Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 12

“…I actually have memories of fireworks with my late father.”

When he lifted his dark eyes to look at Brianna, she quickly averted her gaze. Making eye contact with him still felt uncomfortable.

“My father promised me, before he passed away, that we would go watch fireworks together after his monster hunt.”

After her mother died to a monster, her father devoted his entire life to hunting monsters, as if he lived solely with the goal of wiping them all out from the world. However, that didn’t mean he neglected or didn’t love Brianna. When he returned home from his hunts, he was more affectionate towards her than anyone could have been.

Yet Brianna had always noticed the sadness in his eyes whenever he looked at her. It wasn’t until she heard people say she resembled her mother that she finally understood why.

As a result, Brianna grew up faster than other children. She never pestered her father for anything like most kids did. Then, one day, she happened to see a photo of fireworks in a newspaper. It was an advertisement for a fireworks event in a nearby city.

She wanted to go see the fireworks, something she had never seen before, but she didn’t mention it to her father. Instead, she folded the newspaper and left it on the table, where her father must have seen it.

“Brianna, should we go watch the fireworks together?”

She had been so happy to hear those words. From that day on, she eagerly waited every night for her father to return home after finishing his monster hunt.

“…But in the end, what I saw was my father’s cold, frozen body.”

His face in the coffin was serene, without a trace of pain. It made sense, for he was finally able to reunite with the love of his life.

“That’s why, while I want to see fireworks, I’m also afraid. It feels like something bad will follow after something good, just like before…”

Brianna suddenly realized she had said too much. In fact, this was a story she hadn’t even shared with Florian. Yet, here she was, sharing it with someone she had just met yesterday.

“I’m sorry. I’ve said something too personal…”

“That watch, was it your father’s keepsake?” Lucius asked.

Brianna looked at him in surprise.

“A pocket watch carried in a bag or on a person is typically a man’s item.”

“Oh…”

Realizing she could no longer deny it, Brianna nodded slightly. “It was a gift from my mother to my father. Their names were engraved inside.”

“Just as I thought,” Lucius said.

Brianna fiddled with her fingers, feeling uneasy. He was already so responsible, and now she had burdened him even more by telling him about the watch.

“You said you’re afraid that something bad will follow something good?” Lucius asked.

When she looked up at him, he gave her a gentle smile.

“This time, something good will follow something bad. For example, after watching the fireworks, you might find the lost item you’ve been searching for…”

Bang! Boom!

At that very moment, loud explosions began to fill the air. Behind Lucius, thousands upon thousands of fireworks burst into the sky.

In the dazzling light, Brianna felt her heart pounding fiercely in her chest. With every beat, the deafening sound of fireworks echoed all around, almost overwhelming her.

She pressed her fist against her chest, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. Yes, it’s because of the fireworks. My heart is just reacting to the fireworks. Brianna, don’t misunderstand this.

Quickly, she turned her head and gazed up at the fireworks painting the night sky. A bright, joyful smile spread across her face.

“The sky is so beautiful. I never imagined it could be this breathtaking,” she exclaimed.

Lucius found himself captivated, not by the fireworks, but by the sight of Brianna’s face lit up with wonder and delight.

From that moment on, his gaze remained fixed not on the fireworks illuminating the sky, but on the woman who watched them in awe.

***

“Thank you so much for today,” Brianna said, bowing politely in front of the train station. Her face was still flushed from the excitement of the fireworks.

“And please don’t trouble yourself too much about the watch. I’ve heard it’s hard to recover stolen items. I don’t want you to be burdened by it.”

“I understand,” Lucius replied.

At that, Brianna smiled brightly, looking more relaxed than she had the day before. She seemed genuinely happy.

“Well then…” she said, bowing once more before turning to leave. She handed her ticket to the station attendant and boarded the train without looking back even once.

After seeing her off, Lucius returned to the mansion and immediately sought out his brother’s study. Daniel Carlisle was surprised to see his younger brother visit him voluntarily and stopped working to look at him with wide eyes.

“What’s this? My brother coming to see me on his own?”

“I need a favor,” Lucius said.

Daniel jumped up from his chair and scrutinized his brother as if he were an unfamiliar creature. “A favor? What kind of favor? Did you get into trouble? How big of a mess did you make to come asking me for help?”

“I need you to use the Carlisle intelligence network to find a watch.”

“A watch?”

“Yes, find a watch that was stolen by a pickpocket.”

Daniel slowly sat back down, blinking in disbelief at his brother’s request to mobilize their entire information network for a single watch.

“Whose watch is it?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“If you don’t tell me, I won’t help you find it.”

“Then never mind. I’ll find it myself…”

“Little brother, you should let people finish their sentences.” Daniel grabbed his brother, who had already turned to leave, and sighed softly.

“Alright. I won’t ask whose watch it is, but you need to describe it. I need to know what I’m looking for.”

“I don’t know what it looks like. However, the name ‘Everett’ is engraved inside the watch.”

“……”

Daniel’s jaw dropped involuntarily. ‘Everett’ was the name of the woman who had visited their estate yesterday. Although Lucius had refused to reveal whose watch it was, he had inadvertently made it clear that it belonged to her.

“So, this watch…”

“Are you going to help me find it or not?” Lucius’s voice was uncharacteristically impatient. He seemed ready to storm out if there was any further delay.

Daniel smirked. “Of course, I’ll find it. I promise.”

“Thank you,” Lucius said, leaving the room as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Daniel leaned back in his chair, twirling a pen between his fingers, staring at the door his brother had just exited.

The butler entered, placing a cup of tea on the desk. Daniel’s gaze remained fixed on the door.

“…Your Grace, is there something there?” the butler asked, sensing something unusual.

“Yes, there is. I can see it clearly,” Daniel replied, a mischievous smile on his lips.

The butler felt a chill down his spine and moved closer to Daniel, ready to make the sign of the cross. Before he could, Daniel muttered, “The burning passion of a boy in love. This is serious. Late love is the most dangerous. This is a real problem.”

“Are you talking about Lord Lucius?” the butler asked.

“Yes, it seems Luce has taken an interest in the intelligent lady who visited the estate yesterday,” Daniel explained.

“You must be worried about her social status,” the butler speculated.

“No, that’s not what I’m really worried about,” Daniel corrected.

“Then what is it…?” the butler trailed off.

“It’s Florian,” Daniel replied.

The woman Lucius was interested in, Brianna Everett, was Florian Robert’s childhood friend. She was so important to him that he had planned to meet her himself.

Daniel recalled a conversation he had with Florian at a dull party. When Daniel had teased him about not having time for romance because he spent all his time with Lucius, Florian had laughed and said he did have a special someone. When Daniel pressed him for details, Florian had only smiled cheekily and refused to reveal her identity.