The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 167
A gloomy sense of foreboding washed over Johanna; tonight seemed destined to be exhausting. Though already feeling weary, she concealed it and pulled Leonid to sit beside her.
Daniel, perceptively moving to sit closer to Lucas, wore a faintly sullen expression, while Lucas added a forced smile to his face.
Hoping that Leonid would treat Lucas with at least some courtesy, Johanna tried to guide the conversation, despite the unease lingering in the air.
“Daniel, you should greet him.”
“…It has been a while, Marquis Neubitz.”
“Yes. Have you been well?”
“I have been good, thanks to you…”
An unmistakable awkwardness hung between Daniel and Leonid, as if nothing could bridge the gap between them. Although Johanna had sensed they might not get along, they clashed even more than she’d anticipated.
Deciding not to force two unwilling people to bond, Johanna moved the conversation along.
“Leonid…”
She subtly nudged his side, hinting that he should greet their guest. Leonid raised an eyebrow in mild annoyance, and though she wondered if she’d pushed too far, it seemed fitting to play the role of a friendly couple for now.
“…Thank you for inviting me, Marquis Neubitz.”
But before Leonid could even respond, Lucas offered his greeting first. Johanna felt unsettled by the lack of proper courtesy extended to their guest.
“It wasn’t I who invited you, but my wife.”
Leonid replied, his tone as disrespectful as ever.
“You look well, Viscount Bantwood. Things must be going smoothly for you?”
Johanna’s anxiety grew at his blatant rudeness. She glanced over to see his twilight-colored eyes darkened, a chilly gleam within them.
“Yes, I’ve been well. I’m a bit busy these days, learning the family business,” Lucas replied kindly, showing no trace of offense. A soft halo of composure seemed to radiate around him.
Catching his eye, Johanna managed a brief, apologetic smile in response to his grace under pressure.
“Hah…”
Leonid’s quiet scoff beside her made her flinch. Turning slightly, she noticed his cold gaze fixed on her, filled with an inexplicable reproach.
Why…
She felt deeply unsettled by his almost reprimanding look. She was simply fulfilling her role as the ‘Marchioness,’ so why was he acting this way?
Was it because her conversation partner was Lucas Bantwood? But the fact that Lucas, an Omega, had once harbored feelings for Leonid hardly mattered now. What truly mattered was that he was the heir of the Bantwood family.
Yet, Leonid behaved as if none of that mattered. Normally, he knew how to compose himself in business settings, so this unusual behavior hinted at a deep-seated dislike for Lucas.
“Is there some sort of connection between you two… as fellow Omegas?”
“Not exactly…”
Johanna hesitated, carefully choosing her words in response to his sarcasm. It wasn’t a matter of being the same designation. Lucas was simply someone whose personality harmonized naturally with hers. She’d sensed it during their brief meeting at the academy, and today’s conversation only solidified that impression.
Someone similar to Lucas was Karl Babenhausen. Kiara was also a comfortable presence, but her boundless energy often left Johanna feeling drained.
Thinking along these lines, Johanna had a sudden realization that her personality clashed profoundly with Leonid’s. It wasn’t a surprising or shocking thought; in fact, it almost made sense, and she nearly nodded to herself in agreement. The notion that they were never meant to be connected settled over her, a faint bitterness spreading around her heart.
“…I feel like our personalities align well, Viscount Bantwood and I.”
“…Is that so?”
“…Yes.”
Leonid’s gaze grew even colder, indicating she had chosen her words poorly. Johanna diverted her attention by sipping her tea, inwardly noting how unusually petty he was being today.
“I never expected you to volunteer to be my brother-in-law’s sponsor, Viscount Bantwood.”
“…Yes, somehow… that’s how it turned out,” Lucas replied, his tone guarded.
“‘Somehow,’ is it…”
Leonid rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a twisted smile forming on his lips as he continued in a taunting voice.
“Were you hoping to catch my attention by doing so?”
Lucas’s expression briefly hardened, and Daniel, mid-bite of a cookie, looked up with wide eyes. Johanna quickly grasped Leonid’s hand, sending him a look that silently pleaded for restraint before things escalated further.
“…”
Surprisingly, her gesture seemed to work, and he fell silent, though she feared he might soon direct another careless jab at Lucas. As she scrambled to find a way to change the topic, Lucas spoke in a noticeably subdued voice.
“…I was actually planning to have an honest conversation about this at some point.”
Setting down his teacup, Lucas looked Leonid squarely in the eye, a wry smile on his face. Sensing the start of a serious discussion, Johanna sat quietly, listening intently.
