It Was A Wrong Marriage From The Beginning - Chapter 2
Translator: Nieye
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Chapter 2
“Father!”
Pushed into the room, Ana was seated on a chair without a chance to resist. As John’s men followed, they tightly bound her wrists and ankles.
Finally, pulling up the gag to her mouth, John smirked.
“Ana, you’re obedient, aren’t you? Behave nicely, and I’ll bring your husband to you. He’s a gentleman and has been eagerly waiting for you. I’m sure he’ll cherish you just like your father did, so don’t be so frightened.”
“!”
Ana’s thoughts raced, but she couldn’t even blink. With each word John spat out, a vile stench filled the air as he brought his face dangerously close to hers.
“Even the gods will acknowledge how much I’ve cared for a girl who isn’t even of my own blood. Now it’s time for you to repay that favor, don’t you think?”
“!”
“Leave everything to me, my dear. Just prepare yourself to be adored.”
He turned away after roughly stroking Ana’s soft blonde hair with his dirty hands. He and his men exited the room, while the girl hesitated, glancing at her before leaving as well. With a thud, the door closed, leaving her alone in the dark room.
“…”
Ana was on the verge of panic. Good Lord, her father had actually sold her off to the marquis! And right now! Refusing politely wasn’t going to work at all.
‘I need to escape!’
Terrified, Ana struggled with all her might. Her face was red with exertion, but the ropes remained as tight as ever, not giving an inch.
“Ugh…”
Exhausted and out of breath, she was suddenly jolted by a creaking sound as the door slowly opened. She held her breath, thinking John had already returned, but instead, someone slipped in, closed the door, and looked at her.
‘Why is she…?’
It was the girl who had guided them here. Clutching her ruffled skirt, the girl had a serious expression as she drew a dagger from her side. Ana froze, taken aback.
The girl calmly muttered,
“I’ll free you.”
“!”
It was an unexpectedly welcome offer. However, Ana’s suspicion held her back.
‘What if this is a trap?’
The girl approached silently, swiftly undoing the bonds on Ana’s wrists, and then the gag on her mouth. She stepped back.
“Hurry and leave. You have to escape before the marquis arrives. He always brings his hefty men with him.”
Ana rubbed her sore wrists. It didn’t seem to be a trap, but… she whispered nervously.
“Then, are you- are you going to be alright?”
Worried that revealing her act of freeing Ana might bring her severe consequences, Ana couldn’t easily move her feet. The girl who had untied her, with visible signs of suffering abuse on her face and body, stared at Ana with a stern gaze.
“Jenny told me to live with dignity. Leaving you like this would be the most shameful thing in my life.”
“…”
Ana, who had been speechless, quickly removed the earrings she was wearing and handed them to the girl.
“I don’t know who Jenny is, but thank you to the both of you.”
In a trembling voice, Ana whispered as she placed the earrings in the girl’s hand.
“You should run away too.”
The girl hesitated but eventually tucked the earrings into her bosom.
“I’ll guide you to the shared carriage station.”
After slightly cracking open the door and checking the surroundings, the girl signaled for her to follow. Carefully walking down the stairs through the dim corridor, they reached the front entrance without anyone watching. They successfully made it outside the building.
“This way!”
The girl took Ana’s hand and led her down a dark alley. Ana’s breath was caught in her throat, but she summoned her strength and ran as fast as she could.
The two of them rushed through the alleyways, dodging stumbling drunks and prostitutes exposing their bare chests and thighs, engaging in their debauchery. The cold and damp air, along with the stench of lust and corruption, pierced through their lungs sharply.
Passing through cramped passages and hidden doors, how long had they been running? Eventually, they arrived at the entrance of Lily Street, where the Snow Lily was painted.
“Just a little further down that way, and you’ll find a carriage waiting!”
The girl pulled out a few coins from her pocket and handed them to Ana. She accepted them and expressed her heartfelt gratitude.
“Thank you so much. I’ll never forget what happened today.”
“Please go quickly.”
The girl looked around one last time, awkwardly waved her hand in farewell, and then turned around and disappeared into the darkness.
Taking a deep breath, Ana stepped outside Lily Street. However, at that very moment, a hand emerged from behind and grabbed a tight hold of her hair.
“Ah!”
“You shouldn’t make a fuss, miss.”
The man who grabbed Ana had a completely untroubled expression as he chuckled. The scar on his face, extending from his temple down to his jawline, twisted and contorted in the light that illuminated the Snow Lily, as if it were wriggling alive.
