The Villainess Who Accidentally Stole Their Hearts - Chapter 2
Chapter 1.2
Then, he placed the wedding veil on Mikarin, who was wearing my wedding dress.
“My real wedding starts now. Come here, let me kiss you, my bride.”
“I love you, Cleas. Promise me you’ll be mine forever.”
Even as I watched it unfold right before my eyes, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Before I knew it, I was trembling and stumbling backward.
Clang—!
The wine glass on the table fell to the floor. It was only then that my husband and Mikarin turned to look at me.
“How… how could you…”
I could only repeat the same words, like a broken record.
My husband smiled softly as he watched me. It wasn’t the typical expression someone made when caught cheating.
“You finished your bath quickly. Thanks to you, we had our little moment interrupted.”
“How, how could you do this to me…?”
“I knew you were a fool, but I didn’t think you were this stupid, Nikaearsha.”
My husband kissed the top of Mikarin’s head, as if he were comforting her before he looked at me with indifference.
“You couldn’t even become an Awakener, and you’re nothing but a disgrace cast out by the Grand Duchy. All you have is a passable exterior.”
“…What?”
“That’s what your worth amounts to.”
“Then why… why did you marry me?”
“Because even someone like you was useful as a title.”
My title was ‘The Second Heir of the Grand Duchy Delosif.’ When my father, the Grand Duke, passed away, I was set to inherit immense wealth, land, and treasures beyond measure.
My husband admitted he married me for those things.
‘I really meant nothing more than that…’
My legs trembled.
He smiled softly, watching me crumble in shock, while holding Mikarin in his arms. She looked at me with tearful eyes, as if pitying me.
“Still, I’m thankful to you for introducing me to Mikarin.”
He said he met Mikarin at our engagement ceremony and that they fell for each other as if it were fate.
So, it was from the very beginning.
‘From the very beginning… they lied to me… treating my heart as something more worthless than a rag…’
That was how my married life began—and it was a living hell. My husband and Mikarin clung to each other, whether I was there or not, and I couldn’t return to my family. Just as my husband had said, I was a disgrace, cast out by them.
After much thought, I turned to my childhood friends for help.
However…
“What can you do about what’s already happened? Forgiveness isn’t for the other person, it’s for yourself.”
“What do you think you’ll gain by accusing your husband and Mikarin? Who would believe the words of a crazy troublemaker?”
“I’m tired of hearing you complain. Losing your husband is partly your fault, too. Can you blame him for what he did?”
That was all I kept hearing.
At first, I honestly thought maybe I was the problem—that not being able to forgive my husband and resenting Mikarin meant I was narrow-minded.
But the problem wasn’t me.
“How much longer do I have to wait for you to be mine?”
“Don’t be like that. Someone like me isn’t worth making you upset…”
“Mikarin…”
The truth was, even my childhood friends—the ones I trusted—turned out to be just as bad.
‘They all fell for Mikarin, cheating over and over, one affair after another…’
And maybe even that wasn’t enough for them.
“If you love us, then prove it, Nike—With your death.”
I was killed by my husband and friends.
As my consciousness slipped away, I heard Mikarin’s voice, quietly sobbing.
“Thank you, sister.”
Even as I lay dying, I felt sheer rage1. And I think I said something like a prayer.
God.
I haven’t really done anything good. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve lived a righteous life either. And even if I went back, I doubt I could live much better. But if you give me another chance, if you turn back time for me…
I swear, I would keep this one promise.
I would bring justice to every last cheater in this world.
—That was what I prayed.
̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊
‘And God answered my prayer.’
As I glanced up at the statue in front of me, a hesitant voice came from the side.
“Uh, um, is there… anything I can do to help with your prayer?”
It was the priest in charge of the temple within the Delrosif estate. The young priest, drenched in sweat, nervously watched me for a reaction.
“You can leave now.”
“Yes? I-If you would like to say a prayer, I could, um, stand and recite the scriptures. It would be…”
The priest’s voice trailed off.
‘…He looks like he’s about to have a heart attack.’
“You can leave.”
“S-Still…”
“Go.”
“Yes!”
The priest bolted out of the temple like he had been set free, his face filled with relief. I shook my head as I watched his retreating figure before turning my gaze to the grand statue standing before me.
“I don’t know why you brought me back, but I feel like I should at least thank you for answering my prayer.”
With reverence, I raised my hands.
“As promised, I’ll make sure to bring justice to all the cheaters…”
And the moment I placed my hand on the statue,
Beeeeeeep—!
A sharp ringing filled my ears.
“Nike.”
Through the ringing in my ears, I heard a familiar, buzzing voice calling my name. Despite the noise, I knew immediately whose voice it was.
How could I ever forget the voice I’ve missed so much?
“Grandfather?”
It was the voice of my grandfather, who passed away when I was little.
As I blinked, memories from the past came flooding back, as clear as if they had just happened. I had been here with him once before… and it was exactly one day before he passed away.
“Nike.”
“Yeah.”
“Not ‘Yeah,’ but ‘Yes’.”
“Yeah… yes.”
“Good grief.”
My grandfather, who was looking at me with a fond expression, opened his mouth again.
“Nike, I’ll soon be called to God’s side. But before that, I want to share a secret with my precious little songbird.”
“A secret?”
“It’s a secret passed down in the Grand Duchy. I haven’t even told your father, so when I die, it’ll be a secret known only to you.”
I didn’t know how I could’ve completely forgotten something so important until now.
‘…What else did Grandfather say?’
“In our family, there’s always a child born with a special power. That child is you.”
“Nike gonna be Awakener?”
“It’s a different kind of power. You won’t remember this conversation until you’re ready to bear it. But one day, you will, my dear, and when that time comes, remember what I’ve told you.”
My eyes shot open as I stared at the towering statue. I recalled that my grandfather had mentioned something about it…
“Under the statue’s robe…”
“Gwandpa, dwerty. (Grandpa, that’s dirty/inappropriate.)”
“No, the God is male! Who’s been telling my little songbird such nonsense?!”
‘No, no, not that!’
As I wrestled with my thoughts, I suddenly exclaimed, ‘Ah!’ and lifted my head. After ensuring no one was around, I climbed up the massive statue.
‘Under the statue’s robe… near the ankle…’
I felt something. It seemed like it could be either stone or some kind of jewel!
It was when I applied a bit more pressure—
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
—the ground shook with tremendous force. It felt like an earthquake, and I lost my balance, tumbling off the statue.
Thud!
The impact of landing on my rear sent a sharp pain shooting through my body.
‘Now my head hurts too… ugh…’
At that moment.
( Ad )
[♥♡ Love ❣ Detective Agency ★]
⬀CLICK ˖◛⁺˖
Strange words appeared before my eyes.
‘What is this…’
‘♥♡ Love Detective Agency?’
No way.
‘Forbidden Love Detective Agency?!’
¹ [ The author used the idiomatic expression ‘죽어가면서도 복장이 뒤집혔다,’ which literally means ‘Even while dying, my clothes were turned inside out.’ In this context, it refers to someone being extremely angry or upset, to the point of feeling exasperated or indignant. ] ↩
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
