I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Blinking her eyes repeatedly, Freesia regained consciousness to find herself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Confusion gripped her as she tried to muster strength, but a sharp pain made her shut her eyes tightly.
“Ah, it hurts.”
“The assassin is dead. It was sent by Marquis Gonder.”
“Where is this…?”
“My villa.”
Seated beside her, the Duke unfolded a paper packet, revealing pills and a blue powder.
“It’s a pain-relief medicine. Drink it all at once.”
Faced with the decision of swallowing pills and a potion with water, Freesia hesitated in genuine distress. While pills could be swallowed, she found the idea of consuming the blue powder unbearable.
“It won’t hurt.”
Preferring to endure the pain rather than ingest the repulsive substance, Freesia grimaced, her shoulders aching.
“I extracted the arrow. By now, the anesthesia should have worn off, so you can’t avoid some pain.”
“I’m fine, really, it doesn’t hurt.”
His insistence bruised her pride. Although she feared her shoulders might betray her with tears due to the throbbing pain, she decided to endure it somehow.
Despite her refusal to take the medicine, the Duke asked, “Why did you save me?”
“Just because.”
What was so appealing about him? Perhaps, it resembled her own loneliness.
While she faced the challenges of the workplace, enduring unpleasant remarks each day, the worst villain never hesitated to unleash bold revenge.
“What did you do to the Marquis Gondair?”
“He paid the penalty for hurting you.”
If the Duke’s expression during retribution matched his current calm demeanor, it would not have been a sight one could easily turn a blind eye to.
Yet, she did not want to sympathize with him.
Struggling to sit up, Freesia gently touched the shirt draped over tight bandages.
“You said you were going to join hands with the Marquis, but I guess that was all a lie.”
The Duke remained silent in response to Freesia’squestion.
Still, since he saved her life, she decided not to provoke him, even if only for the sake of her sister.
Such petty revenge seemed somewhat cute.
“Well, it’s fine. If Marquis Gondair has paid the price, then everything until now becomes null and void.”
“Is your sister so precious to you?”
“My sisters, everyone is precious. They’re my family.”
When she first regained consciousness in this unfamiliar world, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Despair struck her, wondering why such an incident happened to her. Nevertheless, the one thing that anchored her to this world was her family.
As her thoughts intensified, her head felt increasingly hazy and feverish.
“Marriage will continue as planned.”
“It’s just a temporary measure, ugh…”
Though she wanted to say something, the pain intensified as the anesthesia wore off, leaving her speechless.
“Are you okay?”
“The medicine, please…”
Due to her dry mouth, she couldn’t swallow water properly. As the dizziness overwhelmed her, the Duke poured the powder into the water and brought it to her lips.
“Duke…?”
His face came closer, and the moist sensation of something pressed against her lips silenced her. Despite the bitter taste seeping through, she couldn’t reject the damp lips that enveloped hers.
“Ugh, disgusting…”
“Wet your lips.”
Starting with the act of parting her lips, the technique of intertwining their breaths was extraordinary. Yet, could this be truly called a kiss?
The taste of a kiss, lost in the depths of her memory, felt so bitter and repulsive after such a long time.
“I will repay a favor once incurred.”
“So, what I’m saying is…”
She wanted to say she wished everything would just be forgotten, but the potent scent of the medicine clouded her mind.
‘I don’t understand. Please let me live.’ With that last thought, Freesia closed her eyes with great effort.
***
Until this morning, Rose had been in high spirits. Gondair Marquis, who had been causing trouble, was gone, and a substantial investment had been secured.
Although the opponent desired to remain an anonymous investor, Rose felt relieved knowing it was Marquis de Lothair. However, the news that it was actually Duke Crowford left her dumbfounded.
“Why did that person suddenly help me?”
Though her noble family was known for its good character, she couldn’t fathom why Duke Crowford would involve her sister in the complex situation of an assassin targeting him.
“I knew this would happen. I should have stopped Freesia somehow!”
Hearing the truth belatedly from the frenetic Lily, Rose questioned her own ears.
“Did Freesia really say that?”
“I heard it, and Lily heard it too. She went to meet the Duke even on the night she said she had debts.”
As Matthew explained the details, the stable old man, who had brought Freesia, was repeatedly praised for his remarkably generous treatment.
“It’s unbelievable.”
Marquis Gondair was a man full of malice, but he held significant influence even within the capital, thanks to the enormous profits from the large casino he operated.
It became apparent that Duke Crowford had gone against such a formidable enemy for one reason only: Freesia.
However, her sister, who had always stayed quietly at home, was secretly dating someone as influential as Duke Crowford. Furthermore, they had already reached the stage of promising marriage without informing her sister.
