I’m Selena, a daughter born to a family well-known for their fertile women. I was all but sold off in a marriage to a sickly duke whose life hung in the balance, all for the sake of producing an heir for his family. They provided me a medicine purported to aid in pregnancy, and the astrologist advised me good days for sleeping together, but… there was no child.
“So, are there any signs of pregnancy?”
“Ah, I-I’m sorry.”
“You’re useless. What luck do you think won you the position of the duke’s wife?”
I couldn’t say a word.
‘No, excuse me. I only have to look at the sky to pluck a star. That’s how I attained this position.’ *
[(metaphor) Lit. Plucking a star from the sky: something that’s difficult to get/achieve)
***
A husband who doesn’t like touching me in the least.
But he’s still pitiful so let’s at least make him healthy by feeding him nutritious food, getting him to exercise, and I’ll taste test any doubtful food first personally. Once he recovers from my extensive efforts, I’ll sign an annulment paper and flee, but…
“You agreed to a contract to bear me an heir. But to think you would go back on your words…”
Although he’s in good health now, my “former” husband has become a bit too healthy.
“You’re healthy now!”
“The duties of marriage are sacred. I will collect my dues.”
“Wait. Wait! But we’re divorced? We’re no longer husband and wife…”
He smirked then took a piece of paper from his breast pocket and tossed it to me.
“We aren’t divorced yet.”
Huh?!
We have 30 chapters in manga for now so I'll talk about future plots....
Spoilers
About the ml's love for the fl:
-He realize his love when they 1st do the deed. At around chapter 65 as the previous spoiler posted but he was super sweet and do again the deed at around chapter 151 something like that. Yes, there lots of hot scenes. Lol. There are times that he did not let go of the FL for the whole day.
-The best thing in this novel is that the ML really love and cherish the FL even though she's infertile (base on chapter 171 ). I hope there will be side stories in the future coz I read using MTL only and Idk if the FL can cure her infertility
Her Fertility:
-I am skipping around but she’s definitely pregnant in volume 8. Raymond and Greta are back from banishment and there is mention of treatment so I guess that’s how her infertility is cured.
Wedding and ???👀
-FL is busy preparing for the wedding. Everyone in society wants an invitation to the wedding of the year. FL is stunned when she sees gold coins prepared with ML's and her face on it to be strewn on the streets during the wedding. We gain a little insight into ML's thoughts. He is still afraid that FL wants to leave him as she has already left before. He thinks FL is keeping a secret. He had tried to make her agree not to leave but she is unconquerable. Failing that, through her society debut, the wedding, and even gold coins strewn on the streets with her face, he will announce so publicly that she is his duchess that she can never leave. During wedding preparations there's a face off between OG FL Veronica and FL. FL realizes after hosting a tea party to smooth over relations with the noble ladies that the noble ladies that had ridiculed her were guided by Veronica. She doesn't understand why Veronica hates her. FL and ML agree not to invite Veronica and Crown Prince Lois to what is the most special day for them.
- Wedding of the year has arrived. FL is adorned in the most gorgeous wedding gown. Noticeably, Veronica and Crown Prince Lois are not in attendance. During the break before the reception, FL and ML goes to change clothes. There's a super hot erotic scene where ML undresses FL in her wedding dress and riles her up. He leaves her hanging and tells her that without her consent he will only hold her hand that wedding night. FL and ML participate in a wedding ritual where ML with his hands tied have to remove a ribbon from FL's thigh. Another hot s*exy scene where he is using his mouth to untie the ribbon under her skirt in front of everyone and also taking liberties with FL under her dress. During the wedding night FL can't take it anymore and begs ML to make love to her. They basically don't leave the newlywed chamber for DAYS.
