Living a Scheming Marriage with a Mad Villain - Chapter 35

I tried to walk as quietly as possible, but once Reus’s gaze turned toward me, it didn’t leave me until I went from the dressing room to the bathroom and then sat on the bed.

 

I don’t know what exactly upset him today.

 

Just as I was about to slip my legs into the covers and lie down quietly, Reus finally spoke.

 

“I feel like you’ve been coming home too late lately.”

 

“What?”

 

“You’ve been coming home in the early mornings one after another.”

 

“Ah… sorry, I’m disturbing you when you’re trying to sleep.”

 

I awkwardly laughed and apologized, but Reus’s discontented gaze showed no sign of easing.

 

Then, Reus broke the silence and spoke again.

 

“There’s no need to work that hard.”

 

“As long as you do the bare minimum, that’s all you need to do.”

 

I hadn’t heard anything particularly bad, but for some reason, a sharp sensation brushed against my chest.

 

I had always convinced myself that there was no more pain to be had from a life spent on the sidelines. It had become so familiar that I thought nothing could hurt me anymore.

 

But now, a strange sorrow overwhelmed me, as if it were the first time I had ever experienced such a thing.

 

Maybe it was because I had unknowingly started to care for this place, which was full of good memories.

 

I didn’t want to speak, afraid my trembling voice would give me away. But since Reus was looking at me as if expecting an answer, I had no choice but to speak.

 

“I’ll do that.”

 

Reus finally seemed satisfied, withdrawing his gaze and lying down on the bed. I also pulled the blanket over me, lifting it to cover my face.

 

Reus really hates me working, after all.

 

He must have only allowed it because he had no choice.

 

There was nothing more uncomfortable than someone who knew the family’s secrets leaving, so it wasn’t an unexpected reaction.

 

I knew that with my head, but it still upset me. I felt like I might cry at any moment. I closed my eyes tightly, wishing this night would pass quickly.

 

 

 

After that day, Loelle became noticeably downcast.

 

Reus, watching her, had no idea he was the one causing it. He was getting frustrated, not knowing what to do.

 

Even though she was always quiet and looked fragile, seeing her sit still every day like this made her look almost like a patient in Reus’s eyes.

 

However, this was just Reus’s perspective, and Loelle was sitting in the garden, slowly recovering her spirits as she gazed at the wide, refreshing ocean.

 

In fact, none of the servants noticed Loelle melancholy.

 

Anyone who stood out even a little in the Ivelle Count family would be thrown things or criticized, so Loelle had become very skilled at hiding her feelings and pretending that everything was fine.

 

Yet, Reus had an uncanny ability to read almost all of Loelle’s emotions.

 

For instance, he could pick up on the lingering traces of sadness, or things like resignation and surrender.

 

Reus had lived a life devoted to reading others, so he instinctively sensed Loelle’s dejection.

 

But no matter how skilled Reus was, he couldn’t figure out why she was feeling down.

 

“Say something.”

 

He would sometimes get anxious as the days passed, but Loelle didn’t notice his discomfort.

 

Because of that, today, too, he spent the whole day wasting precious time, unable to focus on his work. Eventually, Reus decided to finish up quickly and head straight to his bedroom.

 

As expected, Loelle was already lying still, deeply asleep, even earlier than usual.

 

Normally, Reus would have welcomed this.

 

There was no reason to interfere with her when she was like this, acting almost like a piece of furniture in the room, quietly staying out of the way.

 

But no matter how he thought about it, this situation made him feel uncomfortable. He even had the strange urge to talk to her, but he had no reason to wake her.

 

Reus spent yet another day frustrated, not understanding why things had become this way.

 

 

 

After a few days of resting and clearing my mind, my sadness finally began to lift.

 

“Now that I think about it, there wasn’t really anything to be upset about.”

 

Reus’s reaction was actually a reasonable attitude for the head of the Rochester family to have, and his warning was valid. Furthermore, he had given it to me calmly, despite his dislike for me.

 

“I should be thankful, not upset.”

 

The day I first arrived at the Duke’s residence.

 

When I was offered a contract to take over all of Ivelle Count’s estate, I had a vague sense that my father and Reus had been involved in something unpleasant.

 

I couldn’t know exactly what it was, but it must have been something significant enough to potentially destroy the family.

 

“The downfall of the Ivelle Count family in the original story… maybe that was part of the plan?”

 

The Count was not just unlucky to have crossed paths with Reus, the antagonist of the original story. He had committed an unforgivable sin and was always destined to face judgment.

