Married To A Savage Duke

“It’s been 10 years, Grand Duke. Do you remember? After finding you at the ballroom, I stalked you.” Rosaline smiled softly, recalling Cade who had a prominent physique since he was a boy. “But I had to stop since you caught me in the corridor.”

Rosaline described her memories of that day as if it was a beautiful daydream.

“I asked for your name but you scowled at me and disappeared without a word. Our first encounter was so unique that it impressed me so much as a  young girl. It will remain in my memory forever.”

“Did you come a long way to get an apology from me for what happened ten years ago?””

Rosaline smiled, waving at the ridiculous question.

“You’re unexpectedly funny. You’re definitely not just popular because of your appearance, Grand Duke.”

Rosaline continued to reminisce.

“When was the day we reunited after that? That’s right. You were quite active after the death of your predecessor, the previous Duke Blkanov. You often appeared in social clubs where aristocratic businessmen gather. And even before you left for the battlefield, you attended a banquet in Hindel, right? I was really surprised to see you that you’ve grown——-”

“That’s enough private talk. How may I help you?”

Cade cut off her nonsense in annoyance that Rosaline had no choice but to shut up.

Despite setting the unfavorable situation aside, he held on to his frosty attitude through and through. Rosaline wasn’t arrogant but she was aware of her attractiveness. After all, the current emperor had fallen in love at first sight with Rosaline’s biological mother when he stopped by at a commoner’s village in the empire for inspection.  Even though she was well past fifty at the time, the emperor, who already had several mistresses, took a liking to her. With her mother as the emperor’s humble mistress, Rosaline became their daughter. Thanks to the beautiful face that she had inherited from her, she was recognized as the legitimate princess representing the royal family. Nevertheless, Philippe Viate always reminded her that he was the only legitimate son of the late queen and the king who would succeed the throne in the end. Believing that her main weapon was her beauty as he said, she learned the art of seduction.

In the process, the men’s reactions to Rosaline couldn’t be called pleasant, but most of them were too predictable. It was the first time in her life that she had to deal with such a troublesome and emotionless scarecrow. The crown prince told her that men were most vulnerable at dawn, but today, she found out that it was bullshit.

Rosaline recalled Philip saying fearfully, “Take advantage of Grand Duke Blkanov. If you failed to prevent his wedding, you’ll follow your mother’s footsteps.”

Swallowing a bitter smile, Rosaline kept talking as if she didn’t hear the Grand Duke.

“It’s about business so, of course, I have to tell you. However, I feel physically and mentally tired from the long journey. If it’s not rude, I’d like to take a nap and continue this conversation afterward. Is that alright?”

“I think it’ll be more productive to finish this conversation within ten minutes.”

“Why are you being cold? Are you just going to watch me, a poor woman, all wet from the rain outside?”

“We shouldn’t waste any more time if you’re tired.”

Rosaline shook her head at Cade for not backing down.

Rosaline knew the weight of her burdensome mission on her shoulders. However, the conversation between the two of them alone in the early morning with the man she had a crush on for a long time would never be tiring.

“I hope you know that I’m being sincere, Grand Duke. Why don’t you broaden your horizons?”

“Stop right there.”

Caed’s patience, which was gentlemanly in its own way, had finally reached its limit.

When Cade thought of Philip and his black heart for crawling back into his territory like a worm, his words didn’t go out smoothly with the princess.

“Visiting my castle without contacting me early in the morning is not only a disgrace to the royal family. It also made me doubt whether the princess had common sense or not because this isn’t how a royal should act.”

Rosaline, who was a little choked up, twisted her chin to ask something back, but Cade didn’t give her a chance.

“Where did the crown prince go?”

A white flash of light shone in the drawing room where heavy silence fell. Then, loud thunder rang out and shook the space. As if waiting, heavy rain poured down.

‘There was no gap for her to squeeze in.

Rosaline laughed dejectedly and lowered her eyes.

How boring~

She couldn’t read anything else from Cade’s stoic face. The day Rosaline first saw him, she saw something in him that she didn’t expect.

The reason why she didn’t let go of the emotions that could be dismissed as a stroke of childhood was because of the unexpected scene she saw that day.

It turned out that her childhood crush, whom she had first talked to, was cold-hearted and arrogant.

Even if the day would come when his fortress-like walls crumble down, it appeared like Cade would never give up a single piece of his heart.

A heartless man like this wouldn’t know how to give and receive love from others. He would be indifferent not only to Rosaline but also to his future wife.

Suddenly, Rosaline felt somewhat sorry for Cherryl, who must have gone through this ordeal for more than ten minutes.