The Duke's Unwanted Wife

When Fredrich opened his eyes, the space beside him was empty. It was also cold like nobody had slept there at all. The early morning sun filtered through the open curtains and a bowl of water was already there for him to wash his face. It was already getting cold so he could more or less infer how long it has been there. He stretched, ringing the bell for a servant. When they came in, he still saw no signs of her and so before he knew it, he was asking the servants.    

    

"The Grand Duchess is entertaining guests in the living room. Should we call her in?"    

    

"Which guests?"    

    

"My lord's vassals"    

    

Those were annoying guests that always gave him a headache every time they came to visit. They were always complaining about one thing or the other and he usually fought the urge to kill them. If not for Corren, the vassal households of the southwest would've changed family heads a long time ago. Although he was curious as to how she was doing, he decided a bath was more important. He didn't actually care if she failed.    

    

Once he was done, he found his way to the living room where the guests were being entertained. As the door opened, he heard laughter and thought his ears had failed him. Unlike the tense atmosphere he was expecting, he was met with a warm atmosphere, like it wasn't a meeting between a lady and her husband's vassals but a meeting between family members.    

    

"Oh, his grace has arrived. We greet the Grand Duke"    

    

She greeted him without meeting his gaze. She was dressed in a long light blue gown with flowers embroidered at the bottom. She sat there covering most of her face with a fan yet he could tell she was smiling warmly at his vassals. She had never smiled at him before.    

    

"Her grace is truly the flower of the capital. She has managed to charm us with her manner of speech and her ideas. She's a great addition to the Dukedom"    

    

"I thank you for your kind words"    

    

"Your grace must be lucky to have a wife that adores and respects you. She regularly sings your praises so much so that I'm jealous. It's so good to be young"    

    

She took it upon herself to entertain the vassals and she didn't say a single negative thing about him to them no matter what had happened in the past. She gave the impression that they were a loving couple. He wanted to know how long she could keep up her pretense and what exactly she wanted.    

    

"Since his grace has arrived, I will excuse you now. I promised to have breakfast with my family"    

    

She exited the room without looking back. The vassals didn't complain that day, only delivering short greetings and excusing themselves too. Breakfast came and he had to eat it all alone in the room. He hadn't received so much as a letter from Princess Alana, even though she was aware he was inside the palace. Fredrich sighed.    

    

The woman he deemed useless seemed to be more useful than he expected. She knew how to control any situation thrown at her and knew how to act despite how harsh the situation was. She didn't bother with useless details and didn't act on emotions. She was the perfect candidate for Grand Duchess, especially with the influence of her family. Still, it annoyed him, especially since the situation, no matter how much he threatened her, seemed to be under her control.    

    

"Your grace, his highness the crown prince is here to see you"    

    

"Let him in"    

    

He could tell the annoying prince was there to look for trouble. Instead of greeting the foreign dignitaries, he was there to discuss something foolish once again. He sat comfortably and ordered Corren to prepare tea for him.    

    

"What do you want, your highness?"    

    

"I don't see your wife anywhere"    

    

"You came to my quarters to look for my wife?"    

    

"Don't you know how hard it is to see the flower of the capital? My, you don't seem to know the treasure you've received. Even that money crazed geezer refused to give me her hand in marriage when I asked. I'm jealous"    

    

His words irked Fredrich. The more he stayed in the capital, the more he realised the true importance of the woman he called his wife. For the crown prince to covet her despite having the support of her family, it showed how much he really wanted her.    

    

"She's already married to me, your highness"    

    

"I know that. Divorce isn't exactly a big problem in our kingdom. I'm sure my father won't oppose me dissolving my engagement to my fiancee if it was to marry Miss Natalia"    

    

"What makes you think I'll divorce my wife?"    

    

"Anyone with working eyes could see you prefer my third sister. I can offer you a clean deal in exchange for Miss Natalia. How about it?"    

    

If it wasn't the crown prince talking, Fredrich would've cut him down on the spot. The crown prince drank his tea leisurely, knowing he had stepped on the sore spot of the Grand Duke.    

    

"I reject your offer, your highness. Please don't joke carelessly like that"    

    

"I got it, I got it. It's a bit selfish to want to eat your cake and have it, Fredrich. Think about my offer, Fredrich. I'll be going now"    

    

Fredrich had closed his ears for a long time, intentionally forgetting that the Adamantine family was a powerful noble family that was on par with his. If he was to compare his wife and the woman he loved, they were in different leagues. One was the forgotten princess of the Kingdom and the other was the flower of the capital who controlled both high society and the heart of the commoners. One was elegant and the other was clumsy and ignorant about the ways of high nobility. Even if he were to compare their looks, he didn't want to admit it, but Natalia Adamantine measured up to the nickname she was given. Still, in his eyes and his heart, Alana was more beautiful.    

    

Fredrich knew he had no choice but to ask the Adamantine family's young master for help ascending the throne. Whether or not he would agree largely depended on the one woman he held in high esteem and the one woman Fredrich repeatedly abused; Natalia Adamantine.