Faced with this fact, Rose was genuinely desperate.
“How could this happen?”
She thought there were no secrets between sisters, but somehow, she couldn’t comprehend the mature emotions of the peculiar girl.
Despairing over Marquis Gondair’s schemes, Rose had vowed to find a solution.
Now, with the sudden appearance of a sponsor, even knowing it was Duke Crowford, everything seemed to darken before her eyes.
There was nothing she could do when something happened in a place she knew nothing about.
“I want to see my sister. Please let me at least see her face.”
“She is still unconscious.”
“That’s why I need to meet her even more. I am her sister!”
“I can’t do anything without the lord’s orders.”
Thrown out without even seeing Freesia’s face at the villa where Freesia was supposed to be. Unfortunately, the situation made asking for help from Duke Crowford, her sister’s secret lover, all the more hopeless.
Rose, who would never seek help from anyone under normal circumstances, found herself unable to hide or avoid it this time.
With determination akin to catching straws, she went to find Matthew’s father, Viscount Nephier. However, even he sighed deeply, shaking his head.
“So, His Majesty has already granted permission. The Duke’s intentions are so firm that there’s no way to sway him.”
“To be honest, we’re a little surprised, too. How could she just announce the marriage without telling us?”
Lady Nephier, who had discreetly favored Frisia among the sisters, had a face filled with mixed emotions. Despite numerous pledges to live together for a lifetime, Lady Nephier had designated Frisia as Matthew’s match from an early age.
Where could one find genuine kindness? The actions of dressing her up in dresses and shoes, caring for her like a daughter—within these actions, there hid a secret known only to Frisia.
“There must have been some misunderstanding.”
No matter how much Rose denied reality, nothing would change.
Upon returning to the mansion with difficulty, the maid tearfully informed her of the guest’s presence.
“Miss, Duke Crawford has arrived.”
At the appearance of someone she had seldom seen, her anger flared up. Instead of greetings, she approached, grabbed him by the collar, and poured out the restrained rage.
“What on earth did you do to my sister!”
Even with the sharp interrogation, the Duke calmly informed Rose of Frisia’s condition.
“She briefly regained consciousness. She has taken her medicine and fallen asleep again. By tomorrow, she should wake up properly.”
Even though the wound from the arrow had been well-treated, and assurances were given that not a single scar would remain after the temple’s healing, Rose’s anger did not subside.
Standing before the dignified man, Rose poured out endless resentment.
“Look at this, Your Grace. Why her, of all people…!”
If he had proposed to Lily, who was also in the limelight, it would not have been surprising. Why did it have to be Freesia?
For Rose, Freesia had always been a finger that bit particularly painfully.
When their parents had an accident, when Lily suffered from the court ladies’ schemes, and every time they were on the verge of collapse, Freesia always quietly stood by Rose’s side, unnoticed.
Since childhood, being a sister who always followed obediently, she quietly protected her family from behind, sacrificing herself for the family’s sake. For Rose, she was the one she vowed to make happy with her own hands.
“She is the one who saved my life.”
With the Duke’s solemn voice, Rose’s anger collapsed even further.
In her mind, she knew. Crawford’s reputation for returning favors or grudges, be it goodwill or animosity, surpassed that of Devlanc.
If she really became the Duke Crawford’s wife, she might enjoy the honor equivalent to the imperial family, but there was no guarantee that Freesia, who was so gentle, could endure unscathed.
No matter how much she thought about it, still, why her sister and no one else?
In the midst of endless resentment, Matthew’s words echoed in Rose’s mind.
“I’ve heard the story that our Freesia admires His Grace. But…”
“I know too. Even how much she values her sister.”
It’s unclear when the relationship with Duke Crawford began, but in this incident, one thing is certain—this happened for someone’s sake.
To protect her sister.
Declaring his determination, the Duke, knelt before Rose, who was sobbing. The Duke officially expressed his intention of marriage.
“To the owner of Devlanc, His Grace Crawford, dare to request Freesia. Please give Freesia to me.”
Seeing him unthinkingly make such a request, Rose could no longer oppose it.
“I’ll never forgive you if you make my sister cry.”
“What could be heavier than a debt owed with one’s life?”
With the Duke’s lordly attitude, even the Emperor would find it amusing, and Rose lost any grounds to oppose.
After confirming Freesia’s appearance, who slept like she was dead, they arrived at the villa together, and Rose, sighing with regret, decided to let go of everything.
“If only you had said a word in advance.”
Unfortunately, Rose’s resentment did not reach Freesia.
Despite clearly knowing the misunderstandings between the cherished sisters, Duke Crawford finally closed his mouth.
“Smile Love”