The Monster Duke Mistook Me for His Wife – Chapter 152 – Side Story Chapter 9

Author: Asternkm

Side Story Part 2

Lately, Dillian has been acting strange.

Ever since returning from the count’s estate, he’s been like someone who left his mind behind there.

“Dillian. Dillian!”

Only when I grabbed his arm and shook it did he finally look at me.

“Sorry, Miss Ria. What were you saying?”

“What were you thinking about so deeply?”

“You.”

Dillian always brushed it off like this with a smile.

“You’re being suspicious. Don’t tell me… you’ve met someone else…”

“Miss Ria. Don’t joke about things like that.”

Cutting me off sharply, Dillian grabbed my hand, his gaze full of concern and affection.

“I swear, there’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“If you say so… then okay. I’m heading out now.”

“…Again?”

“I need to work hard to get this place going.”

I kissed the sulky Dillian and went off to the flower shop.

It was my newly opened workplace.

I tied on my apron with practiced ease and greeted the customers.

“Welcome!”

“Boss, it’s my mom’s birthday today. Could you make something nice?”

“Leave it to me. I’ll make it beautiful.”

I quickly got to work arranging the flowers.

‘Looks like I’ve finally settled in.’

At first, the place was just gathering dust, but now, customers came the moment I opened the door.

After tying a pretty ribbon and finishing the bouquet, I handed it over with a businesslike smile.

“Please come again!”

“I will. See you soon.”

Once the customer left, I was alone again and stretched my stiff shoulders.

“Good thing I didn’t try adding herbs to this place.”

Originally, it was supposed to be a shop that sold herbs too, but taking on the local herbal medicine moguls was no easy feat.

In the end, I gave up on herbs and turned it into a flower shop long ago.

‘I have to keep working hard. So that…’

Ding-a-ling—ding-a-ling—

Lost in thought, I was startled by the bell and looked up.

“Welcome…?”

I blinked in surprise at the unexpected visitor.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

“It’s been a while, Miss Ria.”

The one smiling at me was none other than the Crown Prince, Cassis.

Seeing his face again after so long, I felt genuinely happy.

“Your Highness, have you been well?”

“I’m always the same. I heard about you—what you did in the Justin Territory. Quite the achievement.”

“Hahaha… It wasn’t really my doing.”

I laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of my neck.

‘Seriously? Even Cassis heard about that…?’

I hadn’t done much, yet all these good deeds were being credited to me. Embarrassed, I quickly changed the subject.

“You came to buy flowers, right? What can I get you?”

“Fill it with roses.”

Roses? He must be buying them for Aina.

“Would a hundred be enough?”

“I was thinking more like a thousand.”

Wait—what?! I thought it was just for a special occasion, but a thousand?

“Are you going to propose?”

“…Yeah.”

Looking flustered, Cassis avoided my eyes, but that only made his blushing ears more obvious.

As my cheeks twitched with a grin, Cassis hurried to add more.

“I heard from the Duke. That your flower shop is really popular.”

“You shouldn’t believe everything Dillian says.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem like an exaggeration.”

He shrugged toward the pre-arranged bouquets.

“And if it’s a bouquet made by you, Aina will like it even more. That should boost my chances of success, right?”

Hearing his clever little plan made me laugh.

“You’ll have to wait a bit.”

“As long as it takes. Just make it beautiful.”

Cassis offered to pay in advance and handed over the money. My eyes sparkled at the hefty wad of bills.

“I’ll make sure Aina cries when she gets it.”

“I’m counting on you.”

I poured my heart into making the bouquet.

After all, what he gave me was equal to a whole month’s revenue.

*****

That day, Cassis proposed to Aina with the bouquet I made.

It was definitely done in secret, but somehow, like vultures, reporters caught on, and the scene was featured in headlines everywhere.

Cassis, down on one knee holding out the bouquet, looked handsome, and Aina, who covered her mouth in surprise, looked beautiful.

It was a perfect photo, without a trace of embarrassment.

But the one who unexpectedly gained fame from the Crown Prince’s proposal… was me.

Once people found out that the bouquet used in the prince’s proposal to the Saint was made by me, they flocked to the shop.

Couples, soon-to-be newlyweds, anniversary-celebrating spouses—people from all walks of life began knocking on the flower shop door.

