Marriage of Convenience - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – The Villainess, Bianca (5)

Translator: Skye

Although Bianca ended up sleeping with Fernand, it did not mean it had been pleasant. Still, it had been less painful than with her husband, though it was not because Bianca loved Fernand–rather, it was because Fernand was not as well-endowed as Zachary.

Nevertheless, she was happy. Bianca decided to think of it positively, despite knowing that she was having an affair and that things would become troubling for her if she were to be caught. The world was sunny and bright, and she felt like she was floating in the clouds. That was how deep Bianca fell into her relationship with Fernand.

And then one day, news arrived of Zachary falling victim to an arrow and perishing in the war. His death itself didn’t cause Bianca to feel any type of way, rather, it was from the realization that she was now free that elicited a feeling of happiness.

Her father and brother had already passed away earlier in the war, leaving the Blanchefort county to be entrusted to the Arnos. Bianca was under the impression that she would be able to marry Fernand while taking ahold of both the Blanchefort and Arno counties, as well as receiving back her dowry. Though Fernand was only a minstrel, that couldn’t stop them from being wed, and their child would be the future Count Blanchefort! Bianca was thrilled just from the thought alone.

But her happiness was short-lived. Bianca only caught on that something wasn’t right when Zachary’s older brother, Viscount Roland de Hugues took over the Arno county. Roland had declared that Bianca was not an Arno, aware that there was no child born from her and his brother. In addition, he was also aware of her affair–though Bianca didn’t know how–and used it as a basis to keep her from receiving back her dowry.

To make matters worse, he even took claim over the Blanchefort county. Though Bianca protested vehemently, saying that it made absolutely no sense, her affair with Fernand was her biggest shackle. No one would defend her. Roland also had the king’s uncle, Duke Jacob de Sevran’s support. As a result, Bianca, with no backing of her own, was ultimately kicked out with nothing but the clothes on her back.

Despite all her misfortunes, Bianca still had trust in her lover, Fernand. He had fervently confessed to her before that he would love her no matter what, and his brilliant blue eyes had been nothing but genuine. And thus why, even though she no longer had anything to her name, Bianca held onto that firm belief and went to look for him.

Only to be met with a cold shoulder.

‘Oh, my foolish lady. Please don’t be so clingy as this is where we part ways. You used to be more dignified than this, were you not? I know you’ve lost everything, but isn’t that why you should at least try to hold onto some of that dignity at the very least?’

‘Fernand, why are you being like this all of a sudden?’

‘Because I no longer have any reason to involve myself with you.’ 

The flowery smile that was usually always present on Fernand’s face was nowhere to be seen. The creases of his eyes no longer gave off warmth but reflected disdain instead–a look that seemed to be calling her pathetic. The memory of him pressing a soft kiss to her cheek felt just like yesterday, and yet, the Fernand in front of her now was acting like a completely different person. Bianca’s lips fluttered, unable to believe his sudden change in demeanor.

‘Wha-what are you saying, Fernand? We’re in love with each ot–’

‘I believe the correct term would be lust, not love. My poor, foolish lady. To think you’d lose everything from being blinded by lust. But please don’t try to put the blame on me. Didn’t I tell you multiple times that you shouldn’t fall for me?’

Fernand easily spouted his excuses, and he wasn’t wrong. That was indeed what he had said to her before. ‘You shouldn’t fall for me, Lady Arno. I’m having a hard time as it is trying to keep my wits together. Please be the one to draw the line between us.’ His unwavering eyes had seemed like they were staring straight into her soul, and his lips had flinched slightly when they pressed over hers, almost as if he was trying hard to hide his feelings for her.

Hearing Fernand now, Bianca felt like everything their relationship had been so far was an illusion–an illusion that was now dispelled. Her lover’s sudden change inflicted a pain in her heart that was greater than her husband’s death. She felt stifled and dizzy, unable to easily pull herself together.