 

If that was the case, then as the daughter of the Ivelle Count, I would have been nothing more than a thorn in Reus’s side.

 

Yet, Reus decided to spare me, keeping me alive and even allowing me to join in on his revenge. If that hadn’t happened, I would have been quietly eliminated without anyone knowing.

 

“Looking back now, I’m lucky that Reus became my benefactor before he went crazy.”

 

Thinking about it like this, right now…

 

“Reus is doing his best to treat me well.”

 

So, I just need to do my part. I’ll keep my distance and stay quiet, not bothering Reus.

 

As soon as I thought that, I ran into a problem during breakfast.

 

I had finished my meal to my satisfaction, when a voice I didn’t like came from nearby.

 

“Are you already finished with your meal?”

 

When it was just Reus and Derwin, he could speak casually, but when servants were present, he maintained a soft tone and look. But now, it was obvious he was displeased.

 

I carefully set my utensils down without making a sound, then picked up my cup of water to make it look like I hadn’t finished eating yet.

 

“No… I’m just a little thirsty.”

 

However, Reus’s expression didn’t soften.

 

He watched me drink for a while, then called for Loteo. It seemed like he said something for a while, and soon after, the servants entered the dining room, bringing more food.

 

The already full table quickly filled up with even more dishes.

 

“Why is there more food, when there’s already so much?”

 

I didn’t feel the need to ask, as it was clear that Reus expected me to continue eating.

 

I was already full and feeling sluggish, but under Reus’s sharp gaze, I reluctantly picked up my utensils again.

 

“Does it bother him no matter what I do now?”

 

Reus seemed to dislike me more than I had imagined… No, perhaps he hated me.

 

I had thought I could maintain a good relationship with him until I left, but maybe that was too much to ask.

 

For the first time since I was at the Ivelle Count’s residence, I felt suffocated.

 

After breakfast, I dragged my heavy body to the office.

 

By the time I was done with the meal, I felt like I was about to burst, but it wasn’t long before the discomfort in my stomach worsened.

 

“I think I’m indigested…”

 

This was already the second time I’d had an upset stomach because of Reus.

 

Ignoring my discomfort, I tried to focus on work, but it didn’t take long for Derwin to notice my condition.

 

“Your Highness, are you okay? You look pale.”

 

It seemed like my indigestion had worsened, and I started sweating cold. Derwin, who had been watching me closely, jumped to his feet.

 

“I’ll call for the doctor right away!”

 

If the doctor came, Reus would find out, wouldn’t he?

 

For a moment, I heard Reus’s mocking voice in my head.

 

“Are you making yourself sick on purpose to bother me? Do you think this little show will get to me?”

 

“I heard that people like him enjoy seeing others suffer…”

 

I couldn’t let Reus see me like this. I quickly stopped Derwin from rushing to get the doctor.

 

“Derwin… there’s no need to call the doctor.”

 

“But Your Highness…”

 

“I’m fine. I think it’s just a mild case of indigestion. If it doesn’t get better after I take some medicine, I’ll call the doctor then.”

 

After some hesitation, Derwin reluctantly brought me some medicine instead of a doctor.

 

“Thank you, Derwin.”

 

“If it gets worse at all, you must let me know. Promise me.”

 

“I will.”

 

Fortunately, after taking the medicine, my stomach eased up after a little while. But I still felt strangely weak and heavy.

 

Then, I began to feel a different kind of stomach pain, which wasn’t the same as indigestion. I excused myself from Derwin and left the office much earlier than usual.

 

On the way back to my room, I had to stop and catch my breath a couple of times, my body weak and unsteady. The dizzying sensation seemed like it wouldn’t go away, and I thought…

 

“It must be that time again.”

 

I could tell that my period was starting.

 

When I reached my room, I took the painkillers Derwin had given me, but they didn’t work very well.

 

Eventually, I dragged my heavy body to the bed, collapsing onto it in an ungraceful way.

 

Since painkillers didn’t help much during this time, I usually just lay still for a few days.

 

“At least it’s not as cold as the storage room.”

 

Even though my body felt weak, the warm blanket wrapped around me, and it made me feel a little better.

 

“It’s warm…”

 

Yes. Even when I was in pain, it was a relief that I wasn’t in the cold storage room.

 

Thinking about the past, I felt both sadness and a sense of relief that I wasn’t at the Ivelle Count’s place anymore. If this was a dream, I hoped it would never end as I closed my eyes.