“Let go of me!”
Ana struggled, but the man, undeterred, dragged her back into the alley. The pain felt as if her scalp were being torn apart, and in that moment of agony, Ana let out a scream.
A black cane pierced through the space between them and struck the man’s face.
“Aaargh!”
Letting out a cry, the man covered his face with both hands. Before Ana could fully recover her senses and make sense of the situation, her wrist was caught again, and her body was quickly spun. In an instant, her vision darkened. Someone had positioned her behind their back.
“Aliana!”
John came rushing in with his men, belatedly.
“Who the hell is this guy?!”
John’s men surrounded the man with the black cane and Ana. John’s face turned red, and he shouted at the man, veins popping out on his neck.
“How dare you attempt to kidnap my daughter? The Marquis of Normen won’t forgive you for this!”
The man retorted in a low, leisurely voice.
“Seems you’ve forgotten about me, Evercline.”
“!”
Ana’s shoulders twitched.
“What nonsense is this? Who the hell are you?”
John snorted and stepped forward. Ana’s head was spinning from the sudden turn of events, but she widened her eyes and stared intently at the man’s back.
Somehow… he didn’t seem unfamiliar.
‘Could it be…?’
Ana swallowed hard and raised her trembling hand towards his back. At that moment, the man spoke again.
“It hasn’t been that long, yet you seem surprised. How about this, can you recognize me now?”
Stepping forward, he emerged from the dazzling light that illuminated the Snow Lily. Ana, left in the darkness, futilely reached out into the air, her hand trembling with despair. Just then, John took a sharp intake of breath.
“You- you are!”
The unexpected situation caused a stir in their surroundings. The man spoke calmly.
“I might be a little late, but I’ve come to take you.”
With that, he turned halfway, revealing his face to Ana as it was bathed in the radiant light.
“!”
Ana’s heart sank with a thump. The man’s sharp gaze traveled slowly from her head to her toes, then rose again to fixate on her face. The corner of his lips curled upwards, tracing an elegant line.
“…My bride.”
The person Ana loved most in the world, Raiden, had come to rescue her.
“My lady, are you awake?”
Struggling to open her eyes, Ana found Lucy’s round face right in front of her. Ana frowned and slowly sat up.
‘When did I… return to the mansion?’
Her mind felt foggy, as if covered by a white haze. Lucy spoke with a sympathetic tone.
“You must be very tired. You cried out and shouted that you didn’t want it, telling someone to go away as you slept, as if you were having a nightmare the entire time.”
Did she really do that? Ana blinked, and suddenly, memories of the previous day rushed back to her. Raiden!
“Where’s Raiden? Where is he?”
Panicking, she looked around, causing Lucy to become distressed.
“Who is that?”
“…Ah.”
Could it have been a dream…? Just as Ana hesitated, Lucy cautiously asked,
“Are you talking about the person who brought you back last night, my lady?”
It wasn’t a dream! Ana nodded fervently, her face easing with relief. Lucy raised an eyebrow.
“But, my lady, weren’t you out with the count last night? Why would someone else bring my lady…!”
Before Lucy could finish speaking, angry footsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by a forceful door slam.
“Aliana!”
“!”
Facing her stepfather, John, Ana froze in an instant, her thoughts immediately returning to the events of the previous night. She gritted her teeth and gestured reassuringly to the frightened Lucy. Then, she got out of bed and wrapped the robe hanging on a screen around herself.
John strode forward, his anger evident.
“When did you start meeting him again?! Surely you haven’t tarnished your virtue, have you?”
“…What are you talking about?”
Ana responded, giving him a scornful glare, causing John to quickly change his expression.
“I mean, I’m curious about when he returned.”
“…I don’t know either. Yesterday was the first time I saw him.”
“Is that so?”
At Ana’s answer, John’s face, which had been deeply frowning, relaxed slightly. Ana, not wanting to see that expression either, retorted curtly.
“Is that the issue right now?”
John quickly shut his mouth, sensing something pricking at him. Ana glared at him with fiery anger in her eyes.
The title of the Countess of Evercline belonged to Ana’s mother, and after her death, Ana had the inheritance right. John, being Ana’s stepfather, temporarily held the title until Ana got married and found a husband, while John’s authority was limited to what Ana acknowledged.
However, Ana loved and respected John, who had raised her since childhood, so she had delegated many rights to him. She deeply regretted that decision now.
She shouldn’t have done that…
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