Home/I ended up having a surprise marriage with the male lead/ch 114

Chapter 114

"It's me, Emilia."

A low voice fell by her ear.

The moment she heard it, all the strength seemed to drain from her body.

"Kay... den."

A trembling voice escaped through her teeth.

She tried to explain the situation to him.

"It's just..."

"You don't need to say anything. I can roughly guess what happened."

Kayden spoke in a dangerously low voice, tightening his arms around her.

Instantly, relief washed over her like a lie.

Emilia smiled faintly.

"I knew... you'd come... right away."

She'd somehow known that.

Even if she'd only dropped that small hairpin.

Even if he didn't know she'd gone to the powder room when she said she needed some air.

She had vaguely believed that Kayden, no matter where she was, would find her somehow.

Soon, Emilia's arm fell limply—she had let go of the last thread of consciousness.

Kayden checked her breathing.

Huff, huff.

It was a little rapid, but she was breathing properly. However, her body was burning hot.

The image of Emilia desperately crawling toward the door flashed through his mind.

Veins stood out on the back of his hand as he held her, his jaw clenched tight.

Could a person be this angry?

Blood rushed to his head, and he felt the urge to strangle those who had done this to her right then and there.

But Kayden took a deep breath and barely suppressed his rage.

Now was not the time to lose his composure.

Emilia hadn't recognized him just now.

That meant not only could she barely move, but her vision was also affected.

Kayden lifted Emilia in his arms and checked the contents of the vial that had fallen at her feet.

The Empress.

It was clearly the same type of poison he'd been hit with before.

If so, they needed to return to the residence immediately.

There was an experimental antidote waiting there from the territory.

Just then, he heard signs of people outside the door.

The sound of women's chatter and footsteps.

---

"This ball is truly magnificent."

"Exactly! The delegation from the Holy Kingdom of Hypria is here too! I was so startled when I saw the Cardinal earlier!"

"How could anyone feel pious standing next to someone like that?"

At one young lady's joke, the others burst into laughter.

"Oh, by the way, did you see the Duke and Duchess of Valen earlier?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't?"

One young lady spoke with envy.

"I thought His Grace had no interest in women, but he couldn't keep his eyes off the Duchess!"

"He seems completely smitten, doesn't he?"

"Well, she's pretty enough—even if she is a commoner."

The conversation among the young ladies turned to the Duke and Duchess of Valen.

Estelle Grimoire, leading the group, listened with great pleasure.

Because soon, those envious words about the Duchess would turn into scandalous gossip.

Estelle surveyed the young ladies following her.

They were all loose-lipped and loved gossip.

Even without her leading them, they'd chatter like magpies and spread what they'd seen today far and wide through high society.

Just then, one young lady asked Estelle in a whining tone.

"Lady Estelle, isn't the powder room with refreshments ready yet?"

"No, we're almost there."

Estelle smiled sweetly.

She recalled the room number the Empress had hinted at and stopped before the door.

Preparing herself for the scene inside, she grasped the handle.

The lock had already been broken, so the door opened easily.

Creak.

The door swung open slowly.

Near the doorway, a man's jacket lay discarded on the floor.

A single shoe was also kicked off nearby.

It looked like someone had been in a hurry.

Estelle smiled and raised her gaze.

But—

The two people who should have been rolling around on the sofa in a vulgar display were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, a man sat leaning against the sofa.

"..."

The young ladies' eyes all turned to him.

It was the Duke of Valen, his hair thoroughly disheveled and the collar of his white shirt undone.

But the problem was...

He was holding a brown-haired woman tightly in his arms.

The Duke had one hand cradling the back of her head, his lips pressed against her pale nape.

Gulp.

Someone swallowed.

Just then, Kayden lifted his head and turned his gaze to the ladies.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion without so much as a knock?"

A cold voice flowed from him.

The ladies, frozen with their mouths open, finally snapped back to their senses.

Their faces flushed bright red.

The Duke's appearance was far too stimulating and suggestive.

"L-Lady Grimoire said there would be refreshments in this room..."

"W-we must have mistaken the room..."

"I'm so sorry!"

"Forgive us!"

The young ladies stammered out their apologies.

But even that seemed to displease the Duke, who frowned.

"Have you seen enough? Get out now."

At his sharp voice, the ladies flinched.

"And if I hear even a whisper of gossip about my wife—"

Kayden's emotionless eyes swept over them.

"Your families will bear the consequences."

"Y-yes, of course!"

"We're terribly sorry, Your Grace."

The ladies quickly bowed and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, Estelle couldn't understand the situation at all.

What on earth is going on?!

Where had that low-born young lord gone—and why was the Duke here instead?!

And in such a state!

"Wait, in there—"

Estelle tried to call the ladies back, but it was useless.

If anything, they treated her as if she had no tact.

"Lady Estelle! Don't you realize we've just committed a grave discourtesy?"

"Exactly! Come out now!"

They scolded Estelle and pulled her out by the arm.

Creak, click.

The powder room door shut firmly.

The sound of chattering and footsteps faded as they moved away.

Kayden gently laid Emilia down and walked to the wardrobe.

With a blank expression, he nudged the wardrobe with his foot.

Creak.

The wardrobe door swung open, and a man crumpled to the floor.

A bloodied shoe dropped beside him.

Kayden looked down at the man with icy eyes.

---

The Empress waited leisurely at the ballroom, mingling with the guests.

Let her see how cruel high society can be.

She took a sip of champagne, imagining what was about to unfold.

She recalled what her advisor had told her.

"Use the right of expulsion, Your Majesty."

"The right of expulsion?"

"Ah, it's..."

The "right of expulsion" was a law that allowed the punishment and removal of a noblewoman who had brought dishonor to her family.

Of course, it had been created in an era when women's rights were far lower, and it was now practically defunct—but it hadn't disappeared entirely.

Moreover, as Empress, she had more than enough power to invoke it.

And since she was related to the House of Valen, she was fully entitled to question their honor.

Hadn't she even extracted an oath from the Duchess earlier?

Even if she exercised the right of expulsion over the Duchess's conduct, it could be revoked through consultation with the ducal house.

But that didn't matter.

What mattered was the moment the Duchess was stripped of her title before any such decision was made.

During that period, naturally, her guardianship rights over the bastard child would also be revoked.

That was precisely what she was after.

If you tried to outmaneuver me with the law, you should be prepared to face the same.

The Empress's lips twisted.

Furthermore, the House of Valen would suffer disgrace from this affair.

Taking a commoner as Duchess, only for her to be caught in a scandal with another man.

Just then—

She saw a group of young ladies entering the ballroom, their faces flushed.

The Empress's smile deepened.

Back   Next