TDWO Chapter 43

 

3. The Duke’s Secret

“Madam, Madam.”

Anri awoke only when night fell.

Had Anais not woken her, she might have slept until morning.

In truth, Anri didn’t immediately realize that “Madam” was referring to her.

It seemed like she would have to get used to being called “Madam” instead of “Miss.”

However, Anais seemed a bit awkward.

She needed to get Anri cleaned up and ready for her wedding night.

After stretching out lazily, Anri immersed herself in the bathtub.

Perhaps due to the importance of the night, the bathwater was different from usual. It was infused with flowers and fragrances.

Even though the wedding night was imminent, Anri’s mind was still foggy.

She seemed to still be half-asleep.

It was only after the servants massaged her neck and shoulders that she fully came to her senses.

But as soon as her vision cleared, she was extremely hungry!

‘Grrr.’

The moment she felt the hunger, the bathwater began to ripple.

The servants who had been massaging her stopped abruptly.

Anri froze in surprise.

“Madam, are you hungry?”

“Oh, no. I’m fine.”

Anri awkwardly smiled at Anais’s question.

The fact that a single stomach growl caused ripples in the bathwater rather than just a fart was a relief. Whew.

“How about having something to eat after your bath?”

This time, Anais asked kindly.

Anri briefly considered whether she should eat something.

Even though it was her wedding night…

Of course, she wouldn’t be showing her bare body to Edwin.

Still, she was a bit concerned about the possibility of her stomach showing.

Anri quickly smiled at Anais.

“It’s okay. It’s probably just digestion noises. I’m not really hungry.”

Digestion, my foot.

The amount of activity Anri had with so many people dancing today was huge.

Her stomach was growling loudly as if it were a clock alarm, so that was that.

“Yes, Madam. If you ever want a snack, just let me know.”

Anri nodded a few times at Anais’s words.

Then a sudden and strange resistance arose within her.

So what if she had a bloated stomach? What could she do about it?

But she didn’t want to be caught.

“Hmm…”

With a complicated and ambiguous feeling she couldn’t even understand, Anri submerged her chin in the water with narrow eyes.

* * *

Anri put on a thin flannel nightgown.

The nightgown was lavishly decorated with lace and frills, giving it a strong romantic feel. Some of the lace details were made of delicate chiffon rather than cotton.

Her hair was naturally left loose.

Although she had only bathed and put on clean clothes, she looked several years younger.

Anri finally approached the room prepared for their wedding night.

It was a bedroom on the second floor of the mansion.

She had been lost in thought while walking there, but as she faced the door, she felt a bit nervous.

Her heart was faintly racing.

Would Edwin already be inside?

The servants who had brought her here left after leaving her alone.

Anri cautiously opened the door and entered.

“…….”

However, only the emptiness of the room greeted her in the spacious silence.

The room was much more atmospherically decorated than she had expected.

‘Wow. This is overwhelming just to look at.’

Even if there was no romantic connection, or even if they were in a vehemently antagonistic relationship, one hour alone in this room might make them fall for each other.

Sparks would likely fly soon enough.

Softly glowing candles gently illuminated the room.

Around the bed, which looked cozy with its white linens, sheer, pure white curtains were faintly drawn.

Just being in the room stirred her emotions.

‘Ahem, this is…’

Anri scratched under her nose for no particular reason.

She maintained a calm expression with her eyes wide open, but in her imagination, she was already embodying a pure femme fatale.

‘Even if I just glance at him for a second, he’ll be all over me…’

Anri was suddenly filled with an unwarranted confidence, feeling that she might even be able to lure Edwin in.

‘Anri + cream-colored nightgown + white bed =…?’

This combination seemed irresistibly endearing even to Anri herself, to the point where she felt like she’d want to embrace it.

She wondered what would happen if he became infatuated and flustered.

As she imagined such absurd scenarios and surveyed the room, Anri’s eyes were suddenly drawn to something.

What really caught her interest was something different.

“Huh?”

On the round table behind the bed were desserts and wine set up.

Cherry jelly, souffle, pound cake, and baked treats were all laid out.

The wine, in particular, was an opaque pink rosé, perfectly suited for a newlywed’s first night.

The pink rose symbolized budding love and a pledge of that love.

Knowing well the Ducal family’s kitchen skills, Anri swallowed unconsciously.

Normally, such lavish desserts weren’t part of their standard fare.

Among the desserts, her gaze lingered longest on the cherry jelly.

Just as she quickly approached and grabbed a dessert fork, she hesitated.

‘It feels a bit awkward to eat alone…’

It would be embarrassing if the desserts were already devoured before he arrived, considering it was their wedding night.

Reluctantly, Anri put the fork back down and glanced towards the door.

