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Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 113

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“Such lies…”

“Brianna, the world doesn’t care much about the truth. The problem is that there’s enough suspicion around you. Didn’t you already get caught up in a scandal? It might’ve been covered up with your marriage to the Duke of Carlisle, but if I bring it up again, wouldn’t people naturally start suspecting you?”

Brianna bit her lip hard. As he said, the scandal from before had only been patched up by her marriage. If a similar rumor were to arise, it would resurface at any moment.

“If someone in there asks why you left Harzen without a letter of recommendation, what are you going to say? Or will you boldly declare that I almost assaulted you? As the Duchess of Carlisle, no less?”

When she didn’t respond, he spoke even more gleefully.

“And people don’t know about your relationship with Florian Robert, do they? I heard Florian and the Duke are close friends? What do you think will happen if I carelessly let that slip?”

He was right. People didn’t know. If her relationship with Florian became public knowledge, her situation would be drastically different. No one would look kindly upon a woman who married her dead fiancé’s closest friend immediately after his death.

“A maid who seduced the young master of the house gets thrown out, then toys with two men, and marries one right after the other dies. Don’t you think people would find that story fascinating? Isn’t that the perfect role for a scandalous and immoral opera heroine?”

Brianna herself didn’t care what rumors surrounded her. That’s why she had been able to bring up the testimony about spending the night at the inn with Lucius.

But this time was different. Unlike before, both Lucius and the Dowager Duchess could get hurt.

She didn’t mind being the one broken or hurt. But she didn’t want two innocent people to be dragged down with her.

Only then did Brianna realize one thing: people become more vulnerable when they have someone they want to protect.

It was entirely different from when she had been alone.

Noticing the shift in Brianna’s demeanor, Franz stepped closer. Brianna looked at him like she’d just seen a snake, but she didn’t slap him or avoid him like before. Franz liked that even more.

Brianna’s contorted face was the most beautiful he had ever seen. He had always liked women when they looked like this: hating him, unable to run, trembling in helplessness. It was the sight he had long awaited from Brianna.

A mere maid who used to act like some noble lady. Always pretending to be lofty and pure, like a spotless white handkerchief.

Do you know how badly I wanted to sully that white cloth?

The plan had been to ruin her the moment that old hag died, but he never got the chance because she came at him with a gun. Then Brianna left Harzen and escaped his grasp.

Now that he thought about it, maybe this was better. It would be even more thrilling to conquer Brianna as a duchess rather than as a maid. And he planned to defile her in what he considered the vilest way possible.

Just imagining the Duchess, covered in his sticky white release, trembling in humiliation, made his mouth water.

“Brianna, I only want one thing. Your body. Just give me that, and you can keep living as the Duchess of Carlisle. Like I said, all nobles live like this. It’s nothing unusual.”

He gently placed a hand on Brianna’s shoulder.

“If you agree, I won’t say a word about your past. I promise.”

Franz had written to Adelheid Kirchner for this day.

He had sent a letter briefly explaining his plan: he would make Brianna Carlisle his, and asked Adelheid to arrange a meeting. A woman who had lost her fiancé and become a laughingstock to the world accepted his offer. And thanks to her, he had come here.

Delighted that everything was going as planned, Franz was about to move his hand to Brianna’s slender neck when—

Footsteps echoed from the distance.

Startled, Franz quickly pulled his hand back and stepped away. What he wanted was a secret rendezvous, not to get caught and cause a scandal.

Feigning innocence, Franz turned around—only to see a large man approaching from afar.

“…Lucius?”

The moment Brianna muttered his name, Franz let out a sharp gasp.

“Lucius? That man is Lucius Carlisle? Wasn’t the Duke supposed to be absent from today’s gathering?”

He had chosen today precisely because he’d heard the Duchess would be attending alone. If he had known the Duke would be coming, he would have picked a different day. No man, however bold, would dare to snatch someone’s possession right in front of the owner.

Brianna, dazed, watched Lucius as he approached. She too couldn’t understand why he had come here. But at the same time, she felt immense relief.

He had come. At the very moment she needed him most.

“Lucius…”

Lucius, now close, pulled Brianna into his arm. Embraced all at once, Brianna buried her face in the secure comfort of his chest and thought.

Why is he here? Could he have heard the conversation just now? If so, how much?

“I came to pick you up on the way home after finishing work. I figured the gathering would be ending around now…”

As he spoke, Brianna lifted her head and cautiously observed his expression. Though he wore a faint smile, his face revealed little emotion. He looked as though he knew nothing—but his black eyes were clearly darker than usual.

“But it seems the gathering hasn’t ended yet. Do you still need to stay?”

Brianna quickly shook her head. She wanted nothing more than to leave right away.

“Then I’ll just step inside to give my greetings, and then—”

“I-it’s an honor to meet you, Duke Carlisle…”

At that moment, Franz hurriedly greeted Lucius. Only then did Lucius glance down at him with the look of someone noticing him for the first time. When Lucius’s gaze landed on him, Franz’s shoulders twitched as if scorched.

“It’s an honor. I—I’m Franz Linares. I’ve known Brianna for a long time, and since we hadn’t seen each other in a while, we were just catching up.”

Completely unlike the man who had just been threatening Brianna, Franz now grovelled like a mouse before a cat. Watching him shrink with such pitiful cowardice, Brianna bit her lip tightly.

How could someone act so differently before the strong and the weak?

“I was worried the Duke might misunderstand upon seeing us—”

“I don’t misunderstand.”

Lucius cut in coldly, his voice like a blade.

“I’m not the kind of foolish man who jumps to conclusions before hearing my wife’s side.”

Franz, sensing Lucius’s displeasure, rushed to explain. “O-of course, naturally! I wasn’t trying to criticize, I just—”

“Franz Linares… I believe my wife mentioned you once before.”

Brianna recalled the time she had told Lucius about Franz in the carriage. Franz, now fearing that Lucius might know everything, gulped and waited anxiously for what would come next.

Brianna, too, stared up at Lucius, tense and uncertain of what he might do.

After a moment, Lucius suddenly smiled smoothly. “Unfortunately, I don’t quite remember what she said. She rarely talks about her hometown.”

It was clearly a lie. Lucius was the kind of man who remembered even the smallest details. There was no way he would have forgotten something like that. He must have had a different reason for pretending not to remember.

Franz, unaware of the truth, sighed in relief and let out a sheepish laugh. “Ah, of course. She probably doesn’t bring it up because she left her hometown so coldly.”

“We’ll be leaving now. My wife seems a bit cold.”

Lucius’s large hand slid over Brianna’s shoulder—the same spot Franz had touched moments before.

“We must make time to meet again soon, Sir Franz. I couldn’t possibly neglect my wife’s long-time acquaintance without proper hospitality.”

Caught off guard by the sudden suggestion, Franz gaped. “I—I’d be honored! Please invite me anytime!”

And a moment later, Lucius’s smiling lips parted again.

“Do you enjoy hunting?”

 

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MANGA DISCUSSION

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1 Comment

  1. Zero

    I hope you have fun hunting that man, Lucius

    May 31, 2025 at 11:31
    Reply

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