The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 165
Johanna was just as concerned about any issues that might arise once Leonid joined them.
While she needed to gauge Lucas’s intentions from here, she wanted to avoid any discomfort, considering he was Daniel’s sponsor.
She resolved to mediate effectively between them, though she knew Leonid wasn’t exactly one to listen to her…
A little while later, the maids brought out refreshments, and Johanna offered Lucas a drink first, as he was their guest. He took a sip, savoring it, and smiled warmly.
“The fragrance is wonderful. Did you blend this tea yourself, Marchioness?”
“Oh, no. This is the work of Veneti over there. She has a remarkable talent for blending.”
Johanna gestured toward a maid standing gracefully in the corner of the room, almost like a painting. Lucas glanced in her direction with a small “Ah,” as he acknowledged her. Blushing slightly from the unexpected compliment, Veneti offered a bright smile.
“I’m envious. No one in my family really enjoys tea, so we don’t have a maid with such blending skills.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, they prefer spirits over tea. Though, I can’t stand alcohol…”
Lucas chuckled, taking another sip, looking utterly content. Johanna thought she might gift him some of Veneti’s blended tea leaves for his journey back.
After about five minutes of lighthearted conversation, a natural silence fell between them, and Johanna gently steered the discussion to a new topic.
“To be honest, I was rather surprised. I never expected that you, Viscount Bantwood, would sponsor Daniel.”
“Ah… yes…”
Lucas met her gaze with a slightly embarrassed smile, his eyes drifting to Daniel, who was munching on a cookie. It was a gentle, approving look, like that of a kind-hearted adult watching over a promising child. Nothing more, nothing less.
“When Daniel first brought up the idea of sponsorship, I thought he was joking and just laughed. But then, through the director, I learned about his academic achievements, and I was genuinely impressed. Daniel was the only student to score a perfect score in every subject on the last exams… at Bamberg Academy, known for its notoriously difficult tests.”
“…Is that true?”
Startled, Johanna’s eyes widened as she looked at Daniel. Feeling embarrassed, he chewed on his cookie, pretending to be indifferent, then gave a subtle nod. Johanna let out a sigh of disbelief, followed by a slight chuckle.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well… I was kind of shocked when I saw the report myself. I mean, I did study hard enough to feel like I’d burst a blood vessel, but perfect scores? That’s unheard of at a school with an average score of eighty-four out of a hundred. Because of that, the more envious students started spreading rumors that I cheated or that I received the test answers in advance because of Marquis Neubitz’s influence…”
“And why didn’t you tell me about all this?”
“I didn’t want you to worry…”
Her frustration deepened, leaving her at a loss for words. It wasn’t a rebellious phase—he was simply growing up too fast. Now that he was trying to act more mature, he’d started dealing with tough situations on his own, without reaching out for help.
“You silly boy, if you’re facing something unfair, you should come to me. Why keep it all bottled up?”
“But… I can’t depend on you forever. You have your own life to live too…”
“…”
She truly didn’t know how to respond to that.
She hadn’t realized Daniel felt this way. She’d always thought he simply wanted to grow up quickly and carry his own weight.
Looking back, Daniel had always carried a sense of guilt toward her. There was a time, though she couldn’t remember exactly when, when he’d suggested that she gave up fine arts because of him. She’d scolded him, telling him not to harbor such unreasonable thoughts because it was never his fault.
Yet it seemed that, even without speaking, he’d continued to hold onto that notion. His reluctance to confide in her, even when treated unfairly, only reinforced that belief.
“Daniel… it’s admirable that you’re independent and try to handle things on your own. But…”
“…Yes?”
“When something unfair happens, it’s okay to talk to an adult who can help. Asking for support isn’t a weakness. Alright?”
“…Okay…”
Naturally, she couldn’t help but worry about the future. Once she bore Leonid’s heir, they would publicly be divorced, but anyone who understood the true purpose behind this marriage would see through it…
To avoid dragging Daniel into any gossip, she’d planned to act as if they were estranged until the public frenzy settled. But now, she wasn’t sure if she could bear it.
More than anything, she felt a deep sorrow for him. This sham marriage had been the best choice under the circumstances, yet she hadn’t realized how it might affect his heart.
At the time, she hadn’t had the luxury to consider it, as her sole focus was escaping Ilian Rediess’s relentless grasp on her and her family.
‘…I’m sorry, Daniel.’
