There was only one line in the original novel about Emily.
“Lady Starr, who had been fleeing from the Giuliano family, died after a difficult childbirth while giving birth to Daniel.”
“Even calling it an extra role feels like a stretch.”
Clicking her tongue, Emily sketched out what she remembered of the novel in her notebook.
The Giuliano family was the mortal enemy of the Starr family, to which the male lead belonged. They used every underhanded method possible to stop the rise of the newly emerging Starr family.
The most vicious of their schemes was trying to kill the pregnant Emily to shake Killian’s mental stability.
After losing his wife, Killian was tormented every time he looked at Daniel, reminded of his own helplessness. As a result, he neglected his son and eventually destroyed himself.
Tragically, Daniel never reconciled with Killian and ended up taking the boss’s seat in his place.
If not for the Giuliano family, Emily might not have died in childbirth, and Daniel might have had a happy childhood.
But since Emily knew how the original story went, she was absolutely terrified of pregnancy and childbirth. The idea of sleeping with Killian terrified her.
“I’ll just pretend to fall asleep first.”
It was a simple plan, but it was the conclusion she came to. As long as they were married, she couldn’t keep avoiding it forever—but until she could find birth control or secure a divorce, she had to avoid sharing a bed with Killian.
Tightly shutting her eyes, Emily pulled the blanket over her head and forced herself to try and sleep. Tonight, the ticking of the clock felt unbearably loud.
“Damn it, I can’t sleep.”
“I’m curious—why are you trying so hard to fall asleep without even spending your wedding night?”
Startled by the sudden voice, she bolted upright in bed.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now.”
Killian looked slightly sharp as he undid his cravat, suggesting something unpleasant had happened outside. Watching him warily, Emily nibbled on her knuckle.
Seeing her so obviously uneasy, Killian clicked his tongue and sat on the sofa across from the bed.
“I suppose leaving the room would help you sleep better, but I have to protect your honor. So I’ll sleep here.”
Indeed, as he said, it would be damaging to Emily’s reputation if a newlywed couple started using separate rooms from night one. Emily looked at him with surprise, taken aback that he had thought of that.
“What’s with that look?”
“You’re really okay sleeping there?”
“It’s a high-end sofa. Don’t worry.”
Emily had only seen his twisted persona in the original novel and was curious about Killian’s real personality. From what she’d seen so far, he didn’t seem like a good person—but at least he wasn’t completely awful.
He had, after all, considered protecting her honor. Gathering her courage, she finally asked:
“May I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Um… I was just wondering why you told me not to attend the reception.”
“That’s because…”
Killian looked at her with an unreadable expression before answering.
“You looked scared of the guests.”
“Oh…”
Emily blushed in embarrassment, unaware that it had been so obvious.
But that wasn’t the only thing he’d noticed. He had observed how she had hesitated to enter the hall, how she had flinched and glanced nervously at him, and how she had leaned away during the vow kiss.
So it hadn’t been hard to figure out just how reluctant she was about this marriage.
“Thank you… for thinking of me.”
She spoke in a timid voice, and Killian sighed as he stood up.
“I’ll go change now…”
“Oh! Sorry—I’ll hide under the blanket!”
Her face reddened as she curled up again, clearly flustered by whatever she had imagined. Killian paused, briefly taken aback, but then replied in a flat tone:
“No need. I’ll be using the bathroom anyway.”
Peeking out from under the covers, Emily mumbled,
“Th-Then I’ll just wait quietly.”
“You can sleep first if you’d like.”
“…Thank you.”
When Killian entered the bathroom, Emily crawled out from under the covers.
She thought about how Killian had spared her from the frightening reception, and for a moment, she wondered if he might actually be a kinder man than she’d assumed.
‘Still, I need to get kicked out eventually… Should I ask him why he married me in the first place?’
While she was lost in thought, Killian reappeared from the bathroom, freshly bathed.
Though he was fully dressed in pajamas, the room’s atmosphere felt inexplicably heated.
Was it the damp hair?
The way his firm body showed beneath the silk?
Or maybe the clean scent lingering on him?
Emily didn’t know.
“You’re still awake?”
Caught staring, she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be sleepy.
“I was just about to fall asleep.”
“Then I’ll turn off the light.”
“Yes.”
With a soft click, the room fell into silence. The moonlight spilling through the slightly open curtains felt blindingly bright.
Emily couldn’t fall asleep, her mind buzzing, the clock ticking unbearably loud.
“…Are you asleep?”
She broke the silence.
“Go ahead.”
Thankfully, Killian wasn’t asleep either. She summoned her courage again.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“…What is it?”
“Why did you propose to me?”
Killian’s brow twitched at the sudden question. He didn’t answer for a long time, and Emily asked again,
“Is it a hard question to answer?”
Pressed by her insistence, Killian let out a sigh.
“Aren’t you going to sleep?”
“If it’s too hard to answer, I’ll just guess.”
Emily, deep in thought, murmured her speculation.
