"Wouldn’t we know if we could be a real married couple... if we did it?"... more>>

At that single remark from her friend, Shirley faltered.

After all, she was already struggling with the question of whether she and Damian, her fated fiancé since birth, could ever truly become a ‘real married couple’ rather than just friends.

"Of course, we’ll become husband and wife."

Her kind and gentle fiancé would always say frustratingly naive things, completely unaware of her inner turmoil.

"Then break off the engagement."

Her family gave her the chance to decide.

"So, you’re saying your fiancé doesn’t feel like a man to you?"

This man, who she didn’t even know, pierced through Shirley’s hesitations with startling clarity.

***

One sweltering summer night, while she lay asleep in her room, someone came to her.

"Let’s do something fun, Shirley."

Creak.

The bed dipped as someone sat down on one side.

"Something fun…?"

"Yeah, something fun."

Was it just her imagination, or was his voice filled with an intense heat?

"And what would that be?"

"You’ll like it, Shirley. I’m sure of it."

The hand that slid along her pale leg, illuminated by the moonlight, carried an unmistakable danger.

"What?"
"Whether we can or can’t, we’ll find out once we spend the night together."
The voice whispering in her ear sent a shiver through Shirley’s body.
"Show me that pretty thing." <<less

No matter how vast the world may be and how many lunatics exist within it, this was simply too much.... more>>

“Let me go.”

“No.”

His smile was beautiful, but it was chilling.

The more she resisted, the tighter the rope binding her wrists became.

“You promised, didn’t you? To marry me.”

What he brought up was a memory from the distant past.

[Why can’t we get married?]

[Because your status is lower than mine. My father wouldn’t approve of it.]

[…Then what should I do?]

[I don’t know. Maybe if you became a Duke, it’d be different.]

…Such careless words should never have been spoken.

A romance that begins with confinement and proceeds with love after captivity.

A marriage promise should not be made lightly. <<less

I'm Selena, a daughter born to a family well-known for their fertile women. I was sold off in a marriage to a sickly duke whose life hung in the balance, for the sake of producing an heir of his family. They provided me a medicine purported to aid in pregnancy, and the astrologist even advised me about good days to sleep together, but...there was no child.... more>>

"So, are there any signs of pregnancy?"

"Ah, I-I'm sorry."

"You're useless. What luck do you think won you the position of the duke's wife?"

I couldn't say a word.

‘No, excuse me. I only have to look at the sky to pluck a star. That's how I attained this position.'

***

A husband who doesn't like touching me in the least.

But he's still pitiful so let's at least make him healthy by feeding him nutritious food, getting him to exercise, and I'll personally test any doubtful food first. Once he recovers from my extensive efforts, I'll sign an annulment paper and flee, but...

"You agreed to a contract to bear me an heir. But to think you would go back on your words..."

Although he's in good health now, my "former" husband has become a bit too healthy.

"You're healthy now!"

"The duties of marriage are sacred. I will collect my dues."

"Wait. Wait! But we're divorced? We're no longer husband and wife..."

He smirked then took a piece of paper from his breast pocket and tossed it to me.

"We aren't divorced yet." <<less