Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Marianne seemed to have seen too many strange things today.

“What was that?”

The Duke of Sentoren, known as the Cold Blooded Duke, was smiling at his wife. They walked as one, and hugged each other affectionately. It seemed like they had no intention of staying long from the beginning. Marianne didn’t even care. Marianne found Lionel’s change as strange as Riv’s.

“Lionel… How could that cold blooded man laugh like that? Really?”

Why were those two happy? How were they able to look at each other and smile? He was her ex-fiancé, (abandoned by Marianne), and the ugly maid she wanted to kill. Why were they happy? Marianne couldn’t understand.

“Why did Princess Marianne call the Duke and Duchess of Sentoren?”

“Does she really want to interfere with their marriage?”

The noble women who watched the commotion in the break room gossiped. They seemed to look at Marianne strangely.

‘Why are you looking at me like that? What did I do?’

Marianne couldn’t stand the gazes, so she ran out of the palace and hid in the garden. She was only relieved after she avoided the gaze of others. Those in the garden who didn’t see Marianne hiding behind a tree chatted.

“Isn’t Princess Marianne really strange? Madame Katana, no, Duchess Sentoren, didn’t she seem envious of the Duchess of Sentoren?”

“No way.”

They then stopped talking about Marianne and chatted about the Duke and Duchess of Sentoren.

“Have you seen the Duke and Duchess of Sentoren before?”

“They said they left before I arrived. What a shame. Why did they leave so early?”

“They said someone spilled wine on the Duchess’ dress. It was a beautiful and delicate dress, and Madame Ezerca said it was made without following the trends.”

Everyone considered the Duke and his wife to be a well-matched pair. They talked for a long time about how romantic they were and how happy they looked.

‘Why is the main character Riv and not me? Why?’

Why did Riv get more attention and not her? After a while, Marianne went to visit the Queen. As she looked down at the banquet hall, the Queen looked dignified, befitting of her status. She didn’t look behind her even when she knew that Marianne had come.

“Marianne, your groom candidates are waiting for you. Don’t be vulgar and childish.”

“Mother, I don’t feel good right now.”

“Don’t worry about Madame Katana. Just do your role. Riv, that b*tch, is a Duchess at best.”

She said this even though the Queen had tried to make Princess Marianne a Duchess.

“You will become the queen of another country. Don’t dwell on past relationships.”

Queen Selina said no more. Marianne’s maid whispered to her.

“If you dance, you might feel better.”

“…”

“Forget about Riv. Today’s star is Princess Marianne.”

At the words of her maid, Marianne danced with the men who wanted to be her fiancé. Tomorrow, her fiancé candidates would come. And soon, Marianne’s new husband would also be decided. The first day of the Royal Ball was successful. The quarrel with the Duke and Duchess of Sentoren was soon forgotten. Still, Marianne’s resentment was not resolved.

‘Why why why!’

Marianne thought she was the happiest woman in the world until she saw Riv. She seemed to have fallen into the abyss of misery now, and she could not stand it. Late at night, as she came back to her room, Marianne was tearing her hair out and screaming.

“Riv, Riv, I want to kill that girl! Aaaah!”

***

In the carriage, Riv patted the nape of her neck. She became nervous when she couldn’t find her mother’s necklace

“What’s the matter?”

When Lionel asked, Riv struggled to smile.

“I have a necklace that I wear often.”

“Come to think of it, you touch that necklace a lot.”

“It’s a habit.”

Riv patted her neck repeatedly as time passed. Lionel spoke to divert her attention.

“There is a woman’s portrait in the pendant.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Who is it?”

Riv’s fingers, which had been moving nervously, stopped. She tried to smile.

“That was my mother.”

“Mother?”

Lionel was genuinely curious. Investigations revealed that Riv’s mother died shortly after Riv was born. Riv couldn’t have remembered her mother.

“She seemed to be blonde.”

“Yes. And I have black hair. They said that my hair and eyes do not resemble my mother at all.”

Riv self-deprecated.

“I’m really ugly compared to my mother.”

Lionel recalled the portrait in the pendant. Although the portrait was too small to see properly, Riv and the woman had something in common.

