Chapter 10
“Shite, look at this. It’s blue ink made from lapis lazuli and a custom-made metal pen nib crafted by a master artisan. I heard some fine items had come in, and it immediately made me think of you. You like keeping records, don’t you?”
There wasn’t a person alive who disliked gifts.
Especially gifts that perfectly matched their tastes without being overly expensive.
Those kinds of gifts naturally softened people’s hearts.
Surely Shite wouldn’t be any different.
First, I’ll improve the atmosphere and then slowly figure out why he’s tormenting me.
Come on, be touched already. Hurry up!
After examining the gift, Shite looked surprised for a moment before smiling.
“My, my. I haven’t been keeping records lately. It seems you didn’t know that. To think you’re so uninterested in me. Truly, we should get a divorc—”
“No! You’ll use them eventually if you keep them around. That’s why I bought them. Of course I knew you’d stopped keeping records.”
She hadn’t known.
“If you insist, then I’ll accept them.”
How annoying.
Still, she couldn’t just give up her inheritance.
There was no problem in the world that couldn’t be solved with money.
And if there was, it simply meant you hadn’t spent enough.
So ink and pens aren’t enough to make you talk?
Fine. Then I’ll prepare something you can’t refuse.
“Shite. You seem unable to focus on your research these days, so I bought a building nearby that you can use as a laboratory.”
A building.
An actual building.
And it was located somewhere quiet and peaceful so he could research comfortably.
Who in the world would refuse when their wife offered them a house?
Nobody.
Absolutely nobody.
“Go on, take it already. My arm’s getting tired.”
And while he was at it, maybe he’d spend less time at home.
Instead of sticking to her side and constantly talking about divorce.
Confidently, she held out the key.
Shite merely stared at it.
“No, thank you. Going back and forth to a separate laboratory would be inconvenient.”
Oh, so now you want a carriage too?
She had anticipated that.
Leading him to the stables, she proudly revealed the luxurious carriage she had carefully selected.
Surely now he would finally be touched.
She looked at him expectantly.
Yet his expression was strangely ambiguous.
As though he were suppressing laughter.
Or perhaps enjoying himself.
Has he finally started liking my gifts?
“How disappointing.”
“Huh? What is?”
“I never realized you wanted to get rid of me this badly, my lady. Buying me a house just to send me away.”
“No! It’s supposed to be a laboratory—!”
She was so flabbergasted she nearly choked.
Perhaps because her voice had risen, the stable master and servants nearby glanced over.
She had no choice but to fall silent.
Her fists trembled with frustration.
As if he had been waiting for that reaction, Shite stepped closer.
“Since you’re already sending me away, perhaps you could organize the paperwork as well, my lady.”
Aaagh! So annoying!
“You—!”
She barely managed to force her voice back down before whispering,
“What exactly is your problem?”
“The problem is that you won’t divorce me.”
“Come on. Look at all this. These gifts are full of my sincerity and thoughtfulness. Why don’t you accept them first and then reconsider our relationship afterward?”
“A gift full of sincerity and thoughtfulness?”
He smiled.
“More like a bribe with a specific purpose.”
That was it.
At this rate, she was going to grab him by the collar and shake him.
She spun around sharply.
First, calm down. Then think of another gift. What would tempt Shite?
As she pondered, she heard footsteps behind her.
“If you’re planning to win my favor with material things, I’d suggest giving up.”
She stopped walking and turned around.
The look in Shite’s eyes remained infuriating.
He clearly saw her as some spoiled young heiress who thought everything could be solved with money.
Her insides boiled.
But she forced a smile anyway.
“We’ll see about that.”
She wasn’t wrong.
As time passed, she learned something important.
Shite was an unbelievably stubborn man.
No matter what gifts she gave him, he didn’t so much as blink.
If anything, each gift simply gave him another excuse to bring up divorce.
Eventually, she was the one who became exhausted.
Maybe I should just avoid him altogether.
The next morning, she hid inside the greenhouse before breakfast.
She intended to enjoy a peaceful meal by herself.
But then—
Through the glass walls of the greenhouse, she spotted a familiar silhouette.
Why is that man wandering around here at this hour?
Even from a great distance, she recognized Shite immediately.
