The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 176

“Marchioness Neubitz, I see you’re here as well.”

“Hello, Marchioness Neubitz. We met at the hunting gathering last time, do you remember?”

As one person started, people gradually gathered around Johanna, and soon, the area was bustling with conversation. Johanna continued chatting politely, though she kept an eye on Leonid.

However, her expression nearly froze when a young lady, her eyes gleaming with curiosity, brought up a particular question.

“But Marchioness, aren’t you really the Marquis’s fated partner? You two look so perfect together and seem so close.”

“That’s right; maybe it’s destiny after all.”

“What’s so special about being fated, really? If an Alpha and an Omega promise to stay together until death, that’s a destined bond.”

“A relationship that starts romantically and promises a lifetime together, like you two. Ah, I’m so envious…”

People showered Leonid and Johanna with admiration, claiming they made a perfectly matched couple, bound by fate.

This fascination with fated partners was mainly among young Alphas and Omegas.

They seemed to look up to that unique bond with a sense of longing, projecting their ideals onto Leonid and Johanna, almost as if living vicariously through them.

Johanna felt immensely pressured and uncomfortable with the atmosphere that tried to link her and Leonid by fate. The fact that Leonid was right next to her only added to her unease. She felt a rising urge to clarify to him that she’d never harbored such aspirations.

While giving the crowd a slightly awkward smile, she stole a glance at Leonid, but his face was unreadable, devoid of any emotion.

“I… I’m going to step out to the balcony for some fresh air.”

At Johanna’s quiet remark, Leonid raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her.

Her face looked pale, and her eyes held a somber look, as if something had upset her during the conversation.

What has dampened her spirits this time?

He clicked his tongue inwardly, casting a sidelong glance toward the balcony. It wasn’t far, and as long as the curtains remained open, he’d be able to see outside from where he stood.

He wanted to follow her, but the situation didn’t allow it. Though those chatting with Johanna had left to dance, even more people had gathered around him.

Each was a key figure in the political or business world, so it felt awkward to abruptly cut off the conversation and leave.

Reluctantly, he nodded in approval.

“All right. Don’t go too far, and stay where I can see you.”

“Yes, I will.”

Johanna responded obediently, standing with a faint, enigmatic smile. She slowly made her way toward the balcony, and Leonid’s gaze never left her retreating figure.

“You seem deeply in love with your wife, Marquis Neubitz.”

As Johanna’s silhouette disappeared into the darkness of the balcony, someone beside him remarked casually. Leonid turned to them with a faint smile.

“She’s such a beautiful woman; how could I look away?”

“Haha, truly the best of times.”

“Yes, I remember the days when I was doting on my wife like that…”

Perhaps because Leonid’s attention had momentarily drifted, the topic shifted from serious matters to idle chatter. It would eventually veer back to a more serious tone, but for now, they indulged in the lighthearted talk.

“Are the two of you marked yet?”

“Ah, come on. The Marquis and Marchioness are still newlyweds—there’s no rush for marking yet.”

“Well, back in our time, it wasn’t like that, but I hear young people these days are quite fixated on marking.”

Unlike the past, when arranged marriages were the norm, love marriages had become more common, and with that, Alphas and Omegas increasingly desired marking. The instinct to completely bind a beloved partner as one’s own was inherent to Alphas.

Omegas weren’t so different, though perhaps the urge was less intense than it was for Alphas.

“…Unfortunately, not yet. However…”

Leonid’s gaze shifted briefly toward the balcony. Thanks to the keen vision of a hyper-dominant Alpha, he could easily spot his Omega standing by the railing.

His amber eyes deepened, narrowing slightly as he watched her.

“Soon, I will mark her. Johanna is my Omega.”

* * *

‘Come to think of it, I hear a certain drug is circulating secretly these days.’

‘What kind of drug are you talking about?’

‘A poison that breaks markings. It’s made by mixing highly concentrated pheromones with specific toxins, and it seems effective enough that illegal trades are happening everywhere.’

‘My word, isn’t that a dangerous substance? It sounds like it needs to be regulated.’

‘The royal family is already monitoring it closely.’

Replaying the conversation he’d overheard a few minutes ago, Leonid made his way toward the balcony where Johanna waited.

A poison to break markings… It was likely just a rumor, but in a world rapidly changing with the explosive advancements in arcane engineering, it couldn’t be ruled out.

The air on the balcony was rather chilly. Knowing her fragile health, he couldn’t understand why Johanna would stay out in this cold for over twenty minutes.

She stood by the railing, gazing up at the sky, seemingly lost in thought, unaware of his approach.

“Johanna.”

Leonid softly called her name, draping his jacket over her shoulders. She flinched slightly at the unexpected warmth and looked back at him, her gaze tentative.

Her teal eyes were as dazzlingly clear as ever, almost too much so, making him feel the persistent urge to see them well up with tears. They looked even more beautiful that way, carrying a glisten of emotion.

“Aren’t you cold? Let’s go inside.”

As he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to guide her in, she suddenly recoiled, stepping back to create distance.

Leonid’s brows furrowed slightly in confusion as he lowered his arm, his gaze fixed on her.

Clutching his jacket tightly, she didn’t move closer, maintaining a resolute stance that drew an unmistakable line between them.

“Don’t worry about me, Marquis.”

“About what?”

“No matter what others say, it doesn’t bother me. And I haven’t forgotten my role. Being your partner… I’ve never harbored such expectations.”

“…”

A silence, as chilly as the autumn night air, settled between them.

His quiet gaze turned fierce in an instant, as if ready to seize and consume her if she continued to drift away.