Vulgar Marriage - Chapter 13

Chapter 7.1

The man huffed and took a step closer to Livi, his dirty boots stirring up dust.

“And if it is?”

“Then I’ll accept it.”

The man frowned at Livi’s words, gripping her wrist so tightly she thought it might break. His already harsh expression darkened further, making him look even more menacing.

“You—! Damn it!”

He suddenly flung her hand aside. As Livi stumbled, trying to regain her balance, he stormed off. Once she managed to steady herself, she saw the other knights walking away, their backs turned.

“What’s up with Hawthorne?”

“Beats me. Who knows why that damn bastard’s in a mood.”

“It’s probably because of his fiancée. He’s a complete jerk, but he treats her like gold. I heard he left without even saying a proper goodbye.”

Their voices faded as the men disappeared down the stairs.

‘So his name is Hawthorne.’

Livi massaged her wrist and repeated what she had just overheard. A red handprint was already forming where Hawthorne had grabbed her.

“Could someone get me a bandage…”

She started to ask but then closed her mouth. The hallway was empty. She had hoped to request some bandages or medicine, but even the maid who had been lurking around earlier had already fled downstairs.

A cold chill gripped her chest in the unfamiliar silence. The days when even the smallest scratch would cause a flurry of concern around her were long gone. No one here cared about her well-being anymore.

Livi forced herself to square her shoulders and descended the stairs. The moment she appeared, the lively chatter from the dining hall fell silent.

“Well, look who it is. The princess of the East.”

“Not anymore. She’s just the daughter of a traitor now.”

Livi turned toward the voices, meeting sharp, hostile glares. It wasn’t just one or two knights, it was nearly everyone seated in the dining hall. Their eyes were filled with contempt.

It was no surprise. To them, she was the daughter of the traitor family they had just purged—a woman who had saved herself by clinging to the duke. It would have been more shocking if any of them had shown her kindness.

Even so, Livi couldn’t stop her body from stiffening. Until now, her world had been filled with polite gentlemen and obedient servants. She had never been thrown into a situation where she faced such open hostility.

“Come here.”

Livi froze on the last step, and before she could react, someone grabbed her and pulled her down. She stumbled, her eyes screwing shut as she lost her balance. Her foot caught on the edge of the step, and the wooden staircase creaked beneath her weight.

But the pain she expected never came.

“This isn’t a lake. Not exactly the best place to take a dive, is it?”

When she opened her eyes, Dominic was holding her up, supporting her with one arm.

As soon as she realized what was happening, Livi shoved him away. Dominic grabbed her arm again, guiding her the rest of the way down the stairs as if she were a startled ghost. He didn’t miss the chance to lean in and whisper something mocking in her ear.

“Were you planning to trip down the stairs and crack your skull open? That’s an interesting way to try and kill yourself.”

“…I have no intention of breaking our deal.”

“Still, be careful. If my wife were to accidentally die, I’d be so devastated. Who knows what I’ll do?”

Dominic tapped the dagger at his belt, laughing darkly.

“I might just accidentally slit the wrong person’s throat. Let’s say… Daisy, for example?”

“How do you know about Daisy?”

“You didn’t seriously think your maid could escape, did you? Daisy Rodeer is locked up in the imperial dungeon. Her neck’s probably hanging by a thread as we speak.”

Dominic shrugged, leaving Livi speechless.

She remembered telling Daisy to run, to save herself and not to follow her, just before she entered the burning mansion. With the knights positioned near the gates and the fleeing servants, Livi had known something was off.

But how far could a simple maid have gotten with the imperial court after her? Daisy had likely been caught before she even left the grounds.

Livi’s face went pale. A low-ranking servant might have been overlooked, but a maid of her status wouldn’t be freed so easily.

“Were you close with your maid?”

“…”

“How unfortunate.”

He whispered, but his expression carried no trace of sympathy.

“Well, let’s hope she holds out. It’s always useful to have an extra leash.”

A leash? What a cold word to describe a maid who might be on the brink of death. Livi was at a loss for words and simply lowered her gaze, unable to even think of a response.

The fact that Daisy was still alive brought a small sense of relief, but worry quickly flooded her thoughts. What if he really did kill Daisy?

She had been prepared to sacrifice her own life for revenge, but she would never gamble with someone else’s.