I Had No Complaints About This Marriage - Chapter 70

And it wasn’t just that. He was different from the men who pretended to be kind but gave her nothing but lies. Different from those who raised their hands against her. Different from the one who took the money they saved for a trip together and went on a journey with another woman.

Instead of pushing her into danger, he had rushed to save her. He hadn’t hesitated to get hurt this badly just to protect her. Unlike those other men who would’ve used her as bait to escape their own crises.

‘So just this once…’

Even though she had foolishly repeated the same mistakes, falling for the same sweet lies again and again—still, even now…

There was a part of her that wanted to believe in the possibility.

The possibility that, this time, someone might truly love her—that there might be someone she could love without fear.

‘Maybe this time…’

Maybe it’s possible.

Maybe even I can be loved.

It was a moment when Esina, without realizing it, swelled with hope. As tears continued to stream down Herman’s face, he whispered desperately. His tears fell, one by one, onto her skin.

“…Give me a chance.”

“……”

“Just one last chance. Please.”

His voice sounded like it might crumble to ash at any moment.

“I’ll make sure you can love me again.”

Over and over, he would try. He would keep trying until she allowed it.

Until he became someone she could love without hesitation.

“So please……”

The moment his pleading voice pierced her ears—

Without thinking, Esina pulled Herman’s face closer to hers. His tear-streaked face looked unbearably cute.

Honestly, it was hard not to cave when a handsome man—exactly her type—was clinging to her like this, crying.

Mwah.

The impulsive kiss left Herman’s face burning red. Even that was ridiculously endearing. Staring straight into his eyes, she asked.

“You’ll really try?”

“…Yeah.”

“You’ll do your best?”

Even if she couldn’t fully trust him yet, wasn’t it okay to at least hear his promise?

Even though her heart had already swayed toward him, Esina thought—I can give him a chance. I can always pull away if I need to.

‘At the very least, I liked our married life.’

There had been no complaints.

Couldn’t they keep this going for as long as possible? Until the day Herman betrayed her—whenever that might be.

“Esina.”

His voice, thick with emotion, sent tremors through her core. Esina let out a sweet moan as she gazed up at Herman, then gently stroked the nape of his neck.

“I’ll give you a chance.”

“But if you don’t give it your all— Hah—!”

Before she could finish, his scorching kiss swallowed her words. The way her name spilled from his lips between ragged breaths was intoxicating—Esina, Esina…

“Yeah. I’ll try.”

With that promise, Herman began moving again with desperate intensity, as if imprinting his vow into her very body—I won’t let you go.

“Ah— Nngh— H-Herman!”

Esina clung to him, gasping as his movements rocked her, only to freeze in horror the next second—

“…Don’t you dare die on me!”

At the same moment, Herman’s wound—burst open from overexertion—gushed blood, and his eyes fluttered shut as he collapsed.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Esina brushed Herman’s hair back as a garden breeze swept over them, her expression laced with worry. Now that they had returned from the ducal residence to their own newlywed home, even the wind rustling through the trees felt familiar.

Herman, who had been flipping through documents with Esina perched on his lap, fluttered his lashes pitifully as he looked up at her.

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course. If you were to leave me first, I’d have to find a new husband—”

“That will never happen.”

A low growl rumbled in his throat, and Esina responded with a playful grin.

So you’d better stay healthy, Herman.

Though she said it lightly, Herman had suffered terribly after that day.

He had teetered on the edge of death, and Esina had nearly lost her mind with fear. The wounds he had taken were far deeper than she realized.

Fortunately, he recovered. The fact that several maids—who had rushed in at Esina’s screams—witnessed their intimate moment, and that the rumor spread of him being a madman who wouldn’t stop holding his wife even in that state, was just an unfortunate side effect.

Herman didn’t care. If anything, he seemed proud, letting the gossip run wild.