When I Quit Being A Wicked Mother-in-law, Everyone Became Obsessed With Me

After a while, he was still nuzzling her neck, but then he murmured with a sigh,

“Anriche, it seems… it would be difficult for you to trust me, wouldn’t it?”

Having barely contained his initial intense emotions, Alexei posed the question with his usual polite demeanor.

However, for Anriche, that wasn’t what mattered.

‘What is he talking about now?’

He doesn’t trust me.

The certainty in his tone surprised Anriche for a moment.

“Excuse me?”

“That’s understandable. I…”

Now, Alexei’s face was filled with guilt.

“Because I was someone who couldn’t be a support for you when you were in pain.”

“Wait a minute. What do you mean by that?”

Anriche shot up from her place.

Alexei looked up at her silently.

“You’ve been struggling because of the Saxon Marquis family, haven’t you?”

“No, that’s…”

“But I never even tried to understand what you were going through.”

He had only focused on the various misdeeds Anriche had committed.

He hadn’t cared at all about why she had acted that way.

He hadn’t even known that she was being exploited by her family.

‘No, to be precise…’

Alexei smiled bitterly.

‘I didn’t even try to know.’

Feeling a deep sense of self-loathing, Alexei continued.

“The fact that our relationship was strained back then doesn’t excuse my behavior.”

“Alexei, that’s…”

“I…”

“Stop it!”

Anriche was horrified by his endless self-reflection and pressed her hands over his mouth.

‘W-well, I’ve stopped him for now.’

What should she do from here?

She was sweating coldly, but she firmly stated to Alexei,

“If I let go, you will listen to what I have to say, okay?”

“…”

He nodded.

Only after confirming that he obediently nodded did Anriche remove her hands.

Then, she tried to maintain as stern an expression as possible.

“Alexei, there’s a misunderstanding.”

“…A misunderstanding?”

“Yes.”

Anriche nodded and calmly continued.

“No matter how much we are married, if the other person doesn’t speak, there’s no way to know their innermost feelings.”

“Anriche.”

“So I don’t think it’s something for you to apologize for. It’s just…”

After a moment of choosing her words, she smiled gently.

“It was simply a lack of communication.”

Honestly, Alexei had done enough as a husband.

He had endured his wife’s misdeeds, and he hadn’t even turned a blind eye when she continuously siphoned money from the Saxon Marquis family.

Moreover, if one were to carefully examine Anriche’s memories…

‘It wasn’t as if communication had been completely severed from the beginning.’

The one who had refused to communicate was Anriche, not Alexei.

‘Of course, I understand why the original Anriche acted that way.’

Her family had regarded her merely as a “means to secure the family’s standing.”

In reaction to that, Anriche had desired even more to be recognized and loved by her family.

In the process, she had her own struggles and loneliness.

She had no choice but to act out.

But.

‘That’s not Alexei’s fault.’

No matter what emptiness the original Anriche felt, if she didn’t express her feelings, the other person would never know.

The same went for Alexei.

‘For him to feel guilt in that situation is simply unreasonable.’

Biting her lips, Anriche suddenly spoke up.

“Above all, Alexei, you are the person I rely on the most in the world.”

“…Is that true?”

“Of course.”

Anriche nodded firmly.

And then she added,

“And I… want to be more than just someone you rely on as family.”

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

“I want to be your… one and only woman.”

In that moment,

it felt as if the whole world had fallen silent.

Alexei stared at her, forgetting even to breathe.

Anriche gazed deep into Alexei’s eyes,

where she could see the clear swell of affection.

‘So that’s how it is.’

In that moment, she had a lightning-bolt realization.

There was no way she could be unaware of it.

You…

‘You love me.’

Hundreds or thousands of confessions of love were unnecessary from the start.

She could tell.

He loved her passionately.

…Just as she loved him.

“Can I think that you feel the same way about me?”

In that instant, Alexei’s gaze darkened with intense affection.

And Anriche…

thought it would be fine to be forever trapped in that gaze.

