The Duke's Unwanted Wife

“Introducing Lady Vivia Hazel, her son, Sebastian Adamantine, her first daughter Natalia Adamantine and her second daughter, Adelie Hazel,” the chamberlain announced as they entered the ballroom. They walked in confidently, ignoring the comments the nobles said as they came in. they were nothing short of rude and uncourteous, mostly about the divorce and a surprising other child. Before they reached the Queen, there was already a rumor of an illegitimate child from the nobles.    

    

“Congratulations on the occasion of your birth, your majesty. By the great spirits, you will live a long and healthy life,” Vivia said, bowing appropriately.    

    

“Thank you, Lady Hazel. I didn’t really expect that you would show up and with your children no less. I admire your strength.”    

    

“Thank you, your majesty. It’s really comforting, knowing that you understand how I feel, especially after I was betrayed my the one supposed to love me.”    

    

Natalia tried not to smile, knowing what her mother was doing. As the Queen tried to mock her for divorcing their father, she was mocking the Queen for the king’s infidelity. Natalia decided to pour salt in the wound.    

    

“Your majesty, congratulations on the occasion of your birth. You look more beautiful with every passing year and your wisdom is all encompassing. I want to thank you for agreeing to my request.”    

    

“What request?”    

    

“The request to see and play with her highness, the third princess. I was almost certain that my letter did not get delivered but I was relieved to see they were. I was so surprised when the first prince, the first princess and the second princess showed up at our play date.”    

    

“I-Is that so? Well, it must’ve been a mistake.”    

    

“Ah, I understand, so it was a mistake after all. Does that mean we can attend the ball with her highness, the third princess now?”    

    

“That is a little…”    

    

“Introducing the Grand Duke, Alfred Kristen, the Grand Duchess Winona Kristen and their son, Lord Fredrich Kristen.”    

    

The family entered the ballroom and the whole placed maintained a strange silence. There was no one who didn’t know about the infamous Kristen couple. Winona Kristen, the woman that had three powerful men fighting over her hand in marriage and her husband who was the most eligible bachelor in high society yet renown for his pride, his strength and his temper. They were visible the best couple, especially since she was known for her beauty and temperament.    

    

Lady Vivia left the way with her children and walked to another part of the ballroom, keeping an eye out for the foreign dignitaries. However, she couldn’t escape the gossip vultures that preyed on people like her.    

    

“Lady Vivia, you look gorgeous in that dress. What design is that?”    

    

“Lady Yeri, thank you for noticing. It’s actually a vintage dress from the summer royal collection, the very first ones released. My mother gave it to me as a gift and I thought today was the best day to wear it.”    

    

“Oh, is that so? So it is true that you divorced Marquis Adamantine and returned to your maternal home?”    

    

“Yes, it is true. Not only did I return, I took my children with me so they don’t suffer any more. So, if you want to mock me, go ahead. This is the last time I will be accepting your insults anyway.”    

    

“Is that so? So what about the rumors of your illegitimate child?”    

    

“So the regal ladies of Ducroft’s high society only know how to share rumors, huh? Are you all so focused on rumors that you haven’t taken the time to look at this so called Illegitimate child?”    

    

Afte she said that, they all took a look at the child and found that she looked very familiar, especially like a particular lady because of her green hair and blue eyes. There was only one family that had such distinctive features.    

    

“A Grayson?”    

    

“She is no longer a Grayson since I’ve adopted her as my child. I’ll offer you ladies a piece of advice. Next time you wish to talk behind somebody’s back, say the right things, will you?”    

    

They walked away from the gossip vultures and finally found themselves as the buffet table. However, before they could relax, they found a tougher opponent coming their way, shamelessly with his other wife. Technically, she was now his legal wife. They all decided to ignore his presence and take the things they wanted to eat.    

    

“Natalia. You’re safe. I was worried about you.”    

    

“How could you be worried about me when you were the one who tried to kill me in the first place, father?”    

