Episode 25. Your husband doesn't even look at you
“Rose, what were you doing?”
Early in the morning, Doana opened the door to Rose's room. Doana was in a good mood. Last night, Eric announced his divorce from Rose.
"Do you know that your husband is trying to divorce you?"
She probably doesn't know anything. That's probably why she's leisurely scribbling away. Doana laughed heartily at Rose, who was scribbling away at the letter.
'I want to tell you right now.'
Doana forced her trembling lips to shut. Eric was spitting out words of advice.
"You. Don't waste your time on what I just said. If I suggest a divorce, that leech-like woman will definitely swarm me."
Eric gave Doana a firm warning not to tire him out. He had a lot of work to do, and he didn't want to deal with Rose right away.
'It's a shame, but I have to listen to the Count now.'
How would Rose react if the Count asked her to divorce? Doana wondered. How would Rose, with her pretense of sophistication, act? She couldn't describe how displeased she felt whenever she felt Rose, fortunate enough to be a Countess, looked down on her. Had they met in her original life, she wouldn't have dared slap her. Every time Rose held her head high, she wanted to slap her in the face.
Doana peeked out from behind Rose's desk, glancing down at it. Then, abruptly, she snatched the pen away. She was about to write a letter, so the paper was blank. Doana sat down on Rose's desk, facing her, as if to show off. Pushing her hips up onto the desk, Doana crossed her legs, flaunting her sensuality. She wiggled one leg, looking down at Rose haughtily. In the novel, she couldn't defeat Rose. But that would change soon. Doana, who had been wiggling her legs, slowly came to a halt. She stared at Rose in silence, then blinked her wide eyes and opened her mouth.
“But are you okay?”
"What?"
“It seems like you and the Count aren’t on good terms these days.”
The beginning was ordinary and friendly.
“Nothing much.”
“Really? The Count doesn’t seem like that at all...”
Doana blurted out her words and blurted out something meaningful.
"I feel so sorry for you. What's the point of wearing nice dresses and eating good food? Your life is just an empty shell."
Doana's voice whispered softly. At first glance, it sounded like concern, but it was clearly mockery.
“Still, I think it’s better to live a life where you enjoy everything as a Countess than as a servant with nothing.”
At Rose's words, Doana's eyebrows twitched fiercely. Rose looked at Doana and continued speaking as if she were being sarcastic.
"I'm truly satisfied. If I were the concubine of an old nobleman, things might have been different, but with a young and capable man like Eric as my husband, I'm truly satisfied."
Saying something she didn't mean in front of Doana made her feel a bit uneasy. If Eric were to be compared to a department store item, he'd be like a bargain. A bargain that wouldn't sell at its price. If left alone, it wouldn't sell, so she has to at least try to promote it.
"And what a handsome face he has. No wonder he's a romantic lead. Right?"
Rose racked her brain to find something good to say about Eric,
'I don't really have anything to say about him other than his wealthy family and handsome face.'
No merits of his could come to mind. Doana's shoulders shrugged involuntarily at Rose's praise for Eric. The Eric she was so proud of was soon to become her man.
'It's so sad. You don't even know your husband is cheating, and you're just talking excitedly.'
Doana looked at Rose, trying hard to suppress her sneer.
"But what good is a loveless marriage? After all, he's just a possessed husband. He has no feelings whatsoever..."
Doana narrowed her eyes, which had been blinking wide, and stared at Rose. Then she whispered softly.
“Your husband doesn’t even look at you.”
Doana continued to attack Rose. Hoping her words would cause her to grieve, to drift further away from Eric. Doana's teeth were like sharp saw blades. With their sharp, jagged teeth, they continued to bite Rose. If Rose truly loved Eric, Doana's words would have been enough to hurt her. However, Rose, who didn't love anyone like Eric, couldn't be harmed.
“I’m going to try to talk things out with him properly soon. I’ll prepare some wine too... I think he’s been upset because I haven’t hugged him for the past few days.”
Rose pretended not to understand Doana, remaining oblivious. Doana's eyes, which met her gaze, were twisted with displeasure. Perhaps it was because she hated seeing Rose and Eric together. Rose found Doana's reaction to her words amusing. It was because she was the wife, and it was quite amusing to see her jealous. But Doana didn't back down easily. Without taking her gaze off Rose, she slowly moved and crossed her other leg. Then, as if she were thinking of Rose, she spoke in a gentle voice.
"Oh my. You don't know anything. Don't you know that men hate women who push around? He's busy pretending to be asleep when his wife washes up."
