Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 21

Left with nothing to say, Leona closed her mouth. Instead, she quietly watched Brianna as she went about her tasks.

Brianna changed the water in the basin and brought fresh warm water for Leona to drink. She added more logs to the fireplace to keep the room warm, then gathered extra pajamas, blankets, and pillowcases in case of night sweats.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?” Brianna finally noticed Leona’s gaze.

Leona gave a faint smile. “I was just thinking about how you’ve grown. You handle everything so well now.”

“It’s all thanks to you, madam. I won’t starve no matter where I go.”

“Is that so? You can live well on your own?”

“Of course.”

“That’s a relief.”

Brianna approached and pulled the blanket up over Leona.

“Don’t worry about me and get some sleep. They say rest and good food are the best cures for a cold.”

Brianna sat by the bedside and began knitting. She worked diligently for a while, thinking Leona had already fallen asleep, when Leona’s voice broke the silence.

“Brianna.”

Brianna put her needles down on her lap and looked at her.

“Yes, do you need anything?”

“No. I was just noticing that scarf. You’ve made quite a bit of progress despite pondering over the pattern for so long.”

The scarf Brianna was knitting was a gift for Leona. She had agonized over the design at first, but once she decided, there was no hesitation. Now, it was halfway done and she was quite pleased with it. The soft gray scarf would undoubtedly suit Leona perfectly.

“Nothing gets done if you only worry about it. But were you really watching me the whole time?”

“Yes. I didn’t have much to do since I wasn’t writing, so I was keeping an eye on you.”

Leona chuckled and continued, “Life is similar to that, you know?”

“Pardon?”

“People often regret their decisions, thinking they should have taken a different path. Most regrets aren’t about the choices they made, but about not giving their all to the path they chose. If you do your best, you won’t have any regrets, no matter the outcome.”

“…Then do you have no regrets, madam?” Brianna asked cautiously after a moment of hesitation.

“About not living an ordinary woman’s life, I mean,” she added.

If Leona had chosen to live a normal life, she might now be surrounded by her children and grandchildren, enjoying a peaceful old age. She could have met a loving husband and grown old together.

“No regrets. I chose the freedom of a gilded cage.”

“The freedom of a gilded cage?”

“Even while wearing the shell of a countess, I did everything I wanted. I wrote, spent money freely without worrying about my husband, and kept you by my side. I have no regrets at all.”

Leona’s gaze softened as she looked at Brianna.

“Brianna, what kind of life do you want to lead?”

It was a daunting and overwhelming question, as profound as the meaning of love. Born and raised in Harzen, Brianna had always imagined she would continue living there, marrying a suitable man, having children, and growing old. She wondered if any other life was possible for her.

“Whatever you choose, I’m not worried because I know you’ll give it your all.”

With that, Leona blinked slowly.

“I’m really sleepy now. I should get some rest.”

Brianna held the pillow to ensure Leona could rest her head comfortably.

As Leona closed her eyes, a deep sense of unease welled up within Brianna. Reflecting on their conversation, it felt as if Leona was speaking with a sense of finality.

“Ma…”

Brianna started to call her but stopped herself, seeing Leona already appearing to sleep deeply. Instead, she placed her hand on Leona’s forehead to check for fever. Fortunately, her temperature hadn’t risen. Her breathing was even and steady. Brianna reassured herself that seeing the doctor tomorrow would ensure everything was fine.

Brianna changed her plans to retire to her room once Leona fell asleep and decided to stay by the bedside. Throughout the night, the wind howled fiercely, rattling the window panes in the pitch darkness.

She dozed off briefly. In her dream, she wandered through a garden full of blooming flowers. Drawn by the intoxicating scent, she walked until a small, pretty gray bird flew towards her from somewhere.

The bird circled above Brianna’s head. When she extended her hand, it perched on her fingertip and began to sing with a beautiful voice.

As she marveled at the sound and reached out to stroke its feathers, the bird heartlessly flew away into the sky.

No! Don’t go!

She reached out towards the bird flying away. Just as she was about to chase after it, someone behind her grabbed her wrist.

A large, rough hand belonging to a man, holding her with a strength that suggested he wouldn’t let her leave.

Just as she tried to see the man’s face, she woke from the dream.

Brianna sat up, rubbing her eyes. The room seemed unusually bright, so she turned to the window to see snow falling heavily outside.

“Madam, it’s snowing.”

Brianna got up from the chair and approached the window. She nudged it open slightly, letting in a rush of fresh, crisp air. Outside, the world was already blanketed in pure white.

“It’s the first snow. It’s so early this year…”

As she turned back with a radiant smile, Brianna realized something was different. Leona’s eyelids remained tightly shut, and her hands lay still atop the blanket.

“…Madam?”

It suddenly struck her that Leona rarely woke up late. Even if she slept in late, she would awaken at the slightest sound.

“Madam…”

As snow began to pile up on the windowsill, Brianna staggered towards the bed.

Up close, Leona’s face was serene, as if she were in a deep, endless sleep.

Brianna had seen a face like this before—her father’s, when he had returned as a frozen corpse. His face overlapped with Leona’s in her mind. She reached out, her fingers hovering under Leona’s nose, but they soon fell limply to her side.

“How…?”

After a long moment, a trembling voice escaped her lips.

“…How could you do this to me?”

The words, heavy with resentment, soon dissolved into deep sobs.

“Just like Father, on a snowy day… with the same peaceful face…”

She collapsed next to the bed, a deep, anguished wail breaking forth.

“You both left me all alone… I’m still just a child. I don’t know how to live in this world alone!”

If she had known it would come to this, she would have complained about not being able to live alone. She would have begged her to stay by her side, saying she couldn’t manage on her own.

When her father died, there had been someone to scold her out of her weak-heartedness and help her stand. That person had supported and encouraged every step Brianna took.

But now, no one was there.

Brianna finally realized that she was truly an orphan.

***

With a sharp click, the watch’s lid snapped open. A single red maple leaf, fallen from the tree, brushed against the watch as it drifted to the ground.

Lucius leaned against the tree, staring at the names inscribed on one side of the watch, a sight he had seen countless times.

A month had passed since he found the watch, yet he still hadn’t returned it to Florian. He had tried a few times, but the opportunity had never seemed right. Or rather, he knew it was deliberate.

Caught in a situation where he could neither approach nor distance himself, he clung to the only thing of hers he possessed. Such a feeble excuse to hold onto a desperate attachment instead of returning it to its rightful owner.

“Luce.”

Florian’s voice called from afar, and Lucius quickly put the watch back in its box. He looked up as if nothing had happened, and saw Florian walking across the grassy field. Florian wore a black suit that sharply contrasted with the vibrant red backdrop of autumn leaves.

“…What’s wrong?”

Lucius immediately sensed that something was amiss. As Florian approached, his face was unusually somber and dark.