Living a Scheming Marriage with a Mad Villain - Chapter 19

“Reus…?”

I had no idea why Reus, who said he could only stop by briefly in a few days, was here now. As I looked at him in surprise, Reus pulled me behind him to shield me.

“What do you think you’re doing! Take your hands off my fiancée right now.”

“Your fiancée?”

Reus stared at Cassien with a cold, emotionless face, then spoke in a frosty voice.

“Let’s be clear. Loelle is not your fiancée. She is my betrothed.”

He had only spoken, yet the atmosphere turned heavy. Cassien flinched for a moment. Then, as if regaining his pride, he replied with a slightly arrogant tone.

“I don’t know what words Your Highness used to charm my fiancée, but in the end, Loelle will return to me. So don’t waste your strength and just hand her over.”

“You talk like Loelle is your property.”

“We pledged eternity to each other. I don’t think I’m completely wrong.”

What is he talking about?

A childish promise I made alone in the past. What use does that have now?

Even if it did mean something, Cassien was the last person who had the right to speak like that. During our relationship, he neglected me and never even noticed when my feelings began to change.

So arguing any further was pointless.

“Reus, let’s go.”

As I took Reus’s hand and tried to leave, Cassien rushed over and blocked our way.

“Where do you think you’re going, Loelle? No. I won’t let you go.”

“You said you’d stay by my side forever! You’re my fiancée. So where do you think you’re going, huh?”

I had wanted to leave quietly. But seeing Cassien still act so selfishly, I couldn’t just stay silent.

I shoved him away as he tried to come closer again.

“Please, just stop, Cassien!”

It wasn’t a strong push, but maybe it shocked him. Cassien stepped back a few paces and stood frozen.

I looked him straight in the eye and said firmly,

“I’m not your possession. So you have no right to act this way toward me.”

“So stop clinging to me like this, Cassien.”

“Loelle… Just listen to me for a moment—”

“You still don’t get it? The one I chose is not you. It’s Reus.”

“What?”

“You and I are nothing to each other now.”

Cassien lowered his hand with a dumbfounded expression.

And just then, the knights of the House of Ivelle arrived in the garden.

“There he is!”

The knights passed quickly by Reus and me and surrounded Cassien.

“What is the meaning of this? How dare you lay hands on me!”

“We apologize. The Count ordered us to separate you from the young lady.”

“Let go! I said let go! I said let go of me!”

Cassien struggled wildly. But no matter how tall and strong the male lead might be, there was no way he could overpower a group of knights alone.

“Loelle. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

“Loelle! Don’t leave me like this, Loelle! Let go! I said LET GO! Loelle!!”

His desperate shouting echoed behind me. But I didn’t look back as I left the garden.

I thought he’d at least give notice before visiting the mansion. But it turns out Cassien barged in by threatening the staff, claiming we were still engaged and would remain so.

Coincidentally, Reus, who hadn’t planned to visit, also arrived at the mansion at that time.

It happened just when Briella was furiously complaining to Peria about the insults Cassien had thrown at her.

Because of that, instead of going back to my room, I ended up riding in Reus’s carriage.

Reus had been clearly displeased with the situation and criticized the security of the Ivelle estate. So my father and Peria quickly insisted I return to the Grand Duke’s castle at once.

Though the whole situation wrapped up faster than expected, I still felt uncomfortable for having caused a scene.

I wasn’t sure why  but I felt kind of embarrassed.

‘I shouldn’t have assumed everything would go smoothly.’

I glanced at Reus to see how he was feeling. He was looking down at the documents, his expression calm. I couldn’t tell if he was quiet because he was busy or because he was upset.

‘Now that I think about it, I came here early because he said he wouldn’t have time.’

He must have pushed himself to stop by Ivelle. I didn’t ask him to, but it made me feel even guiltier.

After thinking about it for a while, I opened my mouth.

“Um… I’m sorry for dragging you into all that, Your Grace.”

“Loelle.”

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“You’re calling me formally again.”

