Home/I Am Trying to End This Wrong Marriage/ch 9

Episode 9

From the very beginning, the Dowager Empress had not taken a liking to her second daughter-in-law.

Since her two sons were young, she had favored Edward, her second son, over the eldest, who was to become Emperor.

He was such a beautiful child that she often wondered how she had given birth to him.

Moreover, the Second Prince was not only mature beyond his years but also exceptionally bright. He was her finest creation.

So she had taken great care to find him a suitable match—but then the daughter of a mere viscount's house, neither from a prestigious family nor possessing any notable wealth, had ensnared Edward.

'It's not as if there's no other woman in the world. Of all people, he had to fall for that one.'

It was well known to those in the know that Angela's grandmother was a commoner.

However, not many knew that Angela was the spitting image of her grandmother in her youth.

Angela's grandmother had used her face to seduce the Viscount Panning of the time.

Commoner blood had entered the viscount's family, and now it had even flowed into the imperial household—how could that not be infuriating?

The Dowager Empress found everything about Angela displeasing, so it was only natural that Angela began to suffer at her hands after marriage.

But now Angela was gone, and Edward was alone.

'In time, he'll forget her anyway.'

Edward was now twenty-three years old. With far more years ahead of him than behind, he would soon forget a wife he had spent only three years with.

'Once his heart settles, he'll return to the gentle son he used to be.'

The atmosphere growing uncomfortable, the Dowager Empress rose from her seat without staying long.

"I'll contact you soon."

"Yes, Mother. Next time, let us meet at the palace."

Edward, at least, maintained his manners and escorted the Dowager Empress to the entrance of the estate.

But after she left, irritation settled on Edward's face.

"Now that Angela is gone, she comes here as if she's been waiting for this moment."

He checked his pocket watch and clicked his tongue.

'What a waste of time.'

Edward moved to his study on the first floor. It was a room with framed paintings hanging on every wall, and on the one wall without paintings stood a large bookshelf. In front of the bookshelf was a desk for reading or working.

He approached the bookshelf and touched the right wall.

There, camouflaged in the same color as the wall, was a mechanism.

As Edward pressed the recessed part, the bookshelf slid away, revealing a space beyond.

A secret passage that even Angela didn't know about.

'I can clearly see what Mother is thinking... but that wish of hers will not come true.'

Walking through the dim passage even with a lamp lit, Edward thought of the Dowager Empress from moments ago.

He had played the part of the son she wanted all this time, but when it came to Angela, he would yield not one bit.

'If you thought my feelings for her would fade, you were mistaken, Mother.'

Soon, Edward arrived before a certain room. As the door opened, a strange light flickered in Edward's violet eyes.

'She will stay by my side forever.'

---

"Let's sort out what needs to be sorted first."

That was the conclusion Angela had carefully considered and reached. For the first time since deciding to live as Penelope, Angela went to see Marquess Kruger as Penelope.

"Mother..."

"Penelope?"

The Marquess's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden visit. Unexpectedly, Ralph was also in the Marquess's office.

"Were you two in the middle of a conversation?"

"Mother said she had something to tell me privately... It's not what you think, so don't be sensitive about it."

Ralph blurted out his defense before Angela could even ask.

His expression as he said this was uneasy. Clearly, he felt uncomfortable having to say such a thing.

The siblings, who could speak freely about most things, had never fully grown close because of this one decisive issue.

'So the selection of the Marquess Kruger household's heir still hasn't been decided.'

Penelope believed that she, being superior to her ordinary brother in every way, should become the heir.

But Ralph also naturally believed he should be the one, and he was quite wary of his younger sister.

The vassals of the marquess's household were also divided on this matter.

There were those who argued that since the Marquess had inherited the title as the eldest, Ralph as the firstborn should naturally succeed—and those who argued that the smarter Penelope should take the position.

As time dragged on, it was Penelope who had begun to grow impatient.

"Yes. What did you want to say, Penelope?"