After all, she had been harassed by him so much lately.
She watched him with a weary expression.
For some reason, though, the silhouette seemed to be getting closer.
A moment later, realization struck.
If he finds me, my peaceful breakfast is over!
Hide!
The instant she made her decision, she sprang to her feet.
She was still holding a cup of hot tea, but there was no time to put it down.
At this very moment, Shite was getting closer.
As she hurried away from the table, Cindy followed after her.
“My lady, what’s wrong?”
Too flustered to explain, Amaryntis simply gave an order.
“Everyone grab something and hide!”
The maids exchanged confused looks.
Nevertheless, they each picked up something—a tablecloth, utensils, plates—and hurried to conceal themselves.
Just as Amaryntis crouched behind a thick tree trunk, the greenhouse door opened.
Tap. Tap.
Slow but heavy footsteps wandered through the greenhouse for what felt like an eternity.
If he saw nobody was here, why doesn’t he just leave?
Terrified of being discovered, she curled herself up even smaller.
Then she heard a brief sound.
“Mmph!”
Mmph?
Instinctively, she almost peeked out.
She barely restrained herself and focused on listening instead.
Did someone get caught?
Curiosity itched through her body.
She wiggled her toes restlessly.
Then another sound followed.
Snap.
Like a stem being broken.
Soon afterward, footsteps echoed through the greenhouse again.
This time, they were accompanied by occasional muffled chuckles.
What on earth is happening out there?!
Should she look?
Shouldn’t she?
While she hesitated, she lost track of the footsteps entirely.
By the time she noticed, they were gone.
Did he leave?
Or is he still here?
She couldn’t tell.
Unable to endure her curiosity any longer, she slowly stood to check Shite’s whereabouts.
The moment she turned—
“Whoa.”
“Eek!”
She practically jumped out of her skin.
At the same time, the teacup slipped from her hands.
Before it could hit the floor, Shite shot out a hand.
The cup landed neatly in his palm.
Hot tea spilled everywhere.
His pale hand immediately turned red.
“Oh my goodness! Are you okay? Put the cup down first!”
The moment he set it down, she pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping his hand.
“What am I going to do with you? You’re not seriously hurt, are you? Someone bring clean cold water! Honestly, why do you insist on startling people like that?”
Scolding and worrying at the same time, she led him to a nearby table.
A maid quickly arrived with a bowl full of cold water.
Without hesitation, Amaryntis plunged his hand into it.
“I had no choice,” Shite said.
“If I had moved away, you would have been the one injured.”
He did it for me?
Really?
Startled, she looked up at him.
But his expression wasn’t one of concern.
At the same time, a maid nearby gasped softly.
“Oh!”
That was when she realized.
He had only said it because other people were watching.
She had almost been moved.
Then again, even if he hadn’t caught the cup, she would have been fine.
Her dress consisted of multiple layers of skirts and undergarments.
Of course, it had been an instinctive moment.
Someone who genuinely cared for her might have reacted before even thinking.
But this was Shite.
A man obsessed with divorce.
There was no way he’d done it because he cherished her.
“It’s a good thing the tea had cooled down somewhat. What would you have done if it had been boiling hot?”
Ignoring her scolding, he merely shrugged.
It was irritating.
Yet seeing his reddened hand made her soften again.
“Keep it in the water for an hour.”
“An entire hour? You must really want to keep me away from you.”
“You need to keep it submerged that long so the heat comes out.”
In reality, twenty minutes would have been enough.
But she needed at least an hour if she wanted to escape from Shite and enjoy a peaceful breakfast.
Shite seemed only half-listening.
Slowly, he swished his hand through the water, creating ripples.
“My lady. Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Forgetting something? What?”
“A thank you, perhaps?”
“I was the one treating your injury. Shouldn’t I be the one receiving thanks?”
The answer slipped out before she could stop herself.
Then she noticed the servants watching and quickly adjusted her tone.
“One hour. Sit here quietly.”
Time to escape.
She turned to leave.
A hand caught her wrist.
“Just a moment, my lady.”
The moment she turned back, Shite pulled her toward him.
The distance between them vanished instantly.
Close enough that their knees nearly touched.