“Oh! I’m sorry. I’ll be careful.”

Reus, who had been staring at the papers, lifted his gaze and looked at me steadily.

“There’s no need to apologize for something like that.”

“But still…”

“There are only two times you ever need to apologize to me: when you fail to bring me the Forest of Silence, and when you fail to act like my loving fiancée properly.”

He made it clear that my presence meant nothing to him, and that I didn’t need to worry.

I had expected that kind of reaction, but the truth was, things had only gone smoothly because Reus had shown up.

“Still, thank you for earlier, Your—no, Reus.”

“No need to mention it.”

“Um…”

The sound of pages flipping returned. I wanted to bring up the Forest of Silence, but Reus’s indifferent attitude made me stay silent.

‘It’s fine. I’ll be staying at the Grand Duke’s castle anyway. I’ll talk to him later so I don’t bother him now.’

I looked away from Reus and turned my eyes to the quiet evening scenery.

After returning to the Grand Duke’s castle, peaceful days followed. The wedding preparations were nearing their end.

Shanette murmured with a thoughtful look.

“Now we just need to decide on the ceremony location.”

We had looked at most places together, but none of them had felt quite right.

‘Shanette must really care about Reus.’

She often told me stories about Reus’s childhood, and through those stories, it was clear how much she cherished her nephew. I also learned that Reus had endured a painful and lonely childhood.

Lost in thought, I was brought back when Shanette asked me a question.

“I think the western glass greenhouse is the best option. What do you think, Loelle?”

“The greenhouse…”

It felt wrong to use such a meaningful place for a fake wedding.

That western glass greenhouse was the late duchess’s favorite spot, built entirely under the former duke’s direction. It had deep emotional value.

As nothing more than a pretend partner, using someone’s cherished memory like that felt wrong to me.

No one would like sharing a part of their special memory with someone unimportant. I was sure Reus would feel uncomfortable too.

But unaware of how I felt, Shanette continued, trying to persuade me.

“The greenhouse is spacious, so it’ll be good for guests. Even aside from that, it just seems like the best choice.”

“Hmm…”

“Loelle, is something bothering you? You can tell me.”

As I struggled to answer, Reus appeared.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, Reus. Come sit down a moment. We’re talking about the wedding venue.”

“Didn’t we already decide?”

“We did, but it wasn’t as nice as I thought. So I’m thinking the western greenhouse might be better. What do you think?”

“As long as the wedding happens, I don’t care where it is.”

I was surprised by his unexpected answer. Reus tilted his head slightly, as if wondering what the problem was.

“Loelle, if you don’t like the greenhouse, you can say so.”

“Oh, no! It’s not that I don’t like it I just don’t know if I deserve to have the wedding there.”

As my voice trailed off, Reus answered calmly.

“Loelle. I intend to follow your wishes. Don’t worry about others. Do what you want.”

As usual, Reus showed no strong opinion just that detached attitude, as if none of it mattered.

In the end, the wedding venue was set to the glass greenhouse on the west side of the Grand Duke’s castle. And the day of the wedding, which had felt far away, finally arrived.

That’s right. Today was the day Reus and I were getting married.

‘I’m really getting married.’

Even though I had made this choice myself, it still didn’t feel real.

Wearing a wedding dress, walking into the venue soon even knowing that I would become the Grand Duchess after this fake wedding. It all still felt like a dream.

‘Maybe I’m okay with it after all.’

Or maybe I was just so nervous that I was fooling myself into thinking I was fine.

Then Shanette spoke.

“Loelle, are you nervous? Should I bring something to help you calm down?”

“No, I’m fine, Lady Shanette.”

I smiled to reassure her, but the concern on her face only deepened.

I guess I really wasn’t aware of how stiff I’d become.

But thinking about it, my reaction made sense.

Reus had prepared this wedding to be the grandest among even the high nobility.

With it being such a large event, all the notable nobles were attending and even royalty had come.

Remembering that made my mouth go dry and my breathing just a little harder.

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