“She looks pretty similar to you.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Your facial features and atmosphere are similar.”

Riv smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Lionel.

Riv took a deep breath and then looked back at the palace. The carriage was moving away from the palace at a quick speed.

“I don’t want to worry about Marianne and Queen Selina anymore. I won’t let them rule my life.”

It was like she was brainwashing herself. Lionel didn’t like Marianne, who was dominating Riv’s head at this moment. He wished to be the only one in his wife’s mind.

“Riv.”

Lionel moved to Riv’s side and pushed her. Due to his size, Riv’s body was pressed against the door.

“W-Why are you like this all of a sudden? I’m cramped.”

“Bear with it.”

They were in a wide carriage, but due to Lionel’s large size, it was crowded because his arms and legs were spread wide.

Lionel continued to push her into a corner like a child.

“Lionel, stop pushing. Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“Why do you think of others aside from me?”

“What?”

Indeed, Riv seemed to have momentarily forgotten Marianne.

“Stay still.”

Lionel enjoyed holding Riv’s body with his arms wrapped around her waist. The sound of Riv’s heart fluttering in her chest was particularly loud.

“What are you doing now, Lionel?

“What do you think I am doing?”

Lionel’s head rested on her shoulder, and he pretended to be sleepy. His weight pressed on one side of Riv’s body.

“Lionel, are you already sleeping? I think you’re going to fall.”

Riv repositioned his head that was about to slide off her shoulder. Lionel closed his eyes and felt her gaze. Riv’s playful hands touched and stroked his short hair.

“My husband.”

Riv looked down at Lionel and muttered to herself.

“Thank you. I won’t think of Marianne anymore.”

Riv stroked his hair again.

“I want this moment to last forever, Lionel. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, no, years, decades.”

Riv sighed.

“Why am I forgetting? That I am living in a fleeting moment.”

Lionel wanted to ask Riv what her words meant. But he stopped when he heard what she said next.

“I want you to be happy without me. But if you were happy without me, I think I would both be depressed.”

Her grumbling was somewhat strange.

“Because you are more than Marianne and I deserve.”

With those words, Riv closed her mouth. Lionel leaned on her for a few more minutes before pretending to wake up. He did so because Riv had been swallowing a groan for a while. Her body had a cramp. Lionel lightly massaged Riv’s stiff shoulders, pretending to have noticed her discomfort.

“Riv?”

“Yes.”

Lionel criticized Riv as he lifted his head from her shoulder.

“You look uncomfortable. You should have woken me up if you had a cramp.”

“Ummm. You slept so soundly I couldn’t wake you up.”

Riv groaned as she felt her numb limbs tingle, and Lionel made her lean against him. He didn’t forget to carefully loosen her stiff shoulders.

“You can sleep now.”

“I can’t sleep. The mansion is getting closer.”

“Home.”

The Duke of Sentoren’s mansion. Their home. Lionel licked Riv’s lips as the words sounded so sweet. With a brief kiss, Riv gently embraced him.

“Why did you kiss me?”

“It’s difficult to do anything else here, but kissing is okay, right?”

The carriage shook and trembled as it ran across a rough road. Lionel sighed as he hugged her.

“It’s quite a long way from the palace to our house. Why don’t we try it in the carriage?”

Riv, who realized what he meant, hit him quickly.

“You, you’re crazy.”

Riv laughed with joy as the carriage swayed again.

“Shall we do it here?”

Lionel’s mischievous hand traced the skin beneath Riv’s dress. Riv whispered.

“We’ll do it when we go back.”

The Duke’s employees, who thought that they would return late at night, widened their eyes when they saw their sudden return. The Duke and Duchess seemed to have only shown their faces at the ball. The lady’s dazzling dress was also stained.

“M-Madame?”

Riv asked for Claudel’s assistance.

“It’s a wine stain, can you remove it, Claudel?”

“I will try.”

Riv carefully took off her dress and gave it to Claudel. She changed into a nightgown and went straight to her husband’s room. Lionel’s low laughter echoed through the hallways of the mansion.