Why Are You Sorry, Darling?

Chapter 8

When my husband finally brought it up, I nodded and held my head high. “I wonder what you’re so eager to talk to me about. By any chance, is it related to her?”

There. I’ve set the stage, now dance. I kept my expression cool as I calmly drew on my fighting spirit.

My husband, whom I’d thought wouldn’t hesitate to speak freely, remained unexpectedly silent. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t upset—his eyes were blazing like cold fire. The heat seemed to flare hotter and hotter as it got closer to the center of his eye, as if the flames were digging into his irises. At any rate, his gaze was clearly full of anger.

“You have no idea... how badly I’ve been wanting to see you since an hour ago, my lady.”

“I’m very pleased to hear that, darling.” Although I don’t think that’s something to say while grinding your teeth. Even the way his veins stuck out in the middle of his forehead seemed more handsome than gross. I wanted to cluck my tongue at how he was only gorgeous on the outside.

"Ha, I have much to say... but let me ask you one thing first. My lady, did you send a petition to the imperial family five days ago?"

I froze. For a moment, only the sound of breathing and the rolling of the carriage wheels could be heard. How did he know? I narrowed my eyes and came to a conclusion. He worked for the imperial family. So someone must’ve let it slip. There was no reason to panic. I’d prepared for this possibility, after all.

“Yes. I did.”

Even though I had predicted it, I couldn’t deny that the news had reached my husband’s ears sooner than expected. I thought I’d have to wait at least two weeks for it to be processed. Then it hit me. He didn’t come under formal orders. In a flash, a shiver crawled up my spine because my husband’s expression was so intimidating that I couldn’t laugh it off. He was still handsome, but if looks could kill…

“Did you really...” He paused and sighed deeply, then he continued as if he’d braced himself. “...report me as a castrate?”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Oh my, how could you say such a thing? How vulgar.” Yes, I did, but it’s still vulgar! Seriously!

“My lady!” He hissed in a low growl, his expression warning me not to joke, but I wasn’t in the mood to be messing with him either. “I must know why you were with her, and more importantly, why you filed this petition.”

He gripped the door handle, veins bulging on the back of his large hand. It was quite a sexy sight, but I easily took my eyes off of it.

“I’m sure you didn’t come to find me because the petition was processed. You must have come for her,” I analyzed clinically.

“Is that all you have to say?”

What do you mean? That’s the most important thing to you. You’re just also using this chance to pick a bone with me. “Of course not. Darling, I don’t know where you heard that, but... It breaks my heart to hear that you’re sexually dysfunctional.”

“I am not sexually dysfunctional!” He raised his voice slightly through clenched teeth. I was surprised that he hadn’t shouted it any louder. His nicknames were pretty terrifying, so I would’ve understood if he’d ripped the carriage apart. I took it as a sign that he wasn’t that much of a scumbag… just enough of one to openly cheat on his wife.

“I would hear in great detail why you wrote such a petition… and in particular, why you included such a baldfaced lie in it.”

As I looked into his eyes, I suddenly realized that this was the first time we’d been alone together in the same space for so long. My so-called husband was away more often than not, and I was on my own most of the time. Then again, he’s never once acted like a husband ever since I woke up in the duchess’s body.

“Is it a lie?”

“Pardon?”

“Who’s to say whether it is one?”

He seemed speechless for a moment due to the doubt I casually tossed at him without any malice, as it was obviously questioning: You and I never slept together, have we? I’d thought it might be a possibility, but I’d just now confirmed that it was a fact. Thinking back, the novel had never mentioned that the two had slept together, and it seemed like that was truly the case.

The only sound we could hear was the rattling wheels of the carriage. Come to think of it, where are we going right now? We should’ve arrived at the manor by now. The carriage continued down the road. I knit my brows, beginning to feel anxiety creeping over me.

My husband was leaning his arm on the door handle, tilting his head to the side. Without a word from him, I had no clue what was on his mind. Annoyance and lethargy flashed across his newly composed face. “Then would you like to check right now?”

Nope. I’m not going to sleep with you. “Oh dear. Is that not something that cannot be done without my consent?"

How could I possibly do that with such a huge... person? He closed his mouth as if he’d understood my backhanded rejection.

“In any case, where are we going? This isn’t the way home.”

