The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 4 Part 14
This wasn’t his first unrequited love, and he knew such fantasies were futile. He had already experienced the crushing despair of hoping Angelica might like him back, only to be proven wrong, not once but many times.
Anais didn’t like him. Although she was always kind and tried to treat Rahil fairly, it seemed he only caused her pain.
From her perspective, he must have been incomprehensible. Claiming to love another woman while seeking affection and seducing her, and then denying love after kissing her.
Rahil was lost in what he was doing.
This was not what I had intended. From the start I…
Ah…
The realization dawned on him that it all began for another woman, making Rahil hang his head. In front of Anais, he was always the guilty one.
* * *
Despite the gloom, hunger set in. After crying for so long, her throat was dry, so she drank from the half-filled glass. There was a water pitcher and a glass in the room.
‘I’m hungry.’
Nobility typically never experienced hunger. Whether it was skipping meals to lose weight or experiencing hunger as a form of punishment, it was unrelated to Anais’s current situation.
Even when she adjusted her diet for her marriage to Rahil, she had never completely starved herself.
‘Right. Why should I starve myself over this?’
It was foolish to harm herself over wanting to kill Rahil out of embarrassment.
He is like my Enemy. No, he is indeed the “enemy”.
‘I only wanted one thing. My first kiss to be with someone else… And he just had to lie to steal it?!’
Strictly speaking, he hadn’t lied. He acted and later denied it. But Anais felt deceived and was burning with anger.
Why did I think I had to be a proper empress at all? I have no intention of engaging in corruption, given the empire depends on it, but I see no need to dedicate myself passionately to the role.
After all, no matter how well the empress’s duties are done, it ultimately benefits the emperor. I’ll do just enough to not be faulted and then live my life. So…
‘I definitely need to establish a court of my own!’
She had planned to take a concubine after having her first child for the sake of any children born later, but at this rate, her own sanity was on the verge of collapse. Why should I, giving up all my happiness, serve as the empress for someone who is like an enemy!
‘I need someone to comfort me at times like this. Someone to… protect my sanity!’
She had no illusions that a concubine could physically protect her if a physical threat arose. She thought that the only ones who could physically threaten her, the empress, were the emperor, Rahil, or perhaps Duke Theodore and Angelica’s secondary male leads, who, while not as powerful, still held power.
None of Anais’s concubines would have power comparable to those men. All the men with such power, attractive appearance, and capabilities were Angelica’s secondary male leads.
‘Politically, I’ll probably have to protect them.’
Therefore, she thought it necessary to choose her first concubine carefully. Since she currently lacked significant power, it would be disastrous if her concubine caused her any major trouble….
As Anais lowered her gaze, she mulled over how selfish Rahil was. He was a man who, despite having a woman he loved, insisted on taking her virginity. Despite such a beginning being meaningless to him.
‘Despicable and cheap.’
It seemed Rahil likely wouldn’t keep his promises to her. Contrary to their agreement, he might obstruct her from making concubines.
“Ah…”
Anais lifted her head, now fully aware. She had wondered why Rahil had been uncharacteristically kind and behaving strangely, and now she thought she understood.
He intended to prevent her from taking a concubine. While he could freely burn with love for a woman who married his friend, while he disliked the idea of his wife having a concubine.
It was clear that he showed kindness to interfere with that. He gave Anais hope, intending to make her expectant.
‘How foolish I’ve been.’
She felt foolish and embarrassed for confronting him, asking if he loved her, just as he had hoped.
Never again, absolutely never will I be fooled.
‘Go to hell, Rahil Mior Kal Seiven!’
* * *
As soon as Rahil felt Anais coming down from the bed, he quickly stood up from leaning against the door and stepped back. It seemed like Anais was unlocking the door.
‘Could she be… coming out?’
Having not seen her since yesterday morning, Rahil longed to see Anais’s face. He knew she would dislike encountering him now, but he yearned for it.
However, Anais only unlocked the door without opening it. Instead, she seemed to pull a bell rope, causing a bell to ring in the maid’s room.
Rahil, sensing the maids rushing over, hid behind a pillar at the end of the corridor with a look of disappointment. He wanted to see Anais, but now was not the time.
Leading the maids, Mary entered the room, relieved to find the door unlocked. Hearing Mary’s sob and Anais’s somewhat calmer voice, Rahil turned away.
He had wanted to have breakfast together, but suggesting that now seemed like it would only prompt her to choose hunger instead. Rahil’s shoulders sagged as he headed to his office.
“First, please eat something. If you say you won’t eat again, I’ll have to starve with you.”
In truth, Mary hadn’t eaten properly either, worried about Anais. Anais apologized and began to eat.
Though her mood was still at its worst, the warm food made her feel somewhat better. It’s strange how, despite feeling so down, she could still eat—perhaps it’s just human nature to keep living.
Mary felt relieved seeing Anais finish her meal with a neutral expression. If her emotions had settled to this extent, perhaps everything would be alright.
The maids, not fully understanding the situation but knowing something was wrong with the emperor, tried their best to improve Anais’s mood. They knew something the emperor did was to blame.
If a man commanding the continent couldn’t stand tall and enter this room, he must have been guilty of something.
