The Grand Duke Who Wants Me Dead Is Surprisingly Kind - Chapter 11

Chapter 6.1

Diego, who had been staring at Anais’s room window, tightened his grip on the apple he was holding and muttered coldly,

“This family doesn’t treat Anais as someone worth cherishing.”

Her simple dress stood in stark contrast to the lavish gowns worn by the mistress of the house. In addition, her room was small and tucked away on a different floor entirely, separate from where the family and mistress resided.

Thud.

As he recalled the scene he had keenly observed, the apple he had tossed into the air landed softly in his hand. He tossed it again. And again.

Thud. Thud.

He continued the meaningless motion several times, then caught the falling apple and came to a conclusion.

“Just as I thought. It’s irritating.”

Biting into the red, ripened apple, he crunched down on it.

“I should get rid of everything.”

His voice was cold, and his expression had settled into a chilling calm.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

After the dinner with the Grand Duke ended, Anais returned to her room, already fully prepared for bed. She sat on the edge of her bed, replaying the evening in her mind, a brief meal that had somehow felt endlessly long.

“What kind of food do you like, Lady Anais?”
“What are your favorite hobbies?”
“Have you ever visited the Grand Duchy before?”

She couldn’t forget Diego’s piercing red eyes, the way they had remained fixed on her, asking question after question.

No one had ever asked her such detailed questions about herself before.

He had paid attention to no one but Anais, and eventually, Rex, the heir to the Viscount, couldn’t stand it any longer and abruptly got up from the table.

“My apologies. I’m not feeling well, so I’ll excuse myself first.”
“Ahem. I suppose we should end the dinner here.”

Even her father, Nectar, left the dining hall with a cold expression.

“…What on earth is he thinking?”

Anais tilted her head, unable to grasp the Grand Duke’s true intentions, especially since he had seemed composed until the very end of the dinner.

As she moved, her long silver hair slipped softly over one shoulder.

“I have to give him an answer tomorrow.”

She needed to let him know whether she would go with him and what to do about the wedding. Pressing her hand to her forehead, Anais bent down and pulled a box from beneath the bed.

“I need to go speak to Father.”

She had to confirm the meaning behind the poison Madame Jade had handed her.

After slipping a light shawl over her shoulders, she quietly left the room. Anais, who had heard her father’s words over and over, that a lady must always walk softly and gracefully, made not a single sound as she moved.

Then—

“Where do you think you’re going at this hour?”

On the shadowed staircase, someone stood above her, silhouetted against the faint glow of the lanterns scattered along the dim hallway. From beneath tousled brown hair, made darker by the shadows, a pair of murky black eyes gleamed, as if they might swallow her whole.

“…Rex.”

Caught off guard by her younger brother’s sudden appearance, Anais froze, only for him to grab her wrist a second later.

“We need to talk.”

“….!”

Without waiting for an answer, he yanked Anais up the stairs, practically dragging her along. It wasn’t until they reached the floor with the unused study and storage rooms that he finally let go, releasing her wrist with a rough flick.

“What do you think you’re doing, Rex?”

Anais clutched her stinging wrist and glared up at him, her brows drawn tight. But Rex, lifting a brow in mock disbelief, replied with a scoff.

“Don’t make a fuss just because I grabbed your wrist a little. I told you we needed to talk, didn’t I?”

Step. Step.

With a cold expression, he backed Anais toward the wall, his mouth curling into a twisted smile.

“….”

He used to be just her little brother, but somewhere along the way, he changed. The way he spoke, the way he looked at her—it all became something else. It made Anais uncomfortable, and so she naturally began to distance herself. But the more she pulled away, the more aggressively he pushed back.

Like now.

With a smirk on his face, Rex placed a hand on the wall beside her, trapping her in place, and spoke in a menacing tone.

“You’ll never be able to leave Orelcian.”

Realizing what had set him off, Anais responded firmly.

“My marriage is Father’s decision, and this engagement was ordained by imperial decree, Rex.”

Even cornered, she pointed out the truth in a steady voice, which only infuriated Rex more. He finally snapped, his voice coming out in a low, growling burst.

“The name on that imperial order is Anais Orelcian. But that’s not you, is it?”

Anais narrowed her eyes, confused and wary.

“What are you talking about?”

Rex sneered, his voice dripping with scorn.

“You’re really this clueless? The Grand Duke will toss you aside the moment he decides you’re no longer useful.”

“…Explain properly. What are you talking about?”

When she pressed him, he leaned in and whispered a secret she had never known.

“It means you’re not Father’s real daughter. That oh-so-noble princess slept with some lowborn man and had a bastard child.”

“….!”

“A child the kingdom discarded, but Father was the only one who took you in. That child is you, Anais.”