~Chapter 1~
“Ah…”
Duke Dominic Linderto felt a sharp pain in his head, as if it were being pierced by a needle.
“Jeffrey. Bring me some water.”
His rough, cracked voice called for his butler, but there was no reply.
Only then did he realize he wasn’t in his room.
Forcing his eyes open, he slowly raised his body. He found himself inside a greenhouse filled with the cold air of early dawn.
Sitting up on the long sofa, he tried to recall what had happened the night before.
He hadn’t even drunk that much, yet for the first time in his life, he had gotten that drunk.
‘It started after I drank the wine given by the count’s daughter… I couldn’t control my body after that.’
Yes. The moment he felt something strange was after drinking the glass of wine Sylvia had poured for him.
His body had grown hot. He drank cold water again and again, but it was useless.
The more he drank, the more unbearable his thirst became.
“Duke… you seem very drunk. Go up to my room and rest.”
He faintly remembered Sylvia’s soft voice and her blurry smile.
Her red lips moved slowly, as if tempting him.
His gaze was drawn to them like a man in the desert chasing an oasis.
“It’s alright, Duke. Lean on me.”
The moment she grabbed his arm, the count and his wife called out to her.
“Sylvia, the Crown Prince is looking for you.”
“Oh my! The Duke is with our Sylvia.”
His body felt too hot and dizzy. All he wanted was to leave the party.
“I’ll be going now.”
“You can’t! Not right now, Duke!”
He shook off her desperate grip and rushed outside.
He only thought about getting fresh, cold air before his condition worsened.
And following a faint light, he ended up in this greenhouse.
“Sylvia definitely did something to the drink.”
Fragments of memories began to surface in his mind.
The innocent light-green eyes he met in the greenhouse.
The cool, refreshing touch of her lips.
As he traced her lips and deepened the kiss, a soft moan escaped her.
Her face under the moonlight, as if allowing him in.
Her soft body trembling in his arms made him want to push further.
He pulled her slender waist closer so she couldn’t escape.
He wanted her heated breaths near his ear to turn into trembling pleas.
That dark desire completely took over him.
Each time his mind went blank, the scent of the night grew deeper.
The final memory—him panting like a beast on a bench—
Dominic suddenly jumped to his feet.
“Damn it! What did I do?!”
He grabbed his head tightly with both hands.
‘That woman… what was her name?’
He could vaguely recall her introducing herself, but he couldn’t remember her voice at all.
The day after the party, two guests arrived at the Duke’s residence.
The first carriage belonged to the Crown Prince, marked with the royal seal in gold.
As Jonathan stepped down and walked through the marble entrance, his expression hardened.
‘This time, I will never yield to Dominic.’
The two young men were cousins who had grown up together.
They resembled each other in many ways and were constantly compared.
Although Jonathan held higher status as Crown Prince, in everything else, Dominic was superior.
Academics, martial skills, business ability—even looks.
However, Jonathan never felt inferior or jealous.
At least in personality, he was far more easygoing than Dominic.
He once swore to himself—
If he could take just one thing from Dominic, he would remain his cousin and friend forever.
“Your Highness, if only you had informed us in advance, we would have prepared properly—”
The butler, Jeffrey, rushed out in surprise.
“Is the Duke here?”
The Crown Prince removed his spotless white gloves, looking ready to start a fight.
“I will inform him immediately. Please wait in the drawing room—”
“No need. He’s probably buried in paperwork in his office anyway. I’ll go myself.”
“Your Highness—!”
Ignoring him, the Crown Prince headed upstairs.
The office door opened without a knock.
“What is it?”
Jonathan paused.
This wasn’t the usual perfect image of the Duke.
Instead, Dominic was lying stretched out on a leather sofa, one arm over his forehead.
“Looks like you’ve got a terrible hangover.”
Dominic removed his arm and looked at him.
Letting out a small sigh, he slowly sat up.
“What brings Your Highness here so early?”
His voice was rough, and his appearance disheveled—far from respectful.
As Dominic rubbed his face, the Crown Prince sat across from him.
“I should be the one drunk, so why do you look like this? Not like you at all.”
Jonathan poured whiskey into a crystal glass.
“Did you come here just to drink this early?”
“I proposed to Sylvia yesterday.”
Dominic looked up.
His tired eyes asked silently—what did you just say?
“I asked Sylvia to become the Crown Princess… and she rejected me.”
Now it made sense why he was drinking so early.
Dominic held his aching head.
“I don’t know what words of comfort I should offer…”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know why she rejected me.”
The accusation was sharp.
As if it were Dominic’s fault.
“You should’ve given her that red diamond necklace I gifted you—”
“I did.”
“She likes dogs. You could’ve given her a fluffy white puppy—”
“I did.”
Dominic stopped, feeling foolish.
“Then it seems she has no feelings for you. It would be better to give up.”
Jonathan slammed the glass down.
“There is no one else who can be Crown Princess but Sylvia.”
Dominic looked at him, confused.
What do you expect me to do?
“Then go to her estate. Surround it with soldiers if needed.”
“No. There’s a better way.”
“Then say it already.”
Dominic just wanted him gone.
“If Duke Dominic Linderto becomes a married man… wouldn’t Sylvia give up on you?”
Silence filled the room.
“Ha!”
Dominic laughed in disbelief.
“Are you out of your mind from the rejection?”
“Watch your words.”
Jonathan’s eyes were steady.
Seeing his determination, Dominic’s smile faded.
“You know that makes no sense.”
“Then make it make sense.”
“Andalric Island.”
Dominic paused.
It was a paradise-like island he had long desired.
“Then give it to Sylvia instead.”
Dominic stood up, as if ending the conversation.
“Hyen Mine.”
He stopped—and sat back down.
Jonathan smiled slyly.
“You know the old king won’t live much longer.”
That meant everything would soon belong to Jonathan.
Dominic fell into deep thought.
The Hyen Mine held massive iron reserves.
If he gained its rights, his business would skyrocket.
‘That snake… I’ve worked years for this.’
Yet—
“I’ll pretend I never heard that offer.”
Jonathan’s face twisted.
“Are you serious?”
“I am.”
Dominic stood and politely saw him out.
Jonathan left in disbelief.
As soon as Dominic returned, his expression hardened.
“Marriage… what nonsense.”
Clearly, both Sylvia and the Crown Prince had lost their minds.
Knock knock.
Someone interrupted him again.
“Lady Sylvia wishes to see you.”
“Damn it.”
Why were they all bothering him instead of solving it themselves?
Then he remembered last night.
He needed an explanation.
“Let her in.”
He moved to a chair instead of the sofa.
If he stayed there, she would cling to him.
“Duuuke~”
Sylvia entered with a sorrowful voice.
Her face looked tired, but her outfit was still glamorous.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
“What brings you here so early, Sylvia?”
She sat gracefully and sighed.
“I’m so pitiful… I cried all night.”
Dabbing her eyes, she continued—
“The Crown Prince proposed to me yesterday.”
Dominic pretended to be surprised.
“That’s wonderful. Does that mean you’ll be the Crown Princess?”
Her face flushed.
“Are you serious? You know who I truly want…!”
Dominic sighed.
“Becoming Crown Princess means becoming the future Queen.”
“I don’t want to be Queen! I want to be your Duchess!”
Dominic held his head.
“Then why did you suddenly disappear yesterday?”
Her eyes widened like shining rubies.
Dominic asked coldly—
“What exactly did you put in that drink?”
Sylvia flinched slightly and leaned back.
