Inheriting My Ex-Husband

Prologue.

Life never goes as planned.

Riena understood that truth better than most. From the day she was born until this very moment, not once had anything unfolded according to her own wishes.

……No. That wasn’t quite right.

This, at least, felt like something she had chosen for herself…….

“What are you thinking about?”

“Huh? ……Ah!”

“I thought I made myself clear.”

Don’t let your mind wander.

The man drove his hips upward in a punishing thrust, as if disciplining a willful child, and narrowed his eyes.

“Or are you thinking about him?”

“H-him—?”

“That Lloyd, or whatever his name is.”

“No. I told you. Lloyd is just a friend of mine— Ahnn! Nngh!”

“There’s no such thing as ‘just friends’ between a man and a woman.”

He knew she felt nothing for the man. Yet he still couldn’t forget the way Lloyd had looked at her. The constant invitations to meet in the greenhouse, the way he inserted himself into every marital matter—it all grated on his nerves.

“E-even so……” Riena murmured through strained moans. “I only ever do this with you……”

“…….”

“It’s true. I’ve never done it with anyone else. After the divorce I stayed alone the whole time, so you’re the first— Hhk?!”

“……Damn it.”

Was saying something like that suddenly even allowed?

The irritation that had been boiling over melted into something soft at her single confession. The man who had been slamming into her without pause lowered his gaze.

Covered from head to toe in the marks he had left, slick with his seed, she was so lovely it made his head spin no matter how many times he looked. He had already buried himself inside her again and again, yet the thirst remained. He gripped her slender waist with both hands.

Riena’s face flushed hot.

“Wait……! Ahn! Nngh, ah! I—I’m going to come again……!”

“It’s all right. I’ll take every drop.”

“Who’s going to swallow— Aaahn!”

“Me.”

No one else.

“I’ll swallow it. Riena.”

“Hnn, nngh! Ugh! You weren’t this kind of person before!”

Even if it was a marital duty—even if they only did it because appearances demanded it……!

Rolling around for days every single time they started was far too much!

“‘This kind of person’? What exactly?”

“W-well, I thought you had no interest in me—”

“Ha!”

No interest?

As if.

From the first moment he saw her until now, there had never been a single day he wasn’t out of his mind for her.

Feeling thoroughly wronged, the man drove his cock deep into her once more. The head dragged roughly along her narrow walls, scraping the textured insides with fierce intensity.

Unable to endure the rush of pleasure, Riena sobbed out a moan. Whatever shame she had felt earlier was long gone. She had already learned to greedily accept every scrap of pleasure he gave her; she had been thoroughly tamed by him.

“I’ve always been interested.”

“Wh-what?”

“In you. Haa— I’ve been so interested I thought I’d lose my mind.”

How was he supposed to put this overflowing feeling into words?

He swallowed a ragged breath and immediately lowered his upper body. The lips that had been spilling nothing but sweet moans were suddenly claimed.

“Mmngh—”

Riena didn’t even think of refusing the fierce kiss; she reflexively wrapped her arms around him. The woman who once hadn’t known how to hold him now reached for him first.

That alone made him so blissfully happy he groaned low in his throat.

Please.

Let this happiness never end. Let it last forever. Holding that desperate wish close, he sucked on her plump lips.

I want to confess.

Four years into his unrequited love, the contract husband once again debated whether to say the words.

I Inherited My Ex-Husband — Chapter 001

It was a rainy dawn, the kind where the drizzle never quite stopped.

The thirteenth Duke of Bertis—standing member of the council and holder of one of its twelve seats—passed away at the age of eighty-two. He had lived exactly as long as a man ought to live.

Yet because he had always looked so vigorous, true to his origins as a knight, the news that he had died while traveling after handing the title to his son left everyone stunned.

Commoners who had admired his chivalry voluntarily went to the cathedral to offer prayers. The king himself came from the palace to pay his respects. Nobles attended the funeral and offered condolences to the few remaining family members.

It was a week steeped in collective mourning.

“…….”

Riena, who had likewise respected the late duke, attended the funeral with a grief-stricken face. She had hesitated over whether to go, but he was the one who had looked after her until the very end. She wanted at least to say goodbye on his final journey. So she visited Bertis Manor with her face hidden as thoroughly as possible behind a black veil.

She secretly laid chrysanthemums and deliberately signed the guestbook with an acquaintance’s name.

That should have been the end of it. She had planned to leave quietly afterward.

“—And that concludes the reading of the will.”

Riena quietly lowered her gaze.

The neatly written lines were clear at a glance.

“……Ha.”

Riena squeezed her eyes shut.

‘Next time we meet, I’ll bring you a fine gift.’

‘I’ve heard your news, child. It may be hard right now, but hold on just a little longer. You can do that, can’t you?’

A fine gift, he said.

Hold on just a little longer, he said!

I thought you’d bring gold and jewels!

An in-law family that gifted remarriage to her ex-husband as a present.

I should have just quietly run away!

‘Oh, Riena. Just this once, save your mother, won’t you?’

A contract marriage.

Four years ago, it had been the perfectly ordinary and thoroughly reliable method Riena chose to avoid being married off to a certain elderly count infamous for his wandering hands.

