《The Three Are Living a Married Life》 Chapter 1 - Anger (1) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 1. Anger (1) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee It was Rihanna¡¯s fourth wedding anniversary. ¡°Lady, the guests are arriving.¡± Like her previous wedding anniversaries, Rihanna organized a modest party, inviting only those close to her residence. Mrs. Venigans, the housekeeper of Royde Mansion, asked quietly. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s almost done.¡± Rihanna, who was getting her hair done, got up from her seat. Before leaving the door, she asked by chance. ¡°Have you heard from him? Where is he now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Has he already gone out in the garden?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I was in the garden and I didn¡¯t see him.¡± Mrs. Venigans asked cautiously. ¡°Do you want us to find out?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll look for him. Please check again if anything is missing from the preparations.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady. Understood.¡± As soon as the conversation was over, Rihanna left and headed for the chambers of her husband, Count Royde. But when she knocked on the door, she heard none from inside. Surprised, Rihanna opened the door and entered his chambers. As she expected, all was quiet. Rihanna went to her husband¡¯s office and called his name. ¡°George?¡± But again, she got the same result. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t here. ¡®So where is he?¡¯ As Rihanna turned around to leave, something caught her attention. ¡®¡­What is it?¡¯ It was on her husband¡¯s desk. Rihanna¡¯s hand went to a flat box, which was on the desk. She opened it carefully and found a beautiful Peridot necklace inside. The delicate diamond border enhanced the elegance and brilliance of the necklace even more. Rihanna stared at the necklace, fascinated at the sight. ¡®¡­Peridot. He has a good sense of taste.¡¯ The Peridot is the birthstone of the month of May, which symbolizes the happiness of the couple. It was the perfect gem for the Count and Countess Royde, who had married in May. Rihanna enthusiastically lowered the box of the necklace. She thought it was a wedding anniversary present her husband had prepared for her. ¡®I was worried that he had been a little distant lately.¡¯ Today marks exactly four years since they were married. In an aristocratic society where marriages are usually arranged and political, Rihanna married her husband out of love. After breaking up with a man she was meeting due to unavoidable circumstances, she opened her heart to George, who was actively courting her. After a brief period of romance, they got married as soon as the coming of age ceremony was performed.But after their third year of marriage, Rihanna noticed that her husband was beginning to change. The time they spent talking together lessened and their relationship seemed to be simply a compromise. More importantly, his eyes that once sparkled when looking at her became dull. If George had been behaving strangely whilst often venturing outside, she might have suspected that he has another woman. But George had stayed home faithfully, so it is unlikely that he had time for an extramarital affair. So she could only assume that this was a period of boredom. ¡®I have to try harder.¡¯ For that reason, she had carefully prepared her wedding anniversary party for today. She hoped it would serve as a turning point in her distanced marriage. Although it was still a secret to George, she was thinking about how to make this night a success. Under these circumstances, she was happy and moved to know that George had prepared such a present. She thought there was still room for improvement in their relationship. ¡®I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t see anything.¡¯ Rihanna even took off the necklace she was wearing, in order to leave her neck available for the present she would soon receive. Then, she left George¡¯s chambers with lighter steps than when she entered. As she was leaving, she exclaimed in surprise as she spotted the person standing at the door. ¡°My goodness! You frightened me, Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Oh, sister.¡± It was Rihanna¡¯s twin sister, Lisbeth. Lisbeth¡¯s eyes got bigger, probably because of the surprise too. Lisbeth spoke in bewilderment. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get out of here.¡± ¡°I was looking for George.¡± ¡°George is here?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not. He must be somewhere else.¡± Rihanna responded with a shrug, then asked. ¡°What about you? What are you doing here? ¡°Me? Oh, I was just looking for you, sister.¡± ¡°Me? Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nothing has happened.¡± Lisbeth spoke warmly to Rihanna. ¡°I think our guests are anxious to see you. You are the protagonist of the party today, sister.¡± ¡°The word ¡®protagonist¡¯ is a little embarrassing.¡± ¡°You are the protagonist, aren¡¯t you? Today is your wedding anniversary party, sister.¡± Lisbeth whispered softly to Rihanna. ¡°Happy fourth wedding anniversary, sister.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lis.¡± Rihanna smiled slightly and kissed her sister on the forehead. Chapter 2 - Anger (2) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 2. Anger (2) ¡°Why don¡¯t you come out first? I¡¯ll find George and go later.¡± ¡°Yes. It would be nice to see you both arrive together today. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll attend to the guests before the party starts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Venigans is great at that sort of thing.¡± ¡°Good. See you later, then.¡± After separating from her sister, Rihanna moved again to find George. Although she looked everywhere, she could not find George. ¡®It¡¯s strange. I haven¡¯t seen him anywhere.¡¯ It was already time for the party when she checked. Rihanna eventually stopped looking for George and went outside. Spring as resplendent and bewitching was blessed in May. Sweet fruits were growing on the trees, and the fresh scent of blossomed flowers was wafting all over the place. It would be silly to have a wedding anniversary party in the banquet hall of the mansion, having such a beautiful setting. Enjoying the bright sunshine, Rihanna went to the garden where the party was held. From a distance, it seemed that most of the guests had arrived. Rihanna continued walking towards the guests, wondering how she would explain her husband¡¯s absence. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ She saw a familiar face. It was George. He was with some of the guests next to him. Rihanna smiled and walked over to the group where George was. ¡°What? You were here?¡± ¡°Oh, Rihanna.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while. I wondered where else you might be.¡± ¡°I was looking for you, too. Our paths have not crossed.¡± After speaking, George kissed Rihanna lightly on the forehead. It had been a long time since they had made physical contact in public, so long that Rihanna was surprised for a moment. But soon, she smiled as if nothing had happened. ¡°Congratulations on your fourth wedding anniversary, Lady Royde.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lady McCarthy. I¡¯m glad you came.¡± ¡°I have a present for you, but I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to bring a present. I even mentioned in the invitation that you should come empty-handed.¡± ¡°How could I do that? It¡¯s my close friend¡¯s fourth wedding anniversary.¡± Then, Lady McCarthy motioned to the maid behind her. The maid quickly approached Rihanna and handed her something. It was a flat black box. ¡°Please open it. Though I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°I am grateful only for your kindness.¡± Without much thought, Rihanna opened the box she had been given. Inside was a necklace made of seraphinite. For a moment, Rihanna made a puzzled face. ¡®The present that George prepared is also a necklace¡¯. But even so, Rihanna could not look worried, so she smiled cheerfully as she held Lady McCarthy¡¯s present. ¡°It¡¯s very nice, Lady McCarthy. Where did you get this necklace?¡± ¡°I kept it in a special way. They say it is a jewel that allows you to communicate with the angels.¡± Lady McCarthy added, looking at Rihanna¡¯s beautiful white neck. ¡°You went out without a necklace today. Did you know I would give you a necklace as a present?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not why¡­¡± This time, Rihanna took a look at George. But George seemed indifferent. Rihanna stared at George for a moment, then quickly turned around. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t wear a necklace. Although I didn¡¯t expect to receive such a beautiful present. Thank you so much, Lady McCarthy.¡± Rihanna turned, and asked her husband. ¡°Can you help me with this, George?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± George immediately accepted with grace. Then, Rihanna carefully moved her hair aside, so that George could put the necklace on her more easily. After a brief moment, George put the necklace on her, and only then did Rihanna move her hair back to its original position. Seeing Rihanna, Lady McCarthy exclaimed. ¡°Geez, it looks so good on you!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! In fact, even before I gave you the present, I thought it would suit you. It turns out I was right.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lady McCarthy. I will use it with enthusiasm.¡± ¡°But more importantly, does the Count have any presents ready for his wife?¡± At that moment, Lady McCarthy spoke to George in a voice of disgust. At the unexpected question, George seemed nervous, but then spoke casually. ¡°Of course I do, Lady McCarthy.¡± Rihanna knew what the present was. She asked George excitedly. ¡°Did you really prepare one? What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a secret, Rihanna.¡± ¡°Since you won¡¯t be giving it to me at the party, I guess it¡¯s a very desirable present, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Maybe. But what if my present disappoints you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ll probably like it¡­¡± ¡°Ah, sister. You were here.¡± A familiar voice interrupted Rihanna¡¯s words at that moment. With a smile on her face, Rihanna turned to greet Lisbeth. No, she was planning to do that. ¡°¡­Lisbeth.¡± Before looking at the beautiful peridot necklace around her neck. Chapter 3 - Anger (3) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 3. Anger (3) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee Rihanna¡¯s expression quickly hardened. She doubted her eyes at first. There are some necklaces that look similar. However, the necklace undoubtedly had the same design as the one she saw on her husband¡¯s desk. She wasn¡¯t stupid. It was the same necklace, she wouldn¡¯t confuse them. Rihanna looked at Lisbeth with a dazed expression, forgetting to control her expression. Seeing Rihanna¡¯s expression, Lisbeth asked in surprise. ¡°Are you okay, sister? Do you feel sick or something?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°As soon as you saw me, your face became stiff. I¡¯m not an unwanted visitor, right?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Lisbeth?¡± A low chuckle was heard from the side. Rihanna turned her head and looked at George, who was wearing a bright smile as he stared at Lisbeth. His eyes were brimming with emotion as he watched her sister. Since when did George not look at her that way? He had a perplexed look, like someone who had forgotten how to speak as his heart was beating unsteady rhythms. Rihanna glanced at both George and Lisbeth¡¯s faces. ¡°You must have been surprised by my sudden arrival, right, Rihanna?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihanna only mumbled unconsciously, still in a daze. It was an instinctual response, made to get out of this situation without creating a fuss. ¡°I was surprised to see you arrive suddenly, Lisbeth.¡± ¡°You get startled too easily, sister. I was only talking to other people over there.¡± After saying those words, Lisbeth¡¯s gaze went to Rihanna¡¯s neck. The corners of her mouth curved quickly. ¡°Oh, what is that necklace? It¡¯s so pretty.¡± ¡°Do you really think so, Lady Lisbeth?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t know a green accessory would look so good on my sister.¡± ¡°I gave it to her as an anniversary present. I am relieved that you took a liking to it as well, Lady Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Mrs. McCarthy¡¯s has an excellent taste even without adding my opinion. It suits you very well, sister.¡± ¡°Now that I see it, you are also wearing a nice necklace, Lady Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± Lisbeth smiled casually, fiddling with the necklace around her neck. ¡°I got it as a present.¡± At Lisbeth¡¯s response, Rihanna¡¯s heart plummeted again. Then she couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Was it a present?¡± Lisbeth asked calmly, as she continued to fiddle with her necklace. ¡°What do you think? Pretty?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very beautiful. You can tell it¡¯s a luxurious item at first glance.¡± After saying that, Mrs. McCarthy asked, looking sharply at Lisbeth. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve been meeting with Youngsik lately?¡± ¡°Oops¡­ That¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Although I haven¡¯t heard any particular information yet.¡± ¡°I would prefer it if you stop asking again. Today¡¯s protagonist is my sister. no matter what.¡± Lisbeth¡¯s gaze moved from Mrs. McCarthy to Rihanna. With her sudden glance, Rihanna became rigid. She subtly composed herself and faced her sister¡¯s stare with an uncomfortable smile as she listened to Lisbeth¡¯s comments. ¡°Sister, congratulations on your fourth wedding anniversary.¡± How could she say that while wearing that necklace? At that moment, feeling overwhelmed, and the back of her neck becoming stiff, Rihanna breathed slowly. ¡°¡­Thank you, Lisbeth.¡± And as naturally as possible, she raised the corners of her mouth to receive her sister¡¯s congratulations with grace. Then, Lisbeth¡¯s gaze turned to Rihanna¡¯s husband George. ¡°George. Thank you so much for living with my sister for four years.¡± ¡°I thank you too, Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯ve been in our family for four years.¡± As she watched George sweet-talk Lisbeth with a smile on her face, Rihanna could not take it anymore. This whole situation seemed like a nightmare to her. Rihanna was so shocked, she lost her balance. Surprised, Mrs. McCarthy quickly assisted Rihanna. ¡°Oh, Lady Rihanna! Are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah¡­yes. I¡¯m fine, Mrs. McCarthy.¡± ¡°What happened to you all of a sudden? Do you feel any pain?