“Hmm, maybe it’s my looks?”
At first, Killian thought she was joking. But even if she said it in jest, no one could deny that she was strikingly beautiful.
Still—how could she say that herself?
Thrown off, Killian stayed silent, and Emily, now embarrassed, cleared her throat and tried again.
“Or maybe… something else?”
But really, what else did she have to offer? She was a fallen noble’s daughter. Her beauty was her only standout trait.
She could play the piano and dance, but no one got married just for that.
“I really don’t know. You’re not going to tell me?”
Even if he could answer anything else, this one felt too awkward to say aloud.
“I have a busy schedule tomorrow. Go to sleep.”
“But…”
“If you keep talking, I’ll get in the bed.”
At that, Emily immediately lay down and yanked the blanket over her head.
“Goodnight!”
Killian chuckled softly at her quick retreat. His wife was stranger than he thought.
The next morning, Emily woke up alone. She was surprised by how soundly she had slept, considering she’d shared a room with a man like Killian.
“My lady, shall I bring in breakfast?”
She answered yes. She didn’t usually eat much in the morning, but the stress of the day before had left her famished.
“I’ll come in, then.”
Soon, a maid wheeled in a tray and began setting the table.
Fresh salmon salad, steaming omelets, buttery croissants, blueberry yogurt, assorted cheeses and hams, and several types of juice.
It had been a long time since she’d seen such a luxurious breakfast.
“Has he eaten?”
The amount of food laid out made her wonder if Killian would join her.
“His Grace doesn’t eat breakfast.”
“I see. Then where is he?”
“He left to inspect the estate before you arrived.”
“I understand.”
Killian had purchased a marquis title and even secured a mansion in the capital. Rumor had it the fortune he moved behind the scenes was astronomical.
Of course, his wealth made the purchase possible, but the empire’s instability also played a major role.
After the princess of the Vancent Empire married the emperor of the Robert Empire, the succession to the throne had passed to House Velvet.
But when the members of House Velvet died in a suspicious accident, the right returned to the Manfredi family.
The transition had been shady, but even the Pope sided with House Manfredi to maintain order.
Still, the years of instability had severely weakened imperial power.
In this chaos, the mafia emerged in Vancent. Among them, the four most powerful families were called the Four Great Families.
The Starr family, bearing a wolf insignia.
The Gottio family, with a viper.
The Rejeta family, with a bear.
And the Giuliano family, with a jaguar.
Despite being the newest, the Starr family rose quickly due to their exceptional capabilities and soon dominated the underworld.
Some factions quickly allied with them, while others, like the Giuliano family, viewed them as a threat and attacked.
Now married to Killian, Emily had become a target and had to remain on constant alert.
After finishing her meal, she sipped the tea poured by the maid.
“When are we leaving for the estate?”
“His Grace said he would pick you up before lunch.”
“Then I need to hurry. Please prepare a bath.”
“Yes, my lady.”
With the maids’ help, Emily bathed and began dressing to greet Killian.
They brushed and styled her chestnut hair with care and layered subtle makeup over her already flawless skin.
The maids blushed as they worked—far more beautiful than they’d expected, their new mistress left quite the impression.
Most of Emily’s clothes had been sold off due to debt, so she now wore a newly tailored outfit from the Starr family’s designer. It wasn’t flashy, but the elegant green dress reflected her tastes and fine tailoring.
After the long preparation, Emily finally rested against the sofa.
But not for long. Soon, a servant announced Killian’s arrival.
‘Ugh, not even a moment to relax?’
With no choice, Emily got up and headed downstairs.
Killian stood in the lobby in a black cape coat, high-collared shirt, and cravat. His restrained but stylish look exuded a cold charm.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes. I didn’t have much luggage to begin with.”
The fallen count’s daughter had very little left. Her servants had scattered to find work elsewhere, and the Sinopé estate, salvaged thanks to Killian, was left in the care of the butler and nanny.
Now, carrying nothing from her past, Emily was entering the Starr family’s estate alone—with a restless heart.
Killian offered his arm, and she took it as they boarded the carriage.
She had wondered what to say to him, but that concern quickly vanished.
Killian, ever the workaholic, pulled out papers as soon as he sat down and began reviewing them.
Only when the carriage jolted violently did he pause to rest his head and press his temple. As soon as the road evened out, he resumed working.
‘Workaholic, huh.’
Watching him with slight dismay, Emily leaned back and tried to nap.
A few minutes later, the carriage suddenly lurched again, and Emily lost her balance—falling right between Killian’s legs.
“…”
“…”
Too stunned, neither of them could speak or move.
Emily squeezed her eyes shut and wished she could vanish.
“Are you hurt?”
Coming to his senses, Killian gently took her arms and helped her up.
“No.”
She had hit her knee, but her embarrassment overshadowed the pain.
‘His thighs… were incredibly firm.’
Recalling the muscular thighs she’d just collided with, Emily blinked back tears and shook her head.
She had to remain celibate—for the sake of survival.
