"Duke, we have reached!" the driver inford us.
My heart was pounding rapidly. Nurous thoughts raced through my head. My inner voice kept reminding of past experiences, telling that he would do the sa again. It kept saying I would be abandoned and left to die, just like last ti.
"Madam."
"Madam."
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him.
"Yes, were you saying sothing?" I asked.
"Yes, the people of Ablia are waiting for you," he said.
The people of Ablia? Did they truly want here with their beloved young duke, who was the hero of the Duclea nation? I wondered why the people of Ablia acted as if I were a parasite when I set foot here. Was it because they didn’t care about the other regions of Duclea and were entirely self-centered about Ablia?
I wasn’t sure.
I snapped out of my thoughts and held his hand as I got down from the carriage.
"I’m Grant, the butler welcoming you to Ablia state." he said, bowing politely.
Before he could complete his introduction, I heard the murmurs of the crowd, making my ears feel numb.
"Is that the Marquis’s daughter rumored to be engaged to the young duke?"
"Yes, it’s her."
"She looks so simple, unlike our duke."
"Yes, she doesn’t even have the charm. I wonder what made the duke marry her."
"Did she force him?"
"Maybe she did black magic on him."
"Yeah, otherwise why would our duke marry her? He can have any princess. His face is so handso. He has so many achievents. He is the strongest knight protecting the nation as well as this state. Then why would he marry her in such a hurry if it isn’t the case?"
"Yeah, right!"
Hearing all of this, I wanted to scream. I wanted to confront them, but I clenched my fists in my skirt.
"Madam, let’s go inside," Grant said, snapping out of my thoughts. But it didn’t comfort as I saw those ungrateful maids bowing to .
"Madam, this is Yuna, and she is going to handle all your personal tasks. So, from now on, she is your personal maid," he said, introducing her to . She was looking down and nodding as he spoke.
"Welco to Ablia, Duchess Bernice Balliol Agnes," I got goosebumps. I despised this na, this title, clinging to my na, but I couldn’t rid myself of it.
"I will show you to your room," she said and led upstairs. I noticed my old self, looking at the duke with a warm smile, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. But she left with disappointnt. Now, I looked at him in the sa way, but the smile was no longer with , nor was the affection.
"Duchess, do you need sothing?" she asked as I stopped.
"Yes, I need to talk to the duke," I said.
"You can talk later. Now, let show you and help you prepare for a bath," she interrupted my words.
I turned to her.
"Can you repeat what you just said?" I asked.
"You can talk later—"
"Say it once more, and I will pull out your tongue," I glared. I finally realized that no one here respected unless the duke said sothing. I was nad Duchess, but with a title that felt ridiculous. I couldn’t allow it to happen. I was only a Duchess known to the nation back then and now as well. Otherwise, why would no maid, no guard, and not a single person be there for in this land when people would get scared easily if the low-ranking people made a slight mistake while serving the high-ranking officials?
"Duke," I called out, interrupting his conversation with Grant.
"Yes, Madam," he looked at .
"We need a contract!!!" I spoke.
"A contract?" he asked.
"Yes, a contract. We need a contract that will be beneficial to both of us," even though it felt like a lifeline for . Yeah, if this contract happens, then I’m free from all my worries. I would no longer have to keep living here, worrying about my death, which would keep awake all night.
"Madam, what are you talking about? We don’t need—"
"We do need this," I cut him off.
"Who said we don’t need it? Yes, you can say that if I were to marry you because of my feelings, then we wouldn’t need one. The sa goes for you. But this is rely a marriage of convenience, so there needs to be a contract to keep everything in its right place," I explained.
"Or you married because you love ?" I knew you never did, not the way I did.
"No, let’s sign a contract. Tell what you want!" he said and started writing everything down on paper. I didn’t know what he was writing, but as I finished writing mine, we exchanged our papers.
The Duke should maintain the household. There shouldn’t be anything that harms the household, Ablia. This should at least be maintained for a year. These were the conditions from the Duke’s side, which were simple.
My conditions were: Both sides should respect each other’s privacy. If everything continues well for a year, the Duke should sign the divorce papers. I didn’t have many conditions, but they were all aid at saving .
"Divorce?" he asked.
His facial expression was sothing else, sothing I had never seen before. I wonder if I had asked the sa question in my previous life, would he react the sa way? Would he have that frown on his face that could mislead people about his feelings for ? I guess not. But here I am, doing sothing that my previous self would never have asked for, not even in her dreams.
"Yes, divorce. I don’t want to keep it hidden from you, but I never wanted this marriage," I said, even though it hurt like crazy.
"What if I don’t?" My switch had snapped.
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