CH 2 BELLA : Meeting Husband

Arbella Conte was truly an extraordinary woman. She would stay up all night and sleep during the day. Thus, I always woke up in the morning. After a dozen times of waking up to a messy room with unfamiliar faces sprawled out naked, I became numb to it.

It became my job to chase the sleeping men out, clean myself, and tidy up the bedding. As I did this today, I pouted.

‘What is this? It feels like I’m a mother cleaning up after a spoiled daughter.’

She had all the fun and excitement, and what was I left with? The funny thing was that, perhaps due to her very liberal lifestyle, the maids looked at me like they’d seen a ghost every time I cleaned the room.

“Did you get up by yourself?”

“Oh my! You even washed yourself!”

“…”

Of course, I washed myself. Who else would? Even if someone else was supposed to, I couldn’t wait around feeling dirty until they showed up.

‘Ugh, this is too much.’

It felt wrong, so I left a note.

[Hello, Lady Arbella.

I am the person responsible for your day. Would you consider cutting back on your night-time activities in consideration of my efforts?]

It was a gamble, hoping she might recognize that I shared half of her day. I waited for a response, but none came. The next day, facing the empty desk, I shrugged.

‘It seems she’s unaware of me.’

She probably thinks a servant washes and cleans during her sleep. That could be the case. Regardless, no one searched for Arbella, and I spent the daytime comfortably, wearing a simple nightgown and eating the meals that were regularly delivered to the room.

The change happened about a month into this routine, just as I had gotten completely accustomed to it. Today, as usual, I woke up to find a man lying beside me in an awkward position. Without hesitation, I slapped his back to wake him up.

“It’s already midday! How long are you going to lie here? Get up! You have to start your day too!”

“Ouch! I’m up! I’m up already.”

The man twisted around like a snail covered in salt and got up, scratching his hair, which was flattened from sleep. He grumbled.

“Lady Arbella, you become a different person in the morning. Last night you were asking me to stay with you forever.”

‘Did she say that?’

If she wanted to be with someone forever, she should choose a specific partner. How can she talk about forever while dragging so many people into her bed?

Well, she’s an adult enjoying her s*x life; there’s no need to lecture her. However, since I occupy half of this body, I couldn’t help but nag.

‘Shouldn’t she live a bit more responsibly? This is ridiculous, mixing up day and night.’

Should I be thankful that I could be out during the day, or should I be sad about it?

As I stuffed the dirty sheets into a corner basket, the man whose back I had slapped earlier came up and hugged me from behind.

“This caring side of Lady Arbella makes you seem almost like a mother.”

The touch of bare skin made me shiver. I slapped his arms away.

“Stop talking nonsense and get out.”

“You’re so cold!”

He laughed playfully, winking at me.

“Please call me tonight too. I’ll be clean and waiting.”

“…”

I couldn’t make a promise since that wasn’t my responsibility. If Arbella liked him, she would call him again.

‘I wish she would restrain herself for just one day.’

Thinking about it, she must be a very sturdy woman. It takes a lot of stamina to engage in such nightly activities daily.

After washing up, cleaning the room, and airing it out by opening the windows to get rid of the musty smell, the maids brought breakfast. I made a sandwich with soft bread, vegetables, and a fried egg, then sucked on my fingers while picking out a book to read.

‘Let’s read this one today.’

Having gotten used to Arbella’s life, I now had the luxury of choosing books to read.

‘There’s a surprisingly good selection here, and the quality is high too.’

Humming, I walked into the small library next to my room. And there, for the first time since I had possessed this body, I encountered a man who wasn’t a s*x**l partner.

He had long black hair, like a crow, and a gloomy, cold appearance. The brief happiness at meeting someone new faded when I saw his icy eyes. He spoke in a cold voice.

“You look quite well, Madam.”

‘Madam?’

It was the first time I’d heard that title since possessing this body.

‘Is he calling me Madam just as a form of respect, or does he really mean it? Should I ask who he is?’

No one had asked me questions since I got here, so I was comfortable. Now, suddenly facing this man felt like stepping on a landmine.

“…”

I didn’t want to risk saying something wrong and ending up in a mental hospital, so I kept my mouth shut. The man’s lips twisted irritably.

“Suddenly pretending to be mute again?”

“…”

I’m not pretending; I just don’t know what to say. Could you introduce yourself first?

Not knowing that I was a possessor, the man naturally didn’t bother to introduce himself. He just swept his hair back and spoke with a sneer.

“I’ve heard you’re living too healthily. As a countess, you should start taking up some responsibilities.”

Countess! Responsibilities!

Those words provided important clues about my situation. Until now, all I knew was that I was called Arbella Conte.

‘But I don’t want to work. What if they find out I’m not really Arbella?’

Reading books was one thing, but doing actual work was another. I didn’t even know the customs here.

Seeing my troubled expression, the man’s face twisted angrily.

“Don’t make that face. Do you think I want to ask you for help? My esteemed father-in-law is worried that his daughter isn’t doing anything, thinking you’re being confined. What can I do?”

Father-in-law!

At that word, my eyes widened. The man twisted his lips in disdain.

“What? Are you surprised?”

Yes, I’m truly surprised.

‘Arbella, you were married?!’

So, she was living such a scandalous lifestyle while being married!

* * *

The man with black hair glaring at me was Arbella’s husband, Count Conte. He took me to Arbella’s office for the first time since I possessed her body. I didn’t even know Arbella had an office. She never seemed to leave the bedroom.

If I hadn’t asked if I could read books to pass the time, I might never have discovered the small library attached to the room and spent my days as a mere bedroom ornament.

‘This office looks quite official.’

The mahogany desk, heavy and solid, was piled high with documents. I was surprised to find that they were actually meant for me to handle.

‘Oh no, it looks like he’s trying to set me up. Should I pretend I can’t read?’

With my husband keenly watching for any mistakes, I felt nervous. I wanted to go back to being confined to the bedroom.

But my tension eased as soon as I looked at the documents.

‘Oh, this is easy.’

Most of the documents he gave me were financial records. They only required basic arithmetic skills.

‘Actually, this might be fun…?’

Having nothing else to do but slapping backs, cleaning, and bathing, this was a new and enjoyable pastime. Humming, I started writing on the papers with my pen.

* * *

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