In a Political Marriage, Isn’t It Normal to Treat Your Fiancée Well? - Chapter 20

“Sophia! This is your fault!!”

Suddenly yelled at without understanding why, I was struck by my brother.

“Wh-what…?”

My slapped cheek stung. My mouth must have been cut—I could taste blood.

“You! You! You! You!”

This time, he kicked me in the stomach.

“Guh!”

As I crouched in pain, my brother grabbed my hair and dragged me upright.

“This is your fault! You! You!”

“Brother…”

His face was twisted with rage. I had never seen such an expression before and felt nothing but sheer terror.

A one-sided storm of violence. Somewhere distant, I felt my consciousness fading from fear and pain.

When I next awoke, I was in a hospital bed. I had no idea what had happened.

It was only when the doctor explained, “It’s a good thing you didn’t miscarry,” that I finally remembered being beaten by my brother.

I had been pregnant. This child would have been my third.

Bed rest was mandatory, and it was only natural that members of the count family were barred from visiting. The fact that my brother had assaulted his sister couldn’t be made public. It would have been a scandal not just for the count family but for the duke family as well.

I later heard through the grapevine that my brother had gone completely out of control. Apparently, the mines had stopped yielding gold. What’s more, the other mines had to be shut down as well.

‘If only Sophia had married Seljuk, this never would have happened!’ ‘Why didn’t she refuse to marry anyone but Seljuk!’ ‘If only she had captured Seljuk’s heart!’

My brother was spouting nonsense, causing trouble for everyone around him.

Why did I have to be blamed? What had I even done? It was pointless to complain to me.

I had married as I was ordered, as I was expected to. Why did I have to suffer like this?

My brother’s argument went like this: If I had remained engaged to Lord Arslan, we would have become relatives with the Border Count family and reaped the benefits of trade. By now, our territory would have developed as much as the Border Count’s domain. If that had happened, even if the mines closed, the Hart territory would have prospered.

That’s what he seemed to want to say.

‘If only Sophia had married Seljuk…!’

He was apparently repeating it over and over again. Endlessly dwelling on what could not be changed.

From that day on, I never returned to my parents’ home. I had lost my place there, too.

Shunned by my husband, beaten by my own brother—what more was I expected to endure?

Right after giving birth to my third child, I was moved to a separate residence. I heard that my father-in-law was overseeing the children’s education. Though I didn’t know the details, they were apparently receiving an education befitting the heirs of a duke family.

“Your role is over. From now on, just live quietly in the separate residence.”

It felt like such a typical thing for my husband to say. So, I was no longer of use. Well, that made sense. I had been told as much from the beginning.

Life at the separate residence was peaceful. Whether they knew my circumstances or not, the servants were all women. It was a calm life surrounded only by women.

“Madam, the garden flowers are at their peak.” “Oh! Really?” “Yes. Shall I show you?” “Please.”

Exchanging trivial conversations with the servants, the day would end. I didn’t have to worry about my husband. I didn’t have to worry about the eyes of my in-laws. Urgent letters from my family never reached me here.

Years later, when I heard that my family had failed in managing their territory and fallen into ruin, I felt nothing. Even when I learned that my former fiancé had bought the Hart Earl territory, I felt nothing. Even when the servants told me that Lord Ravil would never become the head of the duke family, I remained unmoved.