¡± Instead of responding immediately, Rihanna turned her gaze to George and Lisbeth, who were looking at her. George had a slightly unfriendly expression on his face. She felt her heart breaking by the contrast between the way he looked at Lisbeth and the way he looked at her. And when she looked at Lisbeth¡¯s worried face, she felt nauseous. She considered it despicable. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rihanna calmed down, putting her feet firmly on the ground. Then she tried to smile and reassure those who were looking at her worriedly. ¡°In fact, since this morning, I have been suffering from dizziness for no apparent reason.¡± ¡°Oh, dizziness? Suddenly?¡± Chapter 4 - Anger (4) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 4. Anger (4) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°Yes, this has never happened to me before. It suddenly occurred to me this morning¡­¡± ¡°You must have worked very hard on the preparations for today¡¯s party.¡± Mrs. McCarthy asked Rihanna in a compassionate voice. ¡°Are you feeling dizzy? Do you want me to call your doctor?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m fine.¡± Rihanna said, and then smiled as naturally as she could. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine soon. We can¡¯t let this ruin a fun party, can we?¡± ¡°How can you say that? There¡¯s nothing more important than your health.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for caring, Mrs. McCarthy.¡± ¡°Are you okay, Rihanna?¡± George belatedly expressed his concern. Rihanna stared at her husband. ¡®¡­In fact, it took you quite a while to ask¡¯. She found him as obnoxious as Lisbeth. Rihanna responded without revealing her true thoughts. ¡°Yes. Were you concerned?¡± ¡°Of course I was. You suddenly staggered¡­¡± ¡°Sister, are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± Her voice sounded much better than before. Rihanna didn¡¯t know if she should be happy about this. She smiled impassively like an actor in a play and continued to talk as if nothing had happened. ¡°If it happens again, I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡± ¡°Lady, even if it¡¯s a mild symptom, you should get it checked out immediately. By the time it worsens, it will be too late.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mrs. McCarthy. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± How ridiculous. For Rihanna, only Mrs. McCarthy showed genuine concern, and her husband and twin sister¡¯s worries were superficial. If these two people really had a relationship, they¡¯re basically cheating and secretly committing adultery. And it surely has been going on for a long time. Once again, Rihanna felt nauseous, but did her best to avoid having her feelings reflected in her face. ¡°By the way, I also have a present for my sister.¡± Lisbeth¡¯s words changed the atmosphere. Rihanna looked at the present Lisbeth handed to her. It was a small black box. Mrs. McCarthy exclaimed. ¡°Oh, my goodness! You really are a good sister, Lady Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Thank you. I really want to take care of my sister this year.¡± ¡®Why? Do you feel guilty about having an affair with my husband?¡¯ Rihanna almost blurted, but tightly pressed her lips. She couldn¡¯t act recklessly. At least for now. Because it was not yet certain if they indeed have a relationship. ¡­Currently, it was only a ¡®probable¡¯ suspicion and speculation. With trembling hands, Rihanna opened the small box she had received from Lisbeth. Then, as she looked at the contents of the box, a slight sigh escaped her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a peridot brooch, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°¡­Did you give me a peridot for some reason?¡± ¡°Yes. It is the jewel of may, and it also symbolizes the happiness of the couple.¡± Lisbeth smiled brightly and explained to Rihanna. ¡°I think it¡¯s a jewel that suits you on a day like today. Don¡¯t you like peridot?¡± ¡°No way.¡± In fact, she had no particular opinion about the jewel. ¡°I like it.¡± But starting today, she would hate it. Rihanna just smiled, lifting the corners of her mouth. ¡°I like it very much. I will use it often.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± ¡°Why did you think of a present with that meaning?¡± ¡°It is because I think that 80% of the satisfaction that can come from a present is based on the meaning that is implied in it.¡± Lisbeth added, very proud of her decision. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you like it. Don¡¯t you have any presents, George?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll give it to her later. You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with that, Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Concerned? I know how well you treat my sister, George.¡± As they both smiled and talked, Rihanna handed the brooch she had received from Lisbeth to the maid next to her. Lisbeth saw this, and said. ¡°You should try it on now, sister. I think the brooch matches with your dress.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady. I think it also matches with the necklace I gave you.¡± Honestly, Rihanna wanted to throw the brooch in the trash immediately. Did they want her to wear that brooch and smile in front of all these people? She would feel worse than a monkey in a zoo. Rihanna was embarrassed by a fact that perhaps no one knew. However, obviously, Lisbeth and George should know, so it would not be true to say that ¡®no one knows¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rihanna thought for a moment and gestured to the maid. The maid quickly approached Rihanna and placed a beautiful peridot brooch on her chest. ¡°It is very beautiful, Lady Rihanna. It suits you very well.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Mrs. McCarthy.¡± ¡°Lady Lisbeth has very good taste. Surely, you must really like the present.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rihanna could not respond to those words, and only smiled silently. At this moment, Mrs. McCarthy¡¯s words did not sound like mere praise. She heard an auditory hallucination, where everyone was making fun of her. Chapter 5 - Anger (5) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 5. Anger (5) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee The party went on until late afternoon. Rihanna spent the day entertaining the guests, struggling not to think about her husband and sister¡¯s relationship. To pass off today¡¯s party without any problems, she tried to convince herself to stop thinking about it, since it is more likely that she would pose a problem during the party and be perceived as a hysterical woman. ¡°See you again, Lady Lisbeth. I had so much fun today.¡± ¡°Yes, me too. Come back safely, Mrs. McCarthy.¡± ¡°Have a happy wedding anniversary.¡± The ¡®happy wedding anniversary¡¯ greeting saddened her. Because the moment she became suspicious of her husband and sister¡¯s affair, such emotion is now impossible to feel. Finally, all the guests had left and only her family stayed at Royde Mansion. But, ironically, Rihanna felt much more comfortable during the day with the guests. After everyone returned home, it was time to face reality. ¡°You really worked hard today, sister.¡± Rihanna looked at her sister¡¯s smiling face, which she found abhorrent. Until just six hours ago, she had been her lovely twin sister. But now, her beautiful smile seemed a repugnant farce to her. Rihanna lifted the corners of her mouth with more difficulty than before. ¡°You should be tired too, so come in and rest.¡± ¡°Rest? We have to eat dinner, sister.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m thinking of skipping dinner tonight¡­¡± ¡°Why? Are you sick or something?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve eaten too much during the day. Am I the only one who¡¯s full?¡± Rihanna was trying to avoid spending time with her sister as naturally as possible. The peridot necklace that hung around Lisbeth¡¯s neck looked splendid even at this moment. Rihanna added, deliberately avoiding looking at the necklace. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little sick, so I¡¯m going to rest a little early. I must have worked very hard in the preparation of today¡¯s party.¡± ¡°Oh, I understand. It¡¯s true sister, you have made an irrational effort in the preparation of this party.¡± Lisbeth then asked Rihanna with a worried look. ¡°Do you want me to call your doctor? I¡¯ve been worried about your condition since earlier.¡± ¡°Why a doctor? I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll get better soon if I get some rest.¡± After saying those words, Rihanna was about to return to her room, when she suddenly uttered the following words unconsciously. ¡°Dinner¡­ with him.¡± ¡®Dinner with my husband¡¯, Rihanna had often uttered these words over the past four years. However, in the present situation, remembering those moments, a chill ran down her spine. If the two really had an intimate relationship, when did it start? Did he say anything casually that might have been conducive to their relationship? Even those words helped them to have direct contact? In a short period of time, all sorts of thoughts invaded Rihanna¡¯s mind. ¡°Of course.¡± Lisbeth responded calmly, and Rihanna swallowed. Then, Rihanna forced a smile on her lips, and went to her room, pretending she was fine. ¡°Haa¡­¡± But when Rihanna was left all alone in her own space, her legs weakened and she sat on the floor, paralyzed. She couldn¡¯t even reach the bed, so she stayed in front of the door. Rihanna buried her face in her knees. She could hear her heart beating fast and hard. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s think calmly¡¯. In moments like this, one must trust in reason. By acting rashly, someone is likely to make a mistake. ¡®First of all, there is not enough evidence that the two of them are having an affair¡¯. She could use the necklace Lisbeth had received as evidence. But it could be considered as irrelevant since they would most likely justify it as them getting along very well, so George could have given it to her as a gift. Of course, it was obnoxious that he had given that present to his sister, when they were having their wedding anniversary today. Also, he had not yet given his wife a gift. ¡®No. I might be assuming that George gave the necklace to Lisbeth¡¯. First of all, the person who gave the necklace to Lisbeth might not have been George. There were probably more necklaces with that design. ¡®Above all, this is impossible. That you two are cheating on me¡¯. Lisbeth was her twin sister. Just thinking about it made her feel bad, so Rihanna held the hem of her dress tightly for a second. However, analysing the situation more calmly, she considered that it was not ¡®impossible¡¯. She simply hadn¡¯t realized it because she had discarded the gossip that was flowing around her. Since she was not involved, she ignored them. It seemed that affairs between family members happened more often than she thought. ¡®¡­For now¡¯. Rihanna took a deep breath and tried to calm her mind. First, let¡¯s find the proof. Until then, I will reserve any judgment. Of course, in her mind, the two were already having an affair. Even in the unlikely event that George had selflessly given that necklace to Lizbeth, the fact that he had given her that expensive necklace on a day like today, was enough to destroy the trust she had in her husband. However, the evidence of the heart and the physical evidence were very different. Rihanna bit her lip and stood up. Rihanna opened the door and left, heading to the dining room. Her heart was beating so hard with every step she took, she felt like she was collapsing. And soon after, when she arrived around the dining room, she felt the blood from her entire body freeze. Chapter 6 - Anger (6) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 6. Anger (6) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°Oh, my God. Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I was really surprised to see him before!¡± She could tell just by listening that the laughing sound came from a man and a woman. Both spoke sweetly to each other. Normally, she would think, ¡®They have a good relationship¡¯ or ¡®We are a harmonious family¡¯, but today was different. Rihanna, who had been standing in the same spot for a while, forced herself to enter the dining room. ¡°So¡­ uh? Sister!¡± When she entered the dining room completely, Lisbeth, who was laughing out loud, realized Rihanna¡¯s presence and pretended to be surprised. Lisbeth still had the peridot necklace around her neck. Rihanna smiled, clumsily lifting the corners of her mouth. ¡°¡­Were you having dinner?¡± ¡°Yes, sister. Did you come because you were hungry? Sit down and eat with us. The food tonight is lovely.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t come because I was hungry.¡± To avoid suspicion, Rihanna muttered an excuse that she immediately just thought of. ¡°I was wondering if you two were enjoying your food. Just because I don¡¯t have an appetite, doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t enjoy your dinner.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. Although of course, since you weren¡¯t here, I was worried you were hungry, sister.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Then, George intervened. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t feel well.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, but I think I feel a little better now.¡± Normally, she would have received the question gladly, because it showed that he cared. But now, it just seemed like a forced comment so that his relationship with Lisbeth wouldn¡¯t be discovered. In fact, there was no sign of genuine concern in George¡¯s eyes. Doesn¡¯t he realize that? ¡°You paid a lot of attention at the party today. After a good night¡¯s sleep, you will feel good again.¡± ¡°Yes, I was very nervous about this party.¡± Everything I made was for you. I was trying to bring our relationship back, like when we were newlyweds. Rihanna swallowed the words she couldn¡¯t say, and said something else. ¡°Eat slowly and then come up.¡± After saying those words, Rihanna turned around. She had somewhere to go. No, to be precise, she had to check something. As she climbed the stairs, Rihanna accelerated her steps. A moment later, her feet reached George¡¯s chambers. Rihanna took a deep breath. She opened the door quietly and entered. Fortunately, the place was empty. ¨C This novel is translated by NovelUtopia ¡®Before, it was on the desk¡¯. If he had tried to give her the necklace, he wouldn¡¯t have taken it anywhere else. But when Rihanna finally arrived at George¡¯s office, she found the desk empty and plunged into despair. So, in reality, the owner of the necklace was Lisbeth. As Rihanna realized this, her balance shifted and she slightly staggered due to shock. At the same time, she heard a few steps approaching. Rihanna glanced nervously at the place where the sound was coming from. ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± It was George, who appeared shortly afterwards. He looked at her as if she had invaded his territory. He shouldn¡¯t look at his wife that way, at least if he loved her. Rihanna felt more desperate when she saw him, but pretended as if nothing was happening and smiled awkwardly. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± ¡°People who are sick should not rest in their rooms.¡± George approached Rihanna saying those words, and then asked her. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have to call a doctor?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Did you come because you had something to say?¡± ¡°Not specifically.¡± Pretending with all her might not to know what was going on, Rihanna asked. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°What you said earlier at the party. That you have a present for me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What is it? Can you give it to me now?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Due to Rihanna¡¯s request, George¡¯s expression became clearly confused. ¡°In fact¡­¡± With those words, Rihanna¡¯s heart plummeted. Chapter 7 - Anger (7) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 7. Anger (7) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°The dress I ordered hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± ¡°¡­It hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡± ¡°Yes. I ordered it from a foreign land. Although, the ships might be delayed if the sea is rough.¡± ¡°¡­I know. So for that reason, it couldn¡¯t arrive on time?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry. I should have thought of it and ordered it earlier¡­¡± With a look of regret, George gently embraced Rihanna and apologized. In her husband¡¯s arms, Rihanna had two opposing opinions. She wanted to believe her suspicion. But at the same time, she was uncomfortable because she thought he was lying to her. Which was right? Maybe she was fooling herself, and she already knew the right one. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Regardless of whether George was lying or not, she decided that it¡¯s better to hide her doubts for now. ¡°I¡¯m glad you prepared a wedding anniversary present.¡± Rihanna added. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve prepared something for you, too.¡± ¡°A present?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is it? You didn¡¯t have to prepare me¡­¡± ¡°Later tonight.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you tonight. You¡¯ll come to the bedroom later, won¡¯t you?¡± At these words, George carefully pulled Rihanna from his arms. Rihanna looked at her husband with an expressionless face. Somehow he seemed a little embarrassed, or was she mistaken? ¡°What do you¡­ mean by that?¡± ¡°You know what day it is.¡± Rihanna added with a smile. ¡°So I think it would be very meaningful to conceive a baby today.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re right. Because today is our wedding anniversary.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Besides, the doctor said that today is the best day to conceive a child.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Do you remember? Originally, it was always around this time.¡± ¡°I know. I know.¡± George asked, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Can¡¯t we put it off¡­ until next time?¡± She expected this reaction. Rihanna had thought ahead of time that perhaps George would refuse to spend the night with her. But hearing those words directly from her husband¡¯s mouth, she felt worse than she thought. It wasn¡¯t a question of her loving him or wanting to sleep with him, but of her pride. Rihanna¡¯s face became rigid. For a brief moment, she lost control of her expression. ¡°Why?¡± She lowered her voice a bit, and asked again. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No. There is no problem.¡± So? Rihanna looked at George with an expression on her face that seemed to say, ¡®What the hell is wrong with you?¡¯ ¡°The problem is with you.¡± An answer she didn¡¯t expect. Rihanna swallowed her saliva with perplexity and asked. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, you said you didn¡¯t feel well.¡± ¡®¡­Oh, that¡¯s the excuse¡¯. Rihanna stared at George, who was pretending to be worried about her. ¡°If you¡¯re unwell and moved hastily, wouldn¡¯t that be bad for your health?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I feel almost recovered.¡± ¡°No. Your health is more important than anything else.¡± Then George hugged Rihanna again. ¡°You know what I feel, right? I want to live longer with you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rihanna asked, stretching out her words, almost unintelligible. ¡°So today¡­ Am I going to sleep alone?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just¡­ sleep together?¡± Because he was hugging her, Rihanna had her face against his chest, so she could keep her expression hidden. Her voice was soft. ¡°It¡¯s our wedding anniversary.¡± ¡°¡­Right. It¡¯s our wedding anniversary.¡± When he repeated the words she had said, his voice sounded strange. After saying that, George immediately asked. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be uncomfortable for you to just sleep with me?¡± ¡°Why would it be uncomfortable?¡± Rihanna asked, as if she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°We are a couple.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a married couple. But how we sleep is a totally personal matter.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°You know, I can¡¯t sleep well when there¡¯s someone next to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we had a lot of difficulties when we were newlyweds. Do you remember?¡± ¡°So¡­ Will I sleep alone tonight too?¡± ¡°Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Rihanna held back her laughter. And after she left George¡¯s arms, she spoke in a calm tone. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ve been using separate rooms.¡± Anyone would have noticed the disgust in her words. Rihanna had been repressing her emotions, but it was difficult for her to hide them perfectly as she thought. George asked, looking Rihanna in the face. ¨C This novel is translated into NovelUtopia ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a bad mood.¡± ¡°Really? ¡°Yes.¡± She found George¡¯s attitude of considering this as if she was in a ¡®bad mood¡¯ unpleasant. Technically, she was not in a ¡®bad mood¡¯, she felt ¡®anger¡¯. But this man probably wouldn¡¯t realize it until the end. ¡°So, rest.¡± If she stayed longer in this place, she might start to show strange signs. The best thing she could do was to pretend to be upset and leave. Rihanna shook her head and quickly left George¡¯s office. When she left George¡¯s chambers completely and closed the door quietly¡­ ¡°¡­Lisbeth?¡± Suddenly, Lisbeth¡¯s face was before Rihanna¡¯s eyes. With her emotions heightened by the face-to-face encounter with George, Rihanna had held the doorknob very tightly until she regained her composure. Since Lisbeth could not observe the part behind Rihanna, it seemed that she had not realized this fact. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± It took Lisbeth a while to answer. ¡°To find you, sister.¡± ¡°Me?¡± At that time, the situation that had occurred earlier, overlapped with the current one. ¡®Did Lisbeth really come looking for me?¡¯ Chapter 8 - Anger (8) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 8. Anger (8) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Oh, I made you some ginger tea. You like to drink ginger tea when you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve just brought it to my room.¡± ¡°I left it there when I went out to look for you so you could drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay, thank you.¡± Rihanna responded briefly, and intended to head directly to her room. A few steps after passing by Lisbeth¡¯s side, Rihanna stopped. Then, in a low voice, she mentioned her sister¡¯s name. ¡°Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hearing her name, Lisbeth reflexively turned around. Rihanna also turned around and looked at her sister. ¡®Is that innocent-faced woman really my husband¡¯s secret mistress?¡¯ Rihanna was confused for a moment. However, she didn¡¯t show it, and only smiled slightly. ¡°That necklace is very beautiful.¡± ¡°Ah, the necklace.¡± Lisbeth unconsciously fiddled her necklace. Rihanna asked, staring at her. ¡°Have you really just been hanging out with some young guy?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The necklace looks pretty expensive.¡± Rihanna pointed to Lisbeth¡¯s necklace and said. ¡°I think both of you have a pretty deep relationship for him to buy you expensive jewelry.¡± ¡°Aaah.¡± ¡°But, why must you keep it a secret? It¡¯s pitiful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a secret. I¡¯ll introduce you to him at some point.¡± Lisbeth added with a look of shame on her face. ¡°At the moment, I still feel a little embarrassed.¡± ¡°By chance.¡± Rihanna asked curiously. ¡°Is it someone I know?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± Lisbeth responded with a smile. ¡°Maybe. There¡¯s no one you don¡¯t know from high society.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Rihanna laughed softly. ¡°If he belongs to high society, I must know that person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to meeting him. You have an eye for men, sister.¡± ¡°You¡¯d probably be surprised if you knew.¡± ¡°Is he such a pleasant man? Now that I¡¯ve heard that, I¡¯m more enthusiastic with the idea of meeting him.¡± After laughing briefly, Rihanna turned around and went to her room. With her back to Lisbeth, Rihanna¡¯s expression changed. She no longer looked so affectionate. *** Finally, that night, Rihanna had to sleep alone. She did not feel aggrieved, sad or upset. The trust she had in her husband had been broken, like a crack in a pottery. Under the circumstances, she wanted to avoid having conjugal relations with her husband. After tossing and turning in bed for a while, Rihanna fell asleep. ¡°Mm¡­¡± When she woke up, she looked at her watch. It was 2 a.m. Feeling thirsty, she was about to call the maid as usual, but suddenly she was curious. ¡®What is George doing right now?¡¯ She would never have thought of it normally. However, because of the situation, she came up with a horrible hypothesis. Perhaps the two of them were meeting while she was sleeping. It seemed quite possible. Because her room was on the second floor of the mansion, George is only one level above while Lisbeth stays on the fourth floor. During late nights, they could meet secretly without being caught, as long as they avoid other people¡¯s glances and suppress the noise of their footsteps. ¡®¡­No way. It can¡¯t be¡¯. Rihanna at first thought this was a ridiculous assumption. However, her expression soon became rigid. ¡®Did everything I experienced yesterday make sense?¡¯ With those thoughts, Rihanna took action. She quickly got to her feet. And without a shawl, she went out in silence. If they were acting in secret, she should do the same. As it is already late at night, there was not a single employee in the corridors. Rihanna headed for the stairs, keeping her steps silent. When she reached George¡¯s bedroom, Rihanna glued herself to the wall and examined the door to check if there was any opening that would allow her to look inside. However, she soon realized that her effort was futile and walked away from the wall. No light was leaking from the door. Of course, she couldn¡¯t know what was going on behind the door, but she couldn¡¯t get in. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, Rihanna felt so pathetic that she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡®¡­ Let¡¯s go back¡¯. What the hell was she doing on the night of her wedding anniversary? She felt like she was falling into an endless pit of misery. At that moment, Rihanna was about to silently descend to the second floor. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her gaze turned to the fourth floor as if drawn by a magnet. ¡®I feel like I shouldn¡¯t do it, but I want to get up those stairs. No, I have to go up¡¯. After reflecting on the matter briefly, Rihanna turned around and went up to the fourth floor. She walked without stepping on her heels, almost eliminating any sound. When she finally arrived at Lisbeth¡¯s room on the fourth floor, Rihanna hesitated a bit, but repeated her previous behavior. However, the door had no opening that allowed her to look inside. Rihanna bit her lip and walked away from the wall. ¡®You¡¯re crazy, Rihanna¡¯. Then, when Rihanna was about to leave the place quickly because of the feeling of shame. ¡°¡­Thus¡­more¡­¡± It was a little sob. The disturbing sound froze Rihanna instantly. ¡®I heard it wrong¡­¡¯ But even before she finished thinking about it, she heard another sound. Unconsciously, Rihanna reached her ear to the door, and clearly heard the sounds coming from inside. At first she thought she misheard it, but now it sounded so clear and sharp that she could no longer hesitate. Chapter 9 - nger (9) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 9. Anger (9) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee Somehow, she was able to return to her room. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rihanna sat on the bed and remained motionless for half an hour. What she had heard a few moments ago, was definitely the most horrible and shocking thing she had heard in her 23 years. She had woken up relatively early. But with her current mood, the shock she just felt kept her from sleeping. ¡®So¡­¡¯ Now she had to admit it. Until a few moments ago, she only assumed that there was a relationship between her husband and her sister. She had some doubts. And there was no hard evidence to confirm their relationship. But there was no longer a room for any doubt. Clearly, the two were in a loving relationship. Rihanna ended up burying her face in her hands when she reached that terrible conclusion. She couldn¡¯t stand this situation at all. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a long silence, Rihanna removed her hands from her face, revealing her pale, emotionless feature. However, her eyes were burning with rage. ¡®Well, what am I going to do about it?¡¯ Of course, the simplest answer would be divorce. From today, all the feelings she had for her husband vanished. She didn¡¯t even want to think about how much she had loved him. All she felt was hate, and¡­ ¡®¡­I can¡¯t let this go¡¯. She just wanted revenge. Of course, there was an easy way to get a divorce. Since she has yet to bear a child, issuing a divorce serves no difficult task for her. But it wouldn¡¯t be very satisfying. Her husband had thrown away four years of marriage, cheating on her with her twin sister. Would she simply separate? In the worst case, he would probably marry Lisbeth immediately after the divorce. As she thought about it, Rihanna smiled bitterly. If that happened, it would be as if she were still related to the count¡¯s family, Was she at a dead end? She thought that would be a horrible situation. She would feel uncomfortable. As such, she could never divorce her husband. However, she had no intention of living with a disgusting man who was cheating on her with another woman. There was only one thing left to do. ¡®¡­I have to get revenge¡¯. At this moment, she only had that one firm idea in her mind. Revenge. She needed to return the horrible emotion she had experienced, even more intensely. She needed only to mercilessly destroy the person who had betrayed her. She only wanted to see him ruined, sinking into pain. And when the man has collapsed completely, she would divorce him. Suddenly, Rihanna smiled because she had come up with a plan. However, there was something else she needed to take care of. ¡®What should I do with Lisbeth?