How to Tame My Beastly Husband

How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 29. Thank You

This chapter has been re-worked by Regan, we have picked up the novel from chapter 64

Unexpectedly, he said nothing. Having made sure she was awake, he instantly left, and set the ring on a random shelf on his way out, as if it meant nothing to him. Judging by his indifference, he had no idea what it was..

Where did you find that?

Annette’s heart was pounding wildly. He had probably found it by accident and then began playing with it out of boredom, but that little play had almost stopped her heart.

Now that he was gone, she rose on trembling legs to retrieve the ring, and noticed for the first time the bandage on her hand. Looking at it curiously, she remembered the pain in her hand the day before yesterday.

Oh, no. I guess I really did break it.

Annette sighed, remembering she had boasted to Railin that she could embroider, translate, or be a ghostwriter. With her hand hurt like this, she felt discouraged. It the injury lingered, it would be hard for her to do any work.

But it would take a few months at least to prepare for her departure. Annette picked up the ring with her other hand, hoping her fingers would heal before then, and then hid it in the deepest part of her jewelry box.

A knock sounded outside the door, and Annette quickly hid the jewelry box away, frightened.

“Who is it?” She asked.

“Madam, it’s Ellie, I heard you were awake. So…do you need any help?”

It was the cautious voice of the maid, and Annette realized that she was still feeling very unpleasant. She wasn’t sure how long she had been unconscious, but it felt like more than one day.

The Carnesis maids quickly examined her and then went to prepare her a bath, recommending that she eat a simple meal so the hot water wouldn’t make her dizzy. As she waited for her bath to heat, Annette had a thin soup and fruit juice.

“How long have I been sick?”

“It’s been two and a half days, madam.”

“Oh, no.”

She had been unconscious much longer than she had expected. The body that had spent so long bedridden in her last life had already failed her in this one. It was a depressing thought. What if the same thing happened again?

Annette forced herself to calm down, quietly stirring her soup with her spoon. But the maids had taken it differently, exchanging meaningful glances over her head, and then one of them laughed. Noting Annette’s puzzlement, the maid lowered her voice to whisper.

“When madam was ill, the master stayed by your side the whole time and took care of you. He would not be moved from your side for two days. You’re so lucky to have such a husband.”

Annette’s spoon froze. The maids covered their mouths and laughed with pleasure at her disbelieving expression. Seeing the good relationship between the newly married lord and lady made the young maids excited.

Annette was just dizzy, lost in her memories. It was true that when she finally woke up, the first person she saw was Raphael, but she had just shrugged it off as a coincidence. She wondered how he would look, if he stopped by her room to check on her, but she didn’t expect him to sit with her for two and a half days.

Why would he do that?

Annette had always thought he had nursed her in her last life because he had some affection for her. No matter how much he hated her, they had faced each other and mixed their bodies for five years, so it was only natural that he would have some feeling for her. He had a rough personality, but he was not a bad man. He had been a loyal husband to the end.

But it was the same even now, where there had been no time to build that relationship. He hated her. He had told her so only a few days ago. There had been no intimacy, no affection at all, but still, he had taken care of her.

It could only mean one thing.

I guess Raphael just…pitied me.

Annette sank into her bath, sighing inside. The maids helped her bathe, taking care not to let her bandaged hand touch the water. It was true that her broken hand and the resulting fever had been caused by Raphael, but she couldn’t blame him for it; it hadn’t been deliberate, and he knew nothing about it.

What could she do? She could only pretend to be grateful for his care. When she thought of meeting those bright blue eyes, her heart sank. Annette soaked in the warm, fragrant water until her fingers were white. It was work to get out of the water.

* * *

Knock knock.

“Raphael, are you there?” Annette asked carefully. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you.”

It was her habit to wring her hands when she was nervous, but her bandage stopped her. Looking at the floor, she waited for his answer. After a while, she heard a very low voice through the door.

“Come in.”

Annette took a deep breath before she opened the door, preparing her heart to be hurt again. Outwardly serene, she stepped inside.

It wasn’t hard to find him, even in the big room. It looked as if he had just come out of his bath, and he was wearing only a towel wrapped loosely around his lower body. He slouched onto the sofa like a large black panther.

His eyes under his thick black lashes were fierce and beautiful, the deep blue scrutinizing her thoroughly.

“You look better now. I guess you’ll live, huh?”

As expected, sarcasm. But knowing he had nursed her, Annette wasn’t upset. Cautiously, she approached him as he stretched out on the couch.

“I heard you took care of me while I was sick. Thank you, Raphael.”

Knowing him well, she knew better than to thank him directly for what he had done. Raphael didn’t like being caught at being kind. It was hard to tell what he was feeling when he always twisted his words, but Annette was getting better at communicating with him. Her face gentle, Annette finally expressed all the gratitude she had been unable to convey in her last life.

“Thank you very much.”

Raphael said nothing. His eyes fell on the bandage wrapped around her hand. Other than that irritating thing, she looked much better. After a meal and a bath, her pale white face looked much livelier. He felt a perverse whim, after all his own suffering while he had nursed her. He had spent much of it feeling like an idiot, while she slept peacefully away, and then rose shining and beautiful. Raphael lifted his head.

“Are you really grateful?” He asked languidly.

“What? Of course I am…”

Annette tilted her head in confusion. He was looking at her as if he were thinking of gobbling her up.

“As you said, I nursed you well,” he said, his voice low. “Do you think it’s enough to just say thank you?”

Annette fell silent, trying to guess why he was doing this and what he might want.

“I…I could thank you with a gift,” she said cautiously. “If you want.”

“A gift? What would you give me? I already have a lot of treasure stashed away.”

He had acquired significant spoils from the war. Wealth did not interest him. His teeth showed white as he laughed, predatory, and his face suggested that wasn’t the sort of present he had in mind.

“Then, in gratitude for your kindness, I will give you whatever you want,” she said nervously, her fingers wringing together. “If it’s within my abilities.”

She already felt indebted to him because of her father, and guilty for her plans to leave him, when he had no idea what she meant to do. Anything he asked, she would try to grant, as a parting gift before she left him.

The moment she said those words, he slowly sat up, stalking toward her in a way that made her very aware of the muscle rippling through his torso, projecting such power that it was nearly suffocating. Automatically, she retreated.

“Ra, Raphael?”

Her back hit the wall. She looked up at him, her eyes quivering. Slowly, he backed her into a corner, his hands moving on either side of her to trap her inescapably. Raphael bent his head so their faces were on the same level.

“You will grant me a favor?” He asked silkily. “So, what do you think I want?”