My Husband Married My Stepmother

“I will send the divorce papers.”

 

Even with Winston’s indifferent announcement, Tilda kept staring at the blue sky outside the window.

 

Seeing her reaction, Winston chuckled.

 

“You don’t even ask for the reasons.”

 

Azure eyes slowly shifted toward Winston.

 

“Because I expected it.”

 

Rumors about him hiring a legal team and going in and out of court had reached Tilda’s ears a month ago.

 

It wouldn’t be surprising if he announced the divorce at some point. 

 

Winston said, extinguishing the cigar he was smoking in the ashtray.

 

“And I will remarry right away.”

 

Despite the shocking announcement, Tilda just blinked without much reaction. 

 

She noticed Winston’s eyebrows twitching ever so slightly.

 

“She’s a very warm woman, unlike you.”

 

“….”

 

“She’s exceptional and knows how to honor her husband.”

 

Listening to such provocative words, Tilda raised her gaze to look at him.

 

“That’s good.”

 

“Ha!” Winston gave a bitter laugh.

 

Ignoring his cold gaze, Tilda stood up from her seat.

 

“I’ll be at Duke Belmont’s estate. Send the divorce papers there when they’re ready.”

 

Leaning loosely against the back of the sofa, Winston glanced at Tilda with a crooked look.

 

“Pretending to be aloof until the end—how chilling.”

 

“….”

 

“Do you know how much I spent to bring you here? Then you shouldn’t treat me like this.”

 

Despite the sarcastic reproach, Tilda neither flinched nor grimaced. Whether she was used to it or not, she just accepted his anger.

 

“The only reason you can act so high and mighty is because that damn Valinnea family supports you, right?” 

 

“Don’t bring the Valinnea family into this.”

 

For a moment, a chill passed through Tilda’s eyes.

 

The Valinnea family was a sacred lineage to which Tilda’s biological mother belonged.

 

Throughout generations, the sacred Valinnea family produced a Holy Father and protected the Empire from the monsters with their immense divine power bestowed as a gift from the goddess.

 

In addition, the Valinnea family was practically at the top of the pyramid of power, with the authority to appoint any emperor.

 

Despite this immense power, it had nothing to do with Tilda.

 

Upon her birth mother’s death, Tilda became the adopted daughter of her maternal grandfather, the Holy Father, and became his successor. However, her grandfather disparaged Tilda, and the succession was held temporarily until a suitable heir appeared.

 

As Tilda turned away, Winston spoke.

 

“You don’t ask who I would remarry.”

 

As the chilling question thrust behind her, Tilda opened her lips.

 

“I’m not curious.”

 

Winston glared at Tilda.

 

“Let’s see how long you can maintain that arrogant face.”

 

━━━━━ ∙ʚ(✧)ɞ∙ ━━━━━

 

Right after concluding the conversation with Winston, Tilda packed her belongings. The belongings were so few that it was hard to believe they belonged to a countess.

 

There wasn’t even a servant accompanying her. Everyone seemed to have foreseen her fate, only giving her sympathetic looks.

 

In the end, the one who accompanied the loaded carriage was an escort who was still paid by her husband.

 

Leaning against the window, Tilda silently watched the passing scenery outside. The abundant flowers swayed in the spring breeze, but she couldn’t feel their beauty.

 

Her world seemed colorless.

 

That’s why she could remain indifferent to the fact that her husband had another woman, even though she felt different inside.

 

How could her husband—no one else—belittle her like that and announce a one-sided divorce?

 

If she didn’t try her best to ignore it, she wouldn’t be able to endure it.

 

After all, he was her husband, and divorce was a rare occurrence in the empire. If she divorced him, there would be a commotion around her for a while. People would probably look at her as if she were a spectacle.

 

And perhaps she knew it would turn out this way. He considered her nothing more or less than a rare and expensive trophy.

 

Still, Tilda had no choice but to accept the marriage at that time.

 

The Belmont duchy, her father’s family, was facing a severe financial crisis due to an unprecedented drought in their territory, and Winston, who was making a lot of money at the time, wanted her.

 

Winston Nockilla.

 

At one point, he was a country lad, blushing as he extended a wedding ring—even if it was a transactional marriage, as if buying her from her family.

 

And during the marriage, he shattered her self-esteem and trampled on her soul.

 

That’s why she later hated Winston to the point of wishing for his death. Now, she didn’t even have any emotions left for him. The small ship that had weathered many storms in the vast and turbulent sea was now so battered that it awaited sinking.

 

Tilda let out a low sigh.

 

At that moment, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.

 

“…What’s going on?”

 

Tilda leaned forward, looking outside. People crowded the streets like ominous clouds, making a fuss.

 

In the center, a man was grabbing a woman by her hair—her face showed dark and bluish marks.

 

“How dare you try to escape!”

 

The man was well-known. 

 

He was Viscount Douglas. 

 

He was a nouveau riche who boarded the carriage of golden industrial development and became a noble through money.

 

His lack of refinement, which couldn’t catch up with his wealth, always caused a commotion in high society. Even Tilda, who had little interest in social circles, had heard how much of a scoundrel he was.

 

And this time, it seemed like he had come to catch his wife trying to escape from his violence, like catching a runaway dog.

 

Tilda’s fine brows furrowed slightly.

