Chapter 11 - Test of Innocence (1)

“As expected of a Bavarian. So crafty and cunning! It really pisses me off how you lie so skillfully with that naive-looking face.”

His cruel words struck Annette’s heart. She thought she had handled it well this time, but it was her mistake to think so. After all, Rafael was a stubborn and mean man. He wouldn’t believe her so easily. Rafael smiled coldly when he saw Annette’s face becoming white with shock.

“Okay, let’s say you won today. Damn this first night! Just go anywhere. I don’t want to see that face anymore.”

Rafael took his hand from the broken door and turned heartlessly. Annette looked at his cold back and inwardly sighed. Even now, his temper was the same. Maybe she had gotten used to it, that’s why she didn’t even cry.

‘Someday,…. I’ll get rid of this blame.’

And she would surely get an apology from Rafael for this misunderstanding.

Although she was now walking barefoot through the dark hallway, it was still fine. She wouldn’t do anything like in her previous life. She won’t die as a passive woman who couldn’t do anything for herself. Annette gathered all her courage and raised her bowed head up in determination.

The first decision of her new life happened very quickly. A practitioner was called to the house of Marquis of Carnesis. He was a young man in his early 30s, with glossy brown hair and dark eyebrows. He began to doubt his ears, when he heard Annette’s odd request. After a moment of silence, he asked her carefully,

“What? What are you… What kind of treatment did you want?”

His eyes seemed to want Annette to withdraw her words right away. It was a very embarrassing request. But Annette, who had already made up her mind, calmly repeated what she had just said.

“That….I heard there are practitioners who can prove one’s innocence. They are said to be from the Gynecological side. Can you introduce someone like that from your circle to me? I’d rather prefer the person to be a female practitioner.”

Annette seemed calm on the surface, but she was actually shaking inside with shame. She clenched the arms of her chair so hard that her knuckles turned white. She wanted to withdraw what she said right now and send the practitioner back, but she knew this was the only way.

Rafael, who hated Annette, would not believe in her innocence even if she appealed day and night. She had no choice but to show him corroborative evidence through the testimony of the practitioner. If she herself didn’t take the initiative to clear her charges, no one would. The door will open only for those bold enough to knock. That was the lesson, Annette learned from her previous life.

Annette bit her lips tightly as she recalled the last five years she had suffered. Rather than repeating the same misfortune again, it was much better to endure the momentary shame.

“Well, ma’am. If you insist….”

When the practitioner saw Annette unwilling to withdraw her request, he broke out in a cold sweat. He seemed to be trying to tell her something. Just when Annette was about to listen, the door of the drawing room suddenly opened unceremoniously.

Bang!!

“Hey!”

Surprised by the unexpected loud noise, the practitioner screamed. Unlike his former professional face, he now seemed surprisingly timid. In fact, Annette was also surprised. She gazed at the unexpected intruder and her eyes widened.

“Rafael? What are you doing here?”

As it hadn’t been long since he woke up, Rafael strode in, wearing a white shirt and pants. His well-trained muscles stood out from under his shirt. With his tall and muscular build, he looked threatening enough.

His blue eyes flashed angrily as he turned towards the practitioner standing in front of Annette. He asked him in a gruff voice as if he was growling.

“Has the test been done already?”

“Yes, yes? What, what kind of test?..”

The practitioner was so terrified that he didn’t know what to say, and started to stutter. Rafael’s face contorted with rage. He clenched his teeth and lashed out at him.

“You damn fucker! Did you already do it or not?!”

“No! I didn’t, Your Highness. I swear to God!! I’m…I didn’t touch your wife at all!……”

Only then did the practitioner realise what Rafael was asking. He shook his hand desperately. He was shaking so much that he almost bit his tongue while talking. Annette was worried that he might get involved in a fight.

Rafael, who saw the truth on the face of the frightened practitioner, strode towards him. He grabbed his collar and dragged him out of the drawing room and then slammed the door shut behind him. The air in the whole room seemed to vibrate along with the slammed door.

Rafael really had a bad temper. The doors of the mansion which were slammed so hard, luckily didn’t collapse. Well when she thought about it, yesterday he broke the bedroom’s door. Annette, who was used to living with her boorish husband sighed as she saw him approaching her.

“What happened, Rafael? Is something wrong?”