+2 annoying characters
-While ML is talking to Veronica, FL returns from meeting the Empress. She sees ML and Veronica and gets confused and jealous, so she runs away in the rain. She gets lost in the imperial gardens where she meets Crown Prince Lois. Wet with her clothes clinging to her body, FL is a sexy sight. Crown Prince Lois starts sexually harassing FL and that she should have an affair with him. When he is about to physically entrap her, his arm is twisted by ML who appears. Crown Prince Lois starts screaming how FL is a sl*t who tried to seduce him. ML points his sword at Lois and is about to chop off his head when FL, realizing how serious a treason charge could be puts her hand on his sword. Lois yells a whole bunch about treason but is scared when ML says there are no witnesses around if ML kills him. FL says that according to law the imperial family are not allowed to abuse their power by sexually harassing noble women. Lois hesitates as there is already a fight over the throne and if FL levels sexual harassment charges his reputation will worsen. Lois slinks away.
-ML takes FL back where FL begs him to have hot s*x with her to help her forget about Lois. While FL is sleeping after hot s*x, ML notices that red mark and scratches on her hand. ML is angry at himself for not being able to protect the person he loves the most. The next scene ML meets with the Empress - seems like he has agreed to take sides after all to protect FL. Veronica meets up with Crown Prince Lois who is busy smashing and destroying everything in his room to vent his anger. Veronica consoles the Crown Prince and says it is clear that ML's weakness is FL. To destroy him they will have to destroy her.
Ml's reaction for her infertility:
-ML visits Emma in the dungeon to try to get more information. He tells her that whoever she is protecting was using her. The wagon that Emma was hiding in was taking her to an isolated cemetery to kill her, not to escape. Emma refuses to spill anymore information. Out of pity, ML gives her some pills to kill herself cleanly instead of death by torture. Emma spits that since he thinks so kindly of her to give such a gift, she will present him a gift too. She laughs FL has been keeping a huge secret from him. That the proud Duke will never see a successor as the woman he loves so publicly is infertile and that Emma was the one that made the poison that made her barren.
- ML returns to the mansion and to FL. He makes hot passionate love to FL throughout the night over and over again. FL feels something is different about ML as he is somewhat distant instead of open and warm. FL is exhausted as she is driven to the peaks of pleasure nonstop. She collapses and sleeps deeply. When she awakes, it is afternoon, ML is gone and she asks for her maid Rona. A different maid appears to help FL and will not tell her where Rona went. FL looks out of the window and sees furious activity. She is told that Mother is moving to the North Wing of the mansion. FL is confused as mother the North Wing is the coldest most isolated part of the mansion. Mother would never move there willingly.
-After FL had collapsed from sheer exhaustion from lovemaking, ML looked at her that drives him crazy with love and longing and leaves. He goes to his office and summons FL's doctor Nelson. Nelson knows what is coming and immediately confesses that FL is infertile. ML then summons Rona and kicks her out for keeping the secret. Then he summons Colton and kicks him out too for prioritizing succession over FL and letting FL initially leave the mansion. ML then goes visit Mother for a showdown. He accuses Mother of not telling him about FL's infertility as she knew he would stay with her out of honor and guilt. Mother cries that she did not give FL the poison as she herself was desperate for an heir. She was deceived by Raymond and Greta. ML blames Mother for making FL leave and banishes her to the mansion's North Wing. He tells her even the Empress will not help her as the Empress needs ML's help in the fight for the throne.
-A bewildered FL finds ML in his office. She asks where Rona and Colton went. Why is Mother moving? ML's gaze and kiss on her hand is cold as he says she'll find out and he hasn't decided what to do next. A man covered with blood is heaved into his office. It is Raymond, back from banishment from the North. ML starts bashing Raymond in for making FL infertile. Raymond laughs and says it is revenge for his poor sister that went crazy after her miscarriage and ML's father's abandonment. ML kicks his head in and said he picked on the wrong person, FL. Greta is brought in too. She is in better shape than Raymond but withered from her harsh time in the North. She begs for mercy. ML raises his sword and is about to kill Raymond and Greta. FL is shocked by the violence and rushes forward to stop ML. She faints.
