Having lived as a small citizen of the Republic of Korea, I was somehow reborn as a supporting character in a historical novel as the wife of the villain, Charles Diago, who fell for the heroine and died after committing all kinds of evil deeds!
My...
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"I'm Philip Farhan, Your Excellency."
"This is Lily Farhan."
'It's an utmost pleasure to meet you."
Looking at the middle-aged couple with their heads bowed as if they were groveling.
"Is that her?"
Charles pointed his finger at the woman behind them.
The couple's faces slightly hardened as if they had forgotten.
"Yes, yes. That's right, Your Excellency."
Soon after, Baroness Farhan grabbed the woman's wrist from the back. She curved the red-painted corners of her mouth and laughed.
"This is my dear daughter, Abella. Now, Abella, let's say hello."
A woman with her shoulders flinched at the touch of Baroness Farhan, who was pushing more than pulling her forward, bent her knees.
"I am Abella Farhan. I—It's an honor to meet you, Your Grace."
At a glance, the woman looked so scared that she could barely lift her head.
"Did I just come here for a courtesan?"
He tilted his head with his chin on the armrest.
"Soon, I'll be able to see your chest."
A cheap dress that was cut from below the shoulder line to the bottom of the collarbone narrowly covered her chest.
"It's too obvious."
In addition, her expression was pale, clearly conveying how tight the corset was on her waist.
Her red-painted lips and cheap perfume don't match.
"Courtesan is too much. She looks like a grisette." (T/N: grisette is a young, working class French woman.)
"......"
"I didn't order you to bring me a girl like that, Ledin."
"I'm sorry."
He replied to Charles, who coldly rebuked him for messing up his work.
"Your Excellency!"
Philip Farhan, who had not been able to speak this whole time, shook his head and urgently covered the woman with his body.
"It's because we don't have enough money to buy clothes..."
Worried that Charles might leave them, Baroness Farhan nodded along with her husband's words.
"Yes, Your Excellency. I didn't have any decent clothes so I had to borrow from the courtesan living next door."
With their heads bowing and complaining about their grievous situation—
"Really?"
Charles laughed coldly.
It was a dress made to highlight the woman's smooth face and body, and their intention to do something with her was clear.
Plus, it was a cheap dress that even a courtesan wouldn't wear.
"Yes, yes. I did. Because we are so poor."
"I am so embarrassed that I cannot give a proper greeting to a noble as high ranking as you."
It was funny to see these two casually putting out such an obvious lie with their mouths.
"But your situation seems quite okay."
"... "
"Fortunately, the courtesan's clothes from next door wear very well on her daughter. It's as if the sewing thread was made for the body."
"Oh, yes. Well, it's a coincidence..."
"Philip Farhan."
Before Baron Farhan answered,
"It would be better not to lie too much."
Charles stared at him with a stoic face.
"If you don't have the confidence to fool me."
"... "
Philip Farhan chewed on his lips under Charles' gaze that made it clear the flimsy lies would not work. He then bowed his head again.
"I'm sorry."
Charles looked over at Ledin with a scrutinizing glance as if he was asking if this was the best he could do.
"... "
Ledin quietly shut his eyes and kept his head lowered.
"It's so hard to get married."
Clenching his jaw, Charles shook his head and did not say anything when he glanced at the woman with a hardened expression.
"Abella Farhan."
At least her face did not resemble the greedy couple in front of her.
"Everyone except her, leave."
She slightly shifted in her spot.
However—
"Your Excellency, we are her parents."
"Yes, Your Excellency. How can I leave my daughter alone—"
The audacity of these two bringing her in those clothes and saying 'daughter' with their mouths.
"If you don't like it, let's stop it now."
He glared at them.
It was truly a breathtaking silence.
Under the cold gaze of Charles...
"Then, I will be outside the door—"
"No, I wish you leave the building at once. Ledin."
"Yes."
"Guide them."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Without letting them think about it further, Ledin took them outside even though they seemed to have some lingering feelings.
Charles watched with interest as the Farhans' anxious eyes met with Abella's uneasy gaze as they were on their way out.
"Did you say you were Abella Farhan?"
It wasn't until the footsteps were no longer heard through the gap of the closed door that he opened his mouth.