“Miss Ria…?”

“Ah… Dillian.”

Dillian, who had come to pick me up after work, frowned as he looked at the shop full of customers.

“What are all these people doing here? It’s closing time—why haven’t they left yet?”

After briefly explaining the Crown Prince’s proposal incident, I held his hand and gave him a soft look.

“I’m sorry. Since you came all the way here… I think you’ll have to go home first.”

“But, Miss Ria…”

“Boss! We’ve made our decision!”

“Yes! I’m coming!”

At the customer’s call, I kissed Dillian on the cheek and tried to soothe him.

“See you tonight.”

“…Understood.”

Though I expected him to sulk, Dillian surprisingly let me go with a smile.

‘Thank goodness… I was worried.’

Relieved, I turned away—without seeing the look that crossed Dillian’s face the moment I turned my back.

A chilling expression replaced his smile in an instant.

****

Nathan swallowed hard at the dark aura radiating from Dillian.

‘This is bad. He’s in another mood again today…’

For days now, Nathan had been miserable, all thanks to his master’s foul temper. The thought of having to deliver another report that would only deepen the gloom sent chills down his spine.

‘My luck…’

Sighing, Nathan cautiously delivered the update.

“…Your Highness. Lady Ria said she’s working late again today.”

Before he even finished, Dillian slammed the desk.

His face twisted in fury.

“…I didn’t mean for things to go this well.”

Indeed. Most of Ria’s regular customers were actually people hired by Dillian.

He had done it partly to ease her stress, and partly to help her business get on its feet faster.

“That’s why I told you—you should’ve just let her build it up on her own.”

“How long was I supposed to wait for that?”

Dillian had full confidence Ria would succeed.

But the business world was no joke, and getting a shop off the ground took time.

At least a year, minimum.

“With her skills, a year would’ve been plenty.”

See? Even Nathan, whose judgment Dillian trusted, said so.

Sure, a year wasn’t that long—but for a man who only thought about marrying Ria, it was unbearably long.

In truth, not long after they returned from the count’s estate, Dillian had casually brought up marriage.

Of course, Ria responded positively, but with one condition:

“I want to marry you too, Dillian. But… I think it’s still too soon. At least wait until the flower shop is stable.”

So he waited. Sure, he did a little maneuvering behind the scenes, but overall, he waited patiently.

Once he judged that Ria’s condition had finally been met, Dillian started drafting lists—wedding venues, honeymoon destinations—dozens of them.

Caught up in that, he’d missed her calls and been misunderstood a few times, but he believed the end was near.

Yes—until about a week ago.

Crunch. The newspaper crumpled violently in Dillian’s hand.

It was the article that had set the Empire abuzz: the Crown Prince’s proposal.

“There was no need to involve His Highness. It backfired, didn’t it?”

“I know. Shut it.”

Dillian clicked his tongue and rubbed his aching temple.

He’d recommended Ria’s shop thinking the prince would spend big. He never imagined it would cause this kind of fallout.

As he brooded with regret, Nathan offered a solution.

“You could see this as a good thing.”

Dillian raised an eyebrow. His eyes clearly said, What nonsense are you spouting?

But Nathan just grinned and shrugged.

“Thanks to His Highness, the shop’s position is solid now.”

Seeing Dillian’s sharp gaze slowly soften, Nathan continued excitedly.

“Just look at the shop now. It more than meets the condition she asked for.”

He was right. Ria was so busy these days that she worked overtime daily, and by the time she came home, she was out like a light. He barely saw her face.

“She’ll say yes now. Don’t you think?”

“Nathan. You finally said something useful.”

“Loyal Nathan. Always says the right thing.”

Nathan placed a hand on his chest and beamed proudly.

“Don’t smile. It’s annoying.”

“I’m hurt.”

As Nathan pouted, Dillian tossed him a gold coin. Stamped with the Duke of Synaize’s crest, it was a coin with no spending limit.

Naturally, recognizing the coin’s worth, Nathan’s grin nearly split his face.

“Hurt? What’s that? With Your Highness’s generous reward, I am the happiest man alive. You are my sky, my earth—”

“Stop spouting nonsense and get lost.”

“Yes! I’ll get lost right away!”

Laughing, Nathan dashed out.