# 59
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Kenneth looked at her from the corner of his eyes as she stared straight ahead.
“Would you like to try something like this?”
"…no."
“Good, good thinking.”
He clenched his fist tightly.
“Because this is something you will never have a connection with.”
“I remember you were sad because you didn’t want a second wedding, but three weddings should be avoided.”
Because, after all, you're already mine.
He hoped she would completely abandon any fantasies of a quieter wedding life with another man.
Ariana just stared at the beautiful bride. She knew Kenneth's expression without having to look at him.
He would tear her wounds apart again, and crush her if she didn't maintain indifference.
“…I wasn’t depressed because I hated it.”
“What a pity. I should have taken a picture to show you.”
“If I looked miserable that day, it wasn't because I hated you, Kenneth.”
Kenneth turned to look directly at her.
“So what?”
“Before the wedding, in prison...”
Ariana mumbled as she stared ahead.
She felt sorry for remembering her dark past on a happy occasion that was supposed to be for blessings only.
“…I constantly remembered being next to the bodies of my mother and brother.”
Ariana saw flies gathering on corpses for the first time.
She learned for the first time that worms hatch more quickly than she expected on warm, humid days.
Especially in humid places like the human mouth.
So, when she was ing Kenneth for her life, half her mind was out of fear of death.
Will Kenneth suddenly change his mind and send her to the scaffold again?
She was dazed with fear until the wedding, so even if the second groom had been her first love, she wouldn't have been able to smile.
'I thought everything would be okay if he came back.'
But the reality was blue eyes filled with quiet fury waiting for her like a god of death.
[How so, he doesn't forgive me...]
When she saw Kenneth, she was so afraid and sorry that she didn't know how she signed the marriage contract.
“So, when I regained consciousness...the party was over.”
Ariana murmured quietly as she remembered those days.
“I regained consciousness on the wedding night, but you were a little scary.”
“So I couldn't say anything.”
It was a really messy marriage.
Ariana smiled bitterly.
Only now, after she had completely abandoned Kenneth, could she finally express her feelings honestly.
“Like I said, it seemed like I wasn't destined for marriage.”
“However, thanks for accepting my suggestion to rent the place, Kenneth.”
Even if his words were the harshest in the world, he supported her opinion this time.
Even if his decision was motivated solely by business interests, her opinion was embraced.
It was a feeling of effectiveness she had never felt so often in her life.
They remained silent for a while, watching another couple's happy moments together.
* * *
After spending the night together, it was normal to see normal everyday scenes when staying in one room.
That night, Kenneth watched Ariana quietly as she combed her hair at the dressing table. Her hair was very soft, getting tangled easily if she shook her head habitually.
The pale red lamp light streamed like a wave over Ariana's hair.
As he watched this light, her words echoed in his ears.
[I constantly remembered being next to the bodies of my mother and brother]
He didn't expect those words to affect him like this.
Despite her family's greed, they were Ariana's family.
But his anger blinded him, so he forgot what she had suffered in prison.
Did he ever ask her if she was okay after being with the rotting corpses?
Of course not.
So, on their wedding day, she showed no discomfort with him being her groom...it wasn't just because she loved Andrew. He assumed so easily.
The wedding night was also rough because of his anger.
He did not console the little woman who was frozen with fear.
[There will be no children between us]
He said that to her as she held the cover frozen.
When he remembered that, he felt pain like fire burning in his chest.
Ariana was still struggling with the tangled ends of her hair.
Kenneth rose silently, grabbing the ends of her hair that she could not loosen.
When his fingers slipped into the tangle, Ariana blinked in surprise.
“Kenneth?”
In the day, when they saw the wedding, he was snickering, but after she revealed a little about the past, the man remained silent for a while.
Even when they spent the night together, he looked at her silently, unlike usual.
She wanted to say he didn't have to do this. But since he was stubbornly touching her hair, she felt embarrassed.
Only after the tangled hair was loosened did Kenneth open his tightly closed mouth.
“Tell me what you want.”
"What?"
Ariana's eyes widened in surprise. What is this sudden talk?
“But we talked about something similar before-”
“It's a reward for your suggestion about the ballroom.”
What happened cannot be undone.
But maybe their wedding wasn't as bad as he thought.
This thought made him feel as if his feet were sinking into a swamp.
At least now, he felt that he couldn't bear the distress if he didn't give Ariana something with her hand.
But he didn't show it at all.
“Since you gave a practical opinion, I should give you a suitable reward.”
“Hmm.”
“So, this time, instead of inviting people from outside, tell me what you want.”
Ariana tilted her head. If part of his position is in a follower reward, it is not incomprehensible.
What do you want?
'What would his expression be if I said child?'
Would he say that she would create an illegitimate brother for his rightful heir?
“Nothing comes to my mind now.”
“Ariana.”
"truly."
Ariana looked at him warily and spoke.
She didn't understand why, after suddenly accepting her opinion, he insisted on rewarding her.
“But any gift from you I will cherish.”
She restrained herf from saying that she would leave everything traceable.
Kenneth looked at her innocent expression, then shook his head briefly.
“You never give me the answer I want.”
It wasn't the answer he wanted, but it didn't feel bad.
* * *
News of the wedding of the Cheslin and Sanders families at the Place Hotel spread quickly through the area.
With the beautiful stories of helping the Duke's family first, everyone wanted to know more about the wedding in the palace-decorated interior.
Since the idea was originally Ariana's, those who opposed it without thinking began to change their words with an embarrassed cough.
“Sure, it will help revenue, and if word gets out, people will flock from nearby cities...”
“It looks like a better source of income than expected.”
That Aberdeen girl had a useful idea.
The Clifford family's followers were embarrassed, and some even expressed slight regret about her origin.
However, having a woman who brings diverse opinions to the business was important.
Kenneth was aware of these interactions.
“Everyone seems to be wondering whether or not they should line up with Ariana.”
“Yes, sir. They thought the position of duchess would soon become vacant.”
Kenneth silently closed his eyes at Roger's answer. Roger waited quietly, knowing what his master was thinking.
Keep Ariana as the Duke's lady.
The scientist will scoff filthyly, saying that he is in love with the body of the daughter of the family that killed his parents. Keeping Ariana as Mistress of the Duke will not bring any benefit in terms of higher social relations.
However, as he realized that their wedding might not have been what he thought, he found himf unable to let go of her hand.
“…Everyone should know my decision soon. So, in my absence, make sure no one treats Ariana with disrespect.”
“Yes, sir.”
An urgent problem had arisen that required him to go to the capital.
Signs have been observed that the Emperor is gathering supporters for the war.