Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 167

Brianna sat on the bed, glaring at him. Her usually calm eyes were now ablaze with tangled emotions.

He had expected her to wait for him in a somewhat lethargic state, but that prediction missed the mark completely. On the contrary, Brianna was more vivid and alive than he had ever seen her.

It was absurd, but the moment he met those vivid eyes, Lucius felt a rush of blood surge downward. He wanted to throw her onto the bed right this instant and spend days in this room, tangled with her.

Crazy bastard.

Lucius cursed at himself. If Brianna found out he was having such thoughts after vanishing without a word and returning after five days, a thrown pillow would be the least of his worries.

Next time, something capable of cracking his skull might come flying.

Licking his dry lips, Lucius quickly schooled his expression into calmness. Instead of stepping closer, he stood still and crossed his arms to hide his tense body, silently gazing at her.

“You, really…”

Brianna’s jaw trembled in fury at his composed demeanor. She jumped off the bed and charged toward him. Judging by her actions, she intended to follow the pillow with a punch.

Lucius was prepared to take the blow without resistance. If that could ease even a little of the resentment she’d built up while being trapped here, he would accept it gladly.

But instead of striking him with her clenched fist, Brianna rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“…Brianna?”

Lucius looked bewildered at the unexpected situation. With his arms awkwardly raised, he looked down at Brianna nestled against his chest. Even seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn’t believe it. That Brianna had hugged him first.

She buried her face deep in his collar and sobbed softly. “I was worried. You didn’t come back for so long…”

“What do you mean…”

“I was scared you might have been in an accident. That something happened and that’s why you couldn’t come.”

Lucius inhaled sharply. His fingers, which had been floundering in the air, gently came to rest on her soft brown hair.

Finally, the confusion in his head began to settle. Brianna wasn’t angry that he had left her alone. She was upset and indignant because she had worried the entire time, only to find him perfectly fine.

“…You were worried about me, Brianna?”

At his question a moment later, Brianna nodded.

“You thought something might have happened to me?”

Brianna sniffled and nodded again.

“My dad also left without saying goodbye and never came back.”

Her tears had soaked his clothes.

Lucius finally understood the anxious emotions Brianna had been feeling. Her father, who had left home and returned as a corpse. Then came the successive deaths of Madam Linares and Florian.

He had left her alone here without a word. Of course she would have imagined the worst.

Lucius gently stroked her head. Ridiculously enough, just hearing that she had been worried about him melted away all the dark, resolute intentions he had harbored.

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. Holding her close, he walked to the bed and sat down.

“I’m sorry I came back so late.”

Lucius kissed the tears running down her cheeks. Like comforting a child, he patted her back and apologized over and over.

“It’s my fault. So don’t cry, Brianna.”

Kind, gentle Brianna.

How could I not love someone like you?

After crying for a long time, Brianna fell asleep, perhaps because she hadn’t been sleeping properly.

Lucius looked down at her deeply sleeping face and raised his hand to gently touch it. He brushed over her swollen eyes, still-wet cheeks, and reddened nose in turn with his fingers.

You said you were worried about me. That you were afraid I had suddenly left your side. Even after I said such terrible things to you last time.

You know what, Brianna? Most people aren’t like that. If they don’t care, they wouldn’t mind whether someone leaves or not, and they would hate someone who hurt their feelings.

So tell me, Brianna. How can this not be love?

Even if it wasn’t love at first, now it feels like you have special feelings for me too. Then why do you keep trying to leave me…

Lucius carefully laid Brianna down on the bed so as not to wake her. After covering her with the blanket, he gazed at her for a long while before quietly rising from the bed.

Originally, he had planned to take Brianna straight to the ducal residence, but given the circumstances, they would have to leave the next morning.

While walking toward the door to inform the servant of the change in schedule, something bumped against his foot. It was Brianna’s travel bag.

Might as well load it onto the carriage now.

As he bent down to lift the bag, he saw a box inside. Perhaps due to the earlier commotion, the lid was slightly ajar.

Just as he reached to close the lid, Lucius noticed the belongings inside.

One was the watch, a keepsake from her father that he already knew about.

“This is…”

And the other was something he hadn’t expected at all.

A small jewel sparkled between Lucius’s fingers. A tiny brooch set with a ruby. It was an accessory he had once carried with him. He had given it to Brianna at the graduation ball, to cover up the damaged dress caused by Adelheid’s malice.

She… had kept it all this time?

Lucius subtly looked further into the bag. Aside from the watch and the brooch, there was nothing else inside.

That meant Brianna had treasured the brooch he gave her and kept it with her even while on the run. And she had carried it along with the watch, the keepsake from her father that she valued the most.

Suddenly, heat rushed to his face and Lucius covered his mouth with his hand. His lips had been curling upward uncontrollably for some time. He wanted to wake Brianna and interrogate her on why she had kept it all this time. He might even ask something incredibly foolish.

Leaving all other things behind but carrying her father’s watch and this brooch, didn’t that mean she considered him just as precious?

Before he could actually wake the sleeping Brianna, Lucius hurriedly closed the lid of the box.

***

Brianna glanced sideways at Lucius, who was sitting across from her in the carriage.

She consciously tried not to look in his direction, but whenever their eyes met, Lucius would flash her a bright smile. And each time, Brianna would whip her head to the side.

What was going on? It was like he had become a completely different person.

On the first day alone at the villa, she had been furious. No matter what, how could he lock someone up like that?

But after two and three days passed, worry started to creep in. Was he seriously injured and unable to return? All kinds of thoughts swirled in her mind.

But on the fifth day, he reappeared in perfect condition, to the point of being maddening. As if nothing had happened, he had returned just like the Lucius she had once known.

Back when he wouldn’t let her breathe, chasing her like prey… when had he become someone who now overflowed with smiles?

No matter how much she thought it over, Brianna couldn’t recall a time when Lucius had looked this happy since she met him.

To top it off, she was completely dumbfounded when she saw him rhythmically tapping his long fingers on his knee.

Lucius was being kinder than before. No, even kinder than he had ever been. His harsh tone had disappeared as well.

“I was delayed because I had things to take care of before returning to the ducal residence. I’m really sorry I couldn’t contact you in advance.”

And now that everything was ready, he said they should return to the ducal residence. Brianna hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted his offer without resistance. It was time to face everything and resolve it properly.

Come to think of it, preparations? What preparations was he talking about?

Before she could ask that, Brianna brought up the question that had been on her mind for a while.

“…How is your mother?”

She was the one who had welcomed Brianna more warmly than anyone, even though she had suddenly barged in and taken the position of duchess. Leaving without even saying goodbye had weighed on her mind.

At her question, Lucius paused for a moment as if considering something, then replied, “Of course. She’s doing well and in good health, so you don’t need to worry. Actually, she recently left on a trip.”