The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 162
Leonid would have expelled her from the mansion. With his intense aversion to anything tainted, he would never embrace an Omega who had been defiled by another Alpha.
Completing these bleak thoughts left her with an indescribable feeling of despair.
What was this feeling? Disgust? Despair?
It was a chaotic blend of both emotions, swirling within her. Suddenly, she felt an intense aversion toward this aristocratic society surrounding her. She was utterly sick of it. The disdainful gaze that wouldn’t even consider a person human unless they were of the same ‘rank’…
Why should she endure such looks?
She knew she had to suppress her rising resentment and endure it—for Daniel, to keep herself from falling into ruin… and for her father.
“…”
On reflection, her father was a hostage. Could she harden herself enough to the point where she wouldn’t even blink if he died miserably?
No… she knew she couldn’t, which was precisely why Ilian Rediess had taken her father hostage, knowing he could hold her down at any moment, dragging her into a dark pit if the opportunity arose.
…Now, she simply wanted to escape from this mansion and all the burdens encircling her life—by giving birth to a child as soon as possible, even if only one day sooner.
However, the prerequisite for that—a pregnancy—had yet to happen, even after several months. Despite neither she nor Leonid having any issues with fertility.
This constant waiting made her frequently anxious and uneasy.
“As for your entanglement with the moneylender, well, I’ll assume Miss Lucerne’s words are to be trusted. But the fact that there’s still no news of a pregnancy… how am I supposed to interpret that? Don’t tell me you’re trying to lure Leonid in over time?”
In that moment, she nearly let out a bitter laugh. The suspicion was so utterly absurd.
She had never expected anything from her relationship with Leonid from the beginning. And surely… Leonid felt the same way.
They were people who would never truly connect.
“That’s completely baseless. I would never think of doing such a thing. And…”
Though her voice trembled, Johanna replied firmly, pausing briefly before adding,
“Apart from that, Lord Marquis is not someone who could be ‘lured’ anyway.”
“Well… that’s true.”
Hermia agreed dismissively, casting Johanna a look filled with disdain before lifting her teacup. After taking a sip of the now-cold tea, she spoke again.
“You’ve likely realized by now that I have someone planted in this mansion.”
“…”
“If Miss Lucerne doesn’t conduct herself properly… it will reach my ears immediately. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
“…Yes, I understand.”
“Even if it’s just for show, as long as you are Leonid’s wife, I expect you to avoid any entanglements with other Alphas. I mean, don’t create situations that could tarnish my son’s honor from the outset. And… although I doubt it would ever happen…”
“…”
“If, by any chance, Leonid were to develop feelings beyond simple affection for you, I would like you to reject him.”
Johanna was at a loss for words, staring blankly in disbelief. Out of everything she’d heard from Hermia today, this was the most absurd.
Feelings beyond simple affection? Leonid?
“…That’s impossible. The Countess is concerned for nothing.”
“Of course, it’s only my concern. But people can be unpredictable. I don’t want to leave even the slightest possibility open.”
“…I…”
“While we’re on the subject, let me ask directly. Miss Lucerne, you don’t harbor any personal feelings for Leonid, do you?”
The pointed question momentarily left her speechless. However, if she delayed her answer, it would arouse suspicion. Johanna quickly opened her mouth to respond.
“I…”
But at that moment, the door to the drawing room suddenly swung open. Startled, Johanna turned in her seat to see who had entered.
Unexpectedly, Leonid stood on the threshold. Still dressed in his outdoor attire, as though he’d just returned, he held a large box under one arm…
…Though she wondered what that box was, Johanna quickly dismissed the thought; it was hardly the most pressing matter right now.
His eyes, the color of the setting sun, flickered slowly between Johanna and Hermia, tinged with a faint irritation. Standing motionless, his presence was like the calm before a storm.
After taking a moment to assess the situation, he finally approached, a look of annoyance on his face. As he placed the box down and seated himself beside Johanna, a dangerous aura radiated from him.
It was Hermia who broke the silence first.
“You said you’d be out, yet you returned sooner than expected. No greeting?”
“…It seems you’re well, Mother.”
Leonid muttered the words in a tone too biting to be called a greeting, extending his arm to grip Johanna’s hand firmly. Startled by his sudden action, Johanna flinched, casting a brief, bewildered glance in his direction.
Hermia observed the two with a blank expression, her gaze, however, as sharp and icy as a blade, honing in on the strangely charged atmosphere that didn’t quite fit a mere contractual relationship.