"Yes, Your Grace."
"The daughter of Baron Philip Farhan."
"Yes."
"Not the daughter of Baroness Lily Farhan."
"...Yes."
She flinched with surprise.
"It looks like that was supposed to be a secret."
"... "
Of course he'd cheated, but Charles knew from the very beginning that Abella was an illegitimate child.
There was no secret that could trick the Duke of Diago.
They were a family that even held the secrets of the imperial family in their hands, so it was far fetched that the baron even tried to hide it.
So ridiculous.
"Then do you know what's going on right now?"
"What?"
"Your father sold you to me."
His blatant words told her of the current situation.
"..."
Her eyes, which had been swaying with fear this whole time, sunk as if they were looking to quickly regain their composure.
I wasn't interested whether it was resignation or what it could mean otherwise, but it was necessary to point out.
And—
"If you don't like it..."
I thought I should give her a choice because she's a person who absolutely has free will too.
However—
"It's alright. I'm fine, Your Grace."
As if she knew that this day would come, the woman bit her trembling lips and raised her head.
She looked so small, trying to crouch as much as possible while holding the hem of her clothes that kept flowing down her shoulder.
I feel like a villain.
Honestly, he wasn't happy that he had become an accomplice to the baron couple, so he wanted to leave this place right away.
"As I said earlier, what I want is not courtesan."
"... "
"I just need a bride to trick the emperor's eyes."
He loosened his twisted legs and put his elbows on his knees, raising his gaze slightly.
"A love from a humble and insignificant family that the emperor can laugh at."
"... "
"I need a family that can be sneered at, and Farhan is perfect for that, but..."
The woman glanced at him at the end of his speech.
Her pale blue eyes that were comparable to water looked dull.
At least, if I have this woman as Duchess, I wouldn't hurt my head from a useless political fight.
Because she looked kind?
No, because she looked stupid.
He needed a stupid person who knew nothing more than being a clumsy, good woman.
A woman who was just a duchess. Someone who'd be drunk on money.
Therefore, she and her family were very suitable for this plan. All they wanted were crumbs for their greed from the Duke of Diago.
She should have enough training.
"Of course, if you don't want to, it's okay to decline."
"Oh, no."
However, the woman who shook her head strongly at Charles' words, raised her head, and bit her lips as if bleeding.
"I don't care. So please, do as Your Grace wishes."
Charles narrowed his brows, speechless in front of the woman who looked at him with fear in her eyes that seemed to tell him not to abandon her.
Even if she wasn't accepting his offer now of her free will.
You wouldn't think so with the way the Baron couple waited outside.
Someone would think that Charles was the one who abandoned her.
It was clear how the couple might treat this woman after this.
"Good."
"... "
"You don't have any other options."
"...."
"Let's get married."
"Yes."
To that shaky answer—
"But if you want, I will let you go."
It won't happen, but...
Still, I wish this poor woman could do something with her own free will.
"So, after marriage, if you want to leave, tell me anytime."
He finished the contract by throwing out the right bait.
I was convinced that once she had tasted what she could enjoy as a duchess, she would never be able to leave.
But—
"Please divorce me."
Now I feel like I'm caught in the trap that I threw.
Because she said that she would give up a life where she could enjoy a peaceful, luxurious life even though she was being used by people.
Do you want to leave that badly?
If he divorces Abella, there's no way that Baron Farhan would accept her again.
Is running away your conclusion?
.
.
.
.
T/N: Man, Charles' thoughts are brutally honest and very cold. The only thing he pities her for is having her parents, which btw are piece of shit, especially that father. OG Abella never had a chance at a healthy self-esteem which makes me sad. I do like how much Charles emphasizes that she has free will and I think that's probably why he leaves her alone to do whatever she wishes and never pays attention to her. In his mind, they're business partners that happened to be married. Obviously from previous chapters, we know that Abella was in love with him.
Le sigh. If only she has expressed more her thoughts...this also explains why Charles is now interested in Abella because she's being more honest in her wants and needs.
Also, he kinda alludes to part of the reason why he didn't divorce her. He knows she's abandoned by her father so if she leaves, she'd be alone.
