Sitting in front of the mirror, I carefully observed my reflection. A few maids were arranging my hair and applying makeup on my face. The only thing that could escape my lips now was an expression of admiration for this woman's beauty.
Cathleen Orion—that's her name, and now my soul resides in her body. I have no idea where the original Cathleen's soul is, but I'm trapped in this body and have no clue how to return to my original world.
I still remember waking up a week ago. This body felt so weak. From that moment, everything changed. Suddenly, I became a noblewoman with many servants. This house was enormous. It's more appropriate to call it a mansion.
What shocked me more was discovering that this world was the setting of a novel, meaning the storyline was already laid out until the end. Of course, as someone who knew what would happen to Cathleen, I immediately scrambled to find a way to avoid meeting an untimely death.
"My Lady, your makeup is ready," a maid said, snapping me out of my daydream.
I simply nodded and gestured for them to leave my room. Without further ado, they obeyed and exited.
I was left here, marveling at the beauty of this married woman.
Cathleen's hair, as dark as the night, looked stunning when left loose, and this makeup enhanced her beauty even more.
Cathleen, while your life seems comfortable, your story doesn't have a happy ending.
Today, I'll finally meet Duke Cedric. His return from war with a victory is being celebrated across the country. He'll arrive today, and I'll get to see what the male lead of this world looks like.
According to the storyline, there will be a victory celebration at the palace, and all eyes will be on the two of us. Several events will occur, further straining the relationship between this husband and wife. That's why I must fix it.
My initial plan is to repair my relationship with Cedric. I entered this world after an attempted murder of Cathleen, which made her believe that the poison's effects would prevent her from bearing children. Cathleen had repeatedly requested a divorce, and their arguments were countless. So, I need to mend this relationship.
If that plan fails and Cedric ends up divorcing me, I've spent the past week collecting many jewels and plan to sell them after the divorce. I'll leave this place and maybe live somewhere far away where I'll never see them again. I refuse to return to Cathleen's family after the divorce. I want to live independently, free from anyone's interference.
In the novel, the war lasted about two years. This means it's been a long time since Cathleen last saw her husband. Moreover, Zoya, the story's female lead, accompanied him to the battlefield. Cathleen had tasked her with keeping an eye on Cedric and persuading him to agree to their divorce.
Well, you could say Zoya carried out her duties enthusiastically. Why wouldn't she? She got to spend a lot of time with Cedric, and divorce was her ultimate goal to be with him.
I opened the door to my room, and a maid was already waiting right outside. "The Duke will arrive shortly. My Lady, you may wait with us at the front."
With a faint smile, I replied, "Alright, thank you, Ellie."
Ellie was a maid who had recently grown close to me. I planned to replace my personal maid, who was originally Zoya, with Ellie. She was still young and full of energy. Actually, we weren't that far apart in age. Ellie was probably around 17 or 18 years old, while Cathleen was 22.
Descending the staircase, I saw the servants lined up on either side. The household staff, chefs, and gardeners stood waiting for the master's arrival.
I stood in the center, gazing straight ahead at the grand door that opened wide, revealing the entourage approaching.
There, at the very front, stood the leader and Cathleen's husband. I looked at him, and he looked back at me. His tall, broad frame exuded strength and power. His blonde hair fluttered slightly in the wind, glimmering like gold under the sunlight.
The male lead indeed needed to look like this to captivate readers like me, but seeing him in person left me in awe. How could someone be this handsome? And that man was Cathleen's husband, which, indirectly, made him my husband as well, since I am now Cathleen Orion, Duchess of the Orion family.
It seemed I had been staring too obviously because I forgot what I was supposed to say to him.
Hi? Surely, I should greet him, but just with a simple "hi"?
Come on, think! What should I say to a husband I haven't seen in a long time?
Cedric? Calling him by his name might work, but it feels too familiar. Our current relationship isn't close.
My husband? He is indeed my husband, but for some reason, saying that would make me die of embarrassment.
Darling? I'd lock myself in my room immediately if I dared to call him that. In my original world, I'd never even called a man "darling."
I tried to recall what word Cathleen used to address her husband, but nothing came to mind.