Doana met countless married men in her previous life. It was something she'd heard from them. Doana clutched Rose's hands with a look of pity on her face.
“Well, Do-hyun has never done that, but I heard that other men in other families do.”
Thud. When Lee Do-hyun's name was mentioned, Rose's expression instantly hardened.
“Do-hyun...?”
"Ah. My husband is from a previous life. Well, he should at least be good at that. He was a guy with nothing."
Rose gritted her teeth at Doana's words. Both Lee Do-hyun, who had succumbed to Gyeo-ru's temptation, and Lee Gyeo-ru, who had seduced her insignificant man, were horribly dirty.
"Make the man make the first move, Rose. For guys like you, it's best to just wait and do nothing. In fact, I know the Count better than you, don't I?"
Rose stared at Doana, still expressionless.
“You’re not misunderstanding me, are you? I’m the Count’s personal maid, and I’m with him every day, so I’m saying this...”
“Don’t misunderstand. You’re just a ‘maid,’ so how could I misunderstand, Doana?”
Rose cut off Doana's words mid-sentence and closed her eyes into crescent moons.
“You’re not in a position to dictate what happens between a married couple, are you?”
Doana was at a loss for words at Rose's dismissive attitude. Normally, she would have been angry at Rose's contempt, but now she couldn't. She still felt a sense of loss. At least until Rose's divorce. Doana, who had been perched on the edge of her desk, slowly rose. She gently embraced Rose, who was sitting blankly in her chair.
"But what's the point of having a good friend? If you ever have a hard time, you can always lean on me."
Her hands, caressing Rose with a gentle voice, were incredibly warm. However, her eyes, venomous and ferocious, couldn't be hidden.
'That's Cedric, Eric's father, right?'
Why are you looking for me?
'Are you trying to blame me for what happened that day?'
Thanks to Rose's testimony at the Grand Duke's banquet, the Emperor's faction's plans were foiled. They're probably planning to give Rose a hard time.
'I don't want to go. I'll only hear bad things anyway.'
“Tell him I can’t because I have a schedule.”
“Yes, yes?”
The maid's eyes widened at Rose's words. Rose, who had never disobeyed Cedric, refused his command. The maid's mouth fell open at Rose's words and twitched.
"Go on, get out."
Rose gestured for the maid to leave and smiled faintly. The maid nodded, her expression a bit bewildered, and left the room. Meanwhile, Cedric, hearing Rose's words, felt his anger rise to the very tips of his hair.
"Ha?"
Cedric set his teacup down with a thud. How dare you disobey me?
‘This damn thing...!’
How ridiculous must he be to act like this? The veins on his forehead felt like they were about to burst. Cedric decided that today was the day he had to show her a lesson, and glared at the maid with a cold expression.
“Tell her to come again when she can walk on her own two feet.”
A strangled voice leaked out eerily from between clenched lips. The maid flinched at Cedric's words, knowing the meaning behind his words. Compared to Cedric, Eric's actions seemed child's play, his temperament so eccentric. The maid nodded, trembling, and hurried to Rose. Standing in front of Rose's room, she knocked urgently on the door.
“Rose, what were you doing?”
Early in the morning, Doana opened the door to Rose's room. Doana was in a good mood. Last night, Eric announced his divorce from Rose.
"Do you know that your husband is trying to divorce you?"
She probably doesn't know anything. That's probably why she's leisurely scribbling away. Doana laughed heartily at Rose, who was scribbling away at the letter.
'I want to tell you right now.'
Doana forced her trembling lips to shut. Eric was spitting out words of advice.
"You. Don't waste your time on what I just said. If I suggest a divorce, that leech-like woman will definitely swarm me."
Eric gave Doana a firm warning not to tire him out. He had a lot of work to do, and he didn't want to deal with Rose right away.
'It's a shame, but I have to listen to the Count now.'
How would Rose react if the Count asked her to divorce? Doana wondered. How would Rose, with her pretense of sophistication, act? She couldn't describe how displeased she felt whenever she felt Rose, fortunate enough to be a Countess, looked down on her. Had they met in her original life, she wouldn't have dared slap her. Every time Rose held her head high, she wanted to slap her in the face.
'Your and my positions will soon be reversed. When that happens... I will definitely repay the humiliation I have suffered.'
Doana, with her pride, seemed quite bitter about not having said anything to Rose all this time. Her eyes, glaring fiercely at Rose, were filled with malice. Rose, who was about to write a letter, felt a stinging gaze on her head. She slowly raised her head and looked at Doana. Doana, who had been smiling bitterly, suddenly changed her expression as if nothing had happened. Doana's expression softened, and she acted very friendly.
