The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 17
“Do you know that I work as the resident physician at the Elderique family’s townhouse? It’s quite a trusted position.”
“Yes.”
At the mention of the Elderique name, that person naturally came to mind. He was a noble of such high stature that he seemed untouchable, someone Johanna thought about often, especially on sleepless nights.
“Marquis Neubitz is currently looking for a dominant omega. Not as a marriage partner… but to bear an heir.”
“To bear an heir?”
“It’s a bit complicated to explain…”
Victoria wetted her dry lips several times before whispering the story.
Marquis Neubitz, also known as the young Duke of Elderique, ‘Leonid Neubitz Rinke Elderique,’ was the legitimate heir to the prestigious Elderique duchy.
Born as a rare hyper-dominant alpha, he had carried the family’s expectations from a young age and had inherited the marquisate and a portion of the family’s wealth at the early age of fourteen from his paternal grandfather.
However, the most important assets—the dukedom of Elderique and its vast estates—had remained out of his grasp for several years, even after reaching adulthood.
This was due to ongoing conflicts with his paternal grandfather, the current Duke of Elderique.
“He has an extreme aversion to omegas, so he has neither dated nor married. As you know, it’s difficult for hyper-dominant alphas to produce heirs. So, the Duke wishes for his grandson to quickly find a match and continue the family line… but the marquis is absolutely opposed to it.”
“……”
“Our marquis, he has remained celibate, relying on suppressants ever since his first rut began. Can you believe it? A hyper-dominant alpha, who could have omegas lining up for him.”
It was such an unbelievable story that Johanna nodded instinctively. She couldn’t fathom that there were no omegas by his side. Given that he was a hyper-dominant alpha from a great noble family, she had assumed he would naturally have a partner…
“You know Marquis Neubitz is famous for his obsessive-compulsive tendencies, right? …I’ve seen it myself. It’s no joke. His aversion to omegas is probably due to his compulsive disorder. He really hates any kind of physical contact with others. Even with his own family.”
Johanna recalled the one time, long ago, when he had saved her. If her memory served correctly, there had been physical contact then. Did he look at her with disdain, considering her dirty? …No, strangely enough, he had treated her kindly, albeit like a child.
Perhaps that memory was beautifully distorted in her mind.
“Anyway, the family elders have been pressuring him so much that he has secretly started looking for a dominant omega. Someone to bear his heir under a contract.”
The number of dominant omegas was extremely limited, and it was not uncommon for noble families to seek a dominant omega to bear their heir. Many families wanted to preserve dominant traits by any means necessary. Especially for the Elderique duchy, which had been led by dominant alphas for generations, this obsession with traits was understandable.
“The Duke doesn’t know about this. Only Marquis Neubitz’s closest aides, a few of his personal physicians, and his parents are aware. Oh, and his elder and younger sisters too.”
“……But why are you telling me this? You said it’s confidential.”
“Why do you think, Johanna? You manifested as a dominant omega.”
Victoria suddenly grabbed Johanna’s hand. The silly retriever, who had been sitting quietly beside them, placed his paw on top of their hands, joining in.
Victoria glared at the dog with an exasperated look and shook off the large paw carelessly. Then, meeting Johanna’s eyes with a serious expression, she spoke again.
“I’ll recommend you. I’ll tell the marquis that you’re a dominant omega who matches him perfectly.”
“What…?”
The shocking suggestion left Johanna at a loss for words, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. Victoria continued her persuasion smoothly.
“If you sign a contract with the marquis, you’ll earn more than enough to pay off your debts. But bearing the marquis’s child… it’s not something to take lightly, of course.”
“……”
“But… ha… I’ve seen people taken away by loan sharks because of their debts. Betas, omegas, alphas—it doesn’t matter. Their lives are ruined. That loan shark even talked about sending you to a brothel. Those bastards would have no qualms about forcibly taking you the moment you miss a payment. So, what I’m saying is…”
Victoria sighed deeply and gripped Johanna’s hand tighter. The genuine concern in her eyes was unmistakable.
“If you’re facing the worst possible future… wouldn’t it be better to choose the lesser evil? That’s just my opinion, but… the choice is yours.”
“……”
Johanna sat quietly for a while, staring at the floor. A contract to bear an heir… It was something she had never imagined. And the person involved was Marquis Neubitz…
“Haf, haf.”
Luther, the retriever, rested his head on Johanna’s lap, sensing her distress. His worried expression made Johanna let out a sigh mixed with a small laugh as she petted his head.
“…I will think about it.”
