I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 53

Chapter 53

“…Wilfred.”

“Don’t leave me alone.”

It was the first time in his life that he had shown such vulnerability.

With a smile that was brighter than ever, Freesia gently tousled his disheveled hair, delighted by his hesitant, almost childlike plea.

“We’ll see how you behave.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I told you.”

Before he could process her words, Freesia swiftly shifted her position, ending up on top of him with a triumphant grin.

Like a lioness taming her prey, she pressed down on his chest with a mischievous smile.

“Be good. Then I’ll reward you.”

“That might be difficult.”

Given everything he had done, he was far from what the world would call “good.”

Freesia, after a brief moment of contemplation, flashed a bright smile and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Then I’ll settle for a little bit of bad.”

“Deal.”

A miraculous compromise was struck between them, their growing synergy palpable. Taking advantage of the peaceful moment, Freesia slyly inquired.

“So, when is Alster’s new book coming out?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise.”

Three signed copies. His assurance brought a smile to Freesia’s face as well.

“Did you read it too? What do you think? Is it good?”

“…How would I know?”

“You’re terrible.”

Given how much she loved his works, he thought it would be nice if he played along a little. But it was clear he had no intention of discussing his own book.

“Fine. I’ll just talk about it with Lydia.”

“Who’s that?”

“She’s the daughter of Viscount Lavalni. Like me, she’s a huge fan of Alster.”

Freesia’s excitement was palpable as she gushed about Lydia, who not only owned every book ever released but even possessed the rare first edition of <Lady Margaret>.

“Good for you.”

“Yes, I’m so happy.”

Wilfred found his wife so adorable in her happiness that he decided to let it slide, though the words ‘I’m actually that person’ were on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he gritted his teeth and pulled the oblivious Freesia into a tight embrace.

* * *

Lydia, the daughter of Viscount Lavalni, hugged the first edition of <Lady Margaret> tightly as she gazed up at the grand Crowford ducal mansion.

Although she had managed to join the social club of prominent families, she was often dismissed as a mere benefactor, nothing more. Her father’s advice to forge a connection with the princess had forced her to take part, but she always felt out of place, unable to make any real friends—until she met Freesia.

“Lydia, I’m so glad you could come!”

“Freesia.”

The reason the Duchess of Crowford, someone everyone was eager to befriend, had reached out to Lydia was simple: they were both die-hard fans of Alster.

“Thank you so much for inviting me today.”

“Today is a special day.”

Freesia’s words carried a certain weight, and Lydia nodded in agreement. When she had first received Freesia’s invitation, the first thing she had checked was the large circle marked on her calendar.

“Ma’am, the books have arrived.”

“Finally!!!”

The second volume of <The Plum Family’s Second Daughter> had been released much earlier than usual.

Excited to bond with her new friend over their shared passion, Freesia eagerly invited Lydia, a fellow hardcore fan, to her mansion.

“Thinking about the last time, I bought the first edition of <Lady Margaret>.”

“This is such a precious item…”

Freesia, whose memory had been foggy during her last visit to the royal library, opened the first edition of <Lady Margaret> with trembling hands.

Though dark, hopeless, and filled with angst, the story’s male lead, with his unparalleled villainy and endless repentance, was the epitome of a regretful character, making his journey a harrowing but classic example of a tragic romance.

“Let’s start reading.”

With the soft rustling of turning pages, the two women immersed themselves in the book.

Ignoring the spread of delicacies before them and sipping on cold tea, they read on for what felt like hours.

“Finally.”

“They did it.”

The main characters had finally consummated their relationship.

The heroine, betrayed and scarred by her stepmother, found solace and healing in the love of her arranged husband.

The two, who had never confirmed each other’s feelings, finally acknowledged their emotions and awakened to true love only after the second volume.

“I hope things continue to go smoothly like this.”

“Well, there’s still the ex-fiancée on the husband’s side to deal with.”

While analyzing the patterns and discussing the next developments, the day quickly passed by.

As the sun began to set, Lydia, feeling a bit wistful, tightly held Freesia’s hand.

“I’ve never had such a deep conversation with anyone in my life as I have with you, Freesia.”

“I have an older sister and a younger sister, so the three of us used to stay up all night talking about things like this.”

“I’m really jealous…”

Lydia, an only child, looked at Freesia with genuine envy, admitting she had never even dreamed of such an experience.

By now, Rose and Lily must have received their books too.

Facing the wistful Lydia, Freesia found herself momentarily lost in thought.

Having always spent time with her sisters, it seemed like this was her first time making a friend here.

