Chapter 2

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At the time, Nicole’s mother, Freya, had a severe lung disease.

And the former duke, Grand Duke Valentine, who was originally Freya’s fiancée, died a decade ago.

In the end, the engagement agreement was inherited by Nicole and Raul.

They abandoned Freya, who was useless, in the cabin and took only her brother and sister.

‘At that time, my mother was so sick that she couldn’t last more than a few days. But my father…….’

Their misfortunes had only just begun.

Her father went out very occasionally to sell herbs and buy what the family needed.

His outing took a very long time. This is because her father crossed the mountain from the opposite direction and headed to very far villages in fear of people’s suspicion.

They were dragged away, and a few days later her father returned.

Her father, who returned, found that her mother, whose lung disease had worsened, died.

The children disappeared and the house was a mess.

And the people of the Grand Duchy threatened her father. They said that if he doesn’t keep his mouth, he won’t be able to survive.

Late in the fall of that year, her discouraged father took his own life.

‘I didn’t even know about my father until a year after I got married!’

After that day, Nicole became extremely hateful of Raul.

‘My siblings, unlike me, are treasures that show healing power. So he couldn’t have let my brothers go.’

In spite of her mother’s training, the two were quickly discovered where they were hiding. Raul enlisted Isabel and Jay in the Knights Templar.

‘He treated my siblings like slaves.’

Jay died when Nicole was married for two and a half years.

At that time, Raul was in the countryside.

There was a big accident in the village. Rebels attacked and caused rebellion.

And Raul was seriously injured when he was caught up in a big explosion.

The capabilities of healers were not limitless. If healers use healing power beyond their abilities, the healer himself could be injured or killed.

Jay was worried that if he could not treat Raul, he would harm his sisters.

So, as a result of excessive use of healing power, he eventually died of exhaustion.

‘When I heard that Raul was hurt, I prayed so hard that he would rather die. Was I punished for it?’

〈I’m sorry. Mom warned me that I could get hurt if I overuse my healing power. But at least my oldest sister won’t be in trouble because of me. Because I saved the Grand Duke.〉

Later, Isabel told her it was Jay’s will.

Nicole has almost lost her mind since then. But there was still a reason for her to live.

Nicole’s most precious treasure. It was Isabel.

〈My treasure. My beautiful Isabel. I’ll protect you.〉

Nicole had her first seizure since Jay’s death. And half crazy, she pounced on Raul.

Then the cruel Raul began to take control of Nicole’s everything.

Food, sleep time, daily medicine.

Nicole had to live in half captivity in exchange for defying him.

〈If something happens to Isabel, I can’t live. It would be difficult if I die now. Because you need a doll to fill the position of the Grand Duchess. And you haven’t taken all the possessions of the Yveschapel family yet! So, now let Isabel be free.〉

What did Raul say? She doesn’t even remember. I’m sure he’s threatened her or she threatened him.

After that, Raul treated Isabel like an ordinary noble lady and became her guardian.

If Isabel had lived well, Nicole might have been able to stand it.

‘I’m a fool who almost fell for his deception for even a second.’

Isabel was a thrifty woman. She always made their family happy with her bright and lovely appearance.

‘But you ended up ruining Isabel.’

Last year, Isabel was forced to marry a knight under the command of Grand Duke Valentine.

Isabel’s husband was a very wealthy knight. However, there was a rumor that the man was remarried, and his first wife was beaten and had run away.

After marriage Isabel was always covered from head to toe.

〈Everyone knows that she lives with the younger brother of Grand Duke Rain. The sound of crying echoes throughout the city.〉

A few months ago, Isabel cut her wrist.

Isabel’s attempt to take her life failed. Isabel, who survived, held Nicole and begged.

〈Sister. I can’t stand it anymore. Avenge me. We have the knowledge of pharmacy that we learned from you. If we work together, we can do something about it. He took everything from us!〉

Isabel’s face had long been shaded.

Nicole decided when she saw her figure. She’ll do as Isabel says.

So Nicole made a medicine.

It was the poison of the night.

An ancient poison created long ago. Now few people in the world have forgotten and remembered.