“We are going to set things right.”

“What do you mean?”

He turned his gaze away from me, gritting his teeth. “For some reason, the contents of the petition you sent were leaked, reaching my eyes. This was a confidential process, so it was of no concern..." He slowly turned his cold expression back to me. “However, it appears that an anonymous person sent a tip to a newspaper.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“Because of that… person, those contents were published this morning and spread throughout the empire.”

I covered my mouth. I can’t believe it turned out like this! “Good heavens! Who could do such an awful thing?”

Me, of course. Keeping my mouth shut, I pretended to be surprised and ignorant at the same time, which was a rather difficult task. If someone had said, Hey, put your hand down, they would’ve seen the joyful curve of my mouth.

Naturally, that “anonymous person” who’d reported it to the newspaper was me. Since I’d decided to use the media, the easiest thing to access was of course the paper. I should take advantage of everything I can. If I don’t do anything, I’ll stay under the thumb of a husband who only has eyes for his mistress until I end up in an early grave! I’ve got to save myself. But I hadn’t expected the newspaper to move so quickly. Perhaps I’d underestimated the influence of the hottest man in the empire.

Each time my husband mentioned the petition, he looked frustrated, but when he talked about the newspaper, he exuded an indescribable bloodthirst. It seemed he couldn’t possibly have imagined that I was the one responsible.

Phew. I put a hand on my chest as if to calm my shock, but the movement was actually one of relief. Judging from his murderous expression, it seemed like he would live up to his nickname of the Butcher of the Battlefield and cut me down where I stood if he found out I was the one behind it. Then... that just means I shouldn’t get caught. I didn’t have to worry about that. When I tipped off the newspaper, I’d made sure that my identity would never be discovered. I was working hard for my survival and a happy ending for the cheating couple, so I wouldn’t be so careless.

“So, where are we going?”

He glanced at me and said unhappily, “The imperial palace.”

“Pardon? The imperial palace?”

“Why are you so surprised? The petition my lady submitted went to the royal family, so there will be a trial to settle the matter.”

Of course I know that, but this is happening too fast. I did make up my mind to speed up the divorce process, but I never thought it would be this quick! My husband called it a trial, but it would be more of an informal meeting. The process in which the emperor, the scribe representing him, or the crown prince played judge and mediated the situation between the plaintiff and defendant was known as a summary trial, and divorces between nobles were subject to this administrative process as well.

I hadn’t thought we would be able to split up with one petition, but I’d known I would have to make a showing at the imperial palace at some point, and I’d thought my husband would find out about it then. Feeling a little harried by the fast pace. I cleverly put my brain to work. This isn’t a bad situation for me.

I’d thought that things would unravel after my husband’s business trip to Pavel. I’d figured the imperial family would have replied by that point, and I had been preparing everything for that moment. What I had thought would take a long time was instead happening quickly and smoothly. It could’ve been fun if everything had happened later as planned, but it was clear now that a better opportunity was waiting for me. As long as I adjusted to the speed, things would work out in my favor.

I would’ve been less concerned if it weren't for that pair of eyes staring fiercely at me. He looked in a very ill temper, and it was the first time I’d seen him lose his composure. He even glared coldly at me from time to time.

“I have... very much... to say to you, my lady,” said my husband, who would now be known across the entire empire as Mr. Can’t-Get-It-Up.

It wasn’t like I didn’t understand why he was furious. He’d suddenly been made out into a man who couldn’t fully function down there overnight. I wasn’t a man, but I could guess how it felt. I’m sure his family jewels work properly when he’s with his mistress... He must feel so wronged. But who told you to have an affair, anyway? I hadn’t involved myself unnecessarily.

Oddly enough, he didn’t ask me again why I’d filed the petition, or why on earth I’d pulled a stunt like this, only stared at me as if he wanted to ask just that a hundred times over. He roughly swept a hand over his face and sighed.

“My lady.” His expression disappeared swiftly behind his hand, so I didn’t get a proper look, but surprisingly enough, he seemed upset. “Were you dissatisfied with our marriage?"

His exhausted voice was low and pitiful. I was truly shocked. You thought I wouldn’t be? Outrageous. Where did you get that idea?

"What is there that I’ve failed to provide you, my lady?”