***

Late at night, close to dawn,

Alexei looked down at Anriche, who was peacefully asleep in his arms, her face resembling that of a satisfied beast.

‘…She’s really sleeping.’

In fact, calling it ‘sleeping’ might be a bit misleading.

Anriche had nearly collapsed after reaching climax several times.

‘I might have been a bit too much.’

Feeling a pang of guilt, Alexei cautiously reached out.

He gently tucked away the hair sticking to her forehead and cheeks.

At that, Anriche furrowed her brow and murmured sleepily.

“Hmm…”

It seemed that his touch was a bit bothersome.

‘Oh no.’

Alexei awkwardly withdrew his hand.

And just then…

As Anriche tossed and turned in her sleep, she suddenly wrapped her arms around Alexei tightly.

“R-Riche?”

Alexei called out in surprise.

But Anriche merely smiled contentedly, mumbling with her lips.

“…Really, you too.”

With a deep sigh, Alexei pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders.

Perhaps feeling the soft blanket was comforting, Anriche’s face broke into a smile that didn’t fade.

Alexei gazed at her face for a long time.

‘Above all, you are the person I rely on the most in the world.’

Her shy voice still seemed to echo in his ears.

As he pondered her words, he cautiously called out to her.

“Riche.”

“…”

In deep sleep, she only returned soft, rhythmic breaths.

But that was fine.

“Thank you.”

With that expression of gratitude, Alexei gently kissed her forehead.

The guilt that had been like a thorn in his heart for so long finally faded away.

And in its place…

‘Now… I can’t live without you.’

It was boundless affection.

***

The next morning.

Anriche struggled to lift her heavy eyelids.

“…Ugh.”

Her entire body felt like a damp sponge, heavy and sluggish.

‘Maybe I overdid it yesterday…’

As she groaned and turned, suddenly her eyes widened.

A solid chest came into her view.

‘Gasp.’

Anriche swallowed hard.

With not a single ounce of fat, the perfectly chiseled chest was nothing short of a masterpiece.

Lost in thought, her gaze was fixed on his chest, and she cautiously reached out her hand.

‘C-Can I touch it?’

Regardless of Anriche’s inner turmoil, her body was more honest.

Her index finger moved of its own accord and poked at his chest.

‘Gasp.’

At the same time, she inhaled sharply.

The sensation of his warm and firm chest against her fingertips was astonishing.

‘Wow.’

Anriche’s eyes shook wildly.

The male chest… it was truly incredible?!

She began to touch it more actively.

‘Saying it’s like a sculpture must be used for moments like this.’

To think she had a legal monopoly on such a chest.

She felt a bit proud, though also sorry for women around the world.

Anriche couldn’t help but marvel internally.

‘Wow…’

Just then,

“…Riche?”

A deep voice called from above her head.

It was Alexei.

“Gasp.”

Anriche’s face turned bright red, as if it might burst.

What should I do?!

“I-I didn’t mean to do that on purpose!”

Instead of answering, Alexei stared at her intently.

‘Did he really have no ulterior motives?’

It was as if he were silently asking that question.

In the end, Anriche tightly shut her eyes.

“I did want to touch it, though…”

“Is that so?”

Alexei asked back, a hint of amusement in his voice.

And then he said,

“You can touch it as much as you like.”

“…Excuse me?”

Did I just hear that correctly?

Anriche doubted her ears.

But Alexei only reaffirmed with his usual composed face.

“I said you can touch it as much as you like.”

Anriche’s mouth fell open.

No, is he serious?!

How can he say something like that with such nonchalance?!

Yet she couldn’t help but keep glancing at Alexei’s chest…

‘…I must be a pervert.’

While Anriche was reflecting on herself internally,

Alexei gently took her hand.

“Why is your hand…?”

Peck.

Alexei left a quick kiss on the tips of her fingers.

Then, he placed her hand on his chest.

“W-What?!”

As Anriche stared at him in shock, he mischievously smiled.

“You’ve been staring at my chest since earlier.”