¡¯ The same blood was flowing through her veins, but that didn¡¯t give Lisbeth any chance for forgiveness. Regardless of the circumstances, she was having a loving relationship with George, so she felt no compassion for her. However, for the sake of her father, who would be shocked to know of this fact, she has no intentions to exact revenge, at least, not to the same extent as she would with George. Of course, this is while her father was alive. However, without any intention of covering up her sister¡¯s faults, Rihanna soon found a solution. ¡®I have to get her married and get her out of here¡¯. Lisbeth was living with her twin sister and her husband, due to a love breakup. Lisbeth, who could not stand the murmurs of society after the breakup, volunteered to be Rihanna¡¯s lady-in-waiting, who was about to get married, so she could enter Mansion Royde. Back then, Rihanna did not expect this ridiculous situation, and she was happy. Lisbeth became a great support within a strange family. In addition, having taken on some responsibilities in managing Royde Mansion, Rihanna began to trust Lisbeth extensively. If she had known this would happen, she never would have done it. ¡®Because of her age, it is not unusual for her to get married¡¯. Lisbeth was also 23 years old. At that age, any single woman would be in crisis. She couldn¡¯t stay single forever. After organizing her thoughts, Rihanna felt more relaxed, and thought she needed to sleep to have energy for her daily activities. Although she was having a hard time getting sleep because of the sounds she had heard, by keeping her eyes closed and counting sheep in her mind, she was finally able to fall asleep. *** In the morning, Rihanna woke up as usual and went down to the dining room. ¨C This novel is translated by NovelUtopia ¡®It¡¯s good that I got some sleep¡¯. If she hadn¡¯t slept, she¡¯d be delirious during the day. But probably because she hadn¡¯t slept deeply, her face was a little weary. ¡°You don¡¯t look well, Lady.¡± Margaret, the maid with whom Rihanna had been since her youth, spoke with a voice of concern. Rihanna stared at Margaret. Currently, she felt that Margaret was the person she could trust the most. ¡®I can¡¯t do everything by myself¡¯. She needed help from one person, and in that case, she could only rely on Margaret. Of course, Rihanna trusted the housekeeper, Mrs. Venigans. But she was serving Mansion Royde. When Rihanna divorces George, their point of contact would disappear completely. Margaret had only served Rihanna since she was a child, so she did not have to worry about her having any attachment to Lisbeth. But since she could not say something so important lightly at this moment, Rihanna smiled awkwardly and responded casually. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep well last night.¡± ¡°Do you still feel bad?¡± ¡°Well¡­not really.¡± Rihanna dodged the question and changed the subject. ¡°I have something to tell you later, Margaret.¡± ¡°To me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It seems to be something very important.¡± Chapter 10 - Anger (10) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 10. Anger (10) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°Yes, it is something very important.¡± Glancing at her Lady¡¯s calm face, Margaret was unable to deduce anything from her facial expression. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to say it now. I¡¯ll tell you after the meal.¡± ¡°I understand, Lady.¡± ¡°Rihanna.¡± Just then, George appeared in the dining room. Rihanna slowly turned her head and looked at her husband¡¯s face. He, too, looked a little disheveled. Rihanna stared at him for a long time and then opened her mouth. ¡°George.¡± ¡°Good morning. Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°¡­Well, I didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± George smiled, as if he didn¡¯t understand why. ¡°I even let you relax last night.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing George smiling so casually, she unconsciously clenched her fist. His smile seemed cruel to her, which made it difficult for her to control her emotions. But after swallowing spit, she tried to calm down as much as possible. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call a doctor? If you feel really bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll wait a little longer. On the other hand¡­¡± Rihanna was talking with a smile on her mouth. ¡°I see you didn¡¯t sleep last night either.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Staring at her husband, who seemed strangely embarrassed, Rihanna responded firmly. ¡°You look a little haggard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Like me.¡± ¡°¡­Really? That¡¯s weird. I slept well last night.¡± ¡°Sister, Count. Good morning.¡± At that moment, a high voice interrupted the couple¡¯s conversation. Naturally, both looks turned to Lisbeth. Unlike the two of them, Lisbeth had a bright face, which indicated that she had slept soundly. When Rihanna saw Lisbeth¡¯s face, her reasoning was in danger, but she tightened the hem of her dress and restrained herself again.Then, she forcibly lifted the corners of her mouth to return the greeting to her sister. ¨C This novel is translated into NovelUtopia ¡°Hello, Lisbeth. Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes. And you?¡± ¡°I felt a little bad.¡± ¡°I see. You don¡¯t look good, indeed.¡± Lisbeth spoke with regret and concern. ¡°You have to eat and sleep well, so that you can have a healthy child in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rihanna was speechless with her ridiculous words. Considering what she had discovered last night, how could she say that without hesitation? While the bewildered Rihanna couldn¡¯t say anything, Lisbeth sat down and grabbed her cutlery. Then, they began to eat. After a brief silence, Rihanna called her sister. ¡°Lisbeth.¡± At the sudden call, Lisbeth looked at Rihanna. And at George too. Rihanna glanced at the two of them, then proceeded to open her mouth. ¡°The man who gave you yesterday¡¯s necklace.¡± Hearing those words, George appeared more surprised than Lisbeth. Rihanna pretended she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Necklace?¡­ Peridot¡¯s necklace?¡± ¡°Yes. The man you were talking about yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t we finish talking about that yesterday?¡± Lisbeth responded, slightly upset. ¡°I thought you would wait until I introduced him.¡± ¡°I tried to do that.¡± ¡®Until I confirmed that you two are in a relationship¡¯. Chapter 11 - Anger (11) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 11. Anger (11) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°I thought you¡¯d wait until I introduced you to him.¡± ¡°I was going to do it.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Last night, I was thinking how you¡¯re already 23 years old, and thought that you should start preparing for marriage.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rihanna added, pointing elegantly at Lisbeth with a salad fork. ¡°It¡¯s been four years since I got married, and during that time, I¡¯ve been very indifferent to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re older, and if you¡¯re not married, you know what people are going to say.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern, sister.¡± Lisbeth smiled and said to Rihanna, ¡°But I have no plans of getting married yet. Which is why I didn¡¯t reveal anything about my partner yesterday.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Rihanna stuck her fork in a lettuce from her plate and said naturally. ¡°But you should bring him soon. I¡¯d like to meet him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, sister? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re suddenly pushing me.¡± ¡°The Peridot necklace you received yesterday seemed quite expensive.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If he gave it to you, doesn¡¯t that mean you have a very deep relationship with him?¡± Rihanna immediately turned to her husband and asked him. ¡°You also think the same thing, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± ¡°Yes, what do you think?¡± Rihanna asked George in a soft voice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the man Lisbeth is dating?¡± ¡°I think that¡­¡± Rihanna and Lisbeth had their eyes on George. George was very alarmed by the situation. Why was she suddenly asking him these questions? Why was Rihanna suddenly pressuring Lisbeth to get married? ¡®I gave her that necklace¡¯. Because of that fact, George was very anxious. He couldn¡¯t just tell Rihanna, ¡®Actually, I was the one that gave her that necklace¡¯. He hadn¡¯t given his wife an anniversary present yet, but he had given Lisbeth that expensive necklace yesterday? Besides, why would he just tell her now? Anyone would realize that there was something ¡®between them¡¯. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ For the first time, in the always peaceful meal time, he felt a great pressure, as if he were being strangled. George swallowed his saliva, then looked alternately at Rihanna and Lisbeth. Rihanna had no particular expression on her face, so he couldn¡¯t deduce what she was thinking. Lisbeth was also inexpressive, but her eyes seemed to tell him clearly that she should ¡®respond well¡¯. ¨C This novel is translated by NovelUtopia Finally, George realized he couldn¡¯t delay his answer any longer and spoke up. ¡°I, I¡­ don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to meet him now.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why?¡± ¡°Lisbeth doesn¡¯t want to.¡± George asked her, after looking at Lisbeth. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be right to wait until she wants to introduce him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, but I think she¡¯s a little reluctant to get married.¡± Rihanna said, as she drew a circle with her index finger on the tablecloth. ¡°Of course I respect her decision, but as you know, Lisbeth is already 23 years old.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that if I don¡¯t rush their marriage, others will talk nonsense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Seeing that George was just spouting meaningless words like a fool, Rihanna directed her attention to Lisbeth. Lisbeth looked puzzled, as if she didn¡¯t understand what Rihanna was thinking. ¡°Or maybe, Lisbeth¡­¡± Rihanna pretended to speak very carefully. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid to get married because you separated four years ago, right?¡± ¡°Sister, that¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a trauma, you shouldn¡¯t worry. Anyway, it can always be different.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m being more careful.¡± Lisbeth explained to Rihanna in a slightly trembling voice. ¡°Just in case my relationship with him breaks down.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ So, how long should I wait, Lisbeth?¡± ¡°It would take a while. As I said yesterday, I will introduce you to him first when I feel it is appropriate.¡± ¡°I would have liked to organize a meal with him.¡± Rihanna said to Lisbeth in a voice of regret. ¡°But I understand. If that¡¯s really your intention.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you mention it first.¡± But Rihanna thought Lisbeth would never tell her about the man first. If that happened, the end would be catastrophic. In that case¡­ ¡®I need your help¡¯. Rihanna smiled briefly. Soon after, she put the tomato she had picked up with the fork into her mouth. Chapter 12 - Anger (12) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 12. Anger (12) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee When she returned to her chambers after breakfast, Margaret asked Rihanna. ¡°Do you really want Lady Lisbeth to get married?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking that question?¡± ¡°For four years, you¡¯ve never mentioned anything about Lady Lisbeth¡¯s need to get married.¡± Margaret spoke with some curiosity. ¡°I was a little surprised about the sudden marriage talk.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure Lady Lisbeth thought so too.¡± ¡°¡­You may be right.¡± Maybe they realized that she suspected the relationship between them. But they were probably both unsure of it, because they thought they hadn¡¯t given her any clues about the relationship. Besides, they both knew that Rihanna wouldn¡¯t stand still if she ever found out the truth. She suddenly wondered what kind of conversation the two of them might have had after this morning¡¯s occurrence. ¡°Is something going on, by any chance?¡± Margaret was a very perceptive person. Rihanna smiled strangely at her question. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Rihanna, who was sitting at her desk, calmly confessed. ¡°A single girl is dating a married man.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Margaret¡¯s face turned pale at Rihanna¡¯s comment. At first, Margaret thought Rihanna was joking. However, her Lady¡¯s serious expression confirmed that she had spoken with sincerity, so she soon had to acknowledge it. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense! It¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes, why would Lady Lisbeth¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Margaret.¡± Rihanna murmured with regret. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t be surprised yet.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There is still one more shocking detail that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Margaret¡¯s face was now completely white as a sheet. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Something more shocking than what I just said.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know the married man who Lisbeth is currently dating?¡± Rihanna asked Margaret, staring at her. Margaret looked at Rihanna with a bewildered expression on her face that seemed to say, ¡®How would I know?¡¯. But soon after, it seemed as if something had occurred to her. Margaret opened her mouth with doubt. ¡°Lady, there¡¯s no way¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihanna spoke with a serene voice. ¡°That person is my husband.¡± ¡°¡­Lady.¡± Margaret murmured with a wonder expression. ¡°Are you joking¡­?¡± ¡°I wish it were a joke.