While battling my thoughts, I tried smiling at him, but his response was to look at me with a strange expression. Was Cathleen's smile that odd? That couldn't be. Cathleen was beautiful, and her smile must be as lovely as she was. So, it had to be him—his mind was impossible to read. His wife smiled, and he didn't like it. How strange.
"Welcome, My Lord. May success continue to shine upon the Orion family." The servants bowed as Cedric stepped into the house.
Caught up in the atmosphere, I also bowed and repeated their words.
When I returned to my upright position, Cedric was already standing in front of me, staring at me with his usual blank expression. Wow, he's so tall. I barely reached his chest. This made me tilt my head back to look up at his face.
"Hi, hu—" My words stuck in my throat. My mouth felt too heavy to speak. There were so many things I wanted to say, but his gaze disrupted my focus.
I cleared my throat to reduce my nervousness. "Please, enjoy the meal," I said, though my tone sounded like that of a servant. Oh well, at least I managed to say something.
I caught a brief smile on his lips before he walked past me, seemingly heading to the dining room. Finally able to breathe a bit easier, I followed a step behind him. I wanted to walk beside him, but maybe that would seem too far.
"My Lady." Someone tapped my shoulder.
I turned around and was met with a sight that left my mouth agape.
Huh? What is this? Red?
A head of vibrant red hair stood out among the dark-haired crowd. A woman smiled at me, her blood-red hair drawing all my attention. I found myself staring. This was the first time I'd seen someone who actually looked good with red hair—besides K-pop idols.
There was no doubt; that this must be Zoya, the main character and villain of this story.
Zoya hugged me tightly, expressing how much she had missed me. "I'm so glad to see you again, My Lady."
As she embraced me, a surge of hatred swelled in my chest. Disgust spread throughout my body. I wanted to push her away.
When she let go, her expression shifted from joy to sorrow. I had to admit, she looked stunning with her red hair. I could see why her beauty rivaled Cathleen's, but to me, Cathleen was still the most beautiful.
"I'm sorry I haven't been able to make Duke Cedric divorce you yet." She clasped my hand, stroking it as she lowered her head in sadness. She was an excellent actress. "I also have more important news, but I think we should discuss it privately, My Lady."
I nodded, trying to appear calm. If the real Cathleen were here, she might have shown anger at Cedric's refusal to divorce her. "Very well, after dinner, we'll talk."
A flicker of confusion crossed Zoya's face, but she quickly masked it. Internally, I chuckled. Looks like you've noticed that your mistress is behaving differently.
I walked straight to the dining room, leaving Zoya behind.
"Ellie," I called out to Ellie, who was waiting outside the dining room.
She hurried over. "What can I do for you, My Lady?"
"All the servants may eat while my husband and I dine. There's no need to wait on us or assist me in the dining room. Let me handle this alone with my husband," I said confidently. Hopefully, this would make the servants see me as a kind mistress. "Also, ensure the knights and servants returning from war are given extra portions."
"Yes, My Lady. Thank you." Ellie's eyes sparkled as she left to carry out my orders.
The other servants who overheard Ellie began filing out of the dining room. Now it was just me, preparing myself to face Cedric alone.
"My Lady, shall we go in?" I jumped at the sight of Zoya standing behind me.
"Didn't I just order all the servants to eat? Why are you still here?"
"I want to accompany you, My Lady. I'm worried something might happen if you're alone with Lord Cedric."
Just admit you're jealous of me being alone with my husband.
"Oh, Zoya, how thoughtful of you." I patted her shoulder. "But it's fine. I can handle this myself. No need to worry." On my final pat, I pressed down on her shoulder slightly. Just a little. Maybe.
"But I—"
"It's fine, Zoya. Don't worry. You can go eat now. That's an order."
Zoya let out a heavy sigh, clearly displeased.
"Yes, My Lady."
As Zoya walked away, she glanced back at me several times. I stayed put, waving at her until she disappeared from view.
Now, it was just me and this door. Once I opened it, I'd face Cedric again. This was complicated. I needed to prepare myself.
Hopefully, stepping inside would be the first step toward mending our broken relationship. No matter what happens, I must be ready to face it.
Alright, let's do this.