. Startled, her tongue tried to escape, but he caught it, pressing and rubbing his against hers with brutal force.

The kiss was violent and rough, yet all too familiar. Rabiana panted, unable to breathe.

Her hands, which had been pushing against his shoulders, were grabbed and pinned tightly to the bed. His weight pressing down on her made it impossible to push him off.

“Hn, mm…”

Her voice began to carry a faint nasal moan as her body flushed with heat.

Alberto’s tongue, which had been softly scraping against her tender inner mouth, suddenly withdrew.

As Rabiana gasped and exhaled a ragged breath, Alberto sucked hard on her lower lip before letting go, breathing heavily.

His green eyes, revealed beneath half-lifted lids, fixed on her. Forcing her gaze to meet his, Alberto looked faintly irritated.

“Who’s the other woman?”

“…….”

“Do you know how you look right now?”

He rubbed his thumb over her prominent collarbone. Rabiana flinched at the heat that climbed up her spine.

“You’re acting just like a jealous wife.”