¡± Rihanna shook her head calmly. ¡°It¡¯s all true, Margaret.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Margaret staggered with the shock. Seeing Margaret¡¯s reaction, Rihanna recalled the night before. She had probably reacted the same way last night in front of Lisbeth¡¯s door. ¨C This Novel Is Translated By NovelUtopia ¡°Who¡­ who knows about this fact?¡± ¡°For the time being, only you and me.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°Now that I know they¡¯re both cheating on me¡­¡± After a brief pause, Rihanna continued to speak as she looked at Margaret. ¡°You are the only ¡®person¡¯ in this mansion I could trust.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Have I made a mistake, Margaret?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Margaret shook her head quickly. ¡°No, Lady. I have always been on your side.¡± ¡°Even if I have to confront my sister?¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Margaret nodded with a serious expression on her face. ¡°Lisbeth has done something bad.¡± ¡°Just for that reason?¡± ¡°No.¡± Margaret added, shaking her head. ¡°I have served you since your childhood, Lady. For that very reason, I am in this mansion.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for saying that, Margaret.¡± Rihanna said warmly. ¡°You are the only person I can trust now.¡± ¡°Lady¡­¡± Margaret¡¯s eyes turned red with sadness. ¡°My God. How do you feel right now? I really¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the pain you must be feeling right now¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s very painful, Margaret.¡± Rihanna spoke candidly, touching her forehead with her hand. ¡°But it would be pathetic if I did nothing, and remained afflicted by pain.¡± ¡°Lady, that means¡­¡± Margaret asked cautiously. ¡°Are you going to get a divorce?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Rihanna nodded and added a condition. ¡°But not now.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get back at George.¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± ¡°Yes, revenge. I don¡¯t want to get divorced like this.¡± Rihanna expressed what she was seriously planning. ¡°I¡¯m going to completely ruin George, then get a divorce.¡± Chapter 13 - Anger (13) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 13. Anger (13) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°How do you plan to get revenge?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make George lose everything and become a good-for-nothing. When he¡¯s someone who¡¯s finally not even worth looking at, then I¡¯ll ask for a divorce.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about disclosing everything, filing for divorce, and getting a big compensation for the damages. But since the reason for the divorce is a love affair, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get more than half. Besides, I don¡¯t think I could pacify my anger if I decide to end our relationship that way. I might regret not getting enough revenge after the divorce.¡± When Margaret heard Rihanna¡¯s thoughts, her state of mind crumbled. How much damage have they caused to Rihanna for her to have such determination? Thinking about it, she also felt very resentful of George and Lizbeth. How could they reciprocate Rihanna¡¯s selfless love in such a cruel way? They were scoundrels who knew no decency. ¡°But in the process, you may feel worse than you do now.¡± Margaret, concerned about Rihanna, said carefully. ¡°You loved him once, anyway.¡± ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t care.¡± She has been determined since the beginning. ¡°I cannot forgive anyone who has betrayed me.¡± ¡°Lady¡­¡± ¡°If you betray me too, it¡¯s all over for me, Margaret. You have to help me.¡± ¡°Of course, Lady. I will do anything to help you.¡± Margaret said to Rihanna with her moistened eyes. ¡°I will stand by you and help you get your revenge.¡± ¡°Thank you, Margaret.¡± Rihanna spoke softly, as if it were a promise. ¡°I will make that person suffer twice as much and I will transform his life into hell.¡± ¡°Lady, what should I do? I am ready.¡± Hearing Margaret¡¯s words, Rihanna smiled as she stared at her. ¡°First, I¡¯m planning to get Lisbeth married and make her leave.¡± ¡°Will you forgive Lady Lisbeth?¡± ¡°No. I cannot forgive Lisbeth.¡± Rihanna shook her head. ¡°Because they both caused me the same pain.¡± ¡°But, why marry¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of my father.¡± Rihanna responded immediately, as if there was nothing she could do about it. ¡°If he knows about this, he might collapse from the shock.¡± Rihanna and Lisbeth¡¯s father, Count Norden, suffered from a chronic disease. Although he was not in a serious condition, his illness was worsening under severe stress. ¡°At least I will postpone my revenge while our father is alive.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a moratorium, not an exoneration.¡± Rihanna emphasized as if to make it clear. ¡°And anyway, I think the worst one among them is my husband.¡± ¡°So, who do you plan to have Lady Lisbeth marry?¡± ¡°Right now I don¡¯t care who it is. I just want to get her out of this mansion as soon as possible.¡± But she didn¡¯t want anyone who was too benevolent. That kind of man could cover up the bad deeds his wife had done before the marriage. She needed that when she resumed her revenge, as that man wouldn¡¯t be able to become a great obstacle in her way, giving her power to pursue her plans. ¨C This novel is translated by NovelUtopia ¡°All I have to do is¡­¡± Rihanna gestured to Margaret to come over. Margaret put her ear to Rihanna, and Rihanna whispered something to her. After a while, Margaret¡¯s eyes grew larger. ¡°Do you really plan to do that?¡± ¡°Yes. She doesn¡¯t want to get married, so there¡¯s nothing else to do.¡± Rihanna asked, winking at her. ¡°I need your help. You can do it, right?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll do fine.¡± Rihanna smiled brightly and patted Margaret on the shoulder. ¡°And thank you. Because you offered to help me.¡± ¡°Of course I would. I¡¯ve been by your side since the beginning.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Are you going to work at the hotel today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihanna said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s act normal, Margaret. Like we always do.¡± Chapter 14 - Anger (14) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 14. Anger (14) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee The Norden family had a hotel operating in the capital of the Esteraz Empire since the time of their great-grandfather. It was called Norden Hotel, and would be inherited by Rihanna once her father, the current owner, died. Of course, this was primarily because Rihanna was his firstborn daughter, but also because from the beginning, he didn¡¯t trust that Lisbeth could manage the hotel. So internally, Rihanna was considered the successor from the beginning and she worked in front-line management. ¡°We have arrived, Lady.¡± As she got out of the carriage, Rihanna saw the huge exterior of the Norden Hotel. The Norden¡¯s hotel business, which had started on a small scale during her great-grandfather¡¯s time, had become completely prosperous during her father¡¯s generation. There were even talks about opening a branch. Although it was still only a project, Rihanna really wanted to open a branch while her father was still alive. ¡°Countess, you came today.¡± Upon entering the hotel, an employee who saw Rihanna quickly greeted her. ¡°You were celebrating your wedding anniversary party yesterday, so I thought you wouldn¡¯t come today¡­¡± ¡°I have to work. Is my father there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihanna immediately went to Count Norden¡¯s office, knocked on the door and said. ¡°It¡¯s me, Father.¡± ¡°Oh, Rihanna. You can come in.¡± As soon as she got permission, Rihanna went inside. As she passed, she saw her father sitting at his desk. Count Norden, who was not yet over fifty years old, had the same purple hair and green eyes as Lisbeth. As soon as Rihanna saw her father, she remembered Lisbeth. ¡®My father would be very surprised if he knew everything¡¯. Rihanna loved her father very much. A feeling more intense than the resentment she felt for Lisbeth. Rihanna greeted Count Norden, believing she had made the right decision. ¡°You¡¯re early, Father.¡± ¡°So are you.¡± Count Norden smiled as he stared at his daughter. ¡°Did you have the wedding anniversary party yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rihanna nodded and added. ¡°You didn¡¯t go, father.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I could do much at a couples¡¯ party. Did you have a good time yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± It was the worst wedding anniversary and I¡¯ll never forget it, father. Rihanna couldn¡¯t tell the truth, so she changed her mind. ¡°It¡¯s been four years since I got married.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to know that you two have a good relationship.¡± ¡°But Father, I have a question.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you remember when I first told you that I would marry him? You didn¡¯t like it at first.¡± Although he did not object, Count Norden did not seem very happy with Rihanna and George¡¯s marriage. Of course, he never demonstrated this to George and the Royde family. But Rihanna, his daughter, knew this. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why bring up something from the past?¡± ¡°I was just curious.¡± Rihanna smiled superficially and begged. ¡°That¡¯s a thing of the past, so please tell me.¡± ¡°Well, there wasn¡¯t much of a reason. Just that¡­¡± Count Norden was very thoughtful for a moment, but then he opened his mouth. ¡°When you were getting married, I was worried about his future status in the government.¡± Count Royde, George¡¯s father and Rihanna¡¯s father-in-law, was a bureaucrat. George¡¯s grandfather was also a bureaucrat, and his great-grandfather was a bureaucrat. Of course, his great-great-grandfather was also a bureaucrat. From generation to generation, the Royde¡¯s produced bureaucrats and George was destined to become a bureaucrat from birth. But his dreams were hindered, because he failed every time he tried the bureaucratic examination. ¡°But now that I think about it, I was unnecessarily worried.¡± Eventually, George ended up participating in the management of the Norden Hotel together with Rihanna. The kind father-in-law was trying to strengthen his son-in-law¡¯s pride. Unfortunately, George did not have the ability to adequately correspond to his father-in-law¡¯s consideration. ¡®I¡¯m not sure about that.¡¯ Rihanna made a bitter expression briefly. ¡®I think you were right.¡¯ After all, Count Norden¡¯s bad feeling about George materialized in a different way. Unable to tell the truth, Rihanna remained silent. ¡°Why did you come to work today? You must be tired.¡± ¡°I have to work. What¡¯s the use of resting?¡± ¡°Did you have a fight with your husband?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°If you have fought, you must resolve it soon. That¡¯s what married couples should do.¡± ¡°¡­We haven¡¯t fought.¡± Rihanna shuddered inside as she heard his words, but kept her tone of voice. ¡°I only went out because I wanted to work.¡± ¡°I see. What brings you here? Do you have something to tell me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Or did you just come to say hello?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What do you want to tell me? Is it work related?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rihanna opened her mouth again after a brief silence. ¡°It¡¯s something about Lisbeth.¡± ¡°Oh, how is Lisbeth?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Lisbeth should also get married.¡± ¡°Anyway, I have something to tell you about it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Lisbeth¡­¡± Rihanna swallowed her saliva and then said. Chapter 15 - Anger (15) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 15. Anger (15) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°I think she¡¯s been dating someone lately.¡± ¡°Dating someone? A man?¡± ¡°Yes. It seemed like a serious relationship.¡± Rihanna continued to speak cautiously. ¡°But she¡¯s embarrassed to introduce him.¡± ¡°She¡¯s being careful because of her breakup four years ago.¡± ¡°But she can¡¯t put off her marriage forever.¡± ¡°Yes, she is 23 years old now.¡± Count Norden added with a nod. ¡°She cannot live in Royde Mansion forever.¡± ¡°Yes. So¡­ you also agree with the idea of Lisbeth getting married, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for four years. But, I thought that she disliked that subject, so I kept silent.¡± ¡°I thought you had a different opinion, that¡¯s why I asked you, father.¡± ¡°How could I? She is in her last years of age convenient for marriage.¡± Count Norden spoke softly to Rihanna. ¡°You should try to persuade Lisbeth. She will listen to you more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she get married before I die?¡± ¡°Father, you¡¯re not even fifty years old.¡± ¡°You never know. Anyway, I¡¯m a greedy man, I want to meet my grandchildren as soon as possible.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. There is still time. I didn¡¯t say it to make you feel bad.¡± Count Norden quickly changed the subject slightly. ¡°Anyway, you must first know this man and then inform me about it. We don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a good guy.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Have a good day.¡± After finishing the conversation, Rihanna left Count Norden¡¯s office. Now that she had confirmed her father¡¯s wishes, she just had to put her plan into action. However, an unexpected situation occurred that night. *** Rihanna worked late as usual and then returned home in time for dinner. In the Royde family, it was the custom to meet for dinner. ¡°Did you go to the hotel today?¡± Lisbeth began the conversation. ¡°You must be tired, you shouldn¡¯t have worked today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that tired.¡± Rihanna looked at George and said. ¡°You didn¡¯t go to work today.¡± ¡°I had an engagement today.¡± ¡°Engagement? With whom?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± George was silent for a moment, and then he said. ¡°I have something to confess.¡± Hearing those words, Rihanna¡¯s heart began to beat fast. ¡®Confess?¡¯ Did he realize that she had discovered the relationship between the two? Was she trying to make the first move? All sorts of thoughts were circulating inside Rihanna¡¯s head. Rihanna asked George with a nervous look. ¡°A confession?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± George spoke seriously. ¡°This time, I became a designated official.¡± When she heard those words, Rihanna was able to relax. She hadn¡¯t heard the confession she expected. ¡®¡­I feel relieved¡¯. She was definitely relieved. When she heard that he had something to confess, she worried, ¡®What if this man gently confessed all the cheating?