The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 77
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The imperial palaceās banquet was grand in scale.
Nobles gathered here, each with their own purposeāto gain the Emperor’s favor, flaunt their family’s wealth, or secure honor, among other ambitions.
āHuuā¦ā
Finally, she had arrived at the imperial palace.
Exhausted from the grueling four-day journey, Nina took a clean bath in the Peridot Room and changed into her dress for the banquet.
A short-sleeved dress in a calm teal color.
Small pearl earrings and a diamond necklace.
Finally, she pinned up her hair with a pearl pin, completing the look of an elegant noblewoman in no time.
Nina took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
āI feel like Iām going to die from nervesā¦ā
Sheād prepared herself for this, but it was still her first time attending such a large social event since her return, so it was impossible not to be nervous.
āā¦How could you leave me alone on a day like this, when there are so many eyes and ears in the palace?ā
āIf the palace is filled with so many eyes and ears, shouldnāt you first watch your own unseemly behavior?ā
āā¦Unseemly? Is that really what youāre saying to me? Do you even know what people are saying about me?ā
āDo I really need to know about the trouble youāve brought upon yourself? Move aside and stop being difficult. Iām already tired enough without you.ā
On this day in her previous lifeā¦
She had waited all day for her husband in the Peridot Room, only to have a huge argument with him when he arrived at the palace just before the banquet.
It wasnāt the first time theyād had a confrontation, but that day, the stares of others were so intense that she couldnāt hold back her anger.
Looking back, she now realized it was almost instinctiveā
She had known deep down that her lifeās most humiliating moment had already become notorious in society.
āUnlike back then, I have my husband by my side nowā¦ā
Nina stole a glance at Ash, who was walking beside her with a small distance between them.
āYouāre the one who said you wanted to spend the remaining time as friends.ā
Since that day, he had changed.
They ate meals together, rode in the same carriageā¦
And he no longer scowled whenever their eyes met.
āI feel like Iāve evolved from a pest to a human.ā
Considering the look of contempt in his eyes when he had slapped her hand away at the start of her return, this was truly significant progress.
Well.
A lot had happened in a short time.
Sheād blocked Count Azelotās advances,
Worked hard to manage the internal affairs,
Stopped her stalking,
Even saved his life.
And on top of that, she had arranged a meeting between him and his nephew, uncovering Count Azelotās schemes.
āSince it seems he failed to win Ian over in the previous life, given there were no such issues back then.ā
At this rate, divorcing within a year might not be just an empty dream.
āBy the way, what happened todayā¦?ā
Besides the big argument with her husband, she felt like something else had happened on this dayā¦
Nina frowned, trying to recall the memory, but when she couldnāt remember no matter how hard she tried, she just gave up.
āWell, I guess Iāll find out when I get there.ā
The banquet was held across three halls, and her destination was the Emerald Square Hall,
reserved for high-ranking nobles and renowned figures of the capitalās social scene.
Would her fragile mental state be able to endure this?
Seeing people entering the Emerald Square Hall from a distance made her whole body stiffen with nerves.
āWhatās wrong?ā
Startled by the indifferent voice above her, Nina turned her head.
Ashās gaze was directed at her awkwardly fidgeting fingers.
āIt seems Iām nervous since itās been a while since Iāve been to the palace.ā
She awkwardly clenched and unclenched her fists, and then he wordlessly extended his arm.
Was it because he thought she looked like she envied the noblewomen entering arm-in-arm with their husbands?
Whatever the reason, there was no need to refuse when he was offering to play the part of a proper husband.