The Villain Is Obsessed With His Fake Wife

16. Wait without sleeping

The air became heavy and still. She stared at John, stiffening her body.

‘Where did you hear that?’

John’s red eyes stared intently as if she were the only one person in the world. He strode toward her. Betty naturally let go of her hand and stepped back. And John took his place. John sat down on her bed.

“Madam, are you okay?”

“Yes. I slept soundly and woke up fine.”

“Are you okay?”

A cool shadow fell on John’s eyes. Whether it was because of the shadow, or if he was really worried about her, he often stayed up all night, and John’s face felt different from before. In the perfectly managed look, finely disturbed parts added a decadent atmosphere. He slowly lowered his eyes and looked at her swollen wrist. She tried to talk later, but John was faster.

“It’s still swollen.”

“This…”

“You also have a slight fever. How much do you think my wife needs to be sick to be okay?”

John, who looked at her forehead, recited in a cold voice full of reproach.

“It’s just that I’m really fine. I’m not sick, but I can’t say I’m sick.”

“If you were so fine, why didn’t you tell me without hiding it from me?”

The tone of his voice wasn’t too different from usual, but she felt strangely that John was offended.

‘Because you found out that the person you’re supposed to take revenge on is sick?’

Come to think of it, it was annoying enough for him. He elaborated a plan to get revenge, but the person he wanted to take revenge on died of illness. If that was the case, it would certainly be hopeless.

“That was my fault. I just didn’t want you to worry about something that wasn’t a big deal.”

“It’s not a big illness, but it looks like you could pass out for a week. Why was imperial medicine originally so lenient?”

As soon as she stood up, she looked at Henry and asked, a little looser than usual.

“It could have been better in a week. Right, Mr. Henry?”

John looked at Henry with a coy smile. Henry, who suddenly had to choose a side between the two, began to sweat.

“It could be, but… ma’am. In fact, the chances of that happening are slim. If you were a normal person, it would have been a mild symptom, but you have been fainting for a week.”

Since he was talking about her fainting, it looked like her condition was really serious. But to her, it still felt like a story from a distant world.

‘I used to faint often…’

It didn’t hurt right away, so it didn’t feel serious. John lightly squeezed Henry’s shoulder and asked. The low voice naturally pressured the opponent.

“So what caused my wife to collapse?”

“Ji… Right now, all I can say is that she is naturally weak.”

“You made me wait for a week, and that’s all you have to say.”

John’s attitude hasn’t changed much, so she didn’t know why she felt so scared. She stepped forward, afraid that unnecessary sparks would fly at Henry.

“The doctor is right. I have been sick often since I was a child. This happened often.”

The corners of John’s mouth twisted a little more.

“Why didn’t you tell me about that earlier?”

“I have no reason to say anything. The Duke didn’t even ask me, and it’s not a chronic disease.”

“…At the Duke of Libertan?”

“Exactly, I didn’t do anything.”

The Duke of Libertan was trash that abused her. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t attribute all of her illnesses to the Duke of Libertan.

‘I’ve been sick often since the orphanage.’

Even though it got worse after going to Libertan, it’s probably because of the stress.

“The disease is not something that can be cured with effort alone. How do you do something that cannot be cured no matter how much doctors treat it?”

A representative example of this was their own daughter, Yes Yesella.

‘Yesella died of an incurable disease.’

Unlike her, the real princess of the Duke of Libertan who was loved by everyone. If Yesella hadn’t died in the first place, she wouldn’t have been adopted by the Duke of Libertan or suffered like this. Other than that, there was no reason for the Duke of Libertan, who lost her daughter to an incurable disease, to adopt an orphaned girl.

‘The name of the illness was the sleeping princess.’

It was the name of the disease because the patient was said to fall asleep forever like a princess in a fairy tale. Of course, contrary to the name, it was a pretty terrible disease. This was because the patient’s entire body gradually deteriorates without even realizing it, and eventually dies as if sleeping.

‘It would have been nice if I just slept for a long time.’

It wasn’t. The moment the patient sleeps, his whole body functions stop and he ends his life as it is.

‘It’s not like I’m suffering from that kind of disease.’

Originally, the sleeping princess was a rare disease. Even in the Duke of Libertan, Yes Yesella had this rare disease, and how sad she was. John’s eyes, which had been silent as he listened to her words, sank heavily.