Those who take this poison for a long time become a living poison. Therefore, it took time to complete the poison.

Nicole sipped away at the pills for weeks without anyone knowing it.

And tonight, she drank the last remaining dose.

‘The person who sleeps with me, who drank this poison, will die.’

It is said that many ancient warriors also fell before this poison.

This is because beautiful men and women were given long-term doses of the poison, and then was made into human poison and sent into their bedrooms.

High-class prostitutes were used in this method.

Tonight, Nicole put herself in such a role.

Nicole smiled contentedly at her thin self in the mirror.

She has been suffering from chest disease for a long time and has been taking neurotic drugs. Still, her appearance could be deceived by makeup overnight.

‘I’m glad I’m not that ugly yet.’

Her mother, Freya, was a great beauty, and their father was also a handsome man.

But compared to Isabel, Nicole was not even a beauty.

However, her chaperone once said to her face, “You have a humble face.”

‘I’m nervous, but…… I can do it. I can do it.’

Nicole took the counter out of the drawer.

This small machine, which moves with a ticking sound every time it is pressed, was originally intended to count.

Tick-tock.

However, Nicole calmed down by pressing the counter when she couldn’t calm down because of anxiety since she was young. It’s been a long habit.

‘I need more medicine…’

Nicole swallowed a new tranquilizer that Isabel secretly made.

This is her first night blessed by her.

She can’t have a happy heart like a new bride, but it’s still a night where she’ll get everything she wants.

And it’s time for her husband to come back soon.

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It is said that the closer the bedroom of the wife and husband is, the better the couple’s family is.

But the Grand Duke and Duchess Valentine’s bedroom was quite different.

Raul renovated the bedroom he used, specifically the inner room.

Although there was a small powder room and bathroom for Nicole’s use only, it was not a big room overall.

And the important thing was that she could never go outside without going through Raul’s bedroom.

In other words, the room was connected to monitor Nicole from morning to night.

Nicole locked her door tightly and held her breath when the man was in the room.

Sometimes when she ran into him, she felt intimidated and avoided his eyes. Rarely, she cried or screamed hysterically when he talked to her.

As time went by, Raul treated Nicole like old furniture.

Furniture that he leaves at home because there is no reason to throw away, but he doesn’t need to use.

‘It’s my first time staying here while waiting for the devil to come back.’

Nicole stepped on the carpet barefoot and stepped out to Raul’s bedroom.

Soon there was the sound of shoes ringing in the hallway. Nicole knew who the owner of these footsteps was.

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Kyiiiiiik

There was a door opening. Then Nicole was sitting on Raul’s bed.

“What are you doing here?”

As soon as Raul saw Nicole, he wrinkled his brows.

Broad shoulders and tall height, an atmosphere of inhuman severity

He’s a person whom she doesn’t get used to even after years. Seeing him for the first time in a long time, Nicole shrank unconsciously.

But she soon straightened herself out.

‘I’m not scared of this guy today.’

What is she afraid of? She’s been poisoned and she’s about to die

“Is there a reason why your wife can’t come to her husband’s bedroom?”

“You’re usually disgusted when you make eye contact with me, right?”

He loosened his cravat and took off his leather gloves and threw them into a chair.

The bones in the back of his hand stood out during the rough movement.

“I have something to say.”

“…… you? I’m surprised.”

Raul’s sarcastic response was not surprising. So far, Nicole has said more than three words in front of him only when she cries or stares at him with hatred.

“I heard a rumor about you and Princess Celia.”

Raul’s movements stopped moving. And he looked up and down at her.

“It’s jealousy that made you talk to me for the first time in three months. Interesting. I’ve never allowed you to feel that way.”

“I know I belong to you. But do I have to get permission from you for my feelings?”

“Nicole.”

Nicole was startled by the unfamiliar way he spoke her name.

“You should have done your duty to be allowed to be jealous. Being my wife.”

Nicole couldn’t help laughing.

“No one in the world thinks I’m your real wife anyway. When will I be poisoned? Or they wonder if I’m going to be thrown into the streets naked. Don’t you think so?”

