The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 35
“How do you see it?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Revenge. Do you think it’s okay to commit atrocities for the sake of revenge?”
“…I think it depends on the circumstances.”
“What circumstances?”
Johanna felt perplexed as to why this man was asking her such a thing. Her lips parted slightly before she answered in a reluctant voice.
“The king killed Eucleides’ mother. So even if it costs his life, I think it’s all karma.”
“Even if it’s his own son who takes that life?”
“In primitive societies, patricide wasn’t considered an ethical issue.”
At that, Ilian Rediess unexpectedly burst into laughter. He laughed so hard that he clutched his stomach, finding something incredibly amusing.
Johanna, who had only answered because he asked, couldn’t hide her irritation at being ridiculed and stared at him with displeasure.
“It’s funny to hear such words from a proper lady who seems like she would strictly adhere to law and order.”
“……”
A proper lady… She had often heard that she seemed calm but had a temper, but this is the first time She’s heard such a thing. What kind of image does this man have of her in his head?
“Alright, enough chit-chat… Have you thought about my proposal?”
Johanna’s face hardened at the man’s question, which was tinged with amusement. He still seemed to be holding on to the suggestion that she should work serving at his industries.
The moment of relaxation she had unknowingly allowed during their conversation vanished, and she steeled herself again. Before answering, she took a thick envelope from her bag and handed it to the man.
“It contains half of the debt, the overdue interest, and eight months’ worth of interest.”
“….”
The man silently stared at Johanna, who had returned to her cold demeanor. He took the checks and bills from the envelope and counted them, then let out a slight laugh. His gray eyes reflected disbelief.
“Where did you get all this money?”
“There were some circumstances.”
“Circumstances? What kind of circumstances? Ah… Did you sell your body to an alpha?”
At the careless insult, Johanna flinched involuntarily and glared at the man.
Though she had resorted to something less than honorable, it was a hundred times better than selling her body to random men in a nightclub. This might be a pit, but it wasn’t an abyss.
Living on the edge of hell and reality, it was this man who had thrown her into the pit. She did not want to hear such insults from the very source of her misfortune.
Johanna bit her trembling lips and coldly declared,
“Even if I sold my body, it wouldn’t be to you or through you.”
The man’s lips twitched slightly. His slow smile wasn’t a smile at all; it was a fierce threat, like a predator baring its teeth.
“Johanna Lucerne.”
He called her full name as if whispering sweetly to a lover. Something dark and unreadable flickered in his black eyes.
“It makes me feel disappointed even if you don’t sell yourself.”
A faint pheromone emanated from the man. Johanna recoiled at the sensation on her skin, taking a step back. The man closed the distance by taking two steps forward.
Johanna retreated further, looking up at his face. His expression, with a savage sneer, appeared even more menacing against the backlight.
Soon, her back hit the wall. Knowing it was futile, Johanna still groped the wall, seeking an escape. Above her head, Eucleides loomed, killing his father. And the man, now inches away, caged her with his arms against the wall and murmured softly.
“Who gave you that money?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“S**t… who gave it to you?”
The man swore harshly and slammed his fist into the wall. Despite not seeming to exert much force, the wall dented, and pieces of shattered marble fell to the floor.
“Someone I know helped me.”
“Someone you know? Who?”
The increasingly aggressive pheromones made it hard to breathe. The man before her was as frightening as a wolf encountered in a dark forest, but Johanna tried to stay calm as she continued.
“…My fiancé.”
“…What?”
It was a lie, but not entirely far-fetched. Publicly, that was the story they needed to maintain. The advisor to Marquis Neubitz insisted that Johanna appear to be a Cinderella who had to fall in love with the Marquis and ride away in a pumpkin carriage.
However, Ilian Rediess’ reaction was unexpected.