¡¯ If that happened, it would be difficult for her to execute the revenge she had planned. ¨C Advance Chapters in NovelUtopia ¡®¡­No, it would be impossible for him to say so.¡¯ Anyone would know the great repercussions of revealing that fact, unless they were a fool. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to congratulate me?¡± ¡°How can you say it¡¯s an engagement, what does that mean?¡± ¡°I have to work at the Ministry of Finance.¡± ¡°Did you take the bureaucratic examination? You didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Four months ago, the regular bureaucratic examinations were performed. The results were announced not long ago, but Rihanna knew that her husband¡¯s name was not included among the candidates. When she tilted her head in confusion, George spoke up. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t take the examination. It was like a special recruitment.¡± ¡°Can anyone become a bureaucrat without taking the examination?¡± ¡°Yes. Although you don¡¯t know, it¡¯s possible.¡± But Rihanna was still confused. And George, who was watching Rihanna¡¯s expression carefully, spoke up. ¡°So, aren¡¯t you going to congratulate me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re not going to congratulate me.¡± He asked with a bitter expression on his face. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not very happy that I¡¯m going to work at the Ministry of Finance?¡± ¡°¡­No. Not at all.¡± Rihanna quickly congratulated him. ¡°I¡¯m glad, George. That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Is that the face of someone who¡¯s happy?¡± Chapter 16 - Anger (1 The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 16. Anger (16) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You look as if I¡¯d forced you to congratulate me. Or is that my idea?¡± ¡°What is it, George?¡± At that moment, in the midst of the tension, someone else¡¯s voice cut in. ¡°I think it¡¯s because my sister was shocked. I was very surprised myself. You told the news very suddenly.¡± It was Lisbeth. Rihanna looked at Lisbeth with an expressionless face. Lisbeth soon turned her head to establish a counter visual with Rihanna. ¡°Right, sister?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± This struck her as unpleasant. In the midst of a conflict situation with her husband, she had been defended by the woman with whom her husband was committing adultery. However, she could not show her displeasure. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t be glad about this. Don¡¯t get me wrong, George.¡± ¡°Are you really happy?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯ve long dreamed of becoming a bureaucrat.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I gladly accepted the position.¡± ¡°Who proposed it to you?¡± ¡°Well, Duke McDonnell did.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Duke McDonnell was a distant relative of George. ¡°¡­Well. You¡¯re someone competent.¡± Rihanna nodded with a smile. But in her mind, she had a different thought than the answer she had said out loud. Perhaps¡­ ¡°Yes. They¡¯ve finally recognized my competencies and my potential.¡± She was deep in thought, when she heard George¡¯s voice. Rihanna put her thoughts aside and started talking about other things. ¡°So, now you won¡¯t be able to work at the hotel?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t help it, are you sad?¡± ¡°A little, but nothing can be done.¡± Rihanna said with a smile. ¡°So, it¡¯s okay. I think you¡¯re more suitable for you to work in state affairs than to work in a hotel.¡± She had meant it sincerely. George wasn¡¯t much involved in hotel work. As a man who had grown up in a bureaucratic family, replete with arrogance, he was ashamed to work in a private hotel, and not in a Palace. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean he has a promising performance either. Rihanna was sure her father would be sad to hear George¡¯s decision to remove himself from hotel management. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± Rihanna¡¯s words had a different connotation, but George didn¡¯t notice and simply smiled. Rihanna asked with a cynical smile. ¡°When will your first day of work be?¡± ¡°Two weeks from today. And there will be a party the week before before I start work.¡± ¡°That will be next week. You mean the party to celebrate the inclusion of the new bureaucrats?¡± ¡°Yes, I will finally be able to be present at that party.¡± ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡± ¡°Of course, who else would I go to that party with? You¡¯re my wife.¡± If she had heard this two days ago, she would have been overjoyed, but unfortunately, now it seemed like, ¡®I have no choice but to go with you because you¡¯re still my wife¡¯. Still in an excited voice, George added. ¨C Advance Chapters in NovelUtopia ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll finish the handover before, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± He didn¡¯t have much important work that he was responsible for anyway. ¡°At first this surprised me a little, but I¡¯m glad you made your dream come true.¡± ¡°Yes. Congratulations, George!¡± Lisbeth added excitedly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we drink a little alcohol to celebrate this day?¡± ¡°You think so? Rihanna, do you have any of the wine my father-in-law gave away last time?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Good, tell him to bring it. We must drink alcohol on a day like today.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Although reluctant, Rihanna spoke to Mrs. Venigans. ¡°Bring the wine my father gave last time.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± Soon, Mrs. Venigans brought the best wine that Count Norden had gifted. Rihanna glanced unenthusiastically at the red wine being poured into her glass and then raised it. Next to her, George proposed a toast in an excited voice. ¡°Now, shall we toast so that I will have a stable and secure bureaucratic life?¡± ¡°Right. Let¡¯s toast to the health and happiness of all three of us in the future.¡± ¡°¡­Cheers.¡± Rihanna smiled slightly and clinked glasses with both of them. Although something unexpected had happened, it wasn¡¯t bad. Rather, it seemed like a better situation. After all, the higher someone stands, the harder the fall. Chapter 17 - Anger (17) The Three Are Living A Married Life ¡ª Chapter 17. Anger (17) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Maybe, Eyljee The next morning, after getting ready to go to work, as usual, Rihanna went down to the first floor. When she reached the living room, Rihanna saw an undesirable person from her perspective. ¡°Lisbeth.¡± Hearing her sister¡¯s voice calling her, Lisbeth turned and stared at Rihanna. Her voluminous purple hair reached down to her waist, and her pair of emerald eyes sparkled under the sunlight. At first glance, she seemed innocent and charming. Ever since she was young, Lisbeth has always had that aura. An aura that could attract people, regardless of their gender. Her deep eyes, full lips, and delicate body parts created that impression. Rihanna stared blankly at Lisbeth but quickly pulled herself together at the sound of her voice. ¡°Is something wrong, sister?¡± ¡°¡­Are you going somewhere today?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to a tea party.¡± Lisbeth nodded and added. ¡°At Marquis Ezra¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°I see. When will you be back?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back before dark. Are you going to work?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lisbeth approached Rihanna without leaving her eyes and said, ¡°I like the way you work. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Have a good day, Sis. See you in the evening.¡± ¡°All right, Lisbeth. Have a good day too.¡± Finally, the two sisters said goodbye, smiling. At first glance, they looked like sisters with a great rapport. Rihanna left the residence as she had planned, smiling until the end. However, after getting into the carriage, the smile on her face disappeared completely. ¡°¡­¡­¡± And so did Lisbeth¡¯s, when she confirmed that Rihanna had left. ¡®She went to work a little late today.¡¯ She had left a little later than usual, Lisbeth was not happy about that. She immediately headed for the stairs, passed through the second floor and arrived on the third, where George was. She didn¡¯t have much time to spare if she wanted to be on time for the tea party. Lisbeth stood in front of the room where George was, thinking it was okay to be a little late. She knocked on the door with a rhythm familiar to both of them. Knock Knock Knock, Knock Knock, Knock. Quickly, she knocked three times, then two times, and finally one last time. Within seconds of knocking, the door opened abruptly. George greeted Lisbeth with a smile. ¡°Lisbeth?¡± ¡°George.¡± Lisbeth smiled as she hugged George around the waist, then kissed him as usual. The kiss was gentle at first but became more intense, producing sticky sounds. After a while, George murmured with an expression like he had forgotten something. ¡°Not yet, Rihanna¡­¡± ¡°My sister is gone.¡± Then, Lisbeth slightly bent her leg and lightly tapped George¡¯s knee. The two disappeared into the room, falling like dominoes. Soon, the door slammed shut. *** Lisbeth thought she would make a good match with George. ¡°Tell me which of the two of us you like better. And which one you feel better with.¡± Lisbeth often asked these kinds of questions in George¡¯s arms. Honestly, George didn¡¯t want to hear questions about his wife during their intimacy, but he answered quietly so Lisbeth wouldn¡¯t get upset. ¨C Advance Chapters in NovelUtopia ¡°Of course you, Lisbeth.¡± No man would answer that way about his wife unless he wanted to ruin their relationship. Although it was a logical response, Lisbeth hugged George tighter and put a satisfied expression on her face as she always did. Just for her satisfaction, George would obediently answer those awkward questions. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be very busy from today on. You must make the handover.¡± Lisbeth said as she dressed. George replied blandly. ¡°Busy? I didn¡¯t have much work before.¡± ¡°Can you tell me very blatantly when you work at my father¡¯s hotel?¡± ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t like your father very much.¡± ¡°Me? What?¡± ¡°Oh, geez. You know what I mean.¡± George spoke as if he were talking about something obvious. Lisbeth simply smiled, feigning ignorance on the subject. George, who was staring at her, asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious about something, can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Why do you hate your father so much?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chapter 18 - Pervert Chapter 18. Pervert Translator: Atlas / Editor: Maybe Lisbeth didn¡¯t answer him this time either, she just smiled enigmatically. She clearly did not want to talk about it. Lisbeth was a woman who would rather die than do anything she didn¡¯t want to do. George decided not to question it any further. It seemed she had a good reason for not responding. ¡°Anyway, try to do things right until you quit,¡± she advised. ¡°¡­Of course, I¡¯m not stupid. Don¡¯t worry.¡± George got out of bed, walked over to Lisbeth, and kissed her on the forehead. Lisbeth smiled in satisfaction, hinting to George that she was pleased. ¡°But why is Rihanna suddenly bringing up the subject of your marriage? She¡¯s never said anything about it before,¡± George wondered. ¡°I was surprised by that too.¡± Lizbeth grinned as she asked George, ¡°Could it be that she has discovered our relationship?¡± ¡°No way. Don¡¯t even joke about it. That¡¯s terrible,¡± George shook his head with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ve been married to Rihanna for four years. If Rihanna knew, she wouldn¡¯t sit still.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. Even if my sister is quiet, she would never put up with this. We¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because you¡¯re growing older. Your current friends are all practically married already.¡± ¡°Are you meaning to say I¡¯m old?¡± ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re at the most beautiful age right now.¡± Smiling, George put his hand on Lisbeth¡¯s breast and proposed, ¡°Shall we do it again?¡± Without waiting for Lisbeth¡¯s response, George proceeded to take off the dress she was putting on. However, Lisbeth stopped George¡¯s hand, ¡°No, I have to go out.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not an urgent meeting, just for a little while, yeah?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s too late now,¡± Lisbeth shook her head as if she couldn¡¯t understand him, ¡°Why are you so impatient? We were just together a couple of minutes ago.¡± ¡°Well, I want us to do it again,¡± George pouted his lips, ¡°I can¡¯t help it, it¡¯s because you¡¯re so pretty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too good with words,¡± she sighed as she finished putting on her dress with a smile. George sulked with a dejected expression. He presumed that she was really leaving. He asked in a babyish voice, sounding like a crying child, ¡°Are you actually going to leave?¡± ¡°Yes, I have to go,¡± Lisbeth replied calmly. She gave George one last peck on the lips, ¡°See you in the evening, my love.¡± After briefly saying goodbye, Lisbeth left George¡¯s room. Then she walked downstairs as if nothing had happened, recalling the question George had asked her. ¡ªWhy do you hate your father so much? ¡°Why do I hate my father so much¡­¡± she muttered to herself. No one was around to hear her bursting out in laughter, ¡°I don¡¯t like him, independently of the fact that he is not my real father.¡± *** Lisbeth arrived at Marquisate Ezra¡¯s residence late. She greeted the host, ¡°Long time no see, Lady Ezra. I¡¯m a tad bit late, so I apologize.¡± Lady Erza pardoned her, ¡°No worries. Welcome, Lady Norden. Thank you for coming.¡± They had been doing these tea party gatherings for a few years. Of course, all the attendees got along quite well with each other. Otherwise, they would not have continued to organize these events. They continued their trivial conversation at the table full of tea and a variety of snacks. In most gatherings of the nobility, the main topic of interest was gossip concerning high society. Countless rumors, unfounded or substantiated, came out of their mouths. Unlike Rihanna, who disliked these conversations because she found them useless and meaningless, Lisbeth quite enjoyed them. ¡°By the way, have you heard that rumor?¡± one of the ladies brought up. All of a sudden, a very interesting topic came up. It spiraled the women into a deep conversation. She continued, ¡°That pervert, he appeared again.¡± ¡°Pervert? Who is it?¡± ¡°Jeez, don¡¯t you remember? The crazy guy who has been writing perverted letters for five years.