“So you’re saying I didn’t care and have to pretend I don’t know anything?”

“I didn’t say that.”

As much as possible, she thought of an answer that John would skip.

“It’s just that it’s not to the point where you needlessly consume your emotions.”

John’s smile seemed to be broken.

“Why?”

John slowly brought his face closer. A handsome, languid face came close to kissing her. Looking at his manly nose, she unknowingly got nervous and gripped the blanket tightly.

“Why, that is unnecessary.”

Somehow he looked sicker than her, who hadn’t woken up in a week. Embarrassed, she answered in a trembling voice.

“That’s it… Because there is no way to do it.”

“…”

“Can the Duke treat me if I want?”

“Yes. I will treat you.”

For some reason, John looked at her with a little anxious look.

“I can give you anything you want. So whatever it is, feel free to talk.”

She suddenly had a funny thought.

‘He said he wouldn’t listen to what I really want anyway.’

So she turned around a bit and asked John. Actually remembering the promise he made.

“Can I go see my father and mother?”

The smile on John’s lips started to feel a little scary.

‘Did I go out too much?’

It was a half-impulsive question, so the moment she was about to settle it, he said while holding her hand.

“Okay. Go and come.”

* * *

John put porridge in her mouth with his own hands, showing a friendly side and leaving. However, the words he spoke before he left remained in her mind.

‘Instead, since I’m worried about your health, think of a way for you to reassure me as well.’

She knew he wouldn’t let her go that easily! Betty, who had gone outside at that time, returned with a worried expression.

“Lady. The head maid came to apologize to the lady.”

“The head maid?”

She suddenly remembered the moment she first saw Patricia.

‘I collapsed without being able to say hello properly.’

He must have hated her originally, but it was clear that he hated her even more after their first meeting. As it turned out, she seemed to need to go as hard as Patricia. Patricia stepped inside with a graceful gait and greeted her. She looked the same as the first day she saw her, perhaps because of her hair that was meticulously placed on her expressionless face.

“Hello, madam. Are you feeling better?”

“I’m fine.”

Patricia nodded her head and slowly dropped to her knees.

“As you already know, everything happened because I was negligent in managing the mansion’s servants. I’m really sorry. I will gladly accept whatever punishment you give me.”

She was startled to see Patricia bowing her head.

‘I wasn’t originally like this?’

She apologized in the original, but it wasn’t this low-key. Patricia was an aristocrat from birth.

‘Is this what John asked her to do?’

She had no idea if this was good or bad.

‘But this is a good opportunity.’

She looked at Patricia blankly and calmly opened her mouth.

“Did you say you came to apologize to me?”

“You’re right.”

Patricia slowly raised her head. she looked at her calm face and opened her mouth gracefully.

“Then I won’t accept Mrs. Gillite’s apology.”

“…yes?”

Apparently, she was very surprised by Estelle’s answer. So she smiled.

“Because Mrs. Gillite does not yet know what her own crime is.”

Patricia’s turquoise eyes wavered.

“What do you mean by that…”

“Do you think this is the only thing you have neglected?”

To be honest, Patricia’s circumstances rarely appear in the original work. But there were words she used to bully her or attack her with.

‘Do you really think it’s the right thing for you to act like this? Do you think a mistress who has not won the hearts of any servants in this household can do her duty?’

‘If you don’t know, don’t do anything. That’s the only way to cause less trouble to the master. Maybe you can make it your duty.’

In particular, what he said while tormenting her every time was about her duty.

“I fully understand if you don’t like me or don’t want to be close to me. Because each person has their own position. But you are the head maid of the Blanche family.”

“…That’s right.”

“Your crime is not that you disrespected me, but that you have not fulfilled your duties as head maid.”

“…”

“Isn’t that what happens?”

Patricia bit her lip and bowed her head.

‘My words must have hurt her pride.’

Still, she had no reason to know. Even if it was an action on John’s orders, it was Patricia who carried it out.

‘Honestly, I can’t dismiss the person who was John’s henchman at all.’

That’s too risky. Because what she was trying to show to John in a harmless image was completely broken.

‘In that case, it’s better to punish them altogether and get the Duchess job.’

“From now on, I will take over the role of hostess of the Blanche family. Any disagreements?”

“There is no disagreement.”

After thinking for a while, Patricia opened her mouth.