“Huh? What are you doing?”
Doana ran up to Rose and spoke in a coquettish voice. It was a strange, unsettling smile. It was as if she were looking down on her. Rose felt it before, even in her previous life. It was always like that, but today, Doana's expression was strangely more irritating.
“I was just about to write a letter.”
Rose answered curtly and looked away.
“Letter? To whom?”
Doana, with her pride, seemed quite bitter about not having said anything to Rose all this time. Her eyes, glaring fiercely at Rose, were filled with malice. Rose, who was about to write a letter, felt a stinging gaze on her head. She slowly raised her head and looked at Doana. Doana, who had been smiling bitterly, suddenly changed her expression as if nothing had happened. Doana's expression softened, and she acted very friendly.
“Huh? What are you doing?”
Doana ran up to Rose and spoke in a coquettish voice. It was a strange, unsettling smile. It was as if she were looking down on her. Rose felt it before, even in her previous life. It was always like that, but today, Doana's expression was strangely more irritating.
“I was just about to write a letter.”
Rose answered curtly and looked away.
“Letter? To whom?”
Doana peeked out from behind Rose's desk, glancing down at it. Then, abruptly, she snatched the pen away. She was about to write a letter, so the paper was blank. Doana sat down on Rose's desk, facing her, as if to show off. Pushing her hips up onto the desk, Doana crossed her legs, flaunting her sensuality. She wiggled one leg, looking down at Rose haughtily. In the novel, she couldn't defeat Rose. But that would change soon. Doana, who had been wiggling her legs, slowly came to a halt. She stared at Rose in silence, then blinked her wide eyes and opened her mouth.
“But are you okay?”
"What?"
“It seems like you and the Count aren’t on good terms these days.”
The beginning was ordinary and friendly.
“Nothing much.”
“Really? The Count doesn’t seem like that at all...”
Doana blurted out her words and blurted out something meaningful.
"I feel so sorry for you. What's the point of wearing nice dresses and eating good food? Your life is just an empty shell."
Doana's voice whispered softly. At first glance, it sounded like concern, but it was clearly mockery.
“Still, I think it’s better to live a life where you enjoy everything as a Countess than as a servant with nothing.”
At Rose's words, Doana's eyebrows twitched fiercely. Rose looked at Doana and continued speaking as if she were being sarcastic.
"I'm truly satisfied. If I were the concubine of an old nobleman, things might have been different, but with a young and capable man like Eric as my husband, I'm truly satisfied."
Saying something she didn't mean in front of Doana made her feel a bit uneasy. If Eric were to be compared to a department store item, he'd be like a bargain. A bargain that wouldn't sell at its price. If left alone, it wouldn't sell, so she has to at least try to promote it.
"And what a handsome face he has. No wonder he's a romantic lead. Right?"
Rose racked her brain to find something good to say about Eric,
'I don't really have anything to say about him other than his wealthy family and handsome face.'
No merits of his could come to mind. Doana's shoulders shrugged involuntarily at Rose's praise for Eric. The Eric she was so proud of was soon to become her man.
'It's so sad. You don't even know your husband is cheating, and you're just talking excitedly.'
Doana looked at Rose, trying hard to suppress her sneer.
"But what good is a loveless marriage? After all, he's just a possessed husband. He has no feelings whatsoever..."
Doana narrowed her eyes, which had been blinking wide, and stared at Rose. Then she whispered softly.
“Your husband doesn’t even look at you.”
Doana continued to attack Rose. Hoping her words would cause her to grieve, to drift further away from Eric. Doana's teeth were like sharp saw blades. With their sharp, jagged teeth, they continued to bite Rose. If Rose truly loved Eric, Doana's words would have been enough to hurt her. However, Rose, who didn't love anyone like Eric, couldn't be harmed.
“I’m going to try to talk things out with him properly soon. I’ll prepare some wine too... I think he’s been upset because I haven’t hugged him for the past few days.”
Rose pretended not to understand Doana, remaining oblivious. Doana's eyes, which met her gaze, were twisted with displeasure. Perhaps it was because she hated seeing Rose and Eric together. Rose found Doana's reaction to her words amusing. It was because she was the wife, and it was quite amusing to see her jealous. But Doana didn't back down easily. Without taking her gaze off Rose, she slowly moved and crossed her other leg. Then, as if she were thinking of Rose, she spoke in a gentle voice.
"Oh my. You don't know anything. Don't you know that men hate women who push around? He's busy pretending to be asleep when his wife washes up."
Doana met countless married men in her previous life. It was something she'd heard from them. Doana clutched Rose's hands with a look of pity on her face.