Of course there had been other options—taking out loans in her own name, or begging. But those would have caused problems later. She had planned to liquidate everything and quietly move south to live in peace. Even one potential obstacle would have been troublesome.

So she settled on marriage into a wealthy family.

Some might call it a childish choice, but for a noble daughter barred from holding office, it was practically the only way out.

Her parents had already been searching for a match for her, and word had also reached her that the king was tearing his hair out trying to marry off the Duke of Bertis, a man notorious for his germaphobia.

‘That’s why I can confidently make this proposal, Your Grace. If you simply settle my debts, I can do anything well. The Arrolines are a merchant house—we may have money, but our political influence is weak. You needn’t worry about maternal relatives gaining power, and we aren’t bold enough to pick a fight with the royal family.’

‘……My lady.’

‘You’re trying to acquire a mine in the western provinces right now, aren’t you? But since no ore has been discovered yet, investors are scarce. I’ll make that investment for you. I’ll also hand over every piece of land in my name. You know those lands sit on the trade routes, don’t you?’

‘…….’

‘Ah! I don’t mind if we never have children. Outside of public appearances, I won’t let so much as a fingertip touch you. It would be best if we both wore gloves when we’re together, and as for the wedding night…… I’ll research thoroughly whether we can keep our bodies from touching!’

Riena had always been sharper than her brother, who was two years older. She already knew that useless emotional appeals only backfired. Bringing a proposal that made clear financial sense was far wiser than clinging and sobbing.

The duke found her efforts admirable and accepted.

Thanks to that, Riena did not have to throw away her blooming youth, and after three years of contract marriage she was able to divorce cleanly.

Yes. It really was perfect…….

So why—

Why was she sitting here now—

Next to that man!

Riena swallowed the urge to bolt and sidelong-glanced at the man seated beside her.

Hair the color of a night sky poured into human form, and eyes of an enigmatic blue. The handsome man with the cool impression currently wore an expression that said something was profoundly displeasing him.

“I return after a long absence,” he said, “only to find Grandfather had planned a spectacle like this.”

“…….”

At the chilly voice, Riena gulped dryly.

The face of her ex-husband, whom she hadn’t seen in years, was as cold and indifferent as winter frost.

Well, he has every right to be.

If he didn’t remarry his former wife, he wouldn’t receive a single scrap of the inheritance. She would be furious and resentful in his place.

Riena carefully called to the lawyer nearby.

“Sir Hanson.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“……Why me, of all people?”

“……I have merely recited the contents written in the will, Lady Arroline.”

Hanson, the capital’s most reputable lawyer with the highest win rate, adjusted his glasses slightly. A hint of discomfort showed behind the clear lenses.

At that, the nobles present began to protest one after another.

“Th-this is absurd! How can that woman inherit anything! It’s invalid—invalid!”

“Didn’t His Grace divorce her a full year ago? How can inheritance rights pass to an outsider!”

“Even if it is a will, this is unjust! How could he completely ignore the collateral lines……!”

Riena looked around at the familiar faces. Every noble seated opposite her had frothed at the mouth opposing her marriage to her ex-husband the first time. Now that remarriage was on the table again, she could somewhat understand why they were lighting twin torches of outrage.

“I have only read what is written in the will. Voicing your grievances to me is useless—the matter has already been reported to His Majesty the King.”

Gasps of shock rose from every direction.

The will of a house head holding the rank of marquis or higher was separately reported to the king after death, as a form of notarization to prevent any unsavory incidents regarding succession or inheritance.

Riena bit down hard on her lip. If it had already reached the king, there was truly no turning back.

“Damn it! That will is forged! How can a forged will have any notarized effect?!”

“Th-that’s right! Besides, the Arrolines have fallen—she’s practically a commoner now. Remarriage? That insignificant woman must have forged it herself……!”

“Enough.”

The room fell silent.

Riena’s large eyes rolled slowly.

The man who had arrogantly crossed his long legs parted his lips.

“What you just said—”

“…….”

“—implies that Bertis security and systems have collapsed so thoroughly that a single person could forge an inheritance will.”

“……W-we—”

The flustered retainers began shifting in their seats one by one.

“Or am I to take it that you intend to formally raise a banner of rebellion against His Majesty the King, who served as witness to this will?”

“Th-that isn’t what we meant, Your Grace!”

“If that isn’t what you meant,” the man said, twisting his brow in clear displeasure, “then I will take it that everyone here agrees with this will.”

He was angry.

“That should be fine, yes?”

That man.

Right now, he was extremely angry.

Having shared a married life with him, Riena could tell with perfect clarity.

The others who sensed the same atmosphere closed their mouths one after another.

Then Hanson, watching for the right moment, cleared his throat.

“It would be best…… to continue this discussion at a later time.”

“But……!”

“That would be best.”

The man agreed shortly.

At that firm word, the nobles fell silent. Yet the man’s presence was too formidable for immediate rebuttal. After exchanging glances, they finally began rising from their seats.

Riena rose with them.

But the moment her hips left the chair—

“Sit.”

“……Yes.”

She obediently sat back down.

“…….”

“…….”

Click—

With the sound of the door closing, the last remaining person left the reception room.

After glancing around, Hanson also discreetly withdrew.

The once-bustling study soon grew quiet.

And Riena opened her mouth in a firm voice.

“Remarriage is out of the question, Your Grace.”