The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 25
Johanna smiled bitterly and looked down at the signature line. There was a part where she needed to stamp her fingerprint.
“Oh, a fingerprint?”
As she looked around after signing, Victoria quickly caught on and pulled a flat case from her pocket, placing it on the table.
Opening the lid revealed bright red ink inside.
Johanna pressed her thumb into it firmly and then stamped it onto the contract with all her strength.
“All done?”
“Yes.”
She waved the contract to let the ink dry, then handed it to Victoria.
Victoria accepted it with a complex expression, tidied it up, tucked it under her arm, and stood up.
“I’ll give this to the assistant. He’s outside. Are you feeling okay now?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Let’s go.”
“Alright…”
Even so, Victoria supported Johanna. They walked out into the corridor, handed the contract to the assistant, and received the next instructions.
“Miss Lucerne, you will be staying at this Weimar residence from now on. This is to prevent any unforeseen mishaps, so we ask for your understanding.”
It was a unilateral notice, giving her a week to pack her things. The assistant continued in a calm tone, facing Johanna, who gave a hollow laugh.
“If you need anything, please make a request. The Marquis said he would grant anything that isn’t truly impossible.”
Feeling an endless sinking in her mood, Johanna spoke.
“I have a younger brother. I am his only guardian. Could you arrange for him to be admitted to Bamberg Boarding School?”
This was something she had originally intended to request when meeting Leonid today. However, he had overwhelmed her with pheromones and left abruptly, not giving her a chance to bring it up.
Bamberg Boarding School was the kingdom’s top secondary education institution. Privately run, it allowed direct admission to the Royal Academy upon passing the graduation exam with a certain level of achievement.
Naturally, it wasn’t a place just anyone could enter, and the tuition was beyond the reach of ordinary people. Additionally, they extorted more money each semester under the guise of donations.
With Daniel’s grades, he would not only easily pass the transfer exam to Bamberg Boarding School but also undoubtedly rank among the top students there. And most importantly, Daniel would be safe there.
The assistant pondered silently for a moment before nodding lightly.
“It’s possible. Arranging for one student to transfer to Bamberg Boarding School is not a big deal… I shall speak to the Marquis about it.”
“…Thank you.”
Hearing him speak so nonchalantly as if it were really nothing left her feeling somewhat hollow. Getting into that boarding school… it was something utterly impossible for them.
“And here is the contract fee.”
The assistant pulled a thick envelope from the inner pocket of his jacket and handed it over. Johanna hesitated for a moment before cautiously accepting it.
It seemed they wouldn’t deposit it into a bank account. Well, cash is probably better… There was no need to count the money right here. After all, the amount handed over by Marquis Neubitz wouldn’t be incorrect.
* * *
It had been a long day. When Johanna returned home, clutching the envelope containing the contract fee, she found that Daniel was out.
Johanna sat at the dining table and counted the money. A total of 80,000 rubles. With 20,000 rubles, she could pay off the debt to her aunt’s family, with 50,000 rubles, she could pay off half of the loan shark debt, and with the remaining 10,000 rubles, she could cover the overdue interest.
By using 2,700 rubles of the 10,000 rubles, she would have enough to pay about 8 months of interest.
The contract period was one year, so for the remaining 4 months, she would need to find an additional 3,600 rubles to cover the interest.
After finishing her calculations, Johanna divided the money into three envelopes and hid them in a wooden box that couldn’t be opened without a key.
She had bought the box after her father had once found and stolen the money she had hidden in a pillowcase.
She planned to wash up now, but just in case, she put the key on a sterling silver chain around her neck and went into the bathroom.
After washing thoroughly in the bathroom, thirty minutes had passed. The faint alpha pheromones lingering on her were completely washed away, leaving no scent on her body.
Drying her hair with a towel, Johanna sat vacantly on the bed, and suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. She opened the bottom drawer of her nightstand and took out a small treasure she had hidden inside.
It was none other than a silver button.
Despite being an old item, it had not turned black, perhaps because she had polished it regularly. It still shone brightly.
The owner of this button was that person.
Marquis Neubitz.
Leonid Neubitz Rinke Elderique.
Four years ago, Johanna had met him for the first time.
