Chapter 1 - The Truth I Learned (1/2)

1. The Truth I Learned

Duchess Psyche Valentine was now making plans to run away from the Duke mansion with a very serious face.

It was because of the truth she had only learned a few days ago.

*

“Psyche……”

She had something to say to the Duke, so Psyche, who was about to stop by the office and knock on the door, froze on the spot because of a familiar voice that called out her name. The next words were muffled and could not be heard, but then she could hear them clearly.

“That woman must be killed when the baby is born.”

She couldn’t believe that the voice belonged to her husband. Her heart was pounding, wondering if she heard wrong. She looked down subconsciously.

The belly, which began to rise convexly, is now quite noticeable. It had been more than half a year since she was pregnant.

‘Ah……’

She barely held back her screams.

‘Who are you going to kill?’

Psyche recalled what she heard.

‘He must have said he would kill a woman when the baby was born.’

Psyche trembled with anxiety and thought back to the meaning of her husband’s words. Psyche’s heart was racing and she couldn’t calm herself down. But looking back, it didn’t feel too strange that he would try to kill her.

The Duke and herself were in a ‘contractual marriage in exchange for giving birth to a baby.’

Even though there might be no love or affection, he promised that if she gave birth to a baby, he would at least free her from the fear of death and give her a comfortable life. And she firmly believed in that promise. But there is only one contract condition.

She will give him a child who will be his heir.

‘You mean I won’t be needed anymore after the baby is born?’

Thinking about that, Psyche was confused, and her eyes felt like they were spinning.

Until yesterday, no, even this morning, weren’t we talking about a happy future when the baby is born?

Were all those words and actions a lie?

Psyche got goosebumps in an instant.

She stroked her belly. Without realizing it, her legs lost strength and she staggered.

creak.

“Huh? Ma’am!”

It was Alexandro, the duke’s henchman, who came out of the office and found Psyche about to fall. Having managed to support Psyche, he was surprised to see her pale face.

“Madam, what’s wrong?”

Pushing him away, Psyche stepped back and bit her lip. She felt sick to her stomach to think that all of his kind demeanor was a pretense.

No. He is just a subordinate of his master.

“The Duke is inside. Would you like to come in?”

Psyche hesitated for a moment and then shook her head. She might make a mistake if she met her husband now.

“No. He must be busy, so I won’t disturb him.”

She wrapped her arms around her belly and turned around quickly. It was because she thought she was going to cry.

When she got to her room, she flopped on the bed and stared blankly into the air for a moment. Then she patted her cheeks with both hands.

“I don’t have time to be sad.”

After this, she would not be willing to do the Duke’s wishes. So that he could feel what it was like to lose what he wanted so badly before his eyes.

To lose what he values ​​the most; the life in her belly.

Psyche gently stroked her belly. She spoke inwardly to her baby, ‘Let’s go. Let’s get out of this terrible place.’

She immediately got up and began to look for a way out of the Duke’s mansion.

*

Psyche sat still in the room and remembered the first day she first came to the mansion.

To leave this place, she naturally remembered the day she came here.

‘How did I end up marrying him?’

She laughed as she recalled her ridiculous situation.

‘I didn’t mean to get married.’

Psyche felt a strange feeling as she glanced around the bedroom, which she was now accustomed to.

‘He’s a persistent man. He also had a face that seemed like he would never ask for a favor.’

That was her first impression of meeting the Duke for the first time.

Psyche was the eldest daughter of a wealthy Viscount family. However, when she was young, she lost her parents in an unfortunate accident, and her relatives’ interference caused her family to falter.

When Psyche is old enough, all she had left was a large, unmanaged castle.

Despite her noble status, she became more and more concerned about food, because she might starve to death.

Then one day, a man suddenly appeared to her and offered a marriage contract.

“Are you Miss Psyche Alistair?”

A shabby castle and a neatly dressed man were not very compatible. So it was a more impressive meeting. The marble on the ground he stepped on had worn out and made his shoes look more stand out.

Naturally, she didn’t believe him at first.