The Marquess, whose sharp eyes resembled Penelope's, asked Angela gently, then turned to Ralph.

"Ralph, you may leave now."

"Yes, Mother."

"Wait a moment. Brother should hear this too."

Ralph, who had been about to move, looked at Angela in puzzlement. Angela immediately spoke the conclusion she had long pondered before coming here.

"I no longer wish to pursue the position of heir."

"What?"

Ralph stared at her as if she had lost her mind. Marquess Kruger was equally stunned.

"What are you saying?"

Their surprise was understandable. The real Penelope would never have given up the chance to become the future Marquess.

But Angela, who wasn't even the real Penelope, thought it was absurd for her to try to claim the marquessate.

'No matter how much I pretend to be Lady Kruger, I'm still Angela at heart.'

Though she had even risen to the position of a prince's consort, she was not naturally ambitious.

She had never thought of surpassing her older brother to claim a position, nor had she ever harbored a desire to become the head of a household.

Now Angela also knew that Penelope had sometimes spoken dismissively of Ralph.

'I don't want to go that far just to imitate Lady Kruger.'

"Why did you make such a decision all of a sudden? I'd like to hear the reason."

Marquess Kruger composed herself and asked. Angela calmly gave the answer she had prepared.

"Even at an age when other houses would have long since decided their heir, I still remain the 'young lady.' I've already done everything I could to become the heir."

Hadn't Penelope, who had always been confident, gradually shown impatience over this issue precisely because she should have been chosen long ago?

"Why won't you choose me, Mother? What more do you want me to do!"

The memory of Penelope, at her wit's end, venting her anger alone in her room was vivid in Angela's mind.

There was clearly an important reason the Marquess was delaying her choice—one that Penelope didn't know.

"Penelope. What are you thinking? Did you eat something wrong?"

That was why, when Ralph whispered to her as they left the Marquess's office together shortly after, Angela could remain composed.

"I can't keep living in an uncomfortable relationship with you forever, can I?"

Even as Ralph looked at her with utter incomprehension.

---

Not long after, Marquess Kruger officially declared Ralph as her heir. It was only natural that the social circles buzzed with the news.

"My lord. It is said that Lady Kruger has declared she no longer has any interest in the position of heir."

The news reached Dylan's ears quickly as well.

"Lady Kruger? That can't be."

Dylan, having just finished swinging his sword in the training yard, looked at Kevin as if he had heard wrong. As Dylan drank the water Kevin handed him, Kevin spoke again.

"It's true. It's not just a rumor—it was officially announced by the Marquess Kruger household!"

"An official announcement?"

Dylan, swallowing his water, looked back at Kevin.

Before the Marquess had chosen Ralph, Penelope had first given up the position herself.

Even hearing it now, it was hard to believe—Dylan furrowed his brow.

Hadn't she challenged her brother for the succession precisely because she was confident, even though it was unusual given that her older brother was alive and well?

The Penelope Dylan knew was not the type to ever give up the position of heir. Perhaps he understood her ambition better than the Marquess did.

"My lord."

It was a memory from early this year, not so long ago.

Penelope had come to Dylan's residence in the dead of night. Cloaked in a robe, she had arrived secretly—and she was not a guest Dylan had invited.

"Lady Kruger, what brings you here? At this hour, no less."

"I have something important to tell you."

Penelope had a solemn air, as if she had come to discuss something of great significance.

And soon after, she had made Dylan uncomfortable.

"If that's what you came to say, I'm not interested."

The reason Penelope had secretly sought out Dylan was precisely about that position of heir.

When Dylan flatly refused her proposal, Penelope crossed the line he could tolerate.

"Insolent. You're not even the heir yet, and you dare speak to me that way?"

"I'm sorry if I offended you. But if you accept my proposal..."

"Why don't you understand? Leave before I march into Marquess Kruger's territory myself—now."

At that moment, Dylan had glimpsed a flash of hostility in Penelope's eyes.

'Astonishing.'

That was why they could never have a good relationship.

Back   Next