“Yeah. This is how we talk. Keep talking.”

His relaxed way of speaking made Nicole’s teeth crack.

“I’m not a fool either. I’ve read a lot of books in your study, and sometimes I hear rumors. Now that you’ve been married for five years, you’ve stolen as much of the Yveschapel family’s remaining property as you want.”

He sighed softly.

“Do you believe that I have been stealing the property of the Yveschapel family, which has been ruined so far? Did the Grand Duke of Valentine look so desperate?”

“They say the more money, the better. You also have a lot of power, but now you want a princess.”

The words chilled Raul’s eyes.

“And so.”

He opened his mouth.

“What does my wife want from me? What makes you angry as usual?”

“……Are you angry at me for saying such a thing?”

“Of course, you know? This mansion is empty today.”

“I went to the festival held to commemorate the coming-of-age ceremony of the princess.”

“…….”

“But you’re suddenly making me angry while you’re in front of me and in your pajamas nonetheless.”

He strode up to Nicole and leaned over.

Slowly. His hand approached and almost touched Nicole’s hair. Nicole slowly closed her eyes and opened them.

“I just realized that there was no point in rebelling anymore. There’s nothing I can do since I’ve been brought to this house anyway.”

“…….”

“If you tell me to die, I’ll do it if you tell me to divorce you. You can kick me out tomorrow without a penny. You could turn me into an idiot and sell me off somewhere to get it done more neatly. Yes, that’s fine, too.”

He doesn’t just throw away things when he’s disposing of them, but burns them too.

There was no way to keep a woman alive who had been around him for five years and might have heard this and that kind of information.

Nicole looked him in the eye.

It was the first time in five years of marriage that she looked into his eyes for so long.

The dark purple eyes were mysterious and beautiful. Blending with black hair, he looked disgustingly seductive.

God is unfair. The devil is a devil, but why did he make it so pretty?

(t/n: if villain bad why so hot ????)

“What do you want to be so obedient?” Tell me because I’m interested.”

Raul’s face, which seemed to cross the line when he came closer, turned away. Standing upright, he stepped back and put his hand on the chair, his face was calm.

“Embrace me.”

Nicole said. Then Nicole got up from her seat and took a step closer to him.

“We didn’t even have our first night. I found out that a marriage could be annulled if the aristocratic couple didn’t have their first night. It’s unfair for me to be kicked out of my position as a Grand Duchess. I want to be treated as a person who is not an object by you even for one night.”

Nicole approached and stroked his clothes.

There was a national event tonight.

He left his wife and went to the ball again today.

There were numerous decorations on his fancy coat.

Maybe it’s a medal bought for someone’s misfortune. This man will continue to create countless unhappy lives like her.

“If you spend a night with me, I’ll be satisfied with it and leave you. With no grudges or regrets. It’s what I always thought from the day I came into your grasp.”

“First night? Do you really think that’s meaningful?”

“That’s my right.”

“There’s nothing I can’t say now.”

Raul said. Suddenly, contempt and faint fatigue flashed across his face.

“You’re such a tired, horrible woman. The most useless and annoying thing I have.”

Raul said.

“You’ve been keeping me until now because I’m useless. Because you needed a stupid girl who don’t know. Don’t you think so?”

Raul did not answer. Nicole felt it was a positive thing.

“Sell yourself to me for the night. And now you can marry a woman who will help you in the future like the princess. You like to be efficient, don’t you?”

Nicole said. Nicole plucked up her courage and grabbed Raoul by the collar.

“I’ll ask you one thing.”

Raul wrapped his gloved hand around Nicole’s lower jaw and stopped her head from moving

“Are you sure this is what you mean?”

“I know I’m crazy. But this is how sensible I am.”

Nicole said. Her heart was bursting. For the first time in her life, she expressed her intention to this man and spoke against him as if she was defying him.

Raul took his hand off her cheek. And firmly put his hand on Nicole’s waist.

“Yes, that’s good.”

He leaned over her again. Nicole’s face was covered with his shadow.

Raul’s expression was not clear.

“Remember this one thing. That you started it first.”