# 10 -
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She died because she gave birth to Yuan's child.
Seret's face turned so pale that he looked like a dead man. Her body trembled, and her blood ran cold.
“So... that's why I....”
She bit her lip, muttering under her breath. Yuan frowned, looked at her and spoke.
“Miss Enohater?”
"I feel unwell. I'll excuse myself."
Seret hurriedly stood up.
She looked at Yuan from above, her expression contorted. She was too disgusted to stay in the same place with this man.
She turned and quickly left the dining room. Her legs shook so badly as she walked up the stairs that she could barely walk properly.
Tears fell from her eyes and streaked down her cheeks. Yoan Frecktwister married her simply because he needed an heir.
That's why he never showed her the baby's face, nor even told her whether it was a boy or a girl.
To Yuan Freaktwister, she was nothing but cattle. Something that can be disposed of after the birth of a child.
If he wanted to marry Lydia, a clean breakup was necessary. He couldn't keep the woman he loved as a mistress.
Women often die during childbirth, so he must have sent the poison around that time. If she died due to lack of recovery after giving birth, no one would suspect.
It wasn't even in the capital, but in the ducal palace. Easier to cover up her death.
Thus, the first wife conveniently died, and the widow Lydia, after the departure of her unimportant husband, became the second wife of the Duke of Frecktwister, forming a perfect little family of three.
This was Yuan Freaktwister's plan. Seret shuddered at his precision.
He was someone who could be this cruel just to leave not a single shame to himself or his family.
Everything was planned from the beginning. Tears streamed down Seret's face.
She was shaken by the betrayal. It was a different shock than the one she had received when she had first received the poison.
How could he do this? How could he go this far…?
Her stomach turned, and she felt nauseous. She felt like she was going to vomit everything she had just eaten.
He used it from start to finish and got rid of it. Now I finally understood that cold look, that indifferent behavior.
A horrible, disgusting man. Every time she sought love, how annoying and pathetic she seemed to him.
"scoundrel."
She wiped her tears and went up the stairs.
Yuan stared silently at the chair where Seret had been sitting moments before.
He enjoyed the meal somewhat, amused by Seret's sharp responses—until she suddenly asked, "Why me?"
Why did you ask about that suddenly? He explained it correctly at the time, didn't he?
Yuan rubbed the back of his neck as if he was tired, and motioned for a servant to bring him some whiskey.
As he sipped, he thought back to Seret Enohater and the reason he had proposed to her.
After his private interview with the Emperor, he needed someone to marry him. Without hesitation, he chose Syrit Inuhhatir.
No other woman came to his mind. Just that girl he met on a snowy night long ago.
That girl was probably now attending endless parties, holding hands with other men and dancing, and looking for someone to marry.
The thought disturbed him strangely. That unpleasant feeling of another person touching what is theirs.
So he quickly got engaged. Go beyond flirting, gain affection.
He was sure she wouldn't refuse. This trust proved true, and Seret Enwhatir became his fiancée.
'I want to cancel the engagement, Your Highness.'
Although now the same fiancée wanted to end it.
Yuan gently twisted the whiskey glass, his lips curled up.
“Maybe I should speed up the wedding.”
He muttered half-heartedly as he leaned back in his chair.
Marriage has nothing to do with love. He didn't care if Seret loved someone else.
Once they were married, and she lived as Duchess of Frecktwister, she would be his.
He just needed to make sure she couldn't escape the Freaktwister name. Then, you will be his forever.
'Seret! Siret!’
At that moment, a voice—his voice—screamed her name in his ears like an auditory hallucination.
Yuan looked around. The voice sounded very real.
Then, a blinding pain hit his temple, so intense that he felt like he couldn't breathe.
It was short, but he had never experienced anything like it.
While the pain faded, the confusion remained. Between the hallucinations and the migraine, Yuan was shaken.
He could feel his heartbeat becoming irregular. An unknown anxiety spread throughout his entire body.
“…ha.”
Leaning back in the chair, Yuan tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. His pale face exhaled a faint sigh.
“Are you going to wear this necklace?”
Eve showed Seret a sapphire necklace that shone a deep blue.
“That sounds good.”
Seret nodded. Eve fastened the necklace around her neck. The sapphire sparkled like an intense ocean.
Purchased from a dealer dealing with the Duchy of Frecktwister, it is undoubtedly of the finest quality. But a ruby that deep in color? She hadn't seen anything like it since her wedding ring in her previous life.
“It looks just like your eyes, Seret.”
Eve smiled at her reflection in the mirror.
"Is this correct?"
“Yes. You look very beautiful.”
Eve added as she fixed matching ruby earrings onto Seret's ears.
“This is thanks to you, Eve.”
