CH 8 ASIL: Marriage

Asil met Arbella purely by chance.

It was at a royal ball. Like many other unmarried noblemen, he attended to find a suitable bride. In the garden, he stumbled upon a small altercation.

“Arbella! How could you abandon me? We were perfect together. I can’t forget that night we spent together…”

It was clearly a lover’s quarrel. A disheveled man with a tear-streaked face knelt at a woman’s feet, begging her. But it seemed he couldn’t sway the heart of the beautiful woman.

Looking down at him with an air of aloofness like the Snow Queen, she answered coldly.

“Did you think you could own me just because we shared a bed once? Then there must be dozens of men in this capital who own me.”

“How can you say that! I know you have many lovers! But you told me I was special. That I was different…”

“It was a lie. Can’t you tell the difference between a joke and sincerity at your age?”

“Arbella!”

Issues between a man and a woman are private matters, so Asil intended to pass by without getting involved. However, when the man suddenly stood up to strike Arbella, Asil couldn’t help but step in.

“What’s going on here?”

“…!”

Asil worried that the man might act recklessly, but fortunately, he retained enough sense to refrain. After meeting Asil’s eyes, the man stumbled away without composing his expression.

‘He seems sincere.’

Although there was no obligation to reciprocate feelings just because someone loves you, it was hard not to feel pity for the grown man shedding tears.

That must have been why he spoke up, despite usually not meddling in others’ affairs.

“It would be better if you treated others sincerely.”

Arbella’s face twisted at Asil’s advice. The sudden hatred in her gaze surprised Asil.

Arbella, as if her dignity had been trampled on, glared fiercely at Asil.

“What do you know to say such a thing? You arrogant, insufferable man.”

Considering he had intervened to stop her from being struck, Asil felt like he was being insulted despite his good intentions.

But Arbella didn’t stop there. With icy eyes, she cursed him.

“You need to learn that life doesn’t always go your way. If no one else teaches you, I’ll make sure you understand to your very bones.”

“You seem energetic enough. Go inside.”

He didn’t think he had said anything to warrant such anger.

As Asil turned away, he couldn’t have imagined that he would become deeply entangled with this woman.

His days continued as usual: managing his estate, discussing business ventures with trustworthy gentlemen, playing simple card games…

Then he was summoned by the king.

“You are to marry Lady Carmen.”

“…What?”

Lady Carmen referred to that very woman.

Arbella Carmen.

– You need to learn that life doesn’t always go your way. If no one else teaches you, I’ll make sure you understand to your very bones.

The woman who had left him with a chilling warning at the ball not long ago. Her face was enchantingly beautiful, but the malice in her words had been unmistakable.

‘Why her, of all people?’

He knew Arbella was a close relative of the king, but he hadn’t expected such a blatant matchmaking attempt.

Especially in the form of a command.

“She’s reached marriageable age but hasn’t settled on anyone. She just flits about with men. But recently, when I subtly brought up marriage, she named you as her preference.”

“She specifically chose me?”

“Yes. It seems she fancies you.”

The king, seemingly pleased, appeared to think Arbella had finally come to her senses. But Asil couldn’t smile back.

The ominous warning from the ball echoed in his ears.

Did she choose him because she liked him?

A sense of discomfort crept over him like bugs crawling on his skin. The king patted Asil’s shoulder and laughed heartily.

“The royal family will contribute to her dowry considering the circumstances. Please take good care of her.”

The king’s words of “please take care” meant it was already decided, and all he had to do was marry.

Asil, who had lost his parents at a young age and maintained his title with the king’s help, had no choice but to agree.

“I understand.”

He could only hope that his unease was unfounded.

* * *

But, as is often the case, his bad premonition turned out to be correct.

There was no wedding night. After spending a sleepless night alone, Arbella appeared before Asil only in the afternoon.

She reeked of semen. On their wedding day, she had been with another man instead of her husband.

His body trembled with humiliation. Enraged, Asil asked coldly,

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Arbella tossed her hair back with a seductive smile. Her white, long neck was marred by red kiss marks like scattered petals.

“Didn’t you know I would live like this? Isn’t that why you prepared a separate house for me?”

“Well…”

She wasn’t wrong. Even after their marriage was decided, Arbella’s behavior didn’t improve, and it was the king and the Duke and Duchess of Carmen who suggested the separate house.

Otherwise, it would be publicly known that Asil was a cuckold, and it would also tarnish their own reputation for forcing the marriage despite knowing her character.

Arbella, it seemed, had decided to make the most of the situation.

With a pretty smile, she lifted her nightgown with both hands.

“How do I look? Don’t you want it?”

As her slender white legs were revealed, Asil’s face flushed involuntarily. Arbella, as if unaware of his gaze, lifted her nightgown higher and higher.

Past her soft, pink knees and the firm flesh of her thighs.

Just as her bare groin, devoid of underwear, was about to be exposed…

“You’ll never enter my bedroom.”

Arbella let the hem of her nightgown fall, flashing a wicked smile.

Asil, who had been mesmerized by her movements, came to his senses and coughed awkwardly.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

Asil couldn’t understand. What had he done to deserve living as a fool who watched his wife’s infidelity?

The only thing he could think of was helping Arbella at the ball when she was about to be hit by another man.

Arbella’s answer to his question was brutally simple.

“Because you’re unlucky.”

* * *

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***