I Had No Complaints About This Marriage - Chapter 34

It didn’t make sense. If she was receiving things like that, she should have told him. He would have handled it.

‘She can’t even tolerate unpleasant comments.’

He remembered Esina at the department store, her eyelashes fluttering at the gossip, her eyes wavering whenever she drew a sharp line—telling him not to interfere, not to act like he cared. Her face, twisted in what looked like irritation.

And yet, she had endured those letters in silence. Alone.

He couldn’t believe it, so he came to see for himself—only to find the door locked. And when she finally opened it, this was what he discovered. She must have locked herself in, reading these letters and stewing in frustration.

“……”

The state of her clothes, which he’d initially mistaken for something indecent, now looked more like she’d been sitting on the floor, clutching at her dress in anger. Her flushed face, her ragged breathing—it all seemed like she’d been holding back fury.

Had she been pounding her chest, trying to swallow her rage?

Logically, he knew that wasn’t like Esina at all—but his mind kept superimposing the image of her, upset and furious. His mood soured again.

And that foul mood, unfairly, lashed out at Esina.

“You like hearing this kind of talk?”

“……”

“Does it make you happy, Esina?”

Esina stared blankly at Herman, wondering what nonsense he was spouting now.

First, he suddenly started radiating this ominous aura, and now he was saying things like this? As if she hadn’t accomplished exactly what he should be thanking her for.

“…Shouldn’t you be the happy one, Herman?”

“Me? Happy?”

“You’re the one benefiting from me taking all this criticism.”

She hadn’t meant anything by it. Really, wasn’t this all going his way?

From Esina’s perspective, Herman was the one slacking on their contract. If her reputation tanked any further, the Duke of Telloien—who was already pretending not to care while secretly keeping tabs—would finally cut ties for good.

But whatever twisted interpretation Herman had for her words, his gaze turned glacial as he looked down at her. Then, a sharp, humorless laugh escaped him.

“Ha.”

Herman’s insides were boiling.

‘Since when did I ever give the impression I enjoy this?!’

Was it possible that this girl—who had always been so shameless and brazen around him—

‘…Actually thought I wanted her to be insulted?’

Had she been enduring it because of that? Resenting him for it?

His mood, already scraping rock bottom, plunged even further. Without realizing it, his lips curled into something bitter.

“So you’re saying I’m the one who gets off on this?”

“Wha—? That’s not— Wait—!”

Before she could protest, Herman’s fingers brushed against the neckline she’d just adjusted.

“Ah—!”

The touch against her exposed n****e was teasing, deliberate. Esina tensed instinctively, her back stiffening—just as Herman tugged the fabric lower, his thumb grazing the peak now peeking over the edge. The air thickened instantly, heavy with something indecent.

“H-Herman… wait, there—”

“If you liked it so much, you should’ve just said so.”

“Nh…!”

“Had I known you had such peculiar tastes, I’d have indulged you properly before strangers got to you.”

Dazed, Esina squeezed her eyes shut against the dizzying sensations—only for Herman to wrench the dress down entirely with a rip.

Cool air hit her bare skin. No time to react—he hauled her up and pinned her against the glass window.

“Ah—Hng…!”

As her stiffened n****e was crushed against the cold glass, Esina let out a moan laced equally with pain and pleasure. Goosebumps erupted across her pale, soft chest—icy yet electric, aching yet intoxicating.

Without realizing it, she began grinding her b*****s against the window, hips twisting helplessly. Herman watched with darkened eyes, biting the inside of his cheek as he gathered the hem of her dress and shoved it upward.

“Ngh…!”

When he forced her legs apart, a strained whimper escaped her. He clicked his tongue, admonishing her in a whisper.

“If you liked being treated like trash, if you enjoyed hearing those words—”

“Hah… nn…!”

“—I would’ve done this for you sooner.”

His fingers drove into her without warning, and her body jerked violently, thighs clamping around his wrist. The thick, relentless strokes of his fingers scraped ruthlessly against her inner walls, stretching her taut.

Already, the sharp sensations had her dripping. Her body—thoroughly trained by Herman—opened eagerly at the mere promise of pleasure, trembling in anticipation.

“Hh…!”