How to tame my beastly husband

Chapter 4

When is Raphael coming?

Annette rubbed her eyes sleepily. She was very tired. She had had to wake up early in the morning, and spent the day worrying about how to successfully get through her wedding. All of it had taken quite a toll, and she couldn't help drifting toward sleep. Eventually, she leaned back against the headboard and began to doze.

How long has it been?

Suddenly, she heard the door open. Raphael strode into the bedroom, wearing only a robe on his large body. His black hair and firm chest gleamed with droplets of water in the light. His deep blue eyes focused on her like a predator who has located his prey.

"You haven't slept yet."

Raphael was so tall and powerfully built, his mere entrance into the bedroom made it suddenly feel cramped. His half-naked body was overbearing, intimidating as a giant black panther. Annette scrambled out of bed, feeling a sudden sense of impending doom. Her tongue darted out, nervously wetting her lips.

"Yes. I was waiting for you."

His eyes deepened at her oddly naive answer. Even though it was a simple answer, it was strangely exciting. The atmosphere of the room shifted, tense with anticipation, and fortunately Raphael broke the silence first.

"Come, let's have a drink."

Blinking at the unexpected suggestion, Annette went to him immediately. His actions were so different today, perhaps because their wedding had gone so well. In her previous life, he hadn't offered to share a drink. Instead, he had appeared to be drunk already when he appeared, and he had rushed at her in madness and...

...no. There was no need to think of those painful memories.

Calmly, Annette sat down in front of him, and Raphael tilted the bottle, filling her glass with wine. The clear golden liquid was fragrant and strong, an expensive wine that he preferred. When half her glass was full, he suddenly looked at her questioningly.

"You know how to drink, don't you?"

Unlike Raphael, Annette didn't like drinking that much. But this was the first time Raphael had been so friendly with her, and she didn't want to ruin the friendly atmosphere. At his encouragement, she took the glass of wine and gulped it down. There was a burning as if her esophagus had caught fire.

Having already emptied his own glass, Raphael looked at her resolutely. His deep blue eyes skimmed over her small face, her gentle eyes, her flushed cheeks, and stopped, lingering on her lips, as alluring as a small bud, blooming.

But at that moment, Raphael's forehead furrowed with displeasure. It was annoying that he felt some sort of sexual attraction for her. He couldn't believe he was lusting after a woman of the Bavaria family, who so despised him for his illegitimacy.

Raphael's blue eyes turned cold.

Annette, who had not yet noticed this shift in his mood, set down her glass and touched her burning cheeks. When she looked up at him, she was startled.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Having already been married to him, she quickly realized something was wrong. She didn't know why, but his face was twisted, and as soon as their eyes met, he smiled sardonically.

"Come, now that you've had a drink, tell me the truth."

"What? What the..." Suddenly, Annette had a bad feeling. She tried to ask calmly, but Raphael leaned closer, whispering wickedly.

"Do you still believe you can be the Crown Princess?"

The atmosphere chilled in an instant. This was a misunderstanding that had plagued Annette for all the rest of her previous life.