The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 105
She needed to refute him immediately, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t because the idea was absurd, but because a part of her couldn’t deny it. Johanna’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Ilian, sensing her inner turmoil, continued to chip away at her resolve.
“I won’t ask for any price. You just need to ask me. That’s all.”
“…”
“All you need to say is ‘kill my father.’ Just those words.”
She could feel Nella’s uneasy gaze flickering toward her, but Johanna, still dazed, let out a deep sigh. She dragged her hand down her face, pulling herself back to reality.
No price? There was always a cost. Everything had consequences. What he would take from her wasn’t just a simple request—it would be her morality, her soul, and her descent into corruption.
This man was truly the worst.
Once the debt was fully paid off, she never wanted to cross paths with him again.
“I’ll decline your offer. No matter how much I hate my father, I’m not about to hire a killer.”
She drew a firm line, taking a couple more steps back. Ilian remained where he was, not attempting to close the distance this time. But the destruction lurking in his eyes, that blatant disregard for law and order, frightened her.
“That’s a shame… I thought we might finally find some common ground, something that could make us alike.”
“That will never happen. Ever.”
“Don’t be so harsh. It hurts my feelings.”
He clutched his chest dramatically as though truly heartbroken, making Johanna scoff incredulously.
“Goodbye, Mr. Rediess. Let’s hope I don’t have to see your face again until the end of next month.”
With nothing but a cold farewell, Johanna turned her back on him. She walked across the lobby, heading straight for the exit, never once looking back.
* * *
Even though Leonid must have heard the entire conversation Johanna had with Ilian through Nella, he hadn’t taken any action. The next morning, he merely came to inform her of the day’s schedule in a calm manner.
“There will be a social party in the evening.”
“A party…?”
“It’s just a simple gathering to eat, drink, and socialize. It’s casual, so there’s no need to be nervous.”
“Ah… understood.”
“And from now on, you’ll have a bodyguard with you.”
At Leonid’s slight nod, a man who had been standing in the shadows behind him stepped forward. He appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties, with a rugged, muscular build that gave the impression of great strength.
“Max may look like this, but he’s a Beta. I can’t assign you an Alpha.”
A Beta… Johanna was quietly surprised, as his imposing physique made him easy to mistake for an Alpha.
“When you’re with me, there’s no need for a bodyguard. But whenever you go anywhere else, make sure to take him with you. It’s better to be safe than to face unnecessary danger.”
“Yes, I will.”
Leonid stared at her for a moment, as if assessing her response, then turned and left the room. That was the entirety of their conversation that morning.
Before she knew it, evening had arrived, and it was time to prepare for the outing. Johanna sat still as the maids attended to her, staring blankly into the mirror.
Was her complexion always this pale? Now that she thought about it, she had lost a little weight recently. It wasn’t as though her appetite had decreased…
She began mentally calculating the days, realizing she would need to visit Victoria for a checkup soon. Her period was approaching, and if she missed it, there was a chance she might be pregnant. Though it wouldn’t be easy for her to conceive, a small part of her held onto hope. If she were to get pregnant… then maybe this struggle would finally end.
‘…No, that’s not enough. The baby has to be a dominant Alpha for the contract to be fulfilled.’
Both of her parents carried dominant traits, so the likelihood of having a recessive or Beta child was extremely low. But still, it wasn’t impossible. What if the child wasn’t a dominant Alpha, or worse, an Omega? What would happen then? Would the contract be extended?
Johanna quietly recalled the terms of the contract.
[The contract may be extended by mutual agreement of both parties.]
That clause had been there. So, if she couldn’t bear a dominant Alpha, would the contract be extended?
Suddenly anxious, Johanna started picking at the skin around her nails. As she had thought before, she had no intention of staying by his side for two or three years. She didn’t want that. Even now, the thought of growing accustomed to being with him, of willingly accepting his pheromones, frightened her deeply.
Would she, by the time she finally left his side, begin to miss everything they had shared? Would she crave the things he had given her, selfishly desiring more? The thought brought a wave of sorrow that was hard to shake.
“We’re finished, Marchioness.”
The voice of one of the maids, who had been working on her, broke her thoughts. Johanna lifted her gaze from the floor and looked at herself in the mirror. The subtle makeup gave her complexion a livelier glow. Her platinum blonde hair had been neatly styled up, leaving her shoulders and neck fully exposed.
“Do you like it?”
The brown-haired maid asked kindly. Johanna smiled faintly and nodded.
“Yes… It’s beautiful.”
Yet, at that moment, everything suddenly felt meaningless.