It didn’t seem like Edwin would arrive anytime soon.

Anri sat on the chair, blinking endlessly.

‘Having to wait in front of food…’

It felt like a truly harsh and tedious task.

How much time had passed?

It felt like 50 minutes, but it was probably less than 5 minutes.

Unable to wait any longer, Anri got up from the chair.

Wrapped in a dark gray shawl, she ventured into the corridor.

She looked around, but there was no sign of Edwin in the hallway.

After a brief hesitation, Anri decided to go find Edwin’s room.

Edwin’s room was on the same second floor as Anri’s.

However, she had never been near that area before. There was no reason for her to go there.

With each step she took, she felt a peculiar sense of crossing into forbidden territory.

‘What if he doesn’t come at all? He should at least tell me if that’s the case…’

She knocked on Edwin’s door.

After waiting for a while with no response, Anri knocked again, louder this time. Still, no one came out.

‘What’s going on?’

Perplexed, Anri opened the door and stepped inside.

…She was greeted by Edwin’s bedroom for the first time.

The room was furnished with black furniture, giving off a restrained and elegant feel that seemed just right for Edwin.

But the problem was, there was no one there.

‘Where did the groom go on our wedding night?’

He had emphasized the importance of the first night so strongly in the contract.

Even though it was just a formality.

Anri looked around the room.

She knew she should leave since it was empty, but she felt an urge to explore… and then she discovered another door.

Anri hesitated.

‘That must be the bathroom, right?’

In the Wentworth estate, as well as in most mansions, water had to be fetched from the kitchen on the first floor.

However, at Mayfair House, every floor had its own faucet.

Thanks to such meticulous and impressive facilities, Anri’s room had its own bathroom.

The same was true for Edwin’s room.

Anri approached the door and carefully pressed her ear against it.

There were no sounds of running water or voices. It was quiet.

Normally, he didn’t have servants bathe him.

It was due to an incident involving one of the maids throwing herself at Edwin.

At that time, he was only fourteen.

So, although he employed male servants, even they kept casting sidelong glances at him.

Eventually, Edwin began bathing himself after the servants filled the tub.

For someone who usually takes baths alone, it was unusually quiet.

‘Is he really not here?’

Knock, knock.

“Is anyone there…? Duke?”

Anri knocked on the door. She waited for a moment, but there was no response.

Perhaps Edwin was somewhere else and had already moved to the bedroom for their first night.

That thought made Anri decide she should hurry back and eat the cherry jelly.

Just as she was about to rush out, she heard a thud.

Startled, Anri turned around.

She couldn’t immediately determine where the noise came from.

Her eyes were drawn to the bathroom door.

A sudden thought struck her.

‘Is someone in there? Did something happen? Maybe they slipped?’

That would be serious!

Anri quickly approached the door and turned the handle.

First, a cloud of steamy mist poured out through the crack.

“…Duke!”

But the inside was eerily empty, as if no one was there.

The shout she intended to make fell away, her voice faltering.

Only the occasional drip of water was heard.

Anri leaned her head into the gap in the door, looking around the foggy interior.

As the outside air entered, the mist quickly thinned.

The inside became visible, as if the clouds had dispersed.

At the same time, the distinct shape of someone with flesh-toned skin revealed their presence.

“…….”

The broad chest, narrowing waist, and straight legs descending in a line.

Yet the buttocks twitched with vibrant life.

……Gulp.

Anri stood there, frozen as if nailed in place. Her eyelids didn’t even blink.

It was a body with proportions and balance perfectly sculpted, as if it were a statue.

The surface was white and smooth, like polished marble.

The bathroom had instantly turned into an art gallery.

‘……Michelangelo?’

The body resembled a sculpture by Michelangelo, the famous Renaissance artist.

Who was Michelangelo?

He was a sculptor who reached divine heights, capable of bringing lifelike detail to stone and revealing the hidden life and passion within marble blocks.

This body seemed to have been shaped with the same dynamic and beautiful artistry.

It was like viewing the peak of physical beauty.

‘Ah……’

Anri’s eyes were captivated without her realizing it.

It was so good. So very good…

Her heart melted as if she were admiring a long-awaited masterpiece.

Being drawn to beautiful art was Anri’s instinct.

The person who created that body was probably an even greater sculptor than Michelangelo.

Moreover, he understood the essence of male physical beauty and sensuality exceptionally well.

Anri admired it as if she were looking at a sculpture, not a person.

It was amazing how stone could be made to look so smooth. It resembled baby skin.

Then, the broad back began to shift and turned to face Anri.

Her gaze was still blankly fixed on the buttocks.

“……!”

Edwin’s eyes widened as he discovered Anri’s pink hair.

Their gazes met, and it felt as though time had stopped.