Seret smiled sweetly. It wasn't just a compliment. Without Eve, she wouldn't be this beautiful today.
In her past life, she didn't get help from anyone. She struggled alone. Without Hannah, her hair was messily styled, her makeup was smeared—she looked truly awful.
Yuan didn't say anything at the time, but she clearly remembered the servants' whispers.
Those critical looks, the silent questioning of whether she was really planning to go out like that, were humiliating. When they muttered about discrediting Freaktwister's name, she wanted to run away.
That shame remained stuck in her chest for a long time. Even now, it wasn't completely gone—her heart still hurt.
At that moment, he followed a polite knock, and the butler entered.
“Are you ready?”
Speak tactfully.
“Yes, I'm ready.”
Seret turned away from the mirror and responded.
She looked like a newly opened flower.
Dressed in a pale purple dress, her golden hair neatly pinned up, Seret was like a newly blossoming anemone.
The ruby jewels sparkled under the lights, but they were nothing compared to the glow of her eyes.
Her light makeup made her blue eyes stand out even more beautifully.
It wasn't just Siret. Even the air around her seemed different. The butler's surprise appeared on his face before quickly disappearing.
“I'll take you to the hall.”
"Good."
Seret nodded, and followed him.
As she went down the stairs, she saw Yuan's back in the hallway.
Wearing a black tailed coat, Yuan stood with a perfect posture. Even in moments like these, he was Duke Freaktwister in every sense of the word.
I approached the butler. Yuan turned around at the sound of footsteps.
His eyebrows twitched slightly at the sight, but his face showed no emotion.
“Shall we go?”
He offered his arm.
Sererite didn't want to take it, but with so many eyes on them, she had no choice but to accept his accompaniment.
“Thanks to Your Highness, this village girl has shed her rustic appearance. I am grateful.”
As they walked down the stairs, she spoke lightly.
“You look beautiful, Miss Enohater.”
His tone was dry as dust. Seret laughed.
beautiful? Not suitable for someone who is treated like livestock. Even in his voice, I heard the feeling and felt nauseous.
“You look handsome too, Your Highness. As always.”
She looked at him, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.
Yuan met her gaze, watching her silently.
His eyes wandered over her forehead, her eyes, and her lips. Just a look from him, but it felt like his fingers had touched her skin.
Then, her eyes fell on the scar on his forehead.
Everyone must find that scar suspicious. No one would guess it was his fiancée.
The honorable Duke of Frecktwister, injured by a vase thrown by his fiancée? What a blow to his pride.
Should I spread this rumor? I thought.
But Yuan stopped walking. Before she knew it, they were standing in front of the carriage.
He extended his hand.
I took it and went up. Even after they sat down, he did not release her hand.
Seret looked at him in confusion.
“Your Highness?”
“Ah, yes.”
Only then did he seem to come to his senses and leave her.
Sitting across from her, Yuan stared.
"You're staring very intently. Is there something on my face?"
Seret looked at him and spoke softly.
"no."
He answered briefly and turned his gaze to the window.
Seret watched him for a moment, then lowered her eyes to her lap.
The more I thought, the more bitter I felt.
Her father saved the Fricktwister family. However, his savior's daughter was treated this way?
A cold, heartless man. She bit her lip.
She loved him without knowing his true nature. She was angry with herself for being stupid and naive.
Her anger boiled over, and she instinctively gripped the hem of her dress. The beautiful fabric wrinkled in her fist.
“You're going to wrinkle the dress.”
Yuan's voice interrupted her.
She let go of the cloth and looked at him, meeting his indifferent gaze. Her lips pursed a little.
“My mistake.”
Every moment I loved you was a mistake. I deeply regret it.
"It's not a mistake. And you're really beautiful today."
“Do you really think so?”
For someone who said she was beautiful, his expression was strangely blank. She almost laughed. Was it just a compliment?
“Yes, excessively.”
A slight deviation appeared on Yuan's face, as if something had disturbed him.
This face, while calling her beautiful? Seret sneered and spoke.
“You don't look like someone who would be happy to see his overly beautiful fiancée.”
“Not at all.”
Yuan responded and took her hand that was resting on her knee. He kissed the back of her hand.
A gesture meant to show respect and admiration—but Seret felt the opposite.
It was a mockery. mockery. He must be thinking that money can polish anything.
Maybe the kiss means he admires how this simpleton villager has transformed into an elegant woman.
Seret grabbed his hand before he could let go and pulled his arm.
Yuan leaned slightly towards her.
“How about you look at me with a little more love? I’m your beautiful fiancée, after all.”
“Is one look enough to satisfy you?”
Yuan laughed faintly and walked closer to her.
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