The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 123
“Ah, yes, of course…….”
“Please keep this matter confidential.”
“Of course, such sensitive matters are always handled with utmost discretion.”
The doctor assured her confidently, but an inexplicable uneasiness sprouted in the corner of Johanna’s heart. Since she had come with Nella, it was inevitable that this matter would reach Leonid’s ears, but……. If by any chance, it leaked to the outside.
‘I feel like unnecessary rumors will start spreading again.’
From the beginning, she had been prepared for this to frequently become the subject of gossip. Even so, she couldn’t help but feel drained. After all, her heart was not made of steel.
After finishing her consultation, Johanna left the Royal Trait Research Institute and boarded the carriage. Sensing Johanna’s mood, Nella did not speak, and silence filled the inside of the carriage. The sky outside the window was a deep gray, shrouded with heavy clouds.
Every evening at nine o’clock, Nella would meticulously report the details of the Marchioness’s daily activities to her employer, the Marquis of Neuwitz.
At first, she couldn’t understand why she, as the Marchioness’s personal maid, had to go so far. It was a maid’s duty to attend to her mistress closely.
The truth came to light on a certain morning when Annette summoned Nella alone to her office.
‘There’s something you need to know about the Marchioness.’
Only after making a vow of secrecy did Nella hear the truth from Annette. The so-called Cinderella of the century, the Marchioness, was in fact merely an employee hired by the Marquis, and the two had only entered into a contractual marriage……
‘You are the observer of the Marchioness. Of course, outwardly, you must fulfill the role of her maid properly.’
From then on, Nella had to perform a contradictory duty of assisting the Marchioness while observing her every move, only to report everything to the Marquis at nine o’clock each evening.
Honestly, this task was mentally burdensome. She felt uneasy because it seemed like she was deceiving the Marchioness and forging a false relationship. Although Annette told her not to worry since even the Marchioness was aware of the situation……
Nella couldn’t help but feel pity for the Marchioness, who had such a pitiful story. It reminded her too much of her frail older sister left behind in her hometown, which only deepened her sympathy.
But having to act as a watchdog intruding upon the Marchioness’s private life was the height of irony.
“What are you doing? Report to me.”
“Yes……. Today……”
Whatever the case, her employer was the Marquis, and her duties were clearly defined. Nella swallowed a sigh and began to speak.
“Today, the Marchioness visited the Royal Trait Research Institute.”
“Why there?”
“They contacted her first. The Marchioness had previously……”
Nella trailed off hesitantly. She was fearful and anxious about how the Marquis would react if he knew it was related to Ilian Rediess, the loan shark who had bad blood not only with the Marquis but also with the Marchioness.
“Why are you stopping mid-sentence?”
“I-I’m sorry. What I meant was, the Marchioness had previously registered her information in the matching system……”
In the end, Nella confessed everything from start to finish. She revealed the entire story, without leaving out even a single detail, including how the Alpha with the highest compatibility rate with the Marchioness turned out to be none other than Ilian Rediess.
“…….”
As soon as Nella’s report ended, the room was filled with an oppressive silence.
Nella felt an obligation to defend the Marchioness in some way. However, she couldn’t think of any words that would suffice. It was especially difficult to choose her words carefully when dealing with the Marquis.
The Marquis was a complex and intimidating employer. While he didn’t treat his employees unfairly and paid them generously, serving him as a master was anything but easy. Nella kept glancing nervously at the Marquis.
“……Alright, you may leave.”
Those were the only words that came after a long pause. His voice was steady and his face expressionless, making it hard to discern his feelings.
Nella opened her mouth several times but ultimately gave up, lowering her head deeply. She felt a crushing sense of guilt toward the Marchioness.
‘I hope nothing goes wrong…….’
It was only after she left the Marquis’s room that she let out the breath she had been holding. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and when she glanced out the window, heavy rain was pouring down from the once-darkened sky.
