Chapter 1
I was a self–taught witch. Because I once saved his life, the Regent Duke showered me with gold and married me as his Duchess.
But over the course of our ten–year marriage, Lucian entangled himself with countless mistresses.
This month, he decided to bring home yet another one
–
a courtesan from Fleur Parlor House.
Even though I was heavily pregnant, I remained calm and took care of all the wedding preparations for him.
However, when I went out to purchase supplies, the courtesan charged through the busy street on horseback and trampled over me without hesitation.
My leg was shattered, and blood began pouring uncontrollably from between my legs.
Yet Lucian did not spare me even a single glance.
“Who told you to wander around the streets? You just wanted to flaunt your pregnancy to everyone, as if that would secure your Duchess title,” he sneered coldly.
“Let me tell you this
–
from the day you drove Liora away, you were already dead to me.”
“And now that you’re actually dying, it’s just perfect.”
He laughed heartily as he held the courtesan in his arms and walked away. The bystanders, intimidated by his power, did not dare to help me.
By the time the maids finally found me, I was lying in a pool of blood, and the child inside me had already died.
When I awoke again, I had myself carried to the palace and krielt before Queen Mother Aveline Adler.
“Your Majesty, please allow me to divorce Lucian. The ten–year term has ended, and it is time for me to leave.”
الله الله الله الله الله الله الله
Aveline let out a long sigh. “I had hoped that, once you became pregnant, Lucian might have a change his view about you.”
“I didn’t expect he would still hold such a deep grudge against you for driving Liora away.”
“Felicity, have you ever resented me? It was Liora who gave her heart to another and eloped, yet you bore the blame for her betrayal.”
Expressionless, I begged her again. “I ask only for your mercy. Please, let me go.”
As I moved, fresh blood once again gushed from my lower body, staining the cushion they had carried me on.
Aveline was startled and immediately
Seeing how miserable I looked, she
Someone to fetch a doctor.
1 quick summon Lucian.
The servant who was sent out ne
“He also asked me to bring this to the Duchess.”
“Your Majesty, the Regent Duke is currently flirting in the gardens with Ruby from Fleur Parlor House.”
I lifted my eyes and saw it was a crimson
garter belt
At that moment, the doctor finished his examination.
“Your Majesty,” he said gravely, “the Duchess has suffered severe injuries. She may never be able to bear children again.”
“If she had been treated in time that day, things might have been different… the child might have survived too…”
I placed a hand over my now–empty belly and gave Aveline a bitter smile.
“Your Majesty, I beg to grant me leave.”
Perhaps my pitiful appearance was too much to bear, for even the usually resolute Queen Mother showed a rare trace of sympathy. “Your injuries are grave. Stay at the palace and recover for seven days. We will discuss it then.”
It’s my honor, Your Majesty,” I replied, “but I still must oversee the Duke’s wedding preparations. I cannot stay here.”
Just then, Lucian’s Chief Minister strode in without the slightest sign of respect. After giving Aveline a perfunctory bow, he spoke: The Duke says that Ruby is the love of his life and can’t be neglected.”
“As for the Duchess, her body can recover later. What matters now is not to delay Ruby and the Duke’s grand wedding.” Chapter 1
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Aveline’s face twisted with anger. “Has he lost his mind? He wants a grand wedding for a prostitute?”
The Chief Minister nodded without hesitation.
“Of course. Your Grace, please return to your castle and prepare for the wedding. The wedding will take place seven days from now.”
With that, he turned and left, just like Lucian, without sparing me a single glance.
Aveline was so furious she smashed a set of vases. It took her a long time to calm down before she looked at me again.
“I once thought that, in time, Lucian would let go of Liora,” she said bitterly. “I never imagined you would be the one to suffer for ten years. It is time to set you free.”
“Seven days from now, the divorce papers will be delivered to your castle. Just leave as you wish. Don’t worried.”
“But… since you’ve endured all of these, about Liora’s matter…”
I quickly nodded in obedience. “I will take the truth of Liora’s betrayal to my grave.”
Only then did Aveline breathe a sigh of relief. She ordered someone to bring me the necklace.
“On the day you leave, your mother will be waiting for you outside the city.”
Clutching the token from my mother, I broke down in tears.
Mother, we are finally free.
Ten years ago, Aveline had helped the late King’s young son ascend the throne.
When rebellion broke out, it was Duke Lucian who led the army.
to
rescue them. However, after that, he was gravely wounded and fell into a coma.
At that critical moment, his childhood sweetheart Liora eloped with another man.
Aveline feared that if Lucian woke up and learned the truth, he would fall ill from the heartbreak. So she staged a deception.
At that time, I happened to intercept her carriage while begging for medicine for my mother.
A cheap vial of medicine bought me ten years of servitude.
When Lucian awoke and learned that I had asked to marry him as repayment for saving his life, he did not get angry.
He did not despise me for being a witch, either.
Instead, he treated me with kindness and respect. He even personally arranged our wedding, since I didn’t get a strong family background.
2
wwwwww.
Overwhelmed with guilt, I devoted myself day and night to learning courtly manners and etiquette, determined not to embarrass him.
He was just crawling back from death’s door, needing that special salve apply to his wounds every day. So I’d rise before the sun, warming the bitter–cold ointment between my palms, just so it wouldn’t shock his skin when I smoothed it over his scars.
He would hold my hand and smiled gently. “I’m lucky to have you.”
In that fleeting moment, I thought I had found true love.
Yet at the New Year’s banquet, he ordered someone to publicly strip me of my Duchess gown and casually draped it over the shoulders of a random dancing girl.
I stood there humiliated, shattered, and begged him to let me go.
Lucian only looked at me coldly. “Let you go? Did you ever think of letting me go when you forced Liora away?”
Along with the endless humiliation, he threw a letter at me. It was a letter written by Liora.
Every word was filled with accusations, blaming me for forcing her to flee.
From that day on, Lucian never stepped into my rooms again.
Every day, women who resembled Liora would be brought into the castle.
Lucian made me prepare their wedding ceremonies, serve their wedding cakes, and even stand guard outside their bedroom doors to listen to their passionate cries.
Over ten years, my heart, full of wounds, had long since grown numb.
Chapter 1
I thought that if I could just endure to the end, everything would finally be over.
I never expected that Lucian would be drugged at outside.
And that he and I would conceive a child.
Lucian did not force me to terminate the pregnancy. Instead, he sent people to help me stabilize it.
“The child is innocent,” he said.
He stopped bringing courtesans into the castle.
He even occasionally came to visit me.
I thought that after ten years of loyalty, hope had finally arrived.
But then, another letter from Liora came.
