CH 28.1

What more was there? Anne hastily looked at the underside of the paper. After all the important content was finished, articles that were not as important as the date continued, and a small sentence was added in the corner.

[However, if the marriage relationship between the two families is unavoidably terminated, Libelois will immediately repay the principal and the amount equal to ten times the principal as a penalty.]

“Penalty . . .?”

Unbelievable. This meant that if the conditions were violated, they would have to pay a large amount that was far larger than the amount of compensation they had originally offered.

We wouldn’t be able to afford that kind of money . . .

She wondered if her father had properly confirmed what was at stake. However, her face hardened when she realized that even if her father had known, he would not have thought twice about it.

She couldn’t understand why the Grand Duke placed such a clause, but marriage and business had become entangled. As if to shatter her plan to somehow revert the marriage.

What to do . . .

Her mood was complicated. If she pushed forward like this, Libelois would be on the path to bankruptcy. All the arrows of the sin would be poured out on her, and she would gain the reputation as an unfaithful daughter who has ruined her family.

The Swenia Empire was a very conservative country in terms of clans and families. When the child’s choices caused damage to the family, the child was often criticized. For instance, a son of a baron’s family, who reported his father’s crimes, ended up turning his back on the country because of the stinging eyes and criticism of the people.

I decided to cut ties with my family anyway.

However, contrary to what she had already made up in her mind, it was different to see her family sitting on the street right in a situation where she wasn’t ready for it, and she refused to be labeled as a villain. Her head was pounding in a throbbing headache.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The Grand Duke’s long fingers tapped the cold desk. The sound that flowed out like a heartbeat was very regular. It sounded ominous.

His red eyes turned to her. Her hands trembled, as the eyes seemed to be asking what she was going to do. Anne, barely holding back to crumple the paper she held in her hand, opened her mouth.

“It sounds like you don’t want me to annul this marriage using this as an excuse.”

“Of course. I really like our married life. There’s a wife who spreads her legs out at night, so there’s no way I wouldn’t like it. That underside of you is quite usable.”

Unsurprisingly, he let out a small laugh and spoke, not caring whether Anne felt insulted or not.

“Simple. If you give birth to a successor, I will let you go. On that day, the penalty clause will also be deleted.”

This proposal flowed out from the Grand Duke’s mouth instead. As if he had given her a choice from the beginning.

“I need to contact my father.”

“It’s the wife’s freedom to do so, but it won’t be of any use.”

As if pretending to be a generous man, the Grand Duke raised his lips. When she opened the door, there was a deep sense of satisfaction on his tired face.

What was with that satisfied face? As if everything was in order, even the documents he brought in as soon as she woke up. Doubts, once tethered, were branching out everywhere.

Wait, I received a letter.

In an instant, Anne recalled the letter from her parents’ house a few days ago. She told the maid to burn it in the fire, but maybe this was written there. She felt the need to check the second letter, which she had previously told Emily to throw away, and as she turned to turn her body, the continuous tapping stopped.

She wished it had just continued as it is. Anne stopped at the sudden silence. It was because the temperature in her room had dropped sharply.

A large shadow was formed on the floor as if dusk had set. Anne hesitantly looked back. Suddenly, the Grand Duke stood up from his chair. Instead of the boredom that had been looming around his eyes all day long, his piercing gaze stung her.

“You’re not that bright. Did you not hear what I just said?”

“What do . . . you mean. Ha— ugh!”

Anne frowned as he slammed her stomach against the edge of the desk and pulled her arm without warning. The Grand Duke murmured, as he stared at her with lowered eyes, holding back her groan.

“Since you came to this room, you couldn’t leave without my permission. And I didn’t say you could leave now.”

The Grand Duke tucked back a few strands of hair from her neckline, curled it around his finger, and brought it to his nose. Her soft hair moved with his exhales.

“I was tired of using my head on the cumbersome task, but it worked out. I need the wife to relieve it. I’ll be less tired if I put my cock in that little hole.”

“. . . !?”