Chapter 74

How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 74. Adverse Consolidation (1)

Annette gazed at herself in the mirror of her dressing table as she combed her soft blonde hair. It was very long, down to her waist, and her combing gradually slowed as she sank into deep thought.

Raphael is late.

She was worried something had happened at the palace. Perhaps he had been waylaid, drawn into a quarrel, or someone might have said something to provoke him. She knew these things had happened to a sickening degree ever since Raphael had earned his title, and much of that hostility had been carefully fostered in the public by her father.

She sighed. Raphael was a proud man, and he would sooner bite his tongue and die than allow others to mock him. It was unfortunate that a man of such stubborn pride had been born illegitimate.

Creak…

At that moment, the door to her room creaked open, and for a moment, she thought it was a ghost, it had opened so quietly. She turned her head to see who it was, and as she expected, there was only one person who would enter without knocking.

“Raphael?”

She jolted at the surprise of seeing him in her doorway instead of at the palace, and when she saw his rigid face, dread filled her. She didn’t know why, but it seemed he was in a bad mood.

“Raphael, what’s the matter?” She asked anxiously. “Did something happen at the palace?”

She asked the question kindly, despite the ominous expression on his face, and at the sweet tone, he clenched his jaw with a clear inner struggle to control his temper. That was surprising. Normally he would have vented his anger without thought. But he drew several deep breaths before he asked an abrupt question.

“Isn’t it true that you said you hate men like me?”

“What? Me?” Her eyes widened at the sudden question, as startling as a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. Where was this coming from?

“Before we were married, you said you would rather live alone the rest of your life than be my wife,” he said angrily. “Or die. Is that true? Did you really say that?”

Annette tried to remember if she had ever said anything like that, but she couldn’t. And she had never been the type of person to look down on others. Had Raphael heard some strange rumor somewhere?

“I don’t…remember anything like that. Did His Majesty say such a thing?” Annette asked, remembering that Raphael had been at the palace that day.

He did not answer. He approached her silently, a great shadow looming over her, and goosebumps rose instinctively. It was intimidating to have such a powerfully built man looking down at her with so fierce a face.

“A weakling said it,” he said, bending his head nearer to hers. “He said a woman as refined as you could never love a bastard. He recalled that you said you would rather enter a convent than to marry common trash. That’s what you said before, isn’t it?”

Perhaps my father is right. If he were legitimate, then he would surely be the Crown Prince. And then you would have to marry him instead. I hate to think of it! Would you be happier with him? Because he is more of a man?

That had happened several years ago, and Ludwig had been so hurt that the King had compared him to Raphael. Tears filling his eyes, streaming down to the line of his elegant jaw. She remembered how those clear tears had glistened in the sunlight.

At the time, she had also been something like his counselor. She had felt sorry for Ludwig, who was deeply wounded by his father’s words. He was of higher birth than anyone else, but his self-esteem was incredibly low. He was so sensitive on this subject, it seems the least word might even push him to suicide.

I wish he had never been born…

Ludwig’s eyes had been chilling as he repeated these words. Annette thought it would be best to comfort him.