KDYG l CH 21

Chapter 21 

“You’re being too harsh. You should be more gentle. Brides get very nervous before their wedding.”

Julia, the maid, softly comforted Chloe and gently patted her.

“Don’t be upset, Lady Amboise. As you already know, the Duke may speak coldly, but deep down, he’s actually kind. He only acts this way because he worries about you. There are a lot of rude people in the world, and he’s trying to protect you.”

Chloe almost asked, “Wait, are there two Dukes living in this mansion?” But Julia, who didn’t know the real situation, smiled brightly.

“Once the wedding is over, I’ll make you lots of beautiful clothes! But for now, please hang in there just a little longer. Right now, it’s most important to make this dress fit you perfectly!”

Chloe looked behind Julia—and saw Curtis smirking silently at her. Julia didn’t notice and continued tightening the lace-up ribbons on Chloe’s back and waist.

“Haa…”

Chloe felt like she couldn’t breathe again. She even started to gag a little.

“This won’t work.”

Seeing her struggle, Curtis sighed and reached out his hand toward Julia.

“I think this is a strength problem. Move the curtain and give me that ribbon.”

He was asking for the ribbon to tighten it himself. Julia gasped and jumped back.

“No way, Your Grace! Lady Amboise is only in her undergarments right now!”

Curtis didn’t care about that at all. He just laughed.

“Lady Amboise, why don’t you tell Julia how many nights we’ve spent together?”

“Oh my!”

Julia’s face turned bright red. Chloe, completely shocked, couldn’t even respond. Curtis smirked as he pulled the curtain aside and stepped in.

“Did I say anything wrong?”

“Well… no, not exactly.”

But what he meant was: “We’ve been working overtime together at night.” Chloe was furious—how could he describe serious late-night work like that? That was an insult to honest labor!

She wanted to quit everything right there and then.

Still, Curtis casually took the ribbon from Julia, who backed away in embarrassment, covering her blushing face.

“But… she’s in her underwear…”

Well, Chloe was wearing a simple, plain muslin shirt and bloomers—technically underwear. But Chloe just waved it off.

“I’m a soldier, Julia. It’s okay.”

As a soldier, Chloe was used to sharing rooms and spaces with others. Even in the navy, twelve people often slept in one room. Since she had joined the military at 18 and lived like that until now at 24, showing her underclothes wasn’t a big deal to her.

Especially under Curtis’s command, during hot summer training, she often felt like tossing everything off—if it weren’t for the rules about keeping up appearances.

“Still… you’re in front of others…”

Julia, unaware of Chloe’s past, looked nervous as she glanced between Chloe and Curtis. Chloe just shrugged, and Julia finally stepped back.

But that wasn’t the end.

“We… we’ll step outside for a bit!”

“Is that necessary?”

“Yes, it is!”

With that, Julia quickly led the other maids out of the room.

Chloe was surprised, but she didn’t have time to react. Curtis didn’t wait. He pulled the ribbon tight around her waist without hesitation.

“Ack!”

“You sound more like a pirate being hanged than a bride getting dressed.”

Curtis, who had never seen a pirate in his life, commented dryly. Chloe gritted her teeth and looked back at him.

“Are you trying to kill me?”

She was about to argue that if he pulled any tighter, she might tear apart. But she suddenly stopped.

Why?

Because when she turned her head, she realized just how close his face was.

He was standing right behind her, tying the ribbon, and his face was only inches away. She could see his sharp nose and violet eyes under strong brows. It gave her chills.

“You seem to have a lot of complaints.”

Curtis smiled cruelly and looked directly into her eyes.

And that’s when Chloe realized why her skin had prickled when she looked at him.

“This is the perfect angle for an ambush.”

It was pure soldier instinct. She narrowed her eyes and snapped back.

“We spent nights together? Really?”

“Didn’t we?”

Chloe turned away, annoyed.

“By that logic, the reports I worked on all night were love letters, I guess?”

“Terrible love letters, if you ask me.”

She turned away to avoid his smug face, but that only made things worse—his warm breath tickled the back of her neck.

Ugh. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“Can you not speak right into my ear?”

“Fine. Exhale and pull in your stomach.”

As soon as she exhaled, Curtis yanked the ribbon tight again. Chloe gasped.

“Tsk.”

Curtis clicked his tongue in frustration. They both came to the same conclusion pretty quickly.

“I’d have to break one of my ribs to fit in this dress.”

“One? Try two.”

He then unhooked his fingers from the lace-up ribbons and started loosening them. As soon as he did, Chloe finally caught her breath and collapsed to the floor.

Plop.
Her petticoat puffed up and then slowly dropped around her like a dome.

It was… a meaningful sight.

Curtis looked down at her and gave a short laugh. He had just found the answer to something he had wondered a few days ago:

“Why hasn’t she worn any of the dresses I sent to the annex?”

Now he knew.

Even though she was on wedding leave, Chloe had been wearing her military uniform the whole time. Why? Because none of the dresses fit her.

“So none of the clothes I sent fit?”

“I’m not sure who they were made for, but they definitely weren’t made for me.”

Of course, this mansion used to be Queen Mildred’s summer estate, so the only women’s clothes stored here were hers.

Curtis glanced at Chloe.

She looked nothing like the delicate and small Queen Mildred. Her shoulders were broad and strong, and the arm resting on the floor showed clearly toned muscles.

Naturally, nothing that belonged to the Queen would fit her.

That meant Chloe had been living with just one outfit for the past four days.

Curtis asked without emotion:

“Have you been sleeping in your uniform too?”

“Well, there was a guest nightgown provided…”

At least she had slept comfortably. That was something.

Curtis then waved toward the door. Julia and the maids, who had been anxiously waiting, quickly rushed back in.

He looked down at his flushed, breathless bride-to-be and came to a decision.

“This dress definitely won’t work.”

“There are only three days left until the wedding. Can we get a new dress by then?”

Julia’s face went pale.

“Your Grace… I’m sorry, but…”

“So it’s not possible. Got it.”

Curtis accepted that quickly. After all, he was the one who had set the short timeline in the first place. Julia sighed, placing her hand on her forehead.

“We’ll have to take a ready-made dress and decorate it.”

“Is that doable?”

“It’s tight, but it’s still easier than making one from scratch. I’ll search every dress shop in the capital and find one that fits Lady Amboise today.”

Just then, a quiet voice spoke up from the floor.

“Um… I have an idea.”

It was Chloe, still sitting, but with a thought forming in her mind…