“Well, Do-hyun has never done that, but I heard that other men in other families do.”
Thud. When Lee Do-hyun's name was mentioned, Rose's expression instantly hardened.
“Do-hyun...?”
"Ah. My husband is from a previous life. Well, he should at least be good at that. He was a guy with nothing."
Rose gritted her teeth at Doana's words. Both Lee Do-hyun, who had succumbed to Gyeo-ru's temptation, and Lee Gyeo-ru, who had seduced her insignificant man, were horribly dirty.
"Make the man make the first move, Rose. For guys like you, it's best to just wait and do nothing. In fact, I know the Count better than you, don't I?"
Rose stared at Doana, still expressionless.
“You’re not misunderstanding me, are you? I’m the Count’s personal maid, and I’m with him every day, so I’m saying this...”
“Don’t misunderstand. You’re just a ‘maid,’ so how could I misunderstand, Doana?”
Rose cut off Doana's words mid-sentence and closed her eyes into crescent moons.
“You’re not in a position to dictate what happens between a married couple, are you?”
Doana was at a loss for words at Rose's dismissive attitude. Normally, she would have been angry at Rose's contempt, but now she couldn't. She still felt a sense of loss. At least until Rose's divorce. Doana, who had been perched on the edge of her desk, slowly rose. She gently embraced Rose, who was sitting blankly in her chair.
"But what's the point of having a good friend? If you ever have a hard time, you can always lean on me."
Her hands, caressing Rose with a gentle voice, were incredibly warm. However, her eyes, venomous and ferocious, couldn't be hidden.
***
“Are you here?”
At that moment, the garden was bustling. An unexpected guest had arrived early in the morning. Gwen greeted the man who had stepped out of the carriage with a polite bow. It was Eric's father, Cedric.
“Bring Rose.”
The first thing he look for as soon as he get off the carriage is Rose.
“Yes? Madam?”
Cedric's expression twisted at the word "madam." He had never once acknowledged Rose as his daughter-in-law. Addressing Rose as "Madam Wence" in front of Eric's father, Cedric, and his mother, Tercia, was an unspoken prohibition. Gwen, realizing hia slip of the tongue, quickly shut his mouth. He lowered his head and answered in a low voice.
"All right."
Gwen ordered one of her maids to bring Rose. The maid was already worried at Cedric's request. Whenever he came and went, Rose would weep silently for the entire day.
At that moment, the garden was bustling. An unexpected guest had arrived early in the morning. Gwen greeted the man who had stepped out of the carriage with a polite bow. It was Eric's father, Cedric.
“Bring Rose.”
The first thing he look for as soon as he get off the carriage is Rose.
“Yes? Madam?”
Cedric's expression twisted at the word "madam." He had never once acknowledged Rose as his daughter-in-law. Addressing Rose as "Madam Wence" in front of Eric's father, Cedric, and his mother, Tercia, was an unspoken prohibition. Gwen, realizing hia slip of the tongue, quickly shut his mouth. He lowered his head and answered in a low voice.
"All right."
Gwen ordered one of her maids to bring Rose. The maid was already worried at Cedric's request. Whenever he came and went, Rose would weep silently for the entire day.
'It's been three years, so it's about time you acknowledge it.'
The maid felt extremely sorry for Rose, who had married into the Count's family for love only.
“How nice it would have been if you had met someone else and lived happily ever after.”
The maid muttered to herself as she walked toward Rose's room. Knock. She knocked twice on Rose's door. Rose hurriedly hid the letter she was writing to the Grand Duke of Artaeum in a drawer and answered.
“Come in.”
The maid appeared with a creaking sound of the door. She spoke cautiously to Rose.
“Excuse me, the former Count is looking for you.”
If it were the former Count...
The maid felt extremely sorry for Rose, who had married into the Count's family for love only.
“How nice it would have been if you had met someone else and lived happily ever after.”
The maid muttered to herself as she walked toward Rose's room. Knock. She knocked twice on Rose's door. Rose hurriedly hid the letter she was writing to the Grand Duke of Artaeum in a drawer and answered.
“Come in.”
The maid appeared with a creaking sound of the door. She spoke cautiously to Rose.
“Excuse me, the former Count is looking for you.”
If it were the former Count...
'That's Cedric, Eric's father, right?'
Why are you looking for me?
'Are you trying to blame me for what happened that day?'
Thanks to Rose's testimony at the Grand Duke's banquet, the Emperor's faction's plans were foiled. They're probably planning to give Rose a hard time.