A frigid gust of wind caused her to shiver. Normally, she would have had her precious white fox fur cape, or her grey squirrel fur-lined coat, but all she had on now was an old blanket. It was a tattered, shabby blanket that she never would have used before–not even for her feet–but Bianca had not cared, thinking that all would be fine as long as Fernand remained by her side.

But reality proved it was different from the tunes of a minstrel’s song.

Bianca’s lips pressed together and her frown only deepened as Fernand’s sardonic comments continued. The wounds of betrayal were too much for her to handle, causing her to lose the ability to even bite back with a harsh retort.

‘…It, It wasn’t lust for me. I truly–’

‘Madam. I understand how desperate you must feel right now, but please don’t try to lie. I’m fully aware that you were lonely from your husband’s frequent absence. Isn’t that why you showed interest towards me?’

His sharp rebuttal stabbed her delicate heart like a dagger. Fernand was turning all the blame for their failed relationship on her. This wasn’t right. He was wrong. How could he say it was all just lust?

Bianca had simply just been lonely.

It wasn’t easy for her to live in the giant Arno castle where no one liked her. She no longer wanted to endure the cold draft in her room by herself. Would things have been different if she had been more affectionate towards her husband? But Bianca had no courage to try and change their relationship that was already rooted in indifference.

It was to be expected of someone as lonely as Bianca to readily fall for the dashing Fernand, who was as suave and sweet as they come. He had behaved like he would do anything for her, so it had been easy for Bianca to believe in his love, her only other experience involving men having been Zachary.

‘I was easily able to seduce you thanks to that. I’ll even be receiving an ample reward from Viscount Hugues–ah, or should I say Count now. I enjoyed our nights together, but you know it too, don’t you? How precious the thing called money is? So even if I may ignore you now, please understand my sentiments.’

Bianca’s head throbbed. Viscount Hugues, Zachary’s older brother, was the man who had kicked her to the curb. She was shocked to find out that he and Fernand knew each other, but she couldn’t figure out why Fernand was to be rewarded by the viscount.

Fernand decided to land one last blow when he saw the stupefied look on her face, staring at him like a kitten drenched in the rain.

‘My ignorant, naive lady. You must think the world is all sunshine and rainbows.To think that you’d fall in love with a minstrel who came to your castle out of nowhere. That’s not something that would even appear in a cliche romance novel, don’t you think? Did you truly not sense anything wrong? I don’t know how a noble lady such as yourself was raised to innocently believe the world would be so kind.’ 

‘Fernand!!’

Fernand had ridiculed her to the very end. Bianca mulled over their conversation countless times as she watched the figure of his back walking away after heartlessly tossing her aside. It was only after a long while that she realized that everything had been planned; Fernand must have been ordered by Viscount Hugues to approach her.

But by the time she realized, it was much too late. Bianca was left with nothing: no inheritance, love, children, or family. Not even memories. Everything had been torn to shreds and burned to ash.

“Bastard.”

Even in the present, nothing but curses came out when she thought of Fernand again. Not even tears. She had suppressed her fear of sex with her love for Fernand, yet he had deceived her by claiming it had all been lust. Moreover, what had been the results of their illicit love affairs? Bianca had been thrown to the stone cold floor for her debauchery. Fernand had tried so hard to seduce her not because he had fallen head over heels for her, but because he had been instigated by Viscount Hugues. This only caused Bianca’s heart to harden and close off when it came to intimate relations between a man and woman.

Bianca released a hollow sigh and shifted her gaze to stare out the window, observing the setting sun. She recalled the memory of her listening to Fernand plucking the strings of his lute, the two hidden away from the eyes of everyone else. She had been happy then, feeling like she was the main character of a romance novel, but all she felt now was nothing but disgust, aware that everything had been a lie and part of a conspiracy.

Bianca clenched her teeth, eyes gleaming with venom as she made a vow to get revenge if she ever saw him again.