The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 77
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The imperial palaceâs banquet was grand in scale.
Nobles gathered here, each with their own purposeâto gain the Emperor’s favor, flaunt their family’s wealth, or secure honor, among other ambitions.
âHuuâŚâ
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.
âI feel like Iâm going to die from nervesâŚâ
Sheâd 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.
ââŚHow could you leave me alone on a day like this, when there are so many eyes and ears in the palace?â
âIf the palace is filled with so many eyes and ears, shouldnât you first watch your own unseemly behavior?â
ââŚUnseemly? Is that really what youâre saying to me? Do you even know what people are saying about me?â
âDo I really need to know about the trouble youâve brought upon yourself? Move aside and stop being difficult. Iâm already tired enough without you.â
On this day in her previous lifeâŚ
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 wasnât the first time theyâd had a confrontation, but that day, the stares of others were so intense that she couldnât hold back her anger.
Looking back, she now realized it was almost instinctiveâ
She had known deep down that her lifeâs most humiliating moment had already become notorious in society.
âUnlike back then, I have my husband by my side nowâŚâ
Nina stole a glance at Ash, who was walking beside her with a small distance between them.
âYouâre the one who said you wanted to spend the remaining time as friends.â
Since that day, he had changed.
They ate meals together, rode in the same carriageâŚ
And he no longer scowled whenever their eyes met.
âI feel like Iâve evolved from a pest to a human.â
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.
Sheâd blocked Count Azelotâs 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 Azelotâs schemes.
âSince it seems he failed to win Ian over in the previous life, given there were no such issues back then.â
At this rate, divorcing within a year might not be just an empty dream.
âBy the way, what happened todayâŚ?â
Besides the big argument with her husband, she felt like something else had happened on this dayâŚ
Nina frowned, trying to recall the memory, but when she couldnât remember no matter how hard she tried, she just gave up.
âWell, I guess Iâll find out when I get there.â
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 capitalâs 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.
âWhatâs wrong?â
Startled by the indifferent voice above her, Nina turned her head.
Ashâs gaze was directed at her awkwardly fidgeting fingers.
âIt seems Iâm nervous since itâs been a while since Iâve been to the palace.â
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.
