The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 181
Ash was walking toward them.
Had he already heard that Rebecca had shown up here?
With long, confident strides, he approached, and his face was as cold and menacing as it had been the day they first met after her return.
His gaze was fixed on her hand that was gripping the teacup so tightly it had gone pale.
âAre you alright?â
Ignoring Rebecca completely, he stepped closer and took her trembling hand.
ââŚIâm not feeling well right now.â
The sharp, pungent scent of rosemary.
The unpleasant taste lingering in her mouth.
Sheâd forced herself to drink the tea to avoid showing weakness, but the reflexive suspicion left her nauseous.
As she lowered her gaze with a quiet sigh, Ash downed his own tea in one gulp.
Clink.
The bottom of the cup was visible as he set it down.
Just like when theyâd had elevenses tea at home.
Heâd shown her, in the most direct way, that her tea was safe.
Though her mind already knew this, her heart hadnât followed, restless and boiling with anxiety. But that tension slowly began to ease.
In its place, anger surged. Anger toward Rebecca, who had gone beyond mockery and tried to ruin her life with an aphrodisiac.
âŚThat sheâd lied about being pregnant?
And if that lie were revealed, she wouldnât be able to keep her place?
âHoneyâŚâ
Nina deliberately clung to Ashâs arm and leaned her forehead against it, as though feeling faint.
Normally, she preferred stepping on people herself. But when it came to scraping Rebeccaâs pride, this was one of the most effective ways.
And sure enough, Rebecca, who had frozen at Ashâs unexpected appearance, twisted her lips in a grimace as if she’d just been slashed.
ââŚYour Grace, didnât you say your wife was expecting?â
Ashâs gray eyes pierced Rebecca like a spear of ice.
Flinch.
That gaze. That crushing, brutal glare.
Nina had been on the receiving end of it before, so she knew it well. Rebeccaâs knees were probably shaking.
âYour GraceâŚâ
Rebecca called to him, her eyes trembling slightly.
Ash, who had been leaning toward Nina, checking her complexion, paused.
Then, after a moment.
âI donât know what youâre talking about.â
ââŚPardon?â
He straightened his back and dropped the honorifics entirely.
âDidnât I say before? Donât make me resort to violent methods.â
The temperature seemed to plummet instantly, as if it had dropped below freezing.
The same atmosphere as back when Nina had threatened him over Ian.
His explosive fury was now directed squarely at Rebecca.
âI only meant⌠that it seemed like Your Grace was being deceivedâŚâ
He twisted his lips in a snarl and cut her off.
âSo it was you.â
ââŚExcuse me?â
âYouâre the one whoâs been trying to sow discord between me and my wife.â
âSow discord? I was merely asking based on something I saw. I know what sheâs done to you until nowâŚâ
âAt the Imperial Palace, you were spreading baseless rumors that I was taking a concubine. And now youâre spewing more nonsense?â
âHow is it baseless? At the exhibition, you clearly saidâŚâ
âI said my wife was in poor health and I was worried. But seeing how youâve twisted that into her being pregnant, Iâd say you had an agenda.â
ââŚâŚâ
âOtherwise, you need to be checked into a psychiatric ward.â
Realizing that everything had been a delusion of her own making, Rebecca froze like someone doused in cold water.
He had never been interested in her, but neither had he ever looked at her with scorn.
Now, his gaze bore down on her as though she were mere filth.
She could hear the disapproving clicks of tongues from the women around her, watching with narrowed eyes.
Rebeccaâs eyes widened as she clutched the fabric of her dress tightly.
âŚWasnât this the kind of humiliation Nina should have been receiving?
The Dukeâs contempt. The public ridicule.
Furious, Rebeccaâs fingers twitched⌠And then came the words that felt like a death sentence.
âA single warning should be enough. Iâll be holding House Nord accountable very soon.â
Held accountable.
It meant this would escalate into a dispute between noble houses.
Yes, she had come to this uninvited tea party to warn Nina. But this? This was not part of the plan.
If Duke Bayern formally demanded accountability, what could her incompetent husband possibly do?
Given the incident at the Imperial Palace, she might even be forced to seek help from her already-irritated grandfather and parents.
ââŚYour Grace, wouldnât it be unfortunate if a misunderstanding damaged the relationship between our houses?â
He tilted his head, looking at her as if she were unbearably foolish.
âRather than wasting time trying to persuade me, youâd do better to hurry back to your estate and beg your husband for help.â
ReadingRainbow9266
Honestly, I gotta hand it to Ash here. He completely CRUSHED her in every way. But what was really perfect, was that he actually pointed her out as the culprit whoâs been sowing discord in their relationship. Just that one line, will completely ruin her reputation. People already knew that SOMEONE was creating issues for them, and now, the perpetrator has been named. Now when she enters a room, SHE will be the one scorned and ridiculed! The fact that this just happened at a tea party FULL of gossiping noble women, was the cherry on top! Thereâs NO way sheâll be able to keep them all quiet. Yea, maybe the women she brought with her, but even that woman will be looked down on for bringing Rebecca, uninvited, in the first place. The tea party was basically ruined because of her.. oh my I really cannot wait until another event!!