Vulgar Marriage - Chapter 8

Chapter 4.2

All color drained from her face as she shook her head. She wanted to deny it, to claim her father would never have committed such a crime. But she couldn’t bring herself to speak the words. Not a single soul would believe her.

The massacre of her family by this mad dog was one thing, but being condemned for treason? That was different. If they had been wrongfully killed, someone might have avenged them. Even if she followed her family in death, she could have hoped the murderer would receive his due punishment.

But now, that hope was gone. Livi was no longer welcome in this country. Everyone was her enemy. No one would help her.

‘There will be no hanging of this murderer’s head on the city’s walls.’

If what he said was true, then he simply carried out a rightful punishment by the emperor’s order. Her head drooped forward, and his chilling voice reached her ears.

“My wife.”

“…”

“Why are you so silent?”

Dominic watched her, running his thumb over her bloodied lips. He brought it to his mouth, licking her blood off with a smile that stretched across his face. He looked like he was truly savoring the moment.

Trembling and shaking her head, Livi couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“…Why?”

“Hm?”

“Why did you let me live?”

“Seems even noble dogs can think, huh? But I’m just a filthy stray, so I wouldn’t know…”

“You despise me.”

“Mm.”

“You despise me so much that you can’t even hide it unless you’re smiling.”

The playful smirk vanished from Dominic’s face. His black eyes, now cold and piercing, were stripped of all pretense. Livi had suspected there was more to his emotions, but seeing them laid bare chilled her to the bone.

“You’re sharp, wife. So, why don’t you guess? Why do you think I let you live when I wanted you dead?”

“…”

“Why, my dear wife?”

“What are you planning to do with me…?”

Livi’s face contorted, and Dominic gave her shoulder a patronizing pat, as if proud of her for asking.

“It would be such a waste to kill you all at once. But if you died before I had my fun, that’d be a real shame, wouldn’t it?”

“…”

“So let’s make a deal.”

He picked up the dagger he had used to cut her gag and placed it in Livi’s hand. Then, he untied the ropes around her wrists and guided her to press the blade against his throat.

Livi stared at the dagger in confusion as he continued.

“Give me that refined body of yours. Each time you hold a knife to my throat, you’ll spread your legs for me. Each time you try to poison me, I want you to cry out like a wh*re beneath me. Resist all you want, but I won’t tolerate any more attempts to throw your life away.”

“What kind of sick joke—!”

“If you accept these conditions, I’ll give you a chance to kill me.”

Livi was ready to lash out at his vulgar words but then froze.

Revenge?

For a moment, she saw Dominic clearly. He was more than twice her size, his solid body packed with muscle. No ordinary weapon could harm him.

Livi’s future unfolded before her with painful clarity. If she was taken to his territory, she’d be trampled repeatedly, with no chance of avenging her family. She would be reduced to offering her body like an animal, only to be killed the moment he grew bored of her.

‘But that kind of deal…’

Livi’s fragile body trembled. She looked down at the swollen tip of her br**st, the memory of that brief humiliation still burning in her mind. Enduring bloody torture seemed easier in comparison to this.

“What? Did you want to lie and say you were forced? Or are you worried that if you take the deal, you’ll lose the excuse to say you had no choice? Or maybe you would rather die than willingly spread your legs for someone beneath you?”

Dominic saw through Livi’s hesitation and let out a low, mocking laugh. He pushed her hand, still holding the dagger, closer to his throat in encouragement. All it would take was a simple motion to slit it open.

“Don’t you want to stab me?”

“I…”

“Do it. You want to, don’t you? Punish the man who humiliated you, my noble wife.”

“You’re insane. You’ve completely lost your mind.”

No one in their right mind would bare their throat to someone who despised them just to see them suffer.

“Not going to do it?”

Dominic flashed a pearly-white smile, pressing the dagger closer to his neck. A small incision appeared, and blood trickled down. Livi glanced between the dagger and Dominic, and a soft chuckle escaped her.

He wasn’t the only one who was insane. The fact that she was even considering the deal meant she was just as crazy.

Her decision was made. In a flash, Livi snatched the dagger. The moment the weapon was fully in her control, she whispered the incantation for her magic circle.

The spell she activated was acceleration. As she thrust the dagger toward his throat with all her strength, the acceleration spell amplified her insufficient power.

The blade shot forward with terrifying speed. Even a highly skilled knight would have struggled to deflect it at such close range.

For a fleeting moment, Livi felt a flicker of hope, but Dominic effortlessly caught the blade with his bare hand. His speed was so monstrous, that it left her feeling hollow.

“Now, it’s my turn.”

Dominic tossed the dagger aside.

And without a second to spare, he claimed her lips.