The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 57
“It is a pleasure to meet you… I am Johanna Lucerne.”
At her timid greeting, Duke Elderique gave a stern nod. The others acknowledged her introduction with varying degrees of politeness, but Anora and Kiara’s reactions were starkly different.
“It’s nice to meet you, Johanna! I’m Kiara, the youngest in the family and Leonid’s sister. Oh, I’ll just call you by your name, if that’s okay? You can call me Kiara, too, as casually as you like.”
Kiara’s eyes sparkled as she regarded Johanna with what could have been either friendliness or curiosity. She reminded Johanna of Nadia.
Anora, on the other hand, gave Johanna a frosty glance before barely nodding in acknowledgment. The prick of her unwelcoming attitude felt like a sharp needle to the chest. A temperament like the edge of a blade, Annette had said… and indeed, the description was fitting.
“So, how did you and Leonid meet?”
“He helped me when I was in a difficult situation.”
“That’s right, and that’s how we ended up dating,” Leonid added, effortlessly spinning out the lie. Duke Elderique silently nodded as he sipped his soup. Johanna could barely tell if the food she was eating was going down her throat or through her nose.
In person, Duke Elderique was a robust and remarkably vigorous old man for his age. Despite being in his seventies, his back remained straight, and his golden eyes still held a keen intelligence that hadn’t dulled with time.
Even though it’s said that pheromones lose their potency as one ages… Duke Elderique still radiated the imposing aura of a dominant Alpha. Lying to such a formidable figure made Johanna’s mouth go dry.
“My grandson isn’t the type to fall in love with an Omega at first sight… Are the two of you ‘Fata’ by any chance?”
Duke Elderique asked, his tone laced with skepticism. Johanna paused mid-sip of her soup and glanced at Leonid. Fata—could there be a more convenient excuse? If they answered yes, Duke Elderique would likely accept it without further question.
But the problem lay in the future. She and Leonid were in a clear-cut contractual relationship, destined to divorce one day. Where in the world would you find an Alpha and Omega who want to part ways with their fated match? Claiming they were Fata would only make things harder to untangle later.
Fortunately, Leonid smoothly handled the Duke’s suspicion with a plausible explanation.
“Fata… I’m not sure such a thing even exists. It’s true that I’m drawn to Johanna, but it’s not because she’s an Omega.”
“Oh?”
“I’d say I’m drawn to her as a person. That she happens to be a dominant Omega… well, that’s fortunate for you, Grandfather. You’ll get the dominant genes you’ve always wanted in the family line.”
“Hmph…”
Duke Elderique gave a gruff cough at Leonid’s words, not bothering to deny that he was pleased his grandson had chosen a dominant Omega as his partner.
However, he continued to scrutinize Johanna with a careful eye, as if trying to discern what exactly had captivated his notoriously picky grandson.
That penetrating gaze seemed to drill into Johanna’s very bones, making it hard for her to breathe. Even when the entrée of veal steak was served, the delicious aroma did nothing to stir her appetite. All she wanted was to escape from this uncomfortable situation.
The dinner ended without incident. Although Duke Elderique occasionally directed questions at Johanna, none were too difficult to answer. It seemed he deliberately avoided topics like her family situation or the issue with her father, not out of consideration for her, but likely to avoid ruining the atmosphere of the regular family dinner.
With the head of the household setting the tone, the others also quietly focused on their meals. Occasionally, conversations took place that Johanna couldn’t follow, discussions that passed between family members who shared a bond she was not part of. She felt like an outsider intruding on a close-knit family.
“Miss Lucerne? May I have a word with you?”
It was right after seeing Duke Elderique off. As Johanna was following Leonid back to the main house, Hermia called out to her. Johanna, sensing the lack of warmth in Hermia’s gaze, lowered her head and replied,
“Yes, Countess Rinke.”
Hermia motioned for her to follow and led the way. Johanna glanced at Leonid, who did not follow, signaling that whatever Hermia wanted to discuss was meant for Johanna alone.
The Countess of Rinke, Leonid’s mother… What could she possibly want to discuss with her, just the two of them?
