Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 60

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence enveloped the space between them. Florian scratched his head like a stiff wooden puppet, touched the brooch, and cleared his throat. Brianna, meanwhile, twisted her hair around her fingers absentmindedly.

“Oh, by the way…”

Florian, seemingly trying to break the tension, changed the topic.

Brianna smiled at him. “Yes?”

“Don’t come to my workplace again next time.”

Brianna’s eyes widened in surprise, but Florian quickly waved his hands in a panic.

“Don’t get me wrong! It’s not that you did something wrong by coming today…” He smiled wryly. “The thing is, I told my parents that I’m seeing someone and plan to get married. And, as expected, they’re already looking into who it might be.”

Even though Brianna had mentally prepared herself for this, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

“I see…”

Had she foolishly hoped they might accept her as part of the family?

“They’re probably trying to figure out who you are. If they follow me and see us together, it won’t be good.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Brianna nodded, and he reached out to pat the back of her hand. “I’m sorry, just give me a little more time. I’m not ready yet…”

As Brianna listened to the guilt and reassurance in his voice, she realized it was time to tell him about Leona’s inheritance.

“Florian, you don’t need to worry too much about the finances.”

Florian turned to her with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”

“Actually, Madam Leona left an inheritance for you.”

His blue eyes widened in shock. “My great-aunt did?”

“Yes. It’s separate from the Robert family estate.”

Brianna explained the inheritance that the late Countess Leona Linares entrusted to her.  However, she kept the secret of the author Grisha Astrid, as Leona had never given her permission to disclose that.

“…She didn’t want your parents to take control of the money after her passing, so she entrusted it to me.”

Leona had saved all the royalties she had earned over the years, adding interest from the bank over the decades, resulting in a substantial sum.

“It’s about 20,000 deckers.” Brianna smiled, feeling proud. “This belongs to you, so use it however you wish.”

She had expected Florian to be delighted by the news. Even if he chose to help his parents with the money, she wouldn’t interfere. It was his inheritance, after all.

However, contrary to her expectations, Florian didn’t look happy at all. Instead, he stared at her with a conflicted expression before finally speaking.

“You’re saying that’s mine? Why?”

“Because you’re Madam Leona’s blood relative.”

“If my great-aunt had really intended to leave me an inheritance, she would’ve told me herself. But she never said anything to me. Brianna, that inheritance isn’t for me. She left it to you because you were practically her adopted daughter.”

“That may be, but you’re still her family, so the money should rightfully be yours…”

Suddenly, Florian stood up from the bench, his expression cold and distant.

“I’ve been away for too long. I should get back. I’m sorry, but can you make it back on your own?”

“W-What? Oh, yes, of course.”

Without another word, Florian turned and walked away, his posture tense with what seemed like anger. Brianna watched him go, bewildered by his reaction.

Why was he so upset? No matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t understand why.

***

Twenty thousand deckers.

Surrounded by the chemicals and reagents he had to experiment with, Florian couldn’t stop thinking about his conversation with Brianna. Twenty thousand deckers was an enormous sum, enough to buy a small castle in the countryside. It was also a significant dowry, one that could easily sway his parents into approving their marriage.

“Damn it…”

He cursed under his breath, gripping his head in frustration. How could Brianna be so nonchalant about such a large sum, as if it were nothing? Even if she had no desire for wealth, surely she couldn’t be so casual about it. If his parents knew about the money, they would probably sell their souls to get it.

The moment Brianna told him about the inheritance, a terrible thought crossed his mind. If his parents found out about the money, they might actually agree to the marriage. After all, they cared more about money than status at this point.

That thought made him sick. He couldn’t believe he was even considering such a thing.

“You pathetic idiot…”

For the past few months, Florian had worked hard to stand on his own two feet. He had taken up a job to earn his own money and had started looking for a house where he and Brianna could live together.

But in doing so, he had learned something harsh: without his family’s title and wealth, Florian Robert was nothing. The wages he earned through hard labor were a pittance, barely enough to support himself, let alone buy a small, comfortable home.

That was why he admired Brianna so much. Despite leaving her hometown and coming to the city on her own, she had managed to build a life and find work.

“If this keeps up, I’ll be nothing but a useless man leeching off her money…”

That was the last thing he wanted. When he decided to marry Brianna, he had vowed to be her support, to give her the strength she needed after losing her family. But now, it seemed he was the one relying on her.

“Florian.”

A voice interrupted his self-loathing.

“Senior…”

Standing at his desk was his coworker, the same man who had spoken to Brianna earlier. He was also the one who had helped Florian get this job. The man tilted his head, confused by Florian’s somber expression.

“I thought you’d be grinning from ear to ear after meeting your girlfriend. Why the long face?”

“I’m just contemplating my uncertain future and my uselessness.”

His senior chuckled knowingly. “Oh? You thinking about marriage? That’s usually when men start having those kinds of thoughts.”

“Of course, I want to get married. But the world is harsh, and reality is unforgiving.”

“Hm…”

His senior seemed to mull over something before snapping his fingers. “Perfect timing. I’ve got a proposal for you. Want to hear it?”

“A proposal?”

“A way to make some quick money.”

Florian eyed him suspiciously. “I may not have much work experience, but I’ve learned that any scheme to make a lot of money quickly is either illegal or dangerous.”

“You’re sharp. It’s not illegal, but it is a little dangerous.”

Dangerous?

As Florian’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, his senior grinned.

“They need an expert in explosives for the upcoming war. I was thinking of recommending you. What do you think?”

***

On the day of the engagement, the Kirchner estate was bustling with activity like never before. Brianna had never seen the place so chaotic, with almost 100 guests arriving. And this was just the engagement ceremony. The wedding at the Carlisle estate would have hundreds of attendees.

Brianna had planned to spend the day quietly reading in her room, not wanting to add to the chaos. However, she had barely turned a few pages when there was a knock at the door.

“Excuse me… we’re really short-handed today. Could you help us out, just for today?”

The person at her door was one of the maids, someone Brianna had never spoken to before. In fact, she had hardly interacted with any of the servants in the estate. She had tried to reach out to them in the past, but eventually gave up when her efforts were met with cold indifference.

“I’m really sorry, but we’re desperate. We’re in such a bind, we’d even ask a cat for help…”