The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me

Chapter 169 When I woke up in the morning, I found the seat next to me empty. I was sure I slept with Richard last night, but where was he? For a moment, a delicious smell passed the tip of his nose. ‘He is preparing a meal.’ I stretched out and yawned. I brushed my frizzy hair and got up from the bed to shake off the rest of my sleep. It had been a few days since the incident with Hannah. At first, I couldn’t even move properly because of the bruises, but now they were healing nicely. I stared at the fading bruises and wondered when they would all heal. As I wandered around in a daze, I spotted Richard’s clothes hanging in the corner. Or, more accurately, I saw a box sticking out of his pocket. What is that? Without thinking, I pulled the box out of his shirt and opened it. ‘Huh?’ It was unexpected.Something I never thought Richard would have. I froze for a moment at the sight of the sparkling pink diamond. It was an expensive-looking piece of jewelry, and I was surprised, and I felt like I recognized it. Where did I see this… Ah. I remembered that the newspapers had been talking about this gem for a while.The jewelry that sold for the highest price ever at auction. It was called Pandora’s jewel, and it looked exactly like the one I held in my hand now.I stared at the jewel in disbelief. ‘No. What am I thinking? It can’t be.’ It must be something similar, a fake, a knockoff, something like that, right? The newspaper only had jewelry, and this is a necklace. “You’re up early, wife.” Richard said, surprised to find me awake.It was my usual routine to never wake up before he did. “I was just about to wake you up when the meal was ready…” He smiled and walked over to me, but stopped when he saw the jewelry in my hand. “Wife, that’s…” “Oh, I’m sorry, I opened it unintentionally.” He looked visibly panicked. So much so that I could see it in his eyes.Was it a secret? Was it a surprise, and I’d opened it without realizing it? How naive. It even felt a little cute.But then I had a question. This pink diamond, of course, is most likely a fake, but was it not meant for me and was it meant for someone else? There’s no guarantee that he’s going to give it to me. I suddenly felt uneasy. “By the way, Richard, what is this?” The corners of Richard’s lips rose awkwardly. Why can’t you answer? Really? Are you really trying to give it to someone other than me? “What is this?” “That….” “Who were you trying to give this to?” “… Oh, that’s what you were asking.” “……?” So what did he think I was asking? “Of course I bought it for you, I didn’t mean to reveal it this way…” “Then why did you panic?” Richard hesitated for a moment. “I’m afraid… you won’t like it.” “Me?” Why would I dislike it? “I bought it because I thought it was pretty because it resembled wife’s eye color. But you don’t like it when I spend money on things like this…” Oh, that was the reason. Well, I’ve been nagging Richard every time he buys an expensive dress that he claims is mine. How could he buy something like this when he owes so much money to the house? He’d get a very sour look on his face. “Is this expensive?” I should probably ask him that, too. It would be an afterthought, but it was something that needed to be addressed.Richard shook his head quickly.“I bought it from the market.” “… Do they even sell stuff like this in the market these days?” The quality is too good for the market. “From now on, don’t buy something like this. Still, thank you for buying me the gift.” When I received the jewel, Richard smiled brightly as if he was happy. “By the way, isn’t this similar to that pink diamond in the newspaper? It was so unusual that I remembered it, but I didn’t know they sold similar ones in the market.” “…… ” It was a curious statement, but Richard visibly flinched. What’s wrong with him? “Don’t just stand there, put this around my neck, I don’t want the person who gave me the gift to stand there looking like a sinner.” “Ah.” At that moment, Richard relaxed and approached. He carefully pulled my hair back and stroked the back of my neck. My body trembled at the tingling sensation. “… What are you doing?” “You’re pretty.” He said, the words sounding familiar, and leaned down to kiss my neck. I couldn’t help the tickling sensation and burst out laughing. Apparently amused by my reaction, Richard aggressively kissed my neck. “… Ah, stop!” “……” “No, wait…” I squirmed this way and that, but he wouldn’t stop. I giggled in his arms for a while.  **** “What kind of jewelry is that?” I put on the necklace Richard had bought me for nothing and headed for the castle.The sparkling necklace attracted the attention of several people. “I know this! I saw it in the newspaper!” “What? Is it Pandora’s jewel…?” The maids immediately recalled the much-talked-about gem, but soon shook their heads in disbelief.They shook their heads in disbelief that such an expensive necklace could be around my neck. Of course, I agree. That’s what I said. “It was just for sale at the market, and I bought it because it was pretty.” “Really?” “Are they selling these things in the market?” Everyone said they were surprised. “Where is the market? I want to know.”“I don’t know. My husband bought it for me.”“Your husband? Rose, are you married?” I hadn’t been working for long, and the other maids had shunned me because of Hannah. It was a strange feeling to be recognized by the other maids for my necklace. “But is that really fake?” One of the maids, who was very interested in jewelry, asked me playfully. “It happened a long time ago. Expensive jewelry accidentally rolled into the market, and there was someone who bought it, and he was the rich man….” “You’re right! Jewels in the newspaper have already been sold at auction. So why would it be floating around the market?” It’s such a ridiculous story. And such a lucky thing could never happen to me. “Isn’t this a gift from Viscount Ascent to you?” Then another maid asked another strange question. Why would Viscount buy it for me? “Why would Viscount Ascent buy me this?” “… No, it’s just that Viscount Ascent is interested in you.” “That’s right. Viscount Ascent even asked the other maid about you. Besides, Rose, didn’t you get expensive medicine as a gift?” Ah. After the injury, Anri sent medicine to me. However, it was somehow burdensome, so I did not use it and only used the medicine that Richard gave me. “I have a husband. Everyone, don’t say something weird…” “Hey, you guys. Why don’t you do your job instead of talking?” I heard Hannah’s voice from behind me.She glared at us, then turned and walked away, the cold wind whipping around her. “… Are you sure she didn’t hear what we said?” I guess she heard it. **** The wind in the Ruad estate was cool. It felt as if autumn had passed and winter was coming. Dylan looked around the estate darkly. The reason he came here is simple. <Dylan, go to Ruard’s estate.> Rose gave him words that were close to orders, not requests or invitations. And I added a brief reason later. <I got a report that there might be a Paladin commander in the Ruad estate. So, I want to know more, but the people I sent to the area haven’t returned.> <…….> <What does this mean? Unless it’s a trap, he’s really there.> Rose smiled brightly as if she had finally found it. It’s been a long time since Dylan had seen her smile like that. Rose had a good smile as usual, but that smile was hollow. So Dylan froze, unable to do anything in front of her bright smile sincere. <If there is a Paladin commander, there must be the fake one, too.> <…….> <Bring the fake one.> The fake. Five years ago, when Rose disappeared from Herthas, the fake that looked just like Rose, who shook Yurtha and Dylan while she’d become the Savior. Dylan gritted his teeth. <… There is a Viscount Ascent in the Ruad estate, why would I need to go there?> <You know. I can’t believe Anri.> Dylan wanted to ask Rose then.Then do you trust me? You don’t trust me either. He had to swallow the hot words that burned inside him.Probably for the rest of his life, even if it burned his tongue and his throat. <…….> <…….> <Can you do it?> <…….> <You have to have faith in me, Dylan. Don’t let me down anymore.> Rose has changed. To the point where she was asking for things she would never have asked him to do before. “The spies have been cut off from here.” Just then, Rose’s knight spoke to Dylan.Or, more accurately, the man Rose has assigned to him as a watchdog. She still doesn’t trust him. Dylan looked up blankly at Ruard’s sky.The sky is overcast. I wonder when it’s going to snow here.