chapter 2: The maid swap disaster

The morning sun spilled into the grand bedroom, casting a soft glow on Verbena's panicked face. Her hair was a tangled silver mess, and her nightgown was half off her shoulder as she paced the floor like a prisoner planning a jailbreak.

"Okay, Verbena," she whispered to herself. "Think! How do people get out of forced marriages in novels?"

Option one: Run away at midnight.

Problem: The castle was surrounded by walls taller than her future. And Theodore probably had wolves guarding every exit.

Option two: Fake death.

Problem: Knowing her luck, she'd end up in a coma instead and wake up next to him again.

Option three: Convince him she's not his type.

Problem: His type was 'breathing'.

She flopped onto the floor dramatically, her arms spread wide. "Why couldn't I reincarnate as a tavern owner's cat? At least cats get fed without marrying murderers."

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.

"The maid swap!"

It was a legendary escape trick in romance novels — swap clothes with a maid, sneak out disguised as a servant, and vanish into the sunset. It was perfect.

She bolted to the bell cord and yanked it like her life depended on it. Within seconds, a trembling young maid scurried in, her eyes wide and her apron crinkled from panic.

"Y-your Grace!" the maid stammered. "Did I do something wrong?"

Verbena grabbed the girl's hands, eyes sparkling with fake tears. "No, no! You're perfect — actually, you're more than perfect. You're my savior."

The maid blinked. "...Pardon?"

"Listen closely," Verbena whispered, dragging her behind the dressing screen. "I'm going to swap clothes with you, and you'll sleep in my bed tonight while I sneak out."

"B-but I'll get executed if the Duke finds out!" the maid wailed.

"Not if you play dead," Verbena said solemnly. "Just pretend to have a mysterious fever. It works every time."

The maid looked horrified, but Verbena's 'desperate damsel' act was too strong. Fifteen minutes later, the maid was wearing Verbena's silk nightgown, and Verbena was dressed as a humble servant girl, her silver hair hidden under a dull brown bonnet.

"I'm a genius," she whispered to herself, sneaking out the door.

She tiptoed down the hallway, past ominous portraits of Hellgrave ancestors, and made it all the way to the servant's back exit without incident.

"Freedom!" she hissed under her breath, throwing open the door to the gardens—

Only to smack face-first into Theodore Hellgrave himself.

She bounced off his chest like a weak potato, landing flat on her back, her bonnet falling off and silver hair tumbling down dramatically.

There was a pause. Then Theodore's slow, evil grin stretched across his face.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Where is my darling wife sneaking off to?"

"I— I was—" Verbena's brain short-circuited. "T-tending to the… chickens?"

"We don't have chickens."

"Then the… ducks?"

"No ducks either."

Verbena grabbed his sleeve with both hands, eyes sparkling with fake devotion. "H-husband! I was going to plant a love tree for us! A symbol of our eternal devotion!"

He stared at her. She stared back.

The silence was louder than a thunderstorm.

Theodore bent down, his face dangerously close to hers. "Tell me, my dear wife, why does your love tree require a passport, 50 gold coind, and a map to the nearest port town?"

Verbena choked on air.

He held up her escape bag, which she definitely forgot to hide better.

"Wifey," he purred, "are you trying to run away from me?"

"No!" she squeaked. "I'm just… investing in our future!"

"By fleeing the country?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean—"

He hauled her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

"Let's return to our bedroom, my rebellious little flower," Theodore said sweetly. "You and I are going to have a very long talk about trust."

As he carried her back inside, Verbena's muffled scream echoed down the hall:

"I JUST WANT A DIVORCE!"

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End of chapter 2

WARNING

This is the original version of the webnovel "villain husband, please sign the divorce papers" by the author "Hanagaki Ryuka". Please don't copyright or upload it in your name

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O1cON4UEjsjFPMZxqNSY425-fdHW19779uAKscbDsy8/edit?usp=drivesdk