Communication✨
-FL tries one last attempt to push him away. She says her greed to be the Duchess and for power made her lie to him as he may cast her away if she is infertile. ML heartbreakingly says he wish that was her motivation, it would be easier to keep her with him. He tells her not to use such a lousy excuse to escape him again. FL says seriously to ML that she is infertile and to consider the consequences of her infertility seriously. ML asks, did FL think that he would divorce her if he knew the truth? She is his wife. FL says tremblingly that now he knows the truth ML can get a divorce from her honorably and protect his reputation. She knows that before he left for the war he slept her every night because he wanted a child.
- ML hugs her and says she misunderstood. He said FL was always ready to leave him, and he didn't want to give her a chance to do so. He had a feeling she was going to throw him away and leave him behind. Nothing bound them together except for that contract marriage. If it were a contract from the devil he would be willing to use that to bind her to him. Since the contract marriage stated having a child as a requirement, he had used that to keep her with him. The fact that FL wasn't there after the war drove him crazy. He can't imagine a world without FL anymore, yet FL was so ready to leave him behind. FL may think of him as an annoyance but he..he...ML's body trembles as he asks FL seriously. "What do you think of me? What am I to you". ML looks like a desperate man. FL has a sense that this is her last chance and anything she says is irreversible.
- FL is struggling with her feelings and starts crying. ML starts kissing her tears away. All FL wanted was a peaceful divorce but she realized it is no longer possible. She cannot let ML go. She didn't want to be abandoned, nor can she want to be swayed by emotions that would fade out of fear. Having ML turn cold on her was the worst hell she ever experienced. She says, "I was afraid you will change..so before that, I wanted run away. I didn't want to be abandoned by you." ML collapses while embracing FL. "Why are you making me like this, I didn't want to show you this." FL holds ML while ML's tears soak her shoulder.
End of Volume 6.
A ?funny? summary from MscrazyKiki about volume 8:
Took a break, read some other books, finally came back to volume 8 today and finished this entire novel.
Hot lake s*x, hot forest s*x, romantic rolling around in flower fields, treason treason more treason, kidnappings, annoying mother in law, then HE.
Pregnancy
-I think a trial is held for Crown Prince Lois and Veronica where she insists there's no evidence of her crimes - but Emma who supposedly committed suicide reappears and testifies. She realized Veronica was using her and has decided to cooperate.
-Veronica vanishes. There is no way to escape as the ports of the capital are blocked as well as the gates. ML reunites with FL in FL's safe location. They do public PDA infront of his knights. FL suddenly feels dizzy and nauseous and is rushed back to the mansion. The doctor Raymond appears and congratulates them for FL is pregnant. FL and ML are delighted. Of course crazy Mother in Law Camilla shows up to say some nasty things about how FL's body is so weak that she's likely to miscarry.
FL's brothers:
-ML actually helped the older brother get a high position in government. The younger children were taken from her abusive aunt that was in charge of them and given Nannies and servants to take good care of them.
lol
-FL stays in the mansion for awhile. The news of her pregnancy quickly spread and she has received many gifts from the other noble ladies. One day while tidying up her maid Rona finds an old leather bag. FL grabs the bag hurriedly and says ML must never know about it. A few days later FL is asked to visit crazy MIL Camilla. Greta had seen FL tell Rona that ML must never know about the leather bag. The leather bag is full of letters. Crazy Camilla accuses her of being unfaithful to ML when she left and they were apart. Annoyed ML is asked to join the party. Camilla asks a maid to read the letters aloud. As the letters are read, Camilla's face changed. The letters are full of mushy mushy professions of love that FL wrote to ML when she left. The word love is said many times in the letters. ML smirks in happiness and carries FL out of the room.
Crazy Camilla is trying to persuade FL to let her have access to the baby when it is born
Ending
-ML spirits FL away to Pavilion where he has built a fairy tale castle for his Grand Duchess. Her pet cats run through the gardens. He tells her that even if Camilla never introduced them, fate is so that they would still have met and fallen in love. FL and ML hug tightly, even though there's now a gentle curve in her tummy and the baby is waiting to be born. HAPPY ENDING TIME