“My master has already instructed me to hand over all the hostess work to the mistress. So that part was all finished while the madam was down.”

‘I thought John did that?’

The clear mind became complicated again.

‘What the hell is John thinking?’

She couldn’t understand the feelings of the dark. Could it be that he expected Patricia to step down and acted in advance to build up her trust?

“…is that so?”

Responding belatedly, she cleared her confusion and spoke to Patricia.

“Now I will tell you what I will do with you. You were not able to fulfill the duties of a head maid, that is to take care of the hostess, and you yourself disturbed the order of the Blanche duchy. By doing that, you caused trouble to the Duke.”

“…”

“So take care of yourself to punish the head maid for her sins.”

Now, this way, she could punish Patricia at a reasonable level without using her hands. Without being told she was too harsh.

‘What if I gave too weak a punishment?’

Now that she could do the work of a hostess, it was enough to cut off the work as an excuse. Either way, she could now block Patricia from harassing her, as in the original story.

“Thank you, madam.”

Patricia’s eyes looked a little blank as she raised her head.

“I will receive probation and a salary reduction of 10 years for the crime of disrupting the discipline of this family.”

Then, seeing her, she raised her hand and slapped her own cheek very hard. Damn! It had only been hit once, and blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

‘…dangerous…’

But apart from the thought that she would be glaring at her with her terrifying eyes, Patricia’s eyes were strangely bright, and her vitality turned.

‘Why do I think you don’t hate me?’

But that’s probably her mistake. Even though she fought properly like this, there was no way she wouldn’t hate her. Even though they were good friends, they ended up hating each other.

* * *

Patricia slowly came out of the madam’s room.

‘I can’t believe there was such a perfect person.’

Originally, Patricia ignored Estelle. She was the daughter of Libertan, so she could be hated. That made her less convinced of John’s decision to take the hostess job away from her.

‘But you were the fool, Patricia.’

Patricia closed her eyes tightly and remembered Estelle’s calm and serene words.

‘Your crime is not that you disrespect me, but that you did not fulfill your duties as the head maid.’

Estelle must have hated the head maid, too. She was a rude head maid who didn’t even greet the hostess properly.

‘Nevertheless…’

Estelle’s attitude did not show any personal feelings. Rather, with a very aloof attitude, she pointed out exactly what Patricia had inadvertently overlooked.

‘So, take your own punishment for your crimes.’

At that time, Patricia was greatly agitated without realizing it.

‘She could have kicked me out.’

Usually, the head maid who lost this conflict was kicked out of the household. This was because it was more convenient for the hostess to manage her household. Estelle, however, gave Patricia the opportunity to show a new face, leaving her own comfort or hatred behind.

‘This is a consideration for me.’

Patricia felt her tears welling up from the corners of her dry eyes.

‘Why are you showing me this generosity…’

Estelle showed her good will to a person she had never seen her face, especially Patricia, who hated her.

‘From now on, I will take over as hostess of the Blanche family. Do you disagree?’

It was the same with asking her once more about what she had probably heard from her master, John.

‘They must have respected me for being the head maid.’

It was because he had officially acknowledged what Patricia had been doing and asked her opinion. Because of her Master John’s decision, she wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t ask anything of her and just punish her.

‘She… She is indeed the hostess I have been dreaming of.’

A person who gives proper tolerance and instruction to those below her, while upholding her dignity and duty. For a moment, Patricia reflected that Estelle had forgotten that she was Libertan’s daughter and slapped herself hard on the cheek to follow her orders.

‘What should I do now?’

Patricia’s mind, which moved to get her probation, became complicated. Estelle was also the object of revenge for the Blanche family, but she was also the hostess Patricia had dreamed of.

‘I no longer… I don’t think I can hate her.’

It was because the moment she gracefully looked down at herself, Patricia had already recognized Estelle as Duchess Blanche without realizing it.

* * *

After Patricia left, I looked up at the sky outside. The sky was already getting dark.

‘I slept like that, but it’s already night.’

She wasn’t sleepy, but she remembered the doctor’s recommendation to sleep. In order for the body to recover, she must sleep at night, even if she was not sleepy.

‘Let’s at least read a book before going to sleep.’

However, there was a note stuck between the books. An elegant handwriting that looks like it was written by an aristocrat.

[Madam, don’t sleep today, wait. Because we have to sleep together.]

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