There were still so many stories left to share; she wanted to go out together and even have a pajama party.

‘But that man would never allow it.’

Her possessive husband, who wouldn’t even let her visit her own family, would surely come up with every excuse to stop it.

How wonderful it would be if she could just set a day aside to talk freely until dawn.

“My husband is incredibly jealous, so it’s difficult to do things like that, but on the bright side, he does buy me as many books as I want.”

“Come to think of it, I heard that His Grace, the Duke of Crowford, is the sponsor of the Mustrang Publishing Group.”

Lydia, who was full of industry insights that Freesia hadn’t known, explained that Alster’s continued literary activity was all thanks to the support of the Duke of Crowford’s family.

“Actually, before this work was published, the author was considering retiring from writing altogether.”

“Retiring? Why?”

“According to Mustrang, they said they needed to focus on their household affairs for a while.”

Considering Mustrang’s interview, where the author mentioned having a husband and three children, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were utterly exhausted from managing their children’s antics.

“So I didn’t expect the next volume to come out so quickly.”

“It’s thanks to the readers, they say. Just when they were determined to put down the pen, they happened to meet a devoted fan who provided them with great comfort.”

“That’s really wonderful.”

Although Freesia had reached out belatedly, it didn’t seem like her story was the one mentioned.

She couldn’t help but be envious of the lucky fan, but Lydia admitted she didn’t know who it was either.

“My father is close to Mustrang, so I get to hear a lot of these stories.”

“Sometimes they even visit our estate. But my husband isn’t interested in this kind of thing at all, so he never shares any of the stories with me.”

It would be nice if he showed some interest sometimes, but Wilfred visibly tried to avoid the topic whenever it came up.

He doesn’t understand her great ambition of promoting the author.

What a fool, a sea cucumber, a sea slug—she cursed him internally while Lydia brought up an unexpected topic.

“It’s a shame. Everyone was hoping that the next social club meeting might be held at the Duke’s estate.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

By chance, the topic of books had come up, and she had promised to promote the author properly next time.

But the last drink she had that night had messed everything up.

Still, as Lydia, who said she truly enjoyed today, was being seen off, Freesia couldn’t shake the lingering regret.

“I really can’t go on like this.”

“Of course not. The person who should be upholding the prestige of the duchy shouldn’t just be dragged around to others’ events.”

Despite everyone’s opposition, only the matriarch, Madame Benoit, fully supported Freesia’s opinion.

“So, Freesia, you want to host a gathering?”

“Yes. And if possible, I’d like to show off the room Madame Benoit decorated for me.”

“Oh, how can everything you say be so delightful?”

For some reason, lately, Madame Benoit seemed to adore Freesia even more than usual.

“But I don’t think our Duke will agree.”

“There’s always a way.”

Even though Lily’s close friend, Sohee, seemed cautious lately, Madame Benoit always found a way.

“Here’s what you can do.”

Indeed, the old saying that listening to elders brings blessings is never wrong.

“There was such a method, huh.”

“Do your best. I’m looking forward to it.”

Encouraged by the kind words of Madame Benoit, Freesia eagerly awaited Wilfred’s return.

* * *

At the same time.

[Over the past few days, I’d like to discuss the birthday gift that your ladyship has been investigating for my sister-in-law.]

The Viscountess of Blado, Sohee, swallowed her troubled feelings at the news of the Duke of Crowford’s visit.

Lily’s birthday was still far off, and the only thing she had been investigating recently was the whereabouts of Luca Bailey.

Despite the Viscount of Blado’s careful efforts to gather information, it seemed they already knew exactly what she was after.

With no other choice, Sohee had to meet the Duke alone.

“I never expected His Grace to ask to meet me directly.”

“A precious sister-in-law’s birthday gift is something I must also pay attention to.”

Being able to lie so blatantly with a straight face is a skill in itself.

Not to be outdone, Sohee hid her irritation behind her fan and smiled sweetly.

“As I’ve heard, your love for your wife is truly exceptional.”

“It’s nothing compared to the Viscount’s devotion.”

What could that child be that the Duke of Crowford would personally involve himself like this? As Sohee’s unease grew, the Duke of Crowford subtly brought up a topic.

“If that child turns out to be the one you’re looking for, what will you do?”

“Of course, I’ll take him back.”

The Viscount of Blado’s investigation had yielded significant results. It had been clearly confirmed that a woman from the eastern continent and her son had headed to Arisford.

“Even if that child was born and raised here, they are still of the Chou family’s bloodline. I plan to contact his home country and return him to the arms of his family.”