Decided To Become A Bad Wife

Chapter 20

Rachel declined her first dinner at the Duke’s mansion, using motion sickness as an excuse. It was as if she already knew that the elaborate meal was part of Rita’s plan to insult the three siblings of the Burke family.

The bride with short pink hair walked confidently into the wedding hall, as though she had known in advance that the red roses decorating the hall were part of Rita’s scheme to humiliate her.

“That was suspicious too…”

Stefan recalled the time when Rachel said she would donate all the pink diamonds from her wedding jewelry.

“Did you know in advance that the pink diamond wouldn’t be used in the wedding ring?”

“How could I have known that?”

“Are you saying you avoided it by sheer luck?”

“If I had donated the wedding ring as well, I would have been worshiped as a saint by the temple. But to you, Your Grace, I would have been branded a wicked wife who sold her wedding ring.”

Had the pink diamond been used in the wedding ring and then donated, it would have posed a significant threat to the validity of the wedding itself.

Even in such a situation, Rachel smiled brightly, and who could believe that it was merely a coincidence?

There were traps lurking everywhere she stepped.

Despite this, Rachel walked gracefully without faltering, as if she knew the location of every snare.

Her secretive dealings with the High Priest and her casual greetings with various guests made her appear as composed as someone having a second wedding.

“Nonsense… I must be overthinking things.”

If Rachel were really going through a second wedding, she wouldn’t have reacted so sensitively to any physical contact.

When their lips met deeply and the heated sensation roamed inside her mouth, she had collapsed helplessly, even dropping her wine glass.

“That was like stealing a country maiden’s first kiss.”

A bitter smile crept onto Stefan’s lips as he recalled the moment.

Just then, he saw Rachel, who looked lonely, standing by the window, waving endlessly at the Burke family’s carriage.

“I wasn’t expecting much from the wedding night, but now I find myself looking forward to it.”

Knock, knock.

Before Stefan could respond, the butler hurried into the study.

“Your Grace, the Duchess Dowager is asking for you.”

“Has she finally awoken? In that case, shouldn’t she be having her meal first?”

“She’s asking for both you and the Duchess.”

“Did you say she’s asking for the Duchess too?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Stefan glanced out the window to spare the butler some trouble.

“The Duchess seems to be seeing off Viscount Burke.”

“Yes, I’ve already sent someone there as well.”

“You knew?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Very well, where is the Duchess Dowager?”

“In her bedroom, Your Grace.”

“I’ll go there.”

The butler’s groaning stopped Stefan in his tracks.

“Speak up, Thomas. Don’t just groan.”

“It’s likely about the wedding night, Your Grace.”

“That matter… has already been settled with the Duchess.”

“Shouldn’t the Duchess be cautioned to keep quiet?”

“…You still don’t trust me, do you?”

Stefan shot the butler a piercing glance with his crimson eyes, and the butler shook his head vigorously.

“It’s not you I’m worried about, Your Grace, it’s the Duchess.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Duchess may have mentioned it unknowingly, but the Duchess Dowager still doesn’t view Finn Brighton kindly. If that name is brought up again, this time it will be the Duchess who is used as bait.”

“……”

Even if it was just a rumor, Rita was reluctant to keep Finn, who was entangled in a scandal with her son, close by. If not for Stefan’s strong opposition, she might have sent Finn far away or even buried him forever.

The butler thought that if Rachel were to bring up the subject again, Finn wouldn’t be the only one to get hurt.

“So please be particularly careful to ensure that the Duchess doesn’t upset the Duchess Dowager, Your Grace.”

“Understood, Thomas. I’ll make sure to warn her.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Stefan looked at the back of the old butler, who bowed respectfully, with a conflicted expression.

‘Thomas makes a valid point, but how much of it can I trust?’

The butler, who had served the Edmond family for three generations, always appeared loyal. However, when problems arose, he would often maintain his neutrality and subtly distance himself.

At times, this made him seem like a bystander or a shrewd opportunist walking a fine line.

Even now, it was the same. It was unclear whether he was genuinely concerned about the Duchess’s safety or about Finn’s fate. Moreover, Stefan couldn’t tell whether the butler was trying to appease him or ingratiate himself with the Duchess Dowager.

