CH 27.2

“You’re talking about that.”

He stretched out his empty left hand and looked up.

As Anne blinked, not knowing what he was saying, a blurry mark appeared on the flesh between his thumb and forefinger.

That’s . . .

The Grand Duke looked at the scar, raising his hand, showing her the traces of her bite.

“How hard was the wife’s bite back then . . . Did your husband’s blood taste so good?”

She could see the ends of his lips rising even more, like he heard a funny joke.

Taste. The fishy taste that seemed as raw as licking a piece of iron was instantly etched into her tongue. To erase that taste, Anne swallowed her saliva.

“I’m sure you have another question. You also knew about Marie.”

“. . . !?”

Anne was startled. She had never imagined that he himself would bring up Marie.

“Didn’t you already know all that? That she has nothing to do with me.”

“You are surprisingly docile in admitting that you lied.”

Her calm attitude seemed to make him laugh out loud. She didn’t know how he knew what she had noticed, but she couldn’t believe he would admit that there was no mistress.

Her hand clenched in her fist was trembling, and Anne barely spoke with her gritted teeth.

“Then why did you do such a thing to be married to me?”

“That. Your parents are stupid, and I had to have you.”

“Why? Why did it have to be me?”

“That . . . Let’s just say I saw you at the banquet that day.”

Again, the answer was no different from what Anne had expected. Had he been planning since the day they first met? It wasn’t a normal marriage proposal, but he did such a cumbersome thing as breaking her engagement with the Marquis and forcing their marriage, only to have her sit in this castle.

On the other hand, it was still difficult to understand his words as they did not make sense. Far from loving her, didn’t she displease him? The more she tried to wrap her head around it, the more cloudy her mind became. She had no idea what the hell he was thinking.

“I can’t listen to you anymore. I will tell you my purpose.”

Anne finally brought out her purpose of coming here. She solved the puzzle, so she didn’t have to go on with her marriage for Libelois sake.

“You didn’t try to deny that Marie isn’t your mistress and used that lie with my brother to put me here. So our marriage is null and void.”

“Whatever you’re thinking of . . . The wife seemed to be mistaken. This castle is not a place for anyone to enter and exit. The same goes for this room.”

The Grand Duke’s voice resounded heavily. There was no roar nor loud noise, but Anne felt all the warmth of her body drain away. For his words entangled her like ropes and gave her a sense of intimidation that she could not lift her hand.

In his intense gaze, Anne grabbed her trembling chest and pulled out the words that she didn’t even want to say.

“This matter will be formally protested by County Libelois as well. The Count’s son was framed, and you insist on marriage by mentioning compensation . . .”

Slam!

Before she could finish her words, the Grand Duke pulled something out and threw it on the desk.

Anne’s gaze fell to the white paper that covered her hand. The first thing that caught her eye was the bold gothic text.

She licked her lips, noticing the largest phrase lined up in the center of the first line.

Promissory note.

It was a document that went back and forth between parties borrowing and lending money. Below that was a number, and the number of zeros was too many to count properly.

An amount beyond imagination at first glance. Anne’s eyes trembled anxiously as she read the documents for a considerable amount that could even afford to buy a few large mansions in the capital city.

Her slender hand, turning the paper, stopped again and again. In the next chapter, a feast of letters continued, and at the end of it, two familiar signatures and seals of the family were stamped. It was the coat of arms of Grand Duchy Cromund and County Libelois.

A document between the Grand Duchy and her family.

Has Father already started his work?

What a disaster. Anne rubbed her sweaty, slippery palms, clutching her skirt. She looked closely to see if it was fabricated, but the signature was clearly her father’s.

Anne looked up at him with bewildered eyes.

“What is this? Did you lend money to Libelois?”

“Could I ignore my wife’s father, who was in a hurry to ask for help?”

He acted like a good man who reached out his hand to someone in need. The Grand Duke slowly blinked his eyes as he slid his index finger across his chin.

It was as if dark clouds were forming in her already blurry vision. She was completely unaware of what kind of accident her family members had caused after taking all this money. However, her request could not be ignored by this.

“This is between you and Father. It has nothing to do with me. So don’t connect it with our marriage.”

“Did you not check the last sentence?”

The Grand Duke blinked at the papers she was still holding.