Chapter 11

“It was my father and brother who wanted this marriage, not me!”

“You lie so easily. Is this what they taught you in your bridal training?”

Edward didn’t believe a single word I said.

I expected as much, but hearing him say it outright made the tears that had been trickling down spill all at once.

“Ah…! Please, believe me. I was used by my father and brother too.”

“You vulgar Scarlett!”

As soon as he saw my tears and heard my plea, Edward exploded in fury.

‘Vulgar Scarlett…’

The hellish curse of Scarlett still haunted me.

In Edward’s eyes, I was nothing but a vulgar daughter of the House of Scarlett.

“Why do you look vulgar to me now? Don’t you think you’re so shameless? Were you so desperate for the mistress’s seat at Winderton that you begged the emperor for it, and then laughed along with your father and brother over this marriage?”

“No! I said no! Why won’t you believe me?”

I had never seen Edward like this before.

He was always composed, rational. But now, seeing him driven by raw emotion, I was left speechless.

All I could do was cry.

“Is this just another way to get my attention? I bet the Duke of Scarlett put you up to this.”

“Y-Your Grace.”

“Too bad. I have absolutely no interest in you. I’d suggest you get your hands on some aphrodisiac instead.”

“Wh-what kind of person do you think I am? I would never stoop to something so shameless!”

Talking to Edward felt like shouting at a brick wall.

“You’d be better off seducing me with your body, Lirie.”

He growled like a wild beast.

It was the first time he had ever said my name, and yet it was in a moment like this—my heart clenched painfully.

The moment he finished speaking, Edward suddenly stepped closer.

Then he tried to press his lips to my pale neck.

“What are you doing!”

Startled by his behavior, I shoved hard against his chest.

“You know just as well as I do—your body is pretty tempting. If you do your best to seduce me, who knows? Maybe I’d give in and embrace you once.”

At some point, Edward began speaking to me in banmal, completely shedding any semblance of respect.

It seemed to be his way of venting his anger.

“You’re being rude and vulgar, Duke Edward Winderton! No matter how angry you are, there are things you should and shouldn’t say. I can’t believe you’d insult me like this!”

Shame burned on my face.

“Are you embarrassed? Then go ahead and slap me right now.”

My hand trembled, ready to strike him across the face, but I couldn’t do it.

His humiliating and disgraceful words wrapped around me, mocking me, yet I couldn’t bring myself to act.

“I’m not like you, Your Grace. If you like Lady Kidman so much, take her as your second wife. Let her bear your heirs. I won’t care one bit.”

I couldn’t just stand there and take it.

So I said the name I never wanted to utter—Sasha.

It was my last shred of pride.

“If that’s what you’re saying, I’ll think about it. I do hope you remember those words.”

Edward’s voice dripped with mockery.

“Please do. Let me know when you decide. Since all I got from the House of Scarlett was bridal training, I can play the benevolent mistress with my eyes closed.”

I stared at him wide-eyed, refusing to crumble at his words.

Edward burst into laughter at the sight of me barely holding myself together.

Unlike my trembling eyes, he was composed, relaxed.

“Understood, benevolent mistress.”

His crude demeanor vanished, replaced by the perfect image of the Duke of Winderton once more.

With lips too beautiful for someone so cruel, Edward kissed my sky-blue hair and walked away.

“Y-you bastard…”

I cursed at his retreating figure with words I never imagined myself saying.

“Why, why… won’t you believe me? If you’d just listen to me once, just once, I’d tell you everything…”

I trembled as I clutched the hem of my dress.

Just once—if only he’d believe in me.

I could understand his heart, at least a little.

Still, if he would trust me even once, I would have told him everything and stood by his side.

Suddenly, memories of the day I first met Edward came back to me.

‘He was someone so different from me…’

Maybe it started that very day.

Edward was so different from me.

While I lived under oppression at home, he was free and confident.

Unlike me, he could show his talents to the world and earn fame.

I envied him.

I resented him.

But as time passed, my feelings changed.

‘It was from that moment… when I started watching Edward, hoping to be by his side even as I was hurt by his actions.’

Maybe I was drawn to him from the start.

‘Even if I had known what those feelings meant back then, nothing would have changed.’

What I felt for Edward was certain. Anyone who heard would say the same.

“I love Edward…”

Love.

It was a word that should neither exist nor be spoken between Edward and me.

And yet, I was ashamed to feel it.

In a political marriage, I knew better than anyone how useless love was.

‘A person’s heart… maybe it can’t be helped.’

No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop your feelings.

I knew that well.

Just the fact that I had spoken that soft, beautiful word—a word I swore never to say—was already agonizing.

‘What exactly is it about Edward that I fell in love with? His handsome looks? The fact that he’s the perfect head of a household, admired by everyone?’

Saying it was simply because he was different from me wasn’t enough to explain it.

Even I didn’t know the reason my feelings had begun.

‘Because I had never received love before.’

I was drifting into painful memories when I forced myself to pull my thoughts back together.

“I’ll get over it soon. I’ve always known my place.

So I can choose not to love him.”

I brushed the leaves off my dress, straightened myself, and left the garden.

Then I walked into that hellish manor with confident steps, as if nothing had happened.

***

If there was any silver lining, it was that I hadn’t seen Edward in the days since.

According to Betty, something urgent had come up with a provincial business, so he had left the capital for a while.

As for the downside—without Edward, the entire Winderton estate moved under Lady Eteil’s command.

Even though I clearly held the title of duchess, I had no authority.

Since Edward hadn’t acknowledged me even after our marriage, I hadn’t been entrusted with a single responsibility expected of the mistress.

Naturally, it was Lady Eteil who handled all the duties of the household.

“Oh my! Sasha, how is it that you’re even skilled in managing the estate?”

“You flatter me, Mother. I suppose since I’ve been working with Edward on the hotel business, I’ve naturally come to understand how domestic management works as well.”

“Truly… Sasha, you’re such a perfect lady. Whoever ends up with you is surely blessed.”

There were three people in the room, yet Lady Eteil and Sasha spoke as if only the two of them existed.

They didn’t ask me a single question about the household, but they eagerly discussed its affairs with Sasha, who was nothing more than an outsider.

“I’m sure Her Grace the Duchess is knowledgeable about such things too, right?”

Not that I had any desire to be drawn into it.

But Sasha directed the question at me, though I had remained silent the entire time.

“…It’s a basic education for noble daughters.”

I answered just enough not to give her anything to criticize.

“As expected of Lady Scarlett. Honestly, my family—the Count of Kidman—isn’t as prominent as the House of Winderton or the House of Scarlett, so I never had the chance to learn properly.”

“…Is that so?”

I lowered my brows slightly.

Sasha spoke with eyes full of sadness, and I didn’t know how to respond.

It’s unfortunate to lack education.

But it would have been ridiculous for me to try to console her.

Why is she even saying all this?

Sasha clearly knew I had no allies in the Winderton estate.

Maybe that’s why her behavior toward me had become increasingly disrespectful.

It felt unnatural.

There was no way this was normal by any standard, and all I could do was let out a hollow laugh.

Did she choose today just to torment me?