WARDV 15

CHAPTER 15 

“Hmm, is that so? I must’ve been momentarily insane.”

Looking back now, she wasn’t even sure if it had truly been love.

Maybe she had only tried to love because it was the obvious, predetermined path.

“You… are you saying that seriously?”

She had never been more sincere, yet Peidan looked at her in disbelief.

Well, fair enough.

Until just a few days ago, she had clung to him even when he shamelessly brought his mistress into the house they lived in together.

“Do you want me to say it more clearly?”

It was time to crush those last lingering hopes.

“I don’t love you anymore.”

“…What?”

At that moment, Peidan’s face twisted in disbelief.

She had said it just to provoke him, but the way he reacted so furiously was still absurd.

‘You dragged your mistress into my house, and you still thought I’d hold onto any feelings for you?’

What kind of delusion was he living in?

Peidan, flushed with rage, let out a bitter laugh before growling in a threatening tone.

“You know those words could hurt your case. If it’s mutual infidelity, you won’t get a cent in alimony.”

But she had already predicted he’d say something like that. Rather than threatening, it was just pathetic.

“Fine, forget the alimony. Just sign the divorce papers and give back the dowry I brought when I married you.”

“You really think that love will last forever? He’s just dazzled by your face now. He’ll get bored of your stiff, boring personality in no time.”

She almost laughed aloud.

Love? Forever? That had nothing to do with her.

Her relationship with Idris was destined to be a temporary business arrangement anyway.

“That’s my problem to handle when it comes. Still better than spending even one more day in the same house as you.”

“Hmph. You should think this through. When that time comes, do you think society will still accept you?”

What nonsense was this now?

She gave him a suspicious glare as Peidan sneered and continued.

“The land you walk on, the house you try to buy, the food you eat—I’ll buy it all up.”

“…”

“I have the money and the power. You don’t.”

Oh, so this was how he wanted to play?

It was meant as a brutal threat, but she only gave a short snort.

“That’s assuming you’ll always have more money and power than me.”

Peidan looked at her like she was stating the obvious.

Of course he did. In his eyes, it was a given.

He was a duke, and she was nothing but the daughter of a lesser noble.

But—

“What if I end up with more money and power than you?”

From now on, things would be different.

Their positions were about to change.

“Try it.”

She gave him a slow smile and added,

“If you can.”

Then she walked over and opened the door, tilting her head toward the hallway.

“Now, I’d appreciate it if you left. I’m a bit tired.”

Peidan glared at her like he wanted to kill her, then finally stood up.

‘Finally, he’s leaving.’

Just as she breathed a sigh of relief watching him head for the door—

Peidan suddenly grabbed her wrist violently and started dragging her out of the room.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“You’re about to make a decision based on emotion. Better to be a divorcée than the other woman, right?”

“What…?”

“Stay home quietly, wait until the National Foundation Festival is over, collect your alimony, and get divorced. That’s the best option for you.”

She let out a hollow laugh.

He was trying to drag her away by force to stop his own reputation from being damaged by scandal.

“Let go!”

She tried to pull her wrist free, but it only made her arm hurt more.

‘Erin probably needs more time to bring Wig here. What do I do?’

While helplessly being dragged, her eyes scanned her surroundings—

And then something shiny caught her eye.

‘That’s…?’

A candlestick on the hallway table sparkled oddly.

Just like when something valuable stood out in a crowd.

‘In this situation, a candlestick being valuable means… I’m supposed to use it?’

But for what?

Just as she was passing it, realization hit her. She swiftly snatched up the candlestick.

And then—

“I said let go, you garbage!”

She slammed the candlestick into Peidan’s back!

“Ugh!”

Caught off guard, Peidan grunted in pain and instinctively released her hand.

She didn’t waste the moment and darted back toward her room.

“Ugh!”

But unfortunately, Peidan recovered quickly and grabbed her wrist again.

“Leticia, are you insane?! Did you just hit me?!”

There was a flash of murderous intent in his eyes as he stormed toward her.

She frantically looked around.

‘Anything else I can use?’

Something—anything—that might help her escape this situation.

But of course, hotel hallways weren’t filled with useful items. And nothing else was glittering.

“Be smart and come quietly.”

Peidan reached for her wrist again—

“How about you be smart and let go?”

An all-too-familiar voice.

She instantly turned toward the voice—and her eyes widened in surprise.

Peidan, turning as well, froze.

“…Duke Del Lua?”

There stood Idris.

His presence turned the brightly lit hallway ice-cold.

While both she and Peidan stood frozen in shock, Idris strode over and grabbed Peidan’s wrist.

“I said let go.”

“Urgh…”

Peidan’s wrist turned pale under Idris’s grip.

His face twisted in pain, and he finally released her hand.

Only then did Idris toss Peidan’s arm aside like he was discarding something filthy.

Even though it happened in a flash, a red mark was already visible on Peidan’s wrist.

Clutching it, Peidan glared at Idris with burning hatred.

“What do you think you’re doing, Your Grace?!”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“As you can see, I was simply trying to speak privately with my wife. Don’t interfere in a marital matter.”

“What if I refuse?”

“Even as a duke, you have no right to interfere in matters between husband and wife!”

“She said she doesn’t want to.”

Idris cut him off before he could even finish.

“Leticia did.”

“So what? What does that have to do—”

Peidan lunged again, but Idris stepped between them—shielding her.

“It matters.”

With his broad back blocking her view, she could only hear his low, cold voice.

“I don’t like filthy hands touching my lover.”

Even from behind, she could feel the chill in his voice.

A flicker of primal fear passed through Peidan’s eyes.

Idris waited briefly for a response, then turned to her and extended his hand.

“Shall we go, Leticia?”

Gone was the cold glare—he now smiled at her with his usual gentle expression.

For a moment, she just stared at his outstretched hand. Then, she took it.

“Sure.”

They began walking back to the room together—until Peidan’s strained voice rang out behind them.

“You’ll regret this, Your Grace.”

She tried to ignore him and keep walking.

“I’ll go out there and tell the press everything. That the Duke of Del Lua used violence to steal my wife.”

That last part made her stop in her tracks.