Chapter 11
“Did you just call me Marieanne…?”
A sharp breeze brushed against her cheek.
The man standing before her was neither a ghost nor an illusion. His firm, unwavering voice was too clear to be anything but real.
Marieanne stared blankly at the large hand reaching out to her.
Herman Ernst gestured once more as if encouraging her.
One step. As if in a trance, she moved forward.
“Yes, just like that.”
At this moment, the fact that this man had seemingly returned from the dead didn’t feel shocking.
What mattered was that he had appeared like a miracle in her moment of despair.
Another step. Her feet felt heavy, but she moved forward.
“You’re doing well, Marieanne.”
Just hearing her name spoken aloud nearly brought her to tears.
‘Does he know who I am? Does he truly know the truth?’
Desperately, she searched his gaze for an answer. Herman did not look away.
His gray eyes, as if reduced to ashes, held a deep intensity that made her dare to hope.
‘Maybe—just maybe—he will listen to me.’
She wanted just one person to believe in her innocence.
She never imagined that person would be Herman Ernst—her twin sister’s husband.
But he was her last hope.
“Take my hand. Now.”
Desperately, she grabbed his calloused hand, as if clutching onto a lifeline.
In that instant, Herman pulled her forward mercilessly, trapping her in his strong embrace.
But hope was fleeting.
The moment they descended from the tower, Herman wasted no time in cornering her.
“If you ever try something like that again—”
“…What?”
“This time, I’ll just lock you in a room. But next time, I’ll have you tied to the bed.”
“D-Your Grace!”
Marieanne struggled, trying to break free from his grasp.
But all she got in response was a cold chuckle.
“Your Grace?” he repeated mockingly.
She couldn’t stop him.
“Didn’t you recognize me just now?”
“Of course, I recognized you. What kind of idiot wouldn’t know his wife?”
With those words, Herman effortlessly lifted her over his shoulder.
She let out a small scream, dangling helplessly.
“D-Duke! What are you doing?!”
“Your Grace, Duke, and what next? Sir? Mister? Gonna beg me now?”
Herman clicked his tongue.
“Put me down!”
Marieanne kicked her legs, pounding weakly against his back.
But like waves crashing against an immovable ship, her struggle did not affect him.
“B-But you called me Marieanne just moments ago…”
“If I wanted to stop someone from jumping to their death, I’d say anything. You claimed to be Marieanne Drake, so I played along. Crazy people require crazy words.”
“…So everything you said up there was a lie?”
“Lie? That’s a dramatic way to put it. I’d call it persuasion.”
Marieanne stopped resisting, realizing how futile it was.
She sighed and covered her face, humiliated by her predicament.
Herman glanced at his wife, slumped over his shoulder.
‘At least she gives up quickly.’
He just wanted to lock her in a room, give her food and water, and end this ordeal.
Then, he could finally soak in a hot bath and relax.
The long journey home had drained him.
“…Your Grace.”
Her faint voice made him stop in his tracks.
‘That ridiculous title again.’
He needed to make something clear to his wife.
If she truly had lost her mind, then he’d have to spell things out for her.
“This is pointless. Let’s just talk.”
“I’m supposed to have a conversation with you?”
She was now trying to reason with him?
Herman thought, “Maybe she’s not as insane as I assumed.”
“Just put me down first—”
“And why would I do that? Planning to jump off a bridge this time?”
“You’re misunderstanding! I wasn’t trying to die. Just let me go, please. A gentleman wouldn’t treat a lady like this.”
“A gentleman? Sorry, wife. I’m a soldier first. My priority is preventing danger.”
“I won’t deny climbing the tower was reckless. But I’m not one of your soldiers—you can’t order me around like this.”
As the conversation continued, Herman’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Huh. Interesting.”
For someone supposedly insane, she spoke with surprising clarity and logic.
Herman had met plenty of madmen before—war had its fair share of those.
But unlike them, his wife was having an entirely rational discussion.
“Please, Herman Ernst!”
At last, her desperate plea made him relent.
He set her down, and they stood face to face, silently observing each other.
Both sighed at the same time.
“I’m the one who’s been through hell, but why does she look more exhausted than me?”
Herman studied her carefully.
Disheveled hair, swollen red eyes from crying, lips bitten raw—
She looked every bit like someone who had lost their mind.
Yet her steady gaze, composed voice, and proper posture contradicted that image.
“First, I apologize for raising my voice,” she said.
Despite everything, she still spoke logically.
“I’m not crazy, and I wasn’t trying to die, Your Grace.”
Herman gestured for her to continue.
“Then why climb the tower?”
“I couldn’t breathe. I felt trapped.”
“And why was that?”
“Because my twin sister stole my name and exiled me here.”
Herman scoffed.
“So, let me get this straight. Your twin framed you, took your name, and you were sent here. That made you feel trapped, so you climbed the tower, accidentally causing a suicide scare?”
“Yes! Exactly!”
Herman let out an incredulous laugh.
“I should’ve known when you greeted me so dramatically on the tower.”
He chuckled, shaking his head.
“Well, I’ll give you credit for trying to persuade me.”
“Persuade you?”
“I mean, you almost had me convinced.”
For a brief moment, she had seemed completely sane.
But his patience had its limits.
“If you’re telling the truth, what do you plan to do next?”
Her hands clenched into fists.
“I’ll take back everything they stole from me. And I’ll make them pay for their crimes.”
A heavy silence filled the space between them.
Then, Herman sighed, rubbing his forehead.
“Listen carefully—Gloria Ernst. Or Marieanne Drake. Or whoever you are.”
Even deciding how to address her was a headache.
He had married her under pressure, forced to defend his family from greedy relatives while away at war.
He had never even properly said, “Wait for me.”
If he died, he wanted her to be free.
But when he returned, she was still there. Still waiting.
That realization had meant something to him.
And now, she wanted to leave?
“If you planned to abandon me and this house, you should’ve done it before I came back.”
He felt betrayed.
More than that, he felt angry.
And Herman Ernst was not a man who forgave easily.
“If your story turns out to be true, I’ll annul our marriage immediately. Then, I’ll have your so-called twin and her accomplice imprisoned for adultery.”
Marieanne gasped.
“My family did nothing wrong!”
“Neither did I. And yet, I have to sit here listening to this nonsense.”
Her fists trembled, but she couldn’t argue.
Herman leaned in, voice dangerously calm.
“It doesn’t matter whether your story is true or false.”
What mattered was—