    

“I was not trying to kill you. I was just trying to awaken your magic.”    

    

“So, locking me down in an abandoned basement and forcing me to go through horrific processes for four years was not trying to kill me?”    

    

“No, it was just tradition.”    

    

“Tradition, you say? I know the tradition of the Adamantine family and it says that one must not marry another wife if the main wife is still alive. Do you only follow tradition when it benefits you, father?”    

    

“Shut your mouth, little girl. How dare you speak to your father that way?” Her stepmother chided.    

    

“A whore who only knows how to take things that are not hers has no right to chastise my child. Why don’t you do what you do best and just silently lurk in the background, Penelope?”    

    

“You’re just a divorced woman. You have no right to speak to me.”    

    

“And you’re the woman who gets the honor of coming second. How does it feel like? You must enjoy the warmth of the bed we use to share together.”    

    

“YOU…!”    

    

“You’d better keep your hands to yourself, Step-mother. I know you’re fond of hitting people but if you do it in public, you’ll just look like an idiot, won’t you?” Sebastian stepped in, standing in front of his mother. Penelope grumbled and left them, leaving Marquis Adamantine torn between his family and his wife. None of them seemed to exactly care for him.    

    

“I will take over the Adamantine family so hold on to your crown well, father. And once I do, I will shamelessly kick that woman out of the house and make sure you spend the rest of your miserable life locked in a room with one high window and barely any food or water. Look forward to it.”    

    

It was an obvious threat and Marquis Adamantine should’ve been frightened. However, he just looked at his son and smiled.    

    

“You’ve grown a lot, Sebastian. I’ll look forward to it.”    

    

Once he left, Sebastian threw the plate he held to the ground. It made such a loud sound and drew quite a bit of attention but then, Natalia covered up for him immediately by stating quite loudly that he overreacted because of her supposed allergy, throwing everything away.    

    

“How…How could you be so patient despite everything that has happened to you?! Why are you not angry?! Why don’t you want revenge for yourself?! How can you stand this pain, this searing anger tearing you up from inside?”    

    

Natalia chuckled and held his arm, leading him out of the ballroom into one of the open corridors. She made him sit and got on her knees on the rock stools, staring out into the gardens blanketed by the starry skies.    

    

“I am used to pain. I am used to being hurt, I am used to being thrown away and I am used to getting betrayed by people I trusted and loved with all my heart. And yes, I have tried to seek revenge. However, that doesn’t help with anything. Not doing anything doesn’t help either. So, I decided to take things into my own hands and change it. Look at mother. In both my past lives, she never got to attend this party and she never got her freedom at this point in her life. I was able to fight for her freedom. That is worth more to me than revenge or anything like that. So, instead of focusing on meaningless things like revenge, why don’t you focus on things that make you happy? For example, archery? Or pleasing mother? Or pleasing even me?”    

    

“Don’t flatter yourself.”    

    

“I already am,” she grinned, jumping down. She extended a hand to him.    

    

“There’s music playing. May I ask for a dance, my lord?”    

    

“It should be the other way around. And mother said your etiquette was perfect,” he scoffed, still taking her hand anyway. They started dancing on the corridor and Sebastian was finally smiling.    

    

“Thank you, Natalia.”    

    

“You’re welcome, Bastian. You look very handsome when you smile.”    

    

“And you look the most beautiful when you smile. Please, Natalia, whatever you do, never stop smiling.”    

    

The door of the corridor opened and Adelie came in with two plates. She had a strange expression on her face but she still walked past them and sat on the rock stools, raising the plates in her hand.    

    

“You two haven’t eaten anything all day. I’m worried.”    

    

“Ah, so you’re finally acting like our sister, are you? That’s great. Thank you, Adelie!” Natalia exclaimed, taking the plate. She sat beside Adelie and started eating. Sebastian walked towards her slowly and took the other plate.