How To End This Marriage-Chapter 160: The Duke’s Possessive Claim

"Duchess, may I come in?" Duchess Bernice heard the Duke’s voice from outside. Sighing, she replied, "Yes, come in, Duke."

The Duke entered, his face stormy. "Duchess, what do you mean I can take another woman as my wife?" he demanded.

Duchess Bernice met his gaze calmly. "It’s precisely what I said. There’s no room for misunderstanding."

"That’s not what I meant, Duchess! I’ve told you countless times Vix and I had no romantic past. Why would I bring her to the Empire and introduce her as the Princess? Do you truly believe that’s a lie?"

"I never called it a lie, Duke," she responded coolly. "I’m certain she is the Princess of the Empire."

The Duke’s eyes widened. "What? You know? How? How can you be so sure?"

Duchess Bernice smirked. "That, Duke, is not your concern. It wasn’t part of the contract, and the contract itself holds no meaning anymore."

He clenched his fists. "Why do you always harp on the contract? I’ve said it repeatedly, I won’t let you go. I refused to sign it then, and now, when it’s expired, I refuse to accept this charade!"

"It’s not my decision, Duke. Once I set things right, I’ll leave, and no one can stop me." Her voice hardened. "As for Vix being your wife, don’t you know Dukes, Marquises, and even the Emperor himself have the right to take multiple women into their households? And I speak no falsehoods."

"I have no such intention towards the Princess," he growled.

"That’s irrelevant. I’m not your wife, so I have no right to meddle in your affairs. I simply fulfilled my duties as your wife to protect you from public dishonor, which I did. Our relationship ends there."

"It doesn’t end there," the Duke whispered, taking a step closer.

Duchess Bernice raised an eyebrow. "What more is there?"

He paused, his voice husky. "Can’t you feel it? Doesn’t your womanly instinct whisper my true intentions towards you? Isn’t it crystal clear?"

She scoffed. "I feel nothing, Duke. If that’s all you have to say, you may leave."

He ignored her, capturing her wrist and pinning her against the wall. "Don’t lie, Duchess. I know you can feel it—my breath on your neck, your pulse quickening as I get closer. You feel it all, so why deny it?"

He leaned closer, his breath tickling her ear. "See? Your breathing is erratic, your heartbeat a drum against my chest. Is this all a lie?"

Duchess Bernice struggled, her voice shaky. "D-Duke, anyone would react this way. I’m not accustomed to men’s attentions. It’s a natural response."

"It is not duchess. I know you are lying to me straight up!" Duke said, nuzzling on her neck while the duchess flinched.

"No, I won’t let my feelings be a hassle in my revenge," the duchess thought and controlled her breath.

"Duchess, stop controlling. It is not going to work. This is bound to happen. I know things have started late, but I’m going to reciprocate these feelings, this desire to you openly from now on. I will let you know how possessive I am toward you, and from now on, I’m going to stay with you in your room. I don’t think as husband and wife we need to stay away from each other, right, duchess?" he said, his sly smile giving it away.

"I don’t agree to this," the duchess denied despite her flushed face showing up.

"I don’t need your permission in this, duchess. You are my wife, and I want to stay with you. I won’t let go of a single minute of my life from now on," he said while he ordered a maid inside.

"Yes, Duke! You have called me?" the maid asked, bowing in front of him.

"Yes, I would like to have my things shifted into this room right away. From now on, I’m going to be here along with my wife," he said.

"I will do it right away," the maid said, leaving the room.

"What is this misbehavior, Duke? You are not respecting my wish," the duchess said.

"Because I know that is not your wish. I’m solely reading your wish despite you hiding," he said and placed a kiss on her neck, making her let out a small moan.

The duchess hurried and closed her mouth as the moan slipped through her lips.

"See! Your body is too honest to my touch," Duke smirked.

"Didn’t I say this is just a simple natural instinct? If there would be another man except you, I would have done the same because I have never felt such a feeling before," the duchess said with a poker face.

"Take another man’s name in front of me, duchess. I will clearly lose my mind."

"You think about another man in front of me, I will make you unable to think of anything but me, and you wouldn’t even know what I will do to make you stop thinking," the duke said in his husky tone.

"What kind of shameless thing are you talking about, Duke?" the duchess flushed.

"This is not at all shameless. You have just never seen me shameless because I wanted to give you enough time. But no more. I can give you no more time, or else I will lose my mind," he said while sucking on her neck, leaving a mark on her collarbone.

"Ah!" she moaned again while clenching his shoulder tightly.

"That’s my wife!!!" he said smiling and left the room, making her fall on her knees as if her legs gave up.

"What was that? I have never ever seen him behave this way. Why is he so possessive all of a sudden, as if he has turned into a completely different person?" the duchess said while her breathing started to run faster, imagining the scenes that happened a while ago.

"Duchess, I have bought all the things Duke used. Can I come inside to place them in their place?" The maid came.

"Yes, come in!" the duchess allowed while trying to control herself.

"Don’t lose the life, or you will repeat the life once again," she remembered the voice, making her snap out of the thoughts.

"Erios!" she summoned the holy sword. "Yes, master! What can I do for you today?" Erios asked.

"The plan will change." Her voice was resolute.

"The duke is coming, and I can’t leave the room," the duchess said, worry tingeing her tone.

"Can I make him sleep?" the holy sword offered.

"No!" The duchess’s voice rose in protest.

"Duchess, are you wavering? Has the duke become an obstacle?" Erios questioned.

"No! I will not stray from my path, nor will I let them go unpunished," she declared, marching out of the room towards Princess Sylvia’s chambers.

"Princess, may I enter?" the duchess asked.

"Duchess, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" the tribal princess inquired with polite formality.

"I need your help, princess. It’s a difficult request, but I have no choice." The duchess’s voice held a tremor of desperation.

"What is it? Is something troubling you?" the princess asked with concern.

"The duke will be staying in my quarters, hindering my mission. You must help me punish them." The duchess’s eyes blazed with determination.

"Do you want me to carry out your plan?" the tribal princess confirmed.

"Yes, I want to witness their downfall myself, but under these circumstances, I cannot. That’s why I need your assistance." The duchess’s voice softened with exhaustion.

"Tell me what to do. I will gladly aid you." The princess’s gaze was unwavering.

"Enter the emperor’s hidden chamber and force-feed him this potion, if necessary. It must be done." The duchess handed her a vial of blue liquid.

"Consider it done, duchess. Rest assured." The princess grasped the vial, eyes glinting with resolve.

"Erios will be invaluable in your mission. His aid will ensure secrecy." The duchess’s advice was tinged with suspicion.

"I will rely on the holy sword’s guidance." The princess bowed her head.

"I am grateful for your support, princess," the duchess whispered, turning to leave. She paused at the door. "But I sense another player in this game, a hidden force we are unaware of."

"What do you mean, duchess?" Princess Sylvia’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"Someone else is acting, behind the veil." The duchess’s cryptic words hung in the air, leaving the princess to ponder their meaning.

"Someone else? Who could it be?" the princess asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

"I myself am unsure," the duchess admitted, her brow furrowed in thought. "But I can’t shake the feeling of another presence, someone else holding a grudge against the emperor. They remain hidden, their actions obscured by the public exposure of my own."

"I will find them," Princess Sylvia declared, her resolve hardening. "The chamber will reveal its secrets if I search it thoroughly."

"My gratitude cannot be expressed enough," the duchess said, a weary smile gracing her lips. With a final nod, she turned and left the princess’s room.

"I will see this game through to the end," she muttered to herself, the words imbued with steely determination. "I cannot lose this time."