 

‘Why are all men like that?’

 

Just then, the guard opened the carriage window and said, 

 

“It seems we might have to turn back due to the road being blocked.”

 

Without answering him, Tilda watched as the hand of Viscount Douglas stretched high towards his wife.

 

“Madam…?”

 

“Can you stop that man?”

 

Before the guard could make an awkward expression, Tilda held out the ring she had on her left ring finger.

 

It was a ring with a thick blue diamond embedded in it. 

 

Although she had received it as an engagement ring from Winston, it was now something she no longer needed.

 

The guard accepted the ring hastily, and, following Tilda’s request, he navigated through the crowd, approaching Viscount Douglas.

 

The guard stood in front of the viscount with a stern expression and shouted, 

 

“That’s enough, Milord. Many eyes are watching.”

 

“Who are you! Where did this lowly knight come from?”

 

Even with the knight’s intervention, Viscount Douglas’ demeanor didn’t waver. 

 

People said that he became blind to his surroundings when he got angry, and it seemed to be true.

 

“Don’t insult my knighthood. You’ll regret it.”

 

“Regret? Seeing that armor, you look like some knight from a baseless household. You’re the one who will be punished for insulting nobility!”

 

As Douglas asserted his status, the knight could only hesitate.

 

Watching the situation unfold, Tilda sighed.

 

‘…I expected too much.’

 

Just as she decided to step down from the carriage to confront Viscount Douglas herself—

 

“The street seems noisy.”

 

A man in a white priest’s robe appeared. The eyes of the people watching Douglas’ tyranny instantly turned to him.

 

The man was a captivating person.

 

Even though he wore immaculate priestly clothing, his body—taller and larger than others—and the sword at his waist made him look like a well-trained knight.

 

In the empire, there were only three priests who carried swords—high priests tasked with protecting the empire from monsters and sea creatures.

 

Among them, the haughty man who didn’t quite match the purity and neatness of the priest’s attire was…

 

“It’s Kales!”

 

“It looks like you are out for an inspection.”

 

A crowd gathered, fascinated by the unusual appearance. For commoners, such a person was rarely seen. 

 

The man’s silver hair symbolized high divine power; his beautiful face, which seems to have been painstakingly created by God themselves, caused the faces of women gazing at him to flush.

 

“Are you the one causing a disturbance on the street?”

 

Kales approached Viscount Douglas, and the crowd observed with keen interest.

 

Douglas, frozen for a moment upon recognizing the man, quickly regained his composure and replied, 

 

“I was just… reprimanding my wayward wife, who left home.”

 

“It doesn’t seem to be worth causing a fuss.”

 

“When I got married, my wife was the eldest daughter of a poor baron. She married me due to her family’s financial circumstances, yet she doesn’t appreciate the favor and tries to run away. Of course, I’d be angry.”

 

Kales’ smile was subtly twisted.

 

“When a woman marries, she becomes part of her husband’s family and assumes the same status. Right now, you don’t have the qualifications to reprimand your wife since she has the same status as you.”

 

Viscount Douglas, agitated, shouted, 

 

“Even if my wife’s last name has changed to Douglas, her birth remains unchanged! Saying that she, a Baron’s daughter, had the same status is an injustice to me!”

 

Kales sighed, sweeping his hair back.

 

“Injustice…”

 

Muttering softly, he raised his gaze, looking directly at the man before him.

 

“Do you think you have the right to treat your wife that way just because your status is different?”

 

“….”

 

“If that’s the case, then I suppose I can do anything to you right now.”

 

Kales drew his sword, aiming the sharp tip just beneath Douglas’ neck.

 

“Because my status is higher.”

 

“….”

 

“Right?”

 

Meeting the priest’s eyes up close, Viscount Douglas realized that Kales’ eyes lacked any trace of mercy.

 

Fearing that the sharp blade might pierce through his throat at any moment, Douglas’ legs trembled visibly.

 

“I-I was wrong!”

 

“Get lost.”

 

When Kales lowered his sword and commanded briefly, Douglas abandoned his wife and disappeared in an instant.

 

A subordinate approached Kales and nagged him. 

 

“The opponent is a nobleman; the warning was excessive.”

 

“A brute cannot be educated through words.”

 

As Kales sheathed his sword, he looked at Tilda’s guard, standing hesitantly.

 

“Why did you get involved in this matter?”

 

The escort, who was suddenly questioned, stammered and pointed to Tilda’s carriage.

 

“I… I was instructed by my master to assist.”

 

“A splendid master,” Kales commented, shifting his gaze toward the carriage.

 

With a creak, the door opened, and Tilda stepped out.

 

A smile spread around Kales’ mouth.

 

“Oh, my.”

 

He placed a hand on his chest, bowing courteously.

 

“I never thought that the gracious savior of the weak was Madam Nockilla.”

 

Unlike Kales, who was smiling as dazzlingly as the sun, Tilda, unable to loosen her frown, found today’s events distressing. 

 

Not only had she received divorce news from her husband, but she also unexpectedly encountered the man she least wanted to face.

 

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Hello~ I picked this book cuz, not gonna lie—priest male lead?? I’m in! lol, I read a few chapters and thought it was worth the try. I’ll do a few chapters and see if it’s good enough to continue, so let me know what you think! As always, thank you for the support♥

 

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