¡± ¡°¡­Ahhh,¡± only then did Lisbeth realize who she was talking about. For five years, someone had been anonymously sending letters with perverted content to single ladies. Of course, commoners would not do something so risky, so there was a high possibility that it was a man of nobility. That person became famous for the perverse words in his letters. Additionally to the obscene letters he sent, he also wrote very personal things. Much of the information would be difficult to know unless the person it was addressed to was constantly watched. Is there anything creepier than someone secretly spying on you? There was nothing particularly damaging about it, apart from the unpleasantness of having that same person send such letters. And since he had been doing it for five years, the sender had become well known in the society of the Esteraz Empire. ¡°Who was it addressed to this time?¡± Lisbeth asked. ¡°Lady Bergius. Ah, it¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard of any other cases in a while. It had been quiet lately.¡± ¡°Yes. It seems to be starting up again. It¡¯s very annoying.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it absurd that they still haven¡¯t been able to identify the culprit?¡± ¡°I thought the same thing. That person has been doing this for five years, and no one knows who it is!¡± ¡°I suppose the person responsible is some young nobleman¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he¡¯s married now. The first incident was five years ago.¡± ¡°Yes. He should be married by now. Which unlucky woman would have married him?¡± ¡°At least he didn¡¯t marry any of us, which is a great blessing.¡± At those words, the ladies who had been in a serious discussion burst out laughing, ¡°It¡¯s true. Getting strange letters is better than marrying a crazy pervert.¡± ¡°Anyway, be careful. Don¡¯t be too scared if you get a letter,¡± Lisbeth said. As she spoke, Lisbeth kept thinking that she would never receive a letter. She thought it was only something that happened to other people. Perhaps that was why she was even more surprised by the unexpected incident that night. Chapter 19 - A Letter Chapter 19. A Letter Translator: Atlas / Editor: Maybe Lisbeth returned to the Royde Mansion before Rihanna did. George had also gone out, so for the time being, she was alone in the mansion. Lisbeth started reading until it was time for dinner. ¡°Lady Lisbeth, dinner is ready,¡± a voice called out. Lisbeth made her way to the first floor after hearing the maid¡¯s words. When she entered the dining room, she saw Rihanna and George sat down at the table. ¡°Hello, Lisbeth. Good evening,¡± George greeted. ¡°Hi, sister. Hello, George.¡± ¡°Hi, Lisbeth.¡± Rihanna sensed the cruel irony as she watched the two greet each other naturally. But on the outside, she was smiling cheerfully as if pleased with this friendly and cordial family relationship. ¡°Sit down quickly. Tonight¡¯s menu is delicious.¡± ¡°Great, because I was hungry.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before dinner was served. The three of them sat in silence as they cut the steaks before them. But that day, the table was especially quiet because Rihanna, who always initiated the conversations, remained silent. However, before George and Lisbeth knew it, she spoke up, ¡°George.¡± George, who had been called, stared at Rihanna. She smiled and asked him, ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡± George was puzzled by the sudden confession and asked her, ¡°What? Did something happen at the hotel today?¡± ¡°Well, it didn¡¯t happen at the hotel,¡± Rihanna replied, shaking her head. ¡°I got home before you did today, and I found something very interesting as soon as I walked in.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Lisbeth.¡± This time, instead of answering, Rihanna called out to Lisbeth. Lisbeth, who was silently cutting asparagus, looked up in bewilderment. What she heard come out of Rihanna¡¯s mouth next surprised her. ¡°You have a very nice boyfriend.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Why was she suddenly mentioning that? Lisbeth¡¯s heart began to beat a little faster. ¡°I wondered if I should have read it or not.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I found it today when I entered the mansion,¡± Rihanna continued as she looked at Lisbeth, ¡°It seems the person you¡¯re dating has written you a letter.¡± As soon as she heard those words, Lisbeth felt the blood in her body freeze. ¡°¡­What?¡± Impossible. The person Lisbeth was meeting was George. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Margaret, bring the letter.¡± Margaret quickly arrived with the letter she was talking about. Rihanna took it and passed it to Lisbeth. Lisbeth tried to hide her nervousness as she grabbed the letter. Rihanna spoke again, ¡°I was going to leave it on your desk without saying anything, but I was so happy and couldn¡¯t control myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The surface of the plain white envelope wrote, ¡®Dear Lady Norden,¡¯ in elegant calligraphy. ¡®That¡¯s not George¡¯s handwriting.¡¯ It made no sense that she was receiving this letter. On the other hand, Rihanna continued to speak in an excited voice, ¡°The two of you have even been exchanging letters, how did I not notice it before? How long have you been doing this?¡± ¡°Sister, this is¡­¡± ¡°Come on, we should eat together sometime. Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, you said I probably know him. So you won¡¯t feel overwhelmed. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Thanks. Hurry, open the letter. I¡¯m curious about what it says.¡± ¡°Sister, I have a private life too¡­¡± George suddenly butted in, ¡°Yes, Rihanna. You shouldn¡¯t meddle in such things.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Rihanna desisted upon hearing George¡¯s words, who had taken Lisbeth¡¯s side. Then, with a slight smile on her face, she said, ¡°Okay then. Read it when you¡¯re alone.¡± Chapter 20 - A Letter (2) Chapter 20. A Letter (2) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Vy ¡­She did not know how she was able to finish eating. After finishing dinner at a faster pace than usual, Lisbeth took the letter and left the dining room as if she was running away. She went straight to her room and closed the door as she entered. Then, with trembling fingertips, she opened the envelope and took out the letter. ¡®¡­What.¡¯ There was something quite unexpected written on it. [Dear Lady Lisbeth Norden] [How have you been? Your beautiful white skin, which I saw at the last party, still looks tempting to me. An elegant nose, pronounced collarbones that look like they could collect water when it rains, breasts that resemble hills that I¡¯m provoked to play with¡­] The content that came after became so obscene and embarrassing that she couldn¡¯t even talk about it. Lisbeth grew redder and redder. In the end, she ended up crumpling up the letter without finishing it. She didn¡¯t need to look at the perverted content written on the remaining lines. ¡°Disgusting.¡± Only then did Lisbeth realize who had sent the letter. ¡°This matches that crazy pervert¡­¡± Surely it was the pervert they had talked about in the afternoon at the Ezra Marquisate. Lisbeth, with a frown of displeasure, moved the crumpled letter closer to the candlestick. The flames quickly spread across the paper. After a moment, only the ashes of the letter remained. Lisbeth dusted off her hands, not caring to hide her displeasure. ¡°I have bad luck. Strange things are happening.¡± If she had known this, she would have opened the letter in the dining room. Just when Lisbeth was feeling frustrated¡­ Knock Knock Knock, Knock Knock, Knock George knocked on the door to the rhythm they both knew. Lisbeth immediately opened the door and saw George with a worried expression. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You ate fast.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about a love letter? Who sent it to you?¡± ¡°George, you know that crazy guy who writes perverted letters?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯ve heard of it. For the past 5 years, someone has been sending perverted letters anonymously to single ladies. It looks like I was the target this time.¡± ¡°¡­What, did you get one of those letters?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s definitely that guy.¡± ¡°No way¡­ Are you sure?¡± ¡°No way?¡± George¡¯s reply, which seemed to indicate that he couldn¡¯t believe what she said, made Lisbeth feel indignant. ¡°I read it myself, don¡¯t you believe me?¡± ¡°I believe you¡­.¡± George asked with intrigue, ¡°Where is the letter? I have to see it.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to see it. The contents were junk, so I crumpled it up and burned it.¡± ¡°What? Why did you burn it?¡± ¡°Why? Did you want to have that nasty thing?¡± ¡°No¡­ We have to find the culprit.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t find him. It¡¯s been a problem for five years and no one has caught him. A simple anonymous letter won¡¯t be enough to find the culprit. Let¡¯s just say I stepped in poop.¡± ¡°But in any case, we must¡­¡± ¡°No, forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. I seem to be remembering the contents of that letter again, that¡¯s very disturbing.¡± ¡°Yes, all right.¡± Lisbeth was overcome by the horrible memory. George rushed to hug and comfort her. ¡°You must have been very surprised. Are you really all right? Did he do anything to you?¡± ¡°Nothing like that. He¡¯s not even a real threat. He just sends letters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a coward. He¡¯s just afraid his tail will get longer.¡± Maybe that¡¯s the reason his identity hasn¡¯t been discovered for so long. Although he sent nasty letters, he posed no real threat. This meant that unless someone was firmly determined to do something about it, it would be difficult to find him. The pervert probably only sent letters to young ladies with that in mind. Targeting a married woman could cause rumors to spread quickly and escalate things. Of course, the culprit did not publicly express his opinion, but everyone assumed the same thing. ¡°My sister now thinks it¡¯s a love letter sent by my lover.¡± ¡°Fortunately, everything is fine for now. Rihanna will just forget about it.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re right,¡± Lisbeth replied nonchalantly. ¡°I guess she¡¯ll lose interest soon.¡± *** Unfortunately, Rihanna¡¯s interest didn¡¯t disappear so quickly. Since that day, Lisbeth had not received another letter, but the way Rihanna looked at her had become a little strange. That didn¡¯t please Lisbeth. Every time they made eye contact, she smiled slyly. Lisbeth thought she knew why Rihanna was doing that, but she couldn¡¯t create a lover that didn¡¯t exist. She regretted not opening the letter when Rihanna told her to do so. After that, Lisbeth unconsciously fell under stress. ¡°Haven¡¯t you received letters from your lover lately?¡± She heard these words during dinner the day before the welcome party for the new bureaucrats. Chapter 21 - A Letter (3) Chapter 21. A Letter (3) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Scarlet ¡°Haven¡¯t you received letters from your lover lately?¡± Because of Rihanna¡¯s unexpected comment, they both stopped and looked at her. Lisbeth, who got nervous, was fed up with Rihanna¡¯s questions. Thinking this had to end today, she spoke with regret. ¡°I ended our relationship.¡± ¡°You broke up?¡± Rihanna asked, shocked at the unexpected confession. ¡°Suddenly? Why? It¡¯s not because I mentioned the subject of marriage, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for that reason.¡± Lisbeth argued shrewdly. ¡°We just didn¡¯t fit together in many ways.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Rihanna said regretfully. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we never met. I got excited in vain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t introduce you to him, sister.¡± Lisbeth explained to Rihanna the circumstances. ¡°Actually, we had some problems.¡± ¡°¡­Really? Now I understand why he sent you a love letter.¡± Deliberately, Lisbeth did not tell her that the letter had been sent by the pervert. Because if she did, Rihanna would use it as a pretext to talk about marriage. ¡°Fortunately, you separated without any problems.¡± ¡°Yes, sister¡­¡± ¡°Cheer up, Lisbeth. There are good men everywhere.¡± ¡°Thank you, sister. But for the moment¡­¡± ¡°Ah, speaking of which.¡± Rihanna interrupted Lisbeth spontaneously. ¡°How about I introduce you to someone?¡± ¡°Introduce me to someone?¡± ¡°Well, I know a fine young nobleman. I think you¡¯ll like him. He is¡­¡± ¡°Sister!¡± This time, Lisbeth interrupted her. Rihanna stared at her sister. ¡°Why do you desperately want me to get married?¡± ¡°¡­Desperately?¡± Rihanna¡¯s expression instantly sank. There was a moment of silence at the table. Rihanna, who was staring at Lisbeth intently, broke the silence. ¡°The reason I want you to get married.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± Lisbeth felt herself stiffen at the penetrating look and the suspicious question. She thought maybe Rihanna asked her that question knowing everything. But as George had said last time, Rihanna would not solve this quietly, simply by getting her married. Like George, Lisbeth knew Rihanna well. Her sister was quiet and generous, but she would not tolerate an affair between her and her husband. However, Lisbeth did not feel much affection for her father, Count Norden. Therefore, she overlooked how much Rihanna loved Count Norden and how that love could suppress her anger towards her. Ironically, that fact served to conceal Rihanna¡¯s true intentions. Then, any thoughts Lisbeth had about it quickly disappeared. Lisbeth spoke up quickly. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re doing this suddenly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It makes me uncomfortable that you suddenly bring up the subject that I have to get married.¡± ¡°Really? Then I think I¡¯ve been very inconsiderate of you.¡± Rihanna spoke in a calm voice. ¡°But I¡¯ve always thought about it. Every time I heard you say you wouldn¡¯t get married too late, I was reassured. I trusted that you would do it at the right time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°However, I didn¡¯t know that you cared so little about getting married that you felt uncomfortable when I talked to you about it. It¡¯s been four years now since you¡¯ve been living in this mansion.¡± ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡°Father also wants you to get married as soon as possible.¡± Rihanna turned her gaze to George for a moment. ¡°He wants to meet his grandchildren soon.¡± George flinched at her words. ¡°Sister, you know Lady Bergius, no?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Lady Bergius the other day received a letter from the pervert. Surely, you remember that from five years ago¡­¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ve heard about it.¡± ¡°Great. Then you can understand me. I get worried after hearing those stories.