Duke of the Beast and the Vicarious Bride - Chapter 35

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※ This work contains depictions of coercive relationships, explicit language, and other graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

The old woman observed Fiona’s womanhood with a serious expression, then wiped away the still-moist seed and traces of blood with a clean cloth. In her not-long life, it ranked among the most humiliating moments.

After thoroughly examining between Fiona’s legs for some time, the old woman finally confirmed the result Jayden had been awaiting.

“Judging by the blood traces and the degree of damage, it is certain the wedding night was properly consummated. Seed also remains within, and—”

“Ha!”

The old woman’s words were cut off by Jayden’s exclamation. At the same time, he commanded everyone except Fiona to withdraw. The old woman and maids vanished from the room as swiftly as they had entered.

Left alone with him, Fiona straightened her clothing and swallowed her rage and humiliation. She had heard of the vile custom among nobles where a marriage’s consummation was sometimes confirmed merely by traces upon the bedsheet.

But she had never imagined she would have to lie so barbarously exposed, her most private parts displayed for others to see. Fiona shuddered at the memory of the maids’ eyes, pretending indifference as they surveyed her body.

At the same time, her hatred for Jayden deepened further. What manner of fit had seized him to behave thus?

“I knew you were a headstrong girl, but to actually couple with that beast?”

Before Fiona, wrapped in her blanket, Jayden continued to rage. He who had personally pushed her into that beast’s den now fumed as if the outcome had defied his expectations—clearly, something was not right with him.

After being seized by the maids and released, Fiona’s entire body had gone limp. She lacked the strength to retort. Tonight alone had felt like surviving multiple storms. All that remained was to weather this final ordeal named Jayden.

“So what exactly do you want from me? Do you wish to call it off, even after having me verified yourself?”

At Fiona’s indifferent response, Jayden bit his lips in frustration and spat out:

“No, it cannot be called off. You are now, beyond any doubt, the wife of that beast. Every night you will share your body with it and carry its offspring.”

“If you are going to bark so loudly, at least tell me something I do not already know.”

Fiona, hurling sarcasm within the limits of her remaining strength, found one particular phrase among Jayden’s words especially grating. Though, to be fair, the most grating thing of all was Jayden’s very existence.

“And stop calling him a beast. He has a proper name.”

At Fiona’s words, Jayden turned to her with an expression of disbelief. He looked, for a moment, genuinely shocked.

“Caligo. I have decided to call him that. More precisely, Caligo of Aquileia, Grand Duke.”

It was a warning to no longer treat him with disrespect or neglect. Jayden’s face contorted further. Her initial intention had been purely to defend Caligo, but his visceral reaction sparked another thought.

‘The more I elevate Caligo, the more it grates on this bastard.’

For some reason, Jayden had openly despised Caligo even before Fiona arrived here. At first she had thought it merely a means to torment her, but the disgust etched upon his face was no pretence.

“So kindly attend to your forms of address henceforth, His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief.”

Mimicking Jayden’s oily tone, she taunted him. Unable to contain his fury, he glared at her as if he might kill her, then stormed from the room.

“Madman, through and through.”

Watching his pathetic retreat, she muttered and then burrowed beneath the covers, flopping onto her back. She wished to wash away the dried fluid between her legs and the traces of the maids’ hands upon her body, but she simply had no strength remaining.

Yet contrary to her body’s exhaustion, which seemed ready to surrender to sleep at any moment, her mind remained stubbornly clear, as if awakened.

If this was to be the case, perhaps she should go wash after all. But truly, she had no strength. As she lay stretched out in indecision, the door Jayden had slammed shut behind him cautiously opened once more.

Surely he had not returned? Starting up in alarm, Fiona half-rose, then recognizing the figure who entered as Marie the maid, buried her head in the pillow once more.