Chapter 17.2

Unwrapping the bandage had been easy, but rewrapping it was a different story. Livi struggled to wind it around the back of her neck, only to get her hair tangled in it again and again. She had to undo and redo it over and over, until her body was soaked in sweat, rendering her earlier bath pointless.

Time slipped by, wasted.

“Why is this so damn difficult…”

“I figured you weren’t planning on coming down.”

Livi was so focused on wrestling with the bandage, she didn’t notice the door opening behind her, until Dominic’s voice startled her.

He stepped into the space in the mirror where only her reflection had been moments before.
His gaze landed on the half-wrapped bandage dangling from her neck, and he frowned.

“Let me guess, you’ve never had to wrap one of these before, have you?”

As she tried to rise from her seat, Dominic stopped her and grabbed the loose end of the bandage. Before she could react, he gave it a sharp yank, pressing the cloth harshly against her wound.

“Ow!”

A pained cry escaped her lips, and tears stung her eyes at his rough handling. Dominic tightened his grip and pulled her closer, leaving her no choice but to stumble along like a dog on a leash.

With clear irritation on his face, he spoke again.

“Why didn’t you call for a maid?”

“…”

“Oh, was it because of these? I’m sure they could’ve helped.”

His fingers lightly tapped the red marks on her neck.

“Aren’t the maids jealous of you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Jay Wilderson was gossiping in the hallway. Said ‘the lord seems very fond of his lady.’ I thought you hated the attention, but I guess you’re not hiding it so well anymore.”

Livi turned her head sharply, but Dominic’s gaze followed her persistently.
He eyed her evening dress, disapproving of how tightly it covered her neck.

“That outfit looks suffocating. You could do without the stomacher, don’t you think?”

“What? Wait, don’t—!”

He held her in place with one hand gripping the bandage, while the other reached for the front of her dress. With a few swift tugs, the stitched seam between the overdress and the stomacher tore apart.

“Don’t… agh!”

“What’s with the fuss, wife?”

His hand pressed down on the back of her neck, forcing the air from her lungs. She gasped and collapsed forward.

Dominic caught her and dragged her to the vanity, forcing her down into the chair. Her limp body slumped onto the table, knocking over bottles of perfume and cosmetics in a noisy clatter.

One powder compact hit the ground and burst open, sending a pale cloud of dust into the air.

“Smells like powder.”

Dominic’s face twisted in disgust. He kicked the compact, sending it skidding across the room floor. It shattered against the doorway, sending another puff of powder into the air.

While Livi flinched and glanced toward the noise, Dominic inspected her bandage. The fresh cloth was already soaked through with pus.

“Where are the clean bandages?”

“…Get out.”

“Oh, here it is.”

“I said, get out.”

“In my own house?”

Dominic let out a quiet snicker and began unwrapping the messy bandage around her neck to replace it with a new one.

Unlike Livi, who had been struggling with it for hours, he tied it off in just a few minutes.

Only then did he loosen his grip on her.

Livi grimaced as she pushed herself upright. She stretched her back, sore from being bent over the vanity forcefully. Her gaze fell on the stomacher lying discarded on the floor, and with trembling eyes, she looked down at herself.

Without the stomacher to cover her square neckline, the soft curves of her chest were exposed. She quickly pulled her hair forward in an attempt to cover up, but her panicked motion was stopped cold by Dominic’s hand.

“That’s more like it. I put a lot of work into decorating you. It’d be a shame to keep it all hidden.”

He murmured, tracing his fingers over the dark bruises on her neck.

Each time he touched her, a fissure appeared in her composed gaze. Her tousled hair fell messily across her face, and tears that welled up but never fell merely dampened her lashes.

“With a face like that, you should’ve learned how to use it properly. Didn’t your family teach you how to put that body to good use?”

“Shut the fuck up…!”

Livi shoved him away with all her strength.

Every word that came out of Dominic’s mouth dripped with venomous contempt. He seemed incapable of leaving her alone, like a man obsessed with tormenting her.

Perhaps even hanging the spy’s body from the castle wall was meant to serve as a warning. A reminder to stay quiet, because she could end up the same way at any moment.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, the words came tumbling out.

“…Why did you put them on the wall?”

“What?”

“The spy.”

“Oh… that.”

Dominic muttered in a bored tone as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

“They got caught. Simple as that.”

“You did it so I’d see, didn’t you?”

The accusation slipped out before she could stop herself, her cheeks flushing with anger.

Dominic’s eyes flicked to her clenched fists, then drifted up to her trembling shoulders. With an irritating amount of calm, he responded,

“And if I did?”

“…”

“What would you do about it, my dear wife?”

A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he stood. He gently brushed his hand over her shoulder, offering a smile that felt more like a warning than kindness.

As he pulled the door open, he glanced back and said,

“Get dressed and come downstairs. I’ve already ordered the servants to prepare another meal.”