The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 107
Losing a competition she had believed she would win was something Rebecca could attribute to the Empress’s supposed favoritism toward Duke Bayern, as others claimed.
But the kissâŚ
Her teeth clenched together tightly.
A long-forgotten sense of inferiority spread through her like poison, dark and suffocating.
Rebecca bit the inside of her lip.
If she were to be dismissed as a liar now, or if any favorable rumors about Nina Bayern began to take root, it would be a problem.
That womanâŚ
That woman should continue to be ridiculed and scorned by society, just as she always had been.
After all, why else had Rebecca married that trash, Duke Nord?
It was because Nina had married Duke Bayern that her own fate had turned out this way.
Therefore, as a consequence, that woman should suffer just as she had, trapped in a hellish life.
All of Rebeccaâs insecurities, her misfortunesâeverythingâhad stemmed from that woman.
The sharp pain spreading in her mouth brought her back to her senses. Lowering her voice to an ominous tone, she spoke with deliberate intent.
ââŚIf the Duke overheard our conversation just now, he must have been quite displeased.â
âOur conversation just now⌠You mean, thatâŚâ
The noblewomen around her exchanged uneasy glances and fell silent.
Duke Bayern taking a concubine to secure an heir.
A concubine.
They had openly speculated without discretion, but among the high-ranking noble families, a concubine scandal was not something to be taken lightly.
And if the matter of succession was involved, Duke Taylor wouldnât remain idle.
Even if the Taylor Duchy had severed ties with Duchess Bayern, an issue concerning inheritanceâone involving powerâwould force him to act.
And if the Chief Justice, who held the Emperorâs trust, decided to intervene as well, even Duke Bayern would find himself in a difficult position.
That kiss from earlierâcould it have been nothing more than an elaborate act to preemptively squash any potential scandal about a concubine?
But the one who had initially brought up the idea of a concubine had been Duchess Nord.
Before the noblewomen could fully align themselves with her claims, Duke Bayern had appeared.
Now, the women around her were looking for a way out, their eyes darting about anxiously.
If the Duke had paid no attention to this matter, they might have been safe.
But if he had decided he would no longer ignore the rumorsâif he had truly reconciled with his wifeâthen none of them would be spared.
Yet, the real authority among them at this moment was Duchess Nord.
Even as Rebecca subtly implicated them as accomplices by saying âour conversationâ, all they could do was force awkward smiles and attempt to divert the topic.
Sensing the trap tightening around them, Rebecca wove her voice into a silken thread, like a spider ensnaring its prey.
You were there. That makes you an accomplice, too.
âIn any case, I think it would be best if we all kept what happened today to ourselves. Duke Bayern would undoubtedly prefer that his name remain unmentioned. After all, none of us want to be caught up in a scandal. We may have spoken carelessly.â
Who would gain anything from spreading rumors that the Duke and Duchess had reconciled?
She was about to end the conversation with an insincere smile whenâ
The balcony doors opened.
Nina stepped out, gracefully leaning against Duke Bayernâs arm.
Their intimate appearance, along with the unspoken suggestion of something having happened on the balcony, only fanned the flames of speculation.
Rebecca bit her lip so hard she nearly bled.
Even if she personally chose to keep quiet about what had happenedâ
Everyone had already seen for themselves that things between the two were not as they had been before.
What in the world happened between them�
Rebecca, her eyes bloodshot, stood frozen as she watched them leave the banquet hall.
***
The night was eerily quiet.
Ash lay in bed, eyes closed.
Unlike him, Nina, exhausted from the dayâs events, had fallen asleep the moment her head touched the pillow.
Soft, steady breathing filled the space between them.
Listening to her peaceful, undisturbed breaths, he ran a hand down his face.
Until now, he had let people say whatever they pleased.
He had allowed the rumors to spread unchecked because the worse his wife’s reputation became, the more advantageous it would be for him when the time came for divorce.
If she eventually collapsed under the weight of their marriage and asked for the separation first, all the better.
Even though he had known what people were saying outsideâ
Even though he had known that there were rats within his own estate constantly leaking damaging stories about herâ
He had deliberately let it happen.
“Itâs about time Duke Bayern secured an heir. If he doesnât want to pass the family title to his nephew, wouldnât it make sense for him to take a concubine?
“After all, with a wife like that woman, how can he risk producing a heir, only for the child to be just as deranged as she is?”
But when he had seen his wife standing alone on that balcony, silently enduring those wordsâ
A violent, uncontrollable fury had taken hold of him.
ââŚHoney, is there any woman in the world who wouldnât be hurt by hearing her husband say heâs not attracted to her?â
That bitter smile she had worn then.
The way she had lowered her head, staring at the ground as the voices around her ridiculed her.
At that moment, that memory had overlapped with the present.
Was it because of that?
Or had his rage been directed at those who had dared to paint him as a man so debased that he would take a concubine?
He didn’t know which was worse.
