Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 136
And faint voices could be heard from there.
For the first time since collapsing, Brianna stepped onto the floor. Her abdominal wound was covered with gauze, so she couldn’t know its exact condition, but surprisingly, she was able to walk.
She recalled how her father, when injured, would get up and move around before his wounds were fully healed, and how she had once scolded him for it. Now, finding herself doing the same, she let out a small, bitter laugh.
Brianna carefully made her way toward the middle door. The reason she forced herself despite the pain was because she instinctively sensed that something important was being discussed in that room. They must have gone in there thinking she was sound asleep.
As she pressed her ear to the door, voices became audible. It was Lucius and the doctor.
“…Are you certain Brianna doesn’t know?”
In response to Lucius’s question, the doctor let out a low sigh.
“Yes. It was still very early. Even with one’s own body, it’s common not to notice at that stage. Moreover, she lost consciousness for a while after the accident…”
Lucius remained silent for a long time before speaking in a heavy voice.
“Tell no one. Not Brianna, not my mother. This must stay between you and me.”
“Of course. She’s still recovering physically—there’s no need to hurt her emotionally too. However…”
The doctor hesitated briefly, then continued, “Forgive me for saying this, but… it may be difficult for Madam to conceive again.”
“That doesn’t matter. As long as Brianna is safe, that’s all I care about.”
At that point, Brianna stepped away from the door and returned to bed. Lying down and pulling the blanket over herself, she stared blankly at the ceiling.
If she had been pregnant, they would have discovered it during treatment and told her already. Since the doctor hadn’t mentioned anything, Brianna had wanted to believe she had simply misunderstood. Though unease crept in again and again, she kept pushing it down.
But in the end, it was true after all…
A moment later, the sound of the door opening reached her ears, and she quickly shut her eyes. Lucius came in and sat in the chair beside the bed. He brushed her forehead a few times, then took her hand and muttered something under his breath. It was a prayer.
Despite once being considered the Pope’s successor, Lucius had never shown overt piety. This was the first time she had seen him pray anywhere other than a cathedral.
Moved by his earnest prayer, a hot tear traced the corner of his eye. Brianna, not wanting him to realize she was awake, pretended to stir in her sleep and buried her face in the pillow.
At that moment, the prayer ceased. He kissed her cheek and pulled the blanket up over her. Then, after lingering for quite some time, he quietly left the room.
Only after the maid entered to care for her was Brianna finally able to cry, long and hard, all alone.
***
The moment it became known that the Duchess of Carlisle had been attacked during the Thanksgiving event, the social scene was thrown into an uproar. Ironically, the first to loudly deny involvement was none other than Lady Adelheid Kirchner, who claimed it wasn’t her and nervously offered up her alibi, even down to who she had been with. It was the very image of guilt.
Not that Lady Kirchner had ever been on Lucius’s list of suspects to begin with. He knew full well that she was only capable of petty tricks and behind-the-back gossip. Had she ever posed a serious threat, he would’ve dealt with her long ago.
“It was just common thieves.”
After regaining some strength, Brianna described her attackers that way.
It wasn’t unheard of for pickpockets or petty thieves to sneak into noble events. Usually, it ended with a loss of some money or jewelry.
“If I’d just given them what they wanted, nothing would have happened. But I resisted… You told me not to go off alone, and I didn’t listen. It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”
Lucius was suspicious of her explanation, but when she even apologized, he found it hard to press further. Besides, he had no solid evidence to question her story.
By the time he heard the gunshot and rushed to the scene, the culprits had vanished without a trace, and Brianna lay there bleeding. Catching the assailants came second—her life was the priority. Truth be told, in that moment, his mind had nearly gone blank, and he couldn’t think of anything else.
Only after confirming she was safe did they begin the search, but ultimately, they failed to catch anyone. They had lost valuable time early on, and since it was royal forest territory, it wasn’t easy to dispatch the duke’s men freely.
“Luce, I’m fine.”
It was Brianna who comforted him instead. As time passed, the signs of illness faded and her complexion visibly improved.
“I just want to forget the bad memories now. So don’t push yourself anymore. It’s not worth exhausting the duchy’s resources just to catch one petty thief.”
Lucius studied her face and recalled the events of that day.
During her treatment after being stabbed, there had been heavy bleeding between her legs. The doctor had expressed regret, saying he had managed to save Brianna’s life, but the miscarriage had been unavoidable. He had added that it was so early she might not have even known she was pregnant.
Ever since hearing those words, Lucius had kept a close eye on Brianna’s condition. She had never mentioned anything about being pregnant, nor had she shown any noticeable signs. And during her recovery, she had eaten well and smiled as usual—so much so it was hard to believe she had come so close to death. It didn’t seem like she had suffered any emotional trauma beyond the stabbing itself.
Perhaps, as she said, it would be best to let things lie. If he kept digging into it, he might uncover truths he’d rather not know…
Lucius let out a quiet sigh and found himself thinking maybe it was for the best. Losing the baby in her womb and possibly never being able to conceive again—wasn’t it better that she simply recover and remain well?
But when he was alone, the sorrow over the child already lost and the anger toward himself for doing nothing came rushing back. And sometimes, when he looked at Brianna—who appeared strangely serene—he felt an unexplainable unease. In those moments, he would force himself to calm down through exercise or shooting practice.
By the second month, Brianna had almost fully recovered. Only the red scar on her abdomen remained to tell the tale of that day.
“I’d like to see Lily. It’s been a while—somewhere outside the mansion.”
Around the time Brianna began venturing out again, she came to him one day with this request. Lucius gladly accepted. He believed that meeting a close friend and chatting would help Brianna regain her emotional stability.
“Enjoy a good meal and have a lovely time with your friend. But for safety reasons, I have no choice but to assign someone to accompany you.”
Previously, he had felt secure enough with his mother nearby, but that was no longer an option. After what had happened, Lucius made sure Brianna was never left without protection, no matter where she went.
Brianna nodded briefly in agreement. “All right. I won’t be out long.”
When Brianna met Lily at Bastogne’s most popular dessert shop, Lily burst into tears the moment she saw her.
“Brie!”
Gone was the poise of a rising actress. Lily sobbed loudly with tears and a runny nose, and Brianna embraced her with a laugh.
“Lily, did I die or something? Don’t cry like that.”
“Brie, are you really okay now? Has your wound healed?” Lily asked with concern, glancing at her belly.
Brianna nodded. “Yes, as you can see. I’m perfectly healthy now.”
Brianna twirled in place and shrugged. “See? Not a scratch.”
Lily gave her a sharp look for a moment, then exploded in frustration. “Those damn thieves! How could they stab a woman like that? All for money!”
Brianna gave a wry smile in response. Having once nearly lost her life over money, she had come to deeply understand just how far people would go for it.
Then, noticing Lucius’s guards discreetly taking position at the tearoom entrance, she leaned closer to Lily and whispered, “Lily, I actually have a favor to ask you.”
MANGA DISCUSSION
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Zero
This chapter gives me a lot of stress. I don’t understand why Brianna decided to keep a secret about the true identity about her attacker? I don’t understand why she choose that stupid choice it’s not like Brianna and her friend can stand against the Crown prince alone. Something that Lucius’s father and brother can’t? Ughhhh, I have a headache