Chapter 11

 

“Damn it, what the hell is going on?!”

Iris woke up in a prison cell, feeling miserable about her situation.

Heavy shackles were locked around both her wrists and ankles.

“This isn’t fair! I… I was just following orders!”

One day, when she became the tutor for the Duke’s family, the Duchess secretly approached her with a dangerous deal.

The Duchess told her that she would grant Iris anything she wanted.

“…You know what I want?”

“Hmph. You’re 28 this year, right? I heard you’re still unmarried.”

The Duchess smirked at her with alluring red lips.

Iris understood the meaning behind that smile.

It was the same kind of mocking smile married women in high society had given her.

Iris Nancy’s face turned red with embarrassment.

“You know it’s hard to get married at 28, don’t you? Especially for a commoner.”

In the Empire, 28 was considered quite old in the marriage market.

On top of that, Iris was a commoner, so no nobleman wanted to marry her, even though she dreamed of becoming a noble lady.

The Duchess seemed to see right through her, whispering sweetly.

“I can introduce you to a wonderful man. How about it? Tempting offer, isn’t it?”

Iris didn’t hesitate for long.

In the end, she accepted the Duchess’s deal.

“It’s simple. Just do as I say.”

The Duchess promised to support her, allowing Iris to do as she pleased while teaching.

At first, Iris worried that the Duke or the knights might interfere, but days passed without anyone checking on her.

Soon, she realized the Duchess was right—no one in the Duke’s family cared about the children.

Once she understood that, the young ladies in front of her seemed pathetic and insignificant.

They were just powerless girls with nothing but a noble title.

Especially Eleanor, who constantly tried to learn etiquette even though she was already perfect.

“If I had been born into a family like this, I would have been much better than you. 

You were just lucky to be born noble… What kind of lady are you? In the end, you’re just a title!”

While teaching them, Iris let out all her hidden frustrations and insecurities.

She thought nothing would go wrong…

“You played a little too rough with the young boys, didn’t you, Miss?”

But of all people—of all times—Eleanor Valentine had discovered Iris’s secret!

She had no idea how the young lady found out, but if that information spread to high society, it would ruin her completely.

She was already considered old in the marriage market, but if rumors spread that she liked young boys, no man would ever come near her.

Her lifelong dream would crumble into dust.

Iris decided to pretend nothing happened.

“It’s no use. There are plenty of witnesses to your crimes.”

In the end, she panicked at Eleanor’s words about witnesses.

And now, here she was—locked in prison.

Iris Nancy felt furious and wronged.

She had the feeling the Valentine women had played her from the start.

The Duchess, whom she trusted, hadn’t come to save her either.

“Should I just tell the Duke everything? Say that the Duchess ordered me to do it? No… If I do that, the Duchess might get rid of me first…! Damn it! Then what should I do?!”

“Damn it! Damn it! This is all because of that bitch Eleanor—!”

“That bitch?”

“Huh?! W- Who’s there?!”

A sudden voice startled Iris.

“Who do you think you are, saying her name like that?”

A man with silver-gray hair and striking purple-blue eyes entered the prison cell.

Iris immediately recognized him.

It had to be David, the Duke of Valentine’s second son.

Even in the dim light, his beauty stood out.

His sharp eyes, thick double eyelids, high nose bridge, and wild-looking fangs—all combined with his tall, muscular frame.

Iris instinctively scanned his entire body.

It was a habit of hers.

He looked like the perfect younger man she had always fantasized about.

For a moment, she forgot her situation and simply stared at him, captivated.

David frowned and raised a hand toward her.

“What are you looking at? Move those filthy eyes away.”

Smack!

“…?”

Iris blankly stared at him, realizing a second too late—he had just slapped her.

She had never been hit before in her life.

She just stood there, stunned.

“What? She deserved to be hit, but you don’t? You’re a funny one.”

David grinned as he looked at the dumbfounded Iris.

“From now on, you’ll be treated worse than the dead. That’s the price for messing with the Valentines.”

“W-Wait, what do you mean?!”

“The Duke has officially declared you a criminal. From now on, you’ll just have to sit here and watch as your life falls apart, old lady.”

His words were practically a death sentence.

Panicking, Iris reached out to grab him, but David had already turned to leave.

Knock, knock.

Late at night, someone knocked on Catherine’s door.

“Who is it…? Alex? What are you doing here so late?”

To her surprise, it was her brother, Alex.

“I saw your back earlier. It looked like you got hurt. Use this.”

He handed her a small jar of ointment.

It wasn’t the first time.

Alex often visited her secretly at night to give her medicine.

“…How did you know?”

“Hah. Did you forget we’re siblings? Just like you can tell when something’s wrong with me, I can tell when something’s wrong with you.”

Catherine hadn’t told anyone about her injury.

Curious, she asked how he knew, but he just sighed and sat down on the bed.

“…I don’t get it. Why do you keep taking hits for that girl?”

His voice was low and filled with frustration.

“Why are you helping her so much these days? She’s not even family.”

“…”

“You know it too. If you want to survive, you have to step on her.”

He had been annoyed by Catherine’s actions for a while now.

“If this is about survival, then… would you believe me if I told you that?”

She barely believed it herself.

The only explanation she could give was pity.

“…She’s just pitiful.”

“That’s it? Do you pity her? Ha!”

Alex scoffed.

“Are you stupid? Do you even know who’s pitiful here? You’re in no position to pity anyone!”

He hit his chest in frustration, making Catherine chuckle.

‘Aww. Does he care about me? How cute.’

“You’re laughing?! Ugh, you idiot!”

Alex.

She is a mere villain in this story, but also her only family in this world.

Catherine had lived with him for 15 years.

Fifteen years wasn’t something she could throw away.

Even if this was just a novel, she didn’t want her brother to die a meaningless death.

“You saw what happened to Iris Nancy, right? The Duke will never abandon Eleanor. So let’s just get along from now on, okay?”

“…Hah? What?”

“I mean, you should be nice to Eleanor too.”

‘I know the future, so just trust me, okay?!’

“She’s ‘Eleanor’ but I’m just ‘Alex’? How rude.”

Alex flicked her forehead.

Flick!

The sound was small but surprisingly painful.

“Ouch! Alex! What the hell?!”

He just laughed for the first time that night.

“That’s more like you.”

Then, shaking his head, he stood up.

“Just take care of yourself, okay? Don’t get in Mom’s way and get scolded again.”

With that, he left.

“What was that all about…?”

It was a strange night.