Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 126

To shake off the feeling of disappointment, Brianna changed the subject.

“…Come to think of it, the royal ball is coming up.”

In just one week, the royal ball would be held. At her words, Lucius suddenly let out a sigh and furrowed his brows deeply. It was rare for him to make a face that showed clear distaste.

“You don’t want to go?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to…”

He paused as if lost in thought, then met her eyes.

“I was going to mention this anyway, but at the ball, try to avoid being alone with any member of the royal family as much as possible. Especially the Crown Prince. My mother and I will stay by your side, but just in case.”

“Why?”

Brianna tilted her head slightly. Is he worried something like what happened with Franz might occur again?

“That’s…”

He trailed off and didn’t answer. Instead, he smiled and kissed her forehead.

“I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s not something you need to worry about, so just forget it.”

That answer, too, left her feeling a little disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped.

Right—he doesn’t have to share everything with me. There might be things he doesn’t want to talk about. I don’t tell him everything I think, either.

“I suppose you’ll be busy with preparations for the ball, then?”

At his next question, Brianna nodded. Though she had been preparing little by little, now it was time to move in earnest, so it was true that things were going to be hectic.

“Whether it’s dresses or jewelry, if there’s anything you want, don’t worry about the budget and get whatever you like.”

Brianna let out a soft laugh. “Your mother said the other day that, compared to your brother, you’re too generous with money. She liked it at first but now she’s starting to worry.”

“Well, our income has increased, so it’s only natural I spend more on you and my mother.”

Indeed, recently Lucius had been actively networking with members of the House of Commons and expanding business collaborations. Until now, the Carlisle duchy had focused only on domestic ventures, but Lucius had shown great interest in foreign trade and overseas business rights. At such a time, maintaining close political ties with members of the Commons was a huge advantage. After all, they were people who had risen to their positions thanks to exceptional business acumen.

Judging by his confidence, it seemed something was already starting to yield results, even though it was still early.

“I’ll be busy with work for a while too, so I’ll be coming home late. Don’t wait up—go to bed without me.”

As if signaling bedtime, he gently patted her back, then wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. It was a habit he had developed over the past month. Whenever he wanted to fall asleep, he would hold her just like this.

She had already been getting sleepy. Brianna nestled into his embrace and closed her eyes.

***

Brianna spent the following days in a whirlwind of activity. Just preparing for the ball meant a hectic schedule one after another. The royal ball was the largest event she had ever participated in, and she would be meeting royalty face-to-face, so there could be no carelessness.

While preparing, Brianna kept thinking about what gift to give Lucius. The small plush toy she had given him during the fireworks still lingered in her mind. And after he told her not to worry about money and buy anything she wanted, she felt even more compelled to give him something before the ball.

The problem was—she had no idea what kind of gift would be appropriate.

She had agonized over what to give Florian in the past, but this time it was even harder. Lucius had far more than Florian ever did.

Come to think of it, she had chosen a brooch for Florian because she recalled receiving one from Lucius at the graduation ball…

Brianna slowly retraced that memory. At first, she had considered getting Florian a watch, like her mother had once given her father. But he already had a finer gold watch, so she’d quickly given up.

But now, looking back, she wondered—was that really what mattered?

Of course, Lucius already had a fine watch. But if she started comparing things one by one like that, there would be no end to it. Whatever she gave him, he was bound to already have something better. In that case, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to give him the thing she cherished the most?

If she were to give him her father’s watch…

The moment that thought occurred to her, Brianna opened the jewelry box on her vanity and took out her father’s watch. Unlike the worn timepiece, the strap gleamed—brand new, a gift from Lucius.

No matter how she thought about it, this watch was the most precious thing she owned. And besides, it was closely tied to him. After all, it had been Lucius who had gone out of his way to retrieve it after it was stolen.

Perhaps this had been fate from the beginning.

Brianna smiled as she gently caressed the watch, making up her mind to give it to him before the ball.

But it wasn’t as easy as she had hoped. Just as he’d warned, Lucius was often away from home during that time. He frequently left early in the morning and came home very late at night.

Some nights, he did slip into her bed upon returning. If she awoke in the middle of the night, Lucius would usually whisper for her to go back to sleep as he embraced her—but sometimes, he would kiss her and enter her body instead. Yet by the time she opened her eyes fully, he would already be gone at dawn.

Because of that, she kept missing the chance to give him the watch. And now, the ball was just one day away.

“His Grace often works late into the night in his study, even after coming home,” the butler told her when she asked about Lucius’s schedule.

Seeing her troubled expression, the butler cautiously asked, “Do you have something you wish to deliver to His Grace? If so, I could let him know to set aside some time…”

“No, that won’t be necessary.” Brianna quickly shook her head. She didn’t want to trouble him over something so small.

In the end, Brianna decided to place the gift on his desk with a note.

She entered his study through the connecting room. Since they had occasionally spent time there together before, it felt natural for her to pass through.

As she set the box down on the large desk by the window, her eyes fell on the long couch beside it—and she flushed bright red.

Lately, they had developed a habit of kissing for long stretches whenever they were alone. Whether in bed or even here, it made no difference.

In the past, they had each quietly done their own work in this room, but at some point, whenever their eyes met, they would begin kissing—licking each other’s lips and plunging their tongues deep. The problem was, things often escalated quickly after that.

There was even a time when Lucius had laid her down on the sofa and tried to take her there, only for the butler to knock on the door. Only then did Brianna remember that unlike their bedroom, this space was frequently visited by the butler and others. She had immediately pushed Lucius away and fled back to her room. Since then, she had avoided working in the study with him.

…Now’s not the time to reminisce. I need to write the letter.

Catching herself drifting off, Brianna gave both her cheeks a quick slap.

She placed the notepad she’d brought on the desk—only to realize she hadn’t brought a pen.

Without much thought, she opened one of the drawers, intending only to jot down a note and put the pen back.

Inside, she found a folded letter.

She had no intention of reading someone else’s mail. But when she caught sight of the handwriting between the folds, so familiar to her, her hand moved instinctively.

…Florian?

And as if timed perfectly, she spotted her name peeking out from the folded page. It was unmistakably something about her.

With trembling fingers, Brianna opened the letter. From the very top, she began to read.

[Hello, Lucy.

If you’re reading this letter, it means I’m already dead.

How does it feel to receive a letter from a dead man? Even the great Lucius must be feeling a bit eerie right now, huh?]