While Stefan was lost in thought about the butler’s true intentions, Rachel was already standing in the center of the Duchess Dowager’s bedroom.

—

In Rita’s bedroom, located on the west side of the mansion, the shadows were growing long.

Although Rita had insisted on keeping a west-facing bedroom, wanting to bask in the warmth of the sunlight until late in the evening, the setting sun only seemed more resentful to her as she aged. This was because she felt that her own situation was similar to that of the setting sun.

Despite having woken up late due to the effects of the previous night, Rita was fully aware of everything that had happened in the Duke’s mansion that day.

It seemed she had summoned me to confirm whether the servants’ reports matched what her daughter-in-law would say.

Leaning diagonally on the sofa, Rita didn’t offer me a seat but kept me standing in front of her the whole time.

“You didn’t consummate the marriage last night?”

“I’m sorry, Mother. I drank too much, and I was unable to properly attend to His Grace. So, I requested a postponement of the wedding night.”

“What? The bride dared to refuse her groom on the wedding night?”

Rita vented her anger on the sofa, slapping it repeatedly.

In my previous life, I was terrified by that sound and couldn’t even give proper answers to Rita’s questions. But this time, it would be different.

“I’ve prepared everything for tonight and will attend to His Grace properly, Mother.”

When I said that I would consummate the marriage tonight, Rita’s hand, which had been striking the sofa, froze in mid-air.

“Are you saying that the Duke agreed to this?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“The Duke, who is so busy, has graciously made time for you. You must be grateful and serve him well.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Don’t let out any vulgar moans, don’t get overly excited and cling to the Duke, and don’t take too long to finish.”

“……”

“Don’t even think about climbing on top of the Duke, and to conserve his strength, do not engage in intercourse more than twice in one night. Understood?”

“…Yes, Mother.”

The nausea I had feigned last night now felt all too real. I could hardly bear to look at my mother-in-law’s face as she shamelessly rattled off such humiliating instructions.

When I saw Rita suddenly rise from the sofa, I was overcome with a trembling rage, recalling the mortification I had felt in my previous life. I wanted to break the fingers that had prodded and groped me under the pretense of inspecting for defects.

Barely suppressing the urge to kick her away, I swiftly caught Rita’s hand as she lunged at my chest.

Rita stared at me with a furious expression, shouting in outrage.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I am already His Grace’s wife. No matter who you are, Mother, you cannot touch my body without permission.”

“What? Even though you haven’t consummated the marriage yet?”

“I may not have consummated the marriage, but since we had a legal wedding, I am the Duke’s only legitimate wife.”

“That sounds rather convincing. I don’t know who might have put that idea in your head, but…”

“Your Excellency said this. While having breakfast together this morning, he acknowledged me as the Duchess of Edmond.”

Only then did Rita fall silent. Since her son had said so, she could no longer argue. She released the arm she had been holding, realizing she would no longer be able to lay a hand on me.

But the sneer on Rita’s lips was chilling.

“Then take it off.”

“Pardon?”

“As you said, I won’t touch you. But I need to confirm something with my own eyes, so take off your clothes at once.”

“……”

Rita was a villain, both then and now. In that case, I needed to respond even more firmly this time.

“You have no need to confirm my naked body, Mother.”

“What?”

“Though it didn’t go all the way, His Excellency already confirmed it last night.”

“What do you mean he ‘confirmed’ it? How, exactly?”

“Do you wish for me to be specific?”

“Yes.”

Taking a deep breath, I looked at Rita with a calm expression and a straight posture.

“His Excellency saw and touched my naked body with his own hands.”

Last night, I had been wearing a slip that was sheer enough to reveal everything, so he must have seen everything.

And though it was brief, his hand had grasped my chest, so I could say that he had touched me.

At my words, Rita’s face turned as red as if she had swallowed fire. For the first time in her life, she even stuttered.

“And yet… y-yet you didn’t… go all the way?”

“I couldn’t bear your Excellency’s touch any longer.”

“why… Why… Can’t you stand it?”