It Feels Like I’m About to be Divorced, But my Husband is My Favorite

Episode 18

‘That guy, he’s just big for his age. Still a child.’

I shook my head as I recalled Alexis running out of the dining room, his eyes reddened.

But honestly, I didn’t have the luxury to worry about Alexis at the moment.

As I walked down the hallway, I replayed my conversation with the duke in my mind.

Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at Anne, who was quietly following me.

“My lady, should I proceed as planned?”

I distinctly remembered her asking me that after subtly pressuring the knight stationed at my door. She’d even asked, with an air of curiosity, whether I liked him.

I had casually nodded, never imagining that Evgenia was planning to recruit a personal guard.

“Wait a minute. What was that knight’s name again?”

Something about it felt oddly familiar, but with my mind muddled from the lingering effects of a cold, I’d brushed it aside.

Later, I’d completely forgotten about it, thinking it wasn’t particularly important.

But then…

The moment I saw the knight standing stiffly outside my door, I froze.

It wasn’t just because I was startled. The name that had felt familiar suddenly came to mind like a bolt of lightning.

“Gressel Fyoun.”

He was the knight who, after Evgenia’s divorce and disappearance, had sacrificed his life to protect her during her uprising.

A mere supporting character among supporting characters, with a role far less significant than Anne’s, it had taken me this long to remember him.

‘What on earth…?’

Suppressing my confusion, I invited Gressel into the room, and he immediately knelt on one knee.

“My lady, please forgive my past disloyalty.”

Not long ago, he’d barely been able to meet my gaze, trembling like an inexperienced knight. Yet today, his demeanor was completely different, and his expression brimmed with solemnity.

At a loss for words, I blinked as he confessed with a tone filled with regret.

“Without truly knowing you, I believed the rumors about you. I was afraid and honestly thought you were someone I never wanted to get close to. When I was assigned to guard your door, I even thought it was bad luck.”

“…”

“Yet despite that, you bestowed upon me an immeasurable favor. I am deeply grateful and promise to serve you with unwavering loyalty, no matter the malicious rumors.”

Though I was still confused and uncertain about the situation, one thing was clear:

‘If I say the wrong thing here, things could go very wrong.’

My instincts, which had guided me so well during investments and had rarely failed, were flaring up again. Whatever this was, it seemed like hitting the jackpot.

“Stand up.”

Unable to maintain the silence, I uttered the safest words I could think of. As if proving his loyalty, Gressel quickly stood upright, ready to follow even the most extreme of orders.

Carefully, I chose my next words.

“If you become my knight, you’ll follow me wherever I go. I’m getting married soon and will be leaving for the north with the Basilian family. Are you okay with leaving the capital?”

“Yes! I have no family, and I came to the capital to earn money for my younger sibling’s treatment. I have no issues leaving.”

His firm response was followed by a slight bite of his lip.

“Honestly, the cost of treatment in the capital has been overwhelming. The thought that my sibling can now receive proper care without financial worry… it feels like a dream.”

Seeing his face twist with emotion as if he were about to cry, I hesitated over what to say. Then, glancing at Anne, Gressel continued.

“The maid said my sibling couldn’t accompany us to the north, claiming it would make them a hostage…”

So, it was Anne who acted.

Wait—what? Hostage?

I nodded reflexively but was shocked that such words had come from Anne, who’d always seemed so gentle.

‘Is he tattling on her to me?’

That’s exactly what it seemed like—an appeal for permission to bring his sibling to the north.

“The cold northern climate isn’t suitable for someone ill. Though her words were harsh, she was ensuring they’d receive care in a safe, comfortable environment. I understand that much.”

…You don’t seem to understand much, though.

“Ah, as expected, you saw right through it. My lady always shows great generosity to those in her circle, but don’t take advantage of that.”

“Of course! I’ll dedicate my life to repaying her kindness.”

…Is this for real?

Watching Anne lecture Gressel about respecting me while he fervently nodded in agreement left me utterly bewildered.

When they finally turned their attention back to me, I furrowed my brow.

“You can leave now.”

I was already worn out by the unexpected developments, unable to properly enjoy the joy of receiving a response to the proposal.

It wasn’t until Gressel saluted and left that I slumped into the sofa, exhausted, catching sight of Anne firmly closing the door behind him.

To gather all the details about a knight in just a week, including leveraging his sibling’s treatment costs to secure his loyalty—that wasn’t something any ordinary maid could pull off.

‘And her lady, Evgenia, must be just as extraordinary.’

I’d thought her a shallow villainess obsessed with the crown prince, but…

“My lady, would you like me to prepare a bath, or would you prefer to rest a little?”

Lost in thought, Anne’s familiar, caring voice broke through as she approached me.

I stared at her before casually asking,

“Anne, don’t you find it strange that I suddenly decided to marry someone other than the crown prince?”

The moment the words left my mouth, my heart pounded in my chest.

Truthfully, when I’d hinted about the engagement with Euclid to Melissa, I’d been more concerned about Anne’s reaction.

Having served Evgenia for so long, she knew her best and might find such a drastic change suspicious.

Unlike my family, to whom I’d offered explanations of hurt pride or disappointment, Anne had only been informed matter-of-factly.

‘I thought she might question me at least once, but…’

Despite having had plenty of opportunities, Anne had shown no such inclination.

Even now, her wide-eyed surprise quickly shifted to calm understanding as she lowered her gaze.

“My lady, I pledged my loyalty to you long ago. Your will is my will, and your success is my greatest wish. I am simply happy to support you in any way I can.”

Anne’s words carried an undeniable sincerity.

Reflecting on it, I’d feared suspicion from her since the beginning. Yet even when I’d claimed partial amnesia, she’d neither pried nor doubted me. She had only been more attentive.

‘She truly trusts Evgenia.’

She was convinced that if Evgenia needed help, she would ask. And so, Anne never questioned my memory gaps or inexplicable actions, choosing instead to give her all in support.

How could someone trust another person so completely?

Could I, knowing so little about Evgenia and Anne’s relationship, maintain this trust?

As if worried her response wasn’t sufficient, Anne added,

“I may not fully understand your intentions, my lady, but I trust you wouldn’t make such a decision lightly. I believe there’s a reason for choosing Duke Rudion.”

…No, it’s just because he’s my favorite.

Though I knew the truth, watching Anne confidently declare her trust in me stirred something inexplicable within.