Battle Divorce! - Chapter 20
Chapter 10.2
“What exactly did you say?”
“I said that His Highness the Grand Duke has gone mad over a woman, and he’s dragged me along for a grueling night.”
The aide quickly glanced at his boss’s reaction, a bit worried.
Maxim von Waldeck chuckled as he pulled out a cigar.
Fortunately, he seemed pleased. The aide swiftly struck a match and held it up for Maxim.
“I suppose you also described my ideal type?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“A woman with honey-blonde hair, green eyes, fair skin, a strong appetite, and a lively personality…”
“Good.”
A small smirk appeared on Maxim’s face at this automatic response.
“Well then, good work.”
Maxim von Waldeck took a long drag on his cigar, his cheek hollowing with the inhale, and then stepped out of the car.
༺♰༻
“Boss, what am I supposed to do now?”
The moment Maxim stepped outside with the butler, Daisy demanded answers.
“What do you mean? You both seemed to be getting along just fine. Congratulations on your husband’s great victory, Your Highness.”
“You make it sound like it’s someone else’s problem. Are you seriously going to keep acting this irresponsible?”
“Your face is still red from whispering sweet nothings in his ear like that. You enjoyed it at least a little, didn’t you?”
“Cut the bullsh*t.”
As Count Therese teased her with a mischievous smirk, Daisy finally lost her temper.
“Whoa, whoa, calm down, Easy.”
“You tossed me into a dangerous situation, and now you’re acting like it’s nothing? Do you really think I can stay calm right now?!”
“Alright, alright. We’ll come up with a plan, okay? Don’t get so worked up.”
That was easy for him to say since it wasn’t his problem.
The way he teased her so thoughtlessly made her feel like she was about to explode with anger.
“You told me from the beginning that all I had to do was act as a bride. You obviously tricked me!”
“Tricked? There can always be unexpected circumstances that arise during a mission. You know that, Easy.”
“There’s a limit to what you can call ‘unexpected.’ Really think about it and ask yourself. A man who was supposed to be dead came back alive. Don’t you think that’s a bit much to shrug off?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t just brush me off with empty apologies. Please… come up with a real solution.”
At this rate, she was going to end up helplessly skewered by Maxim’s merciless “club.”
Daisy bit back the words she wanted to say.
“For now… how about we just monitor the situation and wait until we know more?”
“And that’s what you call a solution? Are you seriously saying that to my face right now?”
Anyone could come up with a plan like that. Daisy’s face flushed with frustration at Count Therese’s irresponsible attitude.
“I’m sorry. Can’t you go easy on me just this once? Honestly, none of us saw this coming either.”
He wasn’t lying. No one had anticipated Maxim von Waldeck’s sweeping victory.
When he’d first set out to war, there had been plenty who scoffed, saying the royal family’s hunting dog was past his prime and only being used as cannon fodder.
“If you could stay close and act as an informant, that would be perfect.”
“Just holding my ground here is hard enough. It’s like walking on thin ice. You promised it’d be an easy job, and this is nothing like what we agreed upon. Did you seriously set me up to fail?”
“Set you up? How could I? You know how much I care about you. I’d never do that.”
It hardly seemed like he cared at all, though Count Therese feigned innocence.
“I’m sorry, Easy. You’re good at this, aren’t you? Just hang in there a little longer. You know I believe in you, right?”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“I’m just asking you to hold out a little longer now that you’ve come this far. For the greater good. Please?”
Count Therese kept pleading.
Where did this cunning snake get off spouting such lies?
She was so exasperated that she found herself at a loss for words.
“Why don’t you give it a try, Boss? See if it’s that easy.”
“What’s the problem, then? I’ll help you handle it, so just lay it out for me.”
Fine. Maybe telling him would put an end to this nonsense.
Though uncomfortable, Daisy decided to reveal exactly what she was dealing with.
“…H-he keeps… trying to initiate physical contact and always flirts with me.”
“What do you mean?”
Could he really not understand what she was trying to say? Count Therese pressed her for clarification.
Daisy replied in an exasperated tone.
“Every time he sees me, he goes on and on about our wedding night, and I’m about to lose it. There’s only so much I can do to avoid him.”
“You haven’t done it yet?”
“…Excuse me? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Daisy shot back, absolutely baffled. Was that expected of her?
“You two seemed close.”
“Not even remotely.”
“That guy looks entirely smitten with you. Only a fellow man would recognize it. That look of a man head over heels in lust.”
“Stop with the word games.”
“Hm. Isn’t it normal for a young man to have a strong libido? He did say you’re his type, so I figured I’d grant the wish of a dead man and put you on the job.”
“And why are you granting his wish by using me? Are you seriously trying to pimp me out now? I only agreed to fill the role of the bride, not to spend a wedding night with that perverted bastard!”
Daisy burst out in frustration.
No matter how she looked at it, he had clearly set her up. She was so enraged that she wondered if she should just kill him there and be done with it. Money be damned.
A surge of anger rose from deep within her, and her hand clenched tightly around the dessert fork.
“Easy, please, put the fork down. You did say you weren’t killing people anymore.”
Apparently aware of how ridiculous he sounded, Count Therese tried to soothe her as he eyed her hand.
Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.
Killing is absolutely out of the question.
Repeating this mantra to herself, Daisy gritted her teeth and set the fork down.
“Haah… Consider yourself saved by the grace of our Lord. Try to live a decent life.”
“I’ve already done too many wrongs for that. Aren’t you in the same boat?”
“Enough with the small talk. Why did you put me on this mission in the first place? I want an explanation.”