¡± Rihanna asked, looking Lisbeth straight in the eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t received one of those letters yet, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lisbeth stared at Rihanna astonished. The memory of the letter she had received came to her mind. However, she couldn¡¯t say anything about it. If she did, her sister would talk about the marriage again. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sure you understand how I feel, Lisbeth. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll end up alone forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I do everything for your sake. You understand, right?¡± Chapter 22 - A Letter (4) Chapter 22. A Letter (4) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Scarlet ¡°Of course, I know you care about me.¡± Lisbeth spoke slowly. ¡°Give me a little more time, sister. I like being single¡­ but I will seriously consider marriage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear your determination.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push it too hard, Rihanna.¡± At that moment George interjected. ¡°Marriage is an important matter, don¡¯t rush into it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Rihanna looked at George smiling. ¡°But we got married in a hurry too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°However, we¡¯ve lived happily so far, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re so much in love.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that if Lisbeth opens her heart, she¡¯ll soon find someone too.¡± ¡°Of course, Lisbeth is a great person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about something, George.¡± ¡°What is it? You can ask.¡± ¡°The dress you said you would give me for our anniversary.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°When will it arrive? I was planning to wear it to the party tomorrow. That¡¯s a shame.¡± Rihanna said, staring at George. ¡°You still haven¡¯t said anything.¡± ¡°Oh, that dress¡­¡± ¡°Will it really arrive? Did the ship have any problems?¡± ¡°No, no way.¡± George quickly replied. ¡°Probably¡­ It¡¯ll arrive in a week. So you remembered the dress.¡± ¡°Of course, I couldn¡¯t forget the present you¡¯ve prepared for me. It¡¯s the one thing I¡¯ve been waiting for.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°So I still haven¡¯t decided what dress I¡¯ll wear to tomorrow¡¯s welcome party. It¡¯s an important occasion, so His Majesty might attend.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stress yourself thinking about it, Rihanna. You¡¯ll look beautiful, no matter what you wear.¡± ¡°Thank you, George.¡± Rihanna smiled looking fondly at George. On the other hand, Lisbeth was looking at the two of them with a cold expression on her face. *** ¡°You two seem to be getting along quite well lately.¡± Lisbeth was sarcastic when she visited George¡¯s room after dinner. George spoke after sighing. ¡°I can¡¯t treat Rihanna coldly. If I do, we¡¯ll soon be found out. I¡¯ve had to pretend all this time, we can¡¯t ruin everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing fine, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Are you upset?¡± George hugged Lisbeth, smiling slightly. ¡°How can I be content?¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Gently rubbing his lips on Lisbeth¡¯s neck, George tried to appease her mood. Suddenly, he changed the topic of conversation. ¡°¡­Why does Rihanna suddenly want you to get married?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°For four years, she didn¡¯t mention anything about it, but strangely these days she hasn¡¯t stopped mentioning it.¡± ¡°My sister¡¯s behavior is sudden, but it¡¯s not strange. Because I¡¯ve been in this mansion for a long time.¡± Lisbeth said as if it was something insignificant. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not usual for a sister to stay in her married sister¡¯s home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± George kissed her gently on the cheek. ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have fallen in love with you sooner.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in regretting the past. We just have to hold on a little longer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lisbeth kissed George softly. She whispered with sparkling eyes after pulling her lips away. ¡°I¡¯ll advance the plans.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°Anyway, it will be soon. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be suspicious because it¡¯s a bit quicker.¡± Lisbeth mischievously lifted the corners of her lips. ¡°A little more patience. Then, we can be together for a lifetime.¡± *** At the same time in Rihanna¡¯s room. ¡°I never thought Lady Lisbeth would say she had broken off their relationship.¡± ¡°She¡¯s smart. I would have said the same thing too.¡± Rihanna said, looking casually at the calendar on her desk. ¡°Because that way she could put off starting a new relationship by using her broken heart as an excuse.¡± ¡°If I had known she would say that, I would have written another letter today.¡± ¡°Really, the safest thing to do was to do it once. It¡¯s never good to have a long tail.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no need to make the situation worse.¡± ¡°Just by scaring her, we achieved the desired goal.¡± ¡°But what will you do if they find out?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± Rihanna replied with a carefree expression. ¡°But in that case, I don¡¯t think any of them can hold back.¡± ¡°So, do you plan to keep watching?¡± ¡°No, I have to do something.¡± Rihanna smiled as she told Margaret. ¡°I have a plan in mind.¡± Chapter 23 - Fortuitous Meeting (1) Chapter 23. Fortuitous Meeting (1) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Scarlet ¡°I don¡¯t think they can keep wallowing in this mansion for long.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°On the other hand, Margaret.¡± Rihanna, still looking at the calendar, soon changed the subject. ¡°I think I need a doctor.¡± ¡°Doctor?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t menstruated for two months.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I thought it might come back last month, but strangely it hasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Margaret asked Rihanna cautiously. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Rihanna shook her head. As unfortunate as it was, she hadn¡¯t had intercourse in the last three months to assume she was pregnant. Margaret changed the subject without asking any more questions. ¡°I¡¯ll call the treating doctor as soon as possible.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Rihanna said after a moment¡¯s reflection. ¡°I cannot be examined by the treating doctor. I will go to the hospital personally.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll go to the hospital personally? Why would you have¡­?¡± ¡°The treating doctor is known to the Royde family.¡± Rihanna said coldly. ¡°My husband has betrayed me, I can¡¯t easily trust people.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I have to attend a party tomorrow, so I¡¯ll go the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°I recommend the hospital I¡¯m going to. I could take you there.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that.¡± ¡°Then go to bed early today. There¡¯s a party tomorrow¡­and you don¡¯t seem to be getting much sleep lately. If you¡¯re under a lot of stress, you may not be able to menstruate.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rihanna joked smiling. ¡°You¡¯re better than my husband.¡± ¡°Lady¡­¡± Even though she said it without much thought, Margaret attached great importance to her words. She held Rihanna¡¯s hand tightly with a heartbreaking expression. Slightly overwhelmed by her sudden action, Rihanna asked, smiling nervously. ¡°Why are you suddenly doing this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy.¡± ¡°The only happiness I have left is watching those two fall to hell.¡± ¡°No, besides that. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to start a family with someone better.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t even want that anymore, Margaret.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pray for you. That you might meet a better man.¡± Margaret suggested to Rihanna an idea that suddenly occurred to her. ¡°How about dating someone else?¡± Her unexpected words made Rihanna laugh. ¡°Forget it. That will be detrimental to the divorce.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± Margaret said with a somber look. ¡°I think it¡¯s important for you to be happy. In the same way that those two become unhappy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Rihanna said something that made Margaret feel a little relieved. ¡°If they¡¯re both unhappy, then I¡¯ll reconsider my own happiness.¡± *** The next day. The welcome party for the new bureaucrats would be held in the morning, so Rihanna got up early. It had been a long time since she had attended an imperial banquet. Some maids, including Margaret, were tending to Rihanna. Due to the circumstances, Rihanna was not thrilled to attend the party as George¡¯s partner, but was willing to fulfill her wifely duties until the divorce. ¡°We¡¯re done, Lady.¡± Right on time. Rihanna stared at herself in the full-length mirror. Her nut-brown hair was perfectly coiffed and her golden eyes sparkled like amber stones. The pearl-colored dress she wore tight to her body reminded her of the tale of the goddess of beauty who was born from the foam of the sea. Rihanna was beautiful. She looked the same as she did four years ago. ¡®George cheated on me even though I was so beautiful¡­..¡¯ Rihanna, who was immersed in her thoughts, shook her head. ¡®There¡¯s no point in thinking about it.¡¯ Rihanna gave up on finding reasons to understand George¡¯s infidelity. She wasn¡¯t to blame for anything. Surely he would have cheated on her even if she had no flaws. That made her feel a little better. ¡°George.¡± As she walked down to the second floor, she saw her husband. She thought nothing of it until Lisbeth appeared in the range of her vision. ¡°¡­¡­¡± When she was almost at the bottom of the stairs, Rihanna changed her mind and approached George with a smile. ¡°Am I late?¡± Naturally, she linked arms with him. She did so with the intention that Lisbeth would see them. Chapter 24 - Fortuitous Meeting (2) Chapter 24. Fortuitous Meeting (2) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Scarlet As expected, Lisbeth¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight of them with their arms intertwined. The smiling Rihanna clearly noticed. ¡®She must really like George¡¯. She really didn¡¯t want to use such childish tactics, but as long as she could cause them both discomfort, anything was fine. ¡°No, Rihanna.¡± George spoke quietly. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time.¡± ¡°But let¡¯s go quickly. We mustn¡¯t be late for an important event.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± George then added in a sweet voice. ¡°By the way, you look even more beautiful today.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± She had made sure she was well groomed. She didn¡¯t want to hear nonsense in the future. She intended to minimize possible rumors that her husband had cheated on her because she didn¡¯t pay attention to her appearance. ¡°You look great today too.¡± *** Leaving the mansion, the three of them were heading for the same carriage as usual. ¡°Lisbeth, wait.¡± Rihanna stopped Lisbeth who was about to get into the carriage. Surprised, Lisbeth asked her what she was doing. Rihanna spoke calmly looking at Lisbeth. ¡°We¡¯re going in different carriages today.¡± Lisbeth and George put a shocked expression on their faces. ¡°Why suddenly? Usually¡­¡± George started. ¡°Because today I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­To me?¡± George became nervous unconsciously because she was talking seriously. Rihanna nodded, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s a couple¡¯s issues, so it¡¯s a little embarrassing for my sister to hear.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you agree, Lisbeth?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, sister.¡± Lisbeth nodded without showing any hint of displeasure. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you in the little carriage.¡± ¡°See you later, Lisbeth.¡± Rihanna quickly climbed into the carriage. Lisbeth looked at George with a puzzled expression. George looked at Lisbeth with a helpless expression. Lisbeth, who frowned slightly, motioned for him to quickly get into the carriage. George turned around to get into the carriage. Finally the carriage moved toward the Imperial Palace. ¡°Is it important what you will tell me?¡± She didn¡¯t say anything even after the carriage was underway, so the frightened George asked first. Rihanna, who until then had been looking out of the window, finally turned her attention to George. He looked uneasy, like a person who had done something wrong. Did he really think she would never find him out with behavior like that? Rihanna, who scoffed inwardly, spoke seriously. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s important.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you that I¡¯m very proud of you.¡± George was surprised by the unexpected words. Rihanna smiled softly. ¡°You always wanted to become a bureaucrat and work for the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you fulfilled your dream. I¡¯m proud of you..¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me that question?¡± She obviously didn¡¯t mean it. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°I never thought you admired me.¡± ¡°Admire¡­¡± Rihanna chuckled to herself at the completely unexpected word. Did he want her to admire him when he was having an extramarital affair? Even when she liked him, there was nothing she could admire him for, but now that she found out he was being unfaithful, that would be ridiculous. ¡°I¡¯ve always admired you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s like you¡¯re heaven itself.¡± ¡°Thank you for those words.¡± At last George¡¯s drooping shoulders lifted. ¡°I¡¯ll do better from now on, Rihanna.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also do everything I can to support you.¡± Lies must be answered with another lie. *** The carriage finally arrived at the Imperial Palace of Esteraz. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, she was greeted by the sight of the enormous palace. Although this was not the first time she had been to this place, she was always overwhelmed by its majesty. ¡°What are you doing?¡± An annoying voice brought her back to her senses. When she turned around, she saw George with a scowl on his face. He didn¡¯t seem to like that she was admiring the Imperial Palace. Rihanna quickly replied. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Rihanna didn¡¯t know how long she was contemplating the place. She chuckled to herself as she walked into the Imperial Palace with George.