'I don't want to go. I'll only hear bad things anyway.'
“Tell him I can’t because I have a schedule.”
“Yes, yes?”
The maid's eyes widened at Rose's words. Rose, who had never disobeyed Cedric, refused his command. The maid's mouth fell open at Rose's words and twitched.
"Go on, get out."
Rose gestured for the maid to leave and smiled faintly. The maid nodded, her expression a bit bewildered, and left the room. Meanwhile, Cedric, hearing Rose's words, felt his anger rise to the very tips of his hair.
"Ha?"
Cedric set his teacup down with a thud. How dare you disobey me?
‘This damn thing...!’
How ridiculous must he be to act like this? The veins on his forehead felt like they were about to burst. Cedric decided that today was the day he had to show her a lesson, and glared at the maid with a cold expression.
“Tell her to come again when she can walk on her own two feet.”
A strangled voice leaked out eerily from between clenched lips. The maid flinched at Cedric's words, knowing the meaning behind his words. Compared to Cedric, Eric's actions seemed child's play, his temperament so eccentric. The maid nodded, trembling, and hurried to Rose. Standing in front of Rose's room, she knocked urgently on the door.
“Oh, ma’am!”
The banging noise was quite loud. Rose, who had been sitting, got up and opened her door. A pale maid appeared in front of the door. Sweat dripping down her face, she grabbed Rose's arm in a panic.
“You have to go, ma’am.”
Rose felt the maid's trembling, running through her fingertips. Rose nodded at the sight of the maid staring at her with tearful eyes, as if on the verge of tears.
"Yes, I understand. I'll get ready and go right away, so call Jane."
What had she heard to make her shiver like that? Rose instinctively knew she shouldn't ignore Cedric. Hurriedly, she prepared herself and headed toward the reception room. The air in the hallway was unusually chilly today. The chill from the floor crept up to Rose's toes. Every time a clattering sound echoed, the servants glanced at Rose, their faces etched with worry and concern. Jane, who was beside Rose, felt the same.
The banging noise was quite loud. Rose, who had been sitting, got up and opened her door. A pale maid appeared in front of the door. Sweat dripping down her face, she grabbed Rose's arm in a panic.
“You have to go, ma’am.”
Rose felt the maid's trembling, running through her fingertips. Rose nodded at the sight of the maid staring at her with tearful eyes, as if on the verge of tears.
"Yes, I understand. I'll get ready and go right away, so call Jane."
What had she heard to make her shiver like that? Rose instinctively knew she shouldn't ignore Cedric. Hurriedly, she prepared herself and headed toward the reception room. The air in the hallway was unusually chilly today. The chill from the floor crept up to Rose's toes. Every time a clattering sound echoed, the servants glanced at Rose, their faces etched with worry and concern. Jane, who was beside Rose, felt the same.
As they arrived at the reception room, Jane held Rose's hand tightly.
“You’ll be fine, ma’am.”
There was a sense of pathos, as if cheering on soldiers heading to battle. Rose gave Jane a faint smile and told her not to worry.
“Open the door.”
As the massive doors swung open on both sides, a middle-aged man sat with an arrogant posture. He looked remarkably like Eric. However, unlike Eric, his aura was far more sinister. The moment they met, the pressure was so intense that it took her breath away. Just like when she had faced Duke Flice, Cedric's aura seemed to weigh down Rose. Despite the weight of pressure squeezing her entire body, Rose appeared calm. After all, she had experienced the mad Grand Duke of Artaeum and Duke Flice, the leader of the Imperial faction. Ironically, this situation felt familiar.
“Hello, Father.”
Rose's voice echoed loudly throughout the room. Cedric's eyes flashed with a murderous glint as he saw Rose's expressionless face as she faced him.
“You’ll be fine, ma’am.”
There was a sense of pathos, as if cheering on soldiers heading to battle. Rose gave Jane a faint smile and told her not to worry.
“Open the door.”
As the massive doors swung open on both sides, a middle-aged man sat with an arrogant posture. He looked remarkably like Eric. However, unlike Eric, his aura was far more sinister. The moment they met, the pressure was so intense that it took her breath away. Just like when she had faced Duke Flice, Cedric's aura seemed to weigh down Rose. Despite the weight of pressure squeezing her entire body, Rose appeared calm. After all, she had experienced the mad Grand Duke of Artaeum and Duke Flice, the leader of the Imperial faction. Ironically, this situation felt familiar.
“Hello, Father.”
Rose's voice echoed loudly throughout the room. Cedric's eyes flashed with a murderous glint as he saw Rose's expressionless face as she faced him.
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