Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 128

The red wine in the clear glass swirled with each subtle movement of his hand.

As he drank and chatted with other gentlemen at the ball, he occasionally glanced sideways at a particular woman.

She was, without a doubt, the star of tonight’s event. Though not extravagantly adorned, she was surrounded by people. Her appearance wasn’t dazzling, yet somehow she drew the eye. Her plain brown hair gave her a soft impression, but her sparkling teal eyes lent her an intelligent look. Especially when she smiled radiantly, it felt as if the entire room lit up.

She appeared perfectly adjusted to high society, conversing with various individuals with poise. It was hard to believe that just months ago, she had been a commoner working as a governess. Even members of the bourgeoisie, who should be more accustomed to such events, appeared timid in comparison, while she moved fluidly between the groups, enjoying the ball.

Brianna Carlisle…

She possessed the grace to blend into high society effortlessly, but also an air and charm that set her apart from its rigid formality. Her uniqueness surely came from that contrast.

Gerhardt took another sip of wine and then turned his attention back to the other gentlemen. There was no benefit to making it obvious he was watching her. It would only provoke Lucius Carlisle.

Even now, Lucius Carlisle hadn’t left his wife’s side for a moment. The Duchess occasionally stepped away to meet acquaintances, but the Duke took his wife with him wherever he went. Because of that, she had barely danced with any other men. With her husband watching her like a hawk, who would dare ask her to dance?

“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Soon after, the Crown Princess approached him. When the people around Gerhardt stepped aside, she leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“As you requested, I tried speaking with the Duchess of Carlisle.”

“And the result?”

She shook her head slightly. “It won’t be easy to draw her aside. The Duke and the Dowager Duchess never leave her side. The Duchess also seemed to have been forewarned—she declined my invitation very gracefully.”

“I see.”

Gerhardt lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile.

“Thank you. That will be all.”

After the Crown Princess left, Gerhardt decided to revise his plan. He had intended to use her to summon the Duchess to a suitable place, but if things were going this way, he had no choice.

He set down his wine glass and walked straight toward the Duke and Duchess of Carlisle. Even then, Lucius Carlisle’s gaze hadn’t once left his wife. To be more precise, he had been like that since the ball began.

At first, Gerhardt thought it was out of protectiveness—Lucius was known to be deeply devoted to his family.

But he soon realized that wasn’t the whole story.

The Duke was watching his wife with an expression Gerhardt had never seen on him before. Like a wild beast stripped of its ferocity, wearing a gentle smile filled only with softness and vulnerability.

It was unmistakably the face of a man in love. Even if the woman receiving that gaze was unaware, to an observer, it was painfully obvious.

That made Gerhardt question things. He had assumed Lucius married the fiancée of a dead friend due to unavoidable circumstances—but was that really the case?

Gerhardt had obtained part of a letter Florian Robert had written to Brianna Everett before his death. Thanks to it, he had a general grasp of the relationship between the three of them. Initially, he had considered using that situation to his advantage, but now it seemed he had stumbled upon something far more unexpected.

What puzzled him was Lucius’s behavior. A man like Lucius should know better than to expose his weaknesses so openly. This was the same man, terrifyingly meticulous beyond his years, who had been closing in on him with a calculated plan—yet he couldn’t even manage his expression now?

Or perhaps he was so deeply infatuated with that woman that hiding it was simply impossible.

“Duke Carlisle.”

At last, when Gerhardt called out to him, Lucius’s face, which had been smiling at his wife, immediately turned rigid. As the couple turned toward him, Gerhardt approached with a smile.

***

Aside from its grand scale, the royal ball wasn’t much different from the others Brianna had attended. She hid her inner turmoil and, as always, did her best to play the role of the perfect duchess. With her wit, she made others laugh, and with her breadth of knowledge, she carried engaging and thoughtful conversations.

Just when her nervousness about making mistakes had almost faded, the Crown Prince approached them.

At the sight of him, Lucius immediately pulled Brianna close to him, as if the man might cause her harm at any moment. Once, she might have been confused by the gesture—but now, she understood.

Gerhardt Lars.

He was the very one who had killed Florian, and Daniel too.

“I realized I’ve never been formally introduced to the Duchess of Carlisle. Would you grant me the honor of an introduction to your lovely wife?”

At his words, Lucius frowned slightly. But after a brief moment, as if resigning himself, he looked at Brianna.

It was only proper. Regardless of personal feelings, etiquette had to be observed at official events.

“…Come to think of it, I haven’t personally introduced her to Your Highness. Please allow me to do so now. This is my wife, Brianna Carlisle.”

As Lucius finished, Brianna gathered the hem of her skirt and bowed her head to the Crown Prince, her expression beaming as if she were unaware of anything.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince took her hand and kissed the back of it. Such courtesy was rare for royalty, and those nearby gasped in surprise. Even more so because the royal family and the Carlisle duchy weren’t exactly on good terms.

“I’ve been watching for a while and noticed that the Duchess doesn’t seem to be enjoying the ball much. You’ve barely danced. If it’s because you couldn’t find a suitable partner…”

Rather than releasing her hand, he spoke directly to Brianna.

“Would you do me the honor of a dance, Duchess of Carlisle?”

At his invitation, Brianna immediately glanced at Lucius. It was clear from his expression that he hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to make such a direct offer. Normally, when a married man asked a married woman to dance, he would first seek her husband’s approval.

It was the Crown Prince who broke that unspoken rule first, but even so, it wasn’t a situation where Lucius could refuse outright. In fact, it was better to smile and let her go. Any sort of confrontation could lead to damaging rumors—like that he was unreasonably possessive of his wife.

A libertine was never frowned upon, but a man blindly devoted to his wife? That was considered a flaw in this social circle.

“Of course.”

So Brianna readily accepted his offer.

“The Duke was just worrying that I hadn’t danced enough tonight. We were discussing who my next partner might be, so Your Highness came at just the right time.”

With that, Brianna neatly cut off any chance for gossip. She took the Crown Prince’s hand and walked toward the center of the ballroom, sending a glance back at Lucius.

Telling him not to worry—it would be fine.

The music began, and they had just started dancing when the Crown Prince revealed his hidden claws.