Contract Marriage Interrupted - Chapter 98



Only Noblemtl

Episode 98. Reality (1)
2024.01.07.

Odette’s hurried steps stopped. She wanted to ignore him and go, but was it because she knew he wouldn’t let her go like that? Or was it because the hot heat she’d never felt before was clawing at her stomach?

She was angry that the main culprit who had created Walter’s difficult situation was talking about Walter as if he had nothing to do with her.

It was an anger she’d never felt in all the past days when she’d been tormented by Regina.

“… … Isn’t that something you should be saying?”

“Why me? Because your husband behaved badly.”

Regina found this situation so funny that she even laughed out loud.

It was funny that she was acting like that because she had said something about her husband, even though she hadn’t said anything when I pulled her hair.

‘Stupid X.’

To be honest, when she first received this offer, she didn’t really like it. No, I actually had no intention of hanging out with you.

– I’m sick of being tangled with Walter Ertmann! Why do I have to play this kind of role?!

– That’ll fan the flames. Of course you should do it. You used to be the kind of man I loved the most, right? Why are you making a fuss when I’m offering you a chance to hug you?

The problem is that Blake was so stubborn.

– That was before! I’m not interested anymore. If we get entangled here, I’ll just end up looking ridiculous… … !

– So?

– ​​… … What?

– Is it important that you look ridiculous? If we continue like this, all our hard work will go unnoticed and Cedric will inherit the throne. Do you know how many bastards turned their backs on Cedric as soon as he came back? You don’t care if you just let it go and end up like Odette?

Being like Odette meant being a sacrificial lamb for a political marriage. This time, Odette managed to avoid it, but Regina, who was so entangled, wouldn’t be able to avoid it easily.

Blake held Regina’s shaking shoulders and whispered fiercely, engraving each word.

– If you’ve treated me like a little sister so far, act usefully. Don’t whine about not being able to do this.

Considering Regina’s high self-esteem, it would not have been strange to slap her in the face right away, but Regina was always the weaker one when it came to her own family. Katarina only cared about Blake, and she was the one who supported Blake.

If Blake had told Katarina tomorrow that he would sell Regina into a political marriage, Katarina would have pushed for Regina’s marriage without a second thought.

There was no escape for Regina.

-… … I understand, brother. I’m sorry.

In the end, she had no choice but to accept the offer with a terribly miserable feeling.

This contempt spread to Walter and Odette, and it turned into malice.

But who knew?

When she approached Walter with Odette’s face.

– I know you wanted me to be honest. But this was important to me too, so I couldn’t tell you easily.

– … … What did you hide?

– That I was going to die.

Who would have thought he would confess such a secret!

Odette was acting all high and mighty now, but without Walter, she was nothing.

Seeing that idiotic face that didn’t know anything made me even more certain.

Stupid X.

“It’s funny how you’re blind to your husband even in this situation. Do you trust Duke Ertmann? Do you think he’s sincere to you because he treated you well?”

“… … .”

“You don’t know? What kind of secrets your husband has. But I do. He and I shared a secret.”

And yet you think Walter Ertmann is sincere to you?

Regina’s words cut sharply into Odette’s heart.

In the past, she would have been afraid of these words. She said she wanted to trust someone, that she wanted to live a life without having to doubt, but she was actually not ready to trust someone.

Having lived her entire life alone to survive, her heart could not easily accept someone. The fact that she was so kind and affectionate to Cedric, but still couldn’t trust him properly, was proof of this.

Trust in a situation where there was a perfect foundation for trust and a trustworthy environment, had no meaning.

Now she knew. She had to be able to reach out even in anxiety and fear. In order to live a life where she could trust someone without doubting them, she had to change herself first.

“… … It doesn’t matter if Walter isn’t sincere to me. I trust him.”

“What? I knew you were stupid, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

Regina burst into laughter.

“I can clearly see you being betrayed and sulking later. What on earth do you believe? I thought you knew how to tell right from wrong to some extent… … You’re just an idiot?”

“That’s right. People who fall in love are all like that, right? You become foolish and can’t see even an inch ahead of you… … .”

Odette smiled brightly.

“I’m in that situation right now, so stop talking and get out of here, Regina.”

* * *

Regina had no idea that Odette would be so strong, so she became dumbfounded.

And Odette didn’t miss that moment and passed Regina right away. She heard Regina shouting behind her, but she didn’t have time to look back.

It was because of an ominous feeling running down her spine. Why

would Regina be there when she came in such a hurry?

‘Alone, without even a single maid.’

It was as if she had known Odette would be there.

No matter how much Regina harbored ill feelings toward Odette, she was not someone who would think this deeply. Then, the only thing left was,

‘Blake.’

He might have intentionally sent Regina to block my path.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her anxiety subsided. Odette ran straight to Cedric’s palace. When she felt that she could no longer bear the shortness of breath and the anxiety that was squeezing her throat, her fast-paced footsteps gradually stopped.

It was because she had arrived at Cedric’s palace.

However, even though her steps slowed down and her breathing calmed down, her anxiety did not go away.

‘Why is the palace so chaotic?’

She saw people hurrying around. And that was in the direction of Cedric’s office. The closer she got to her destination, the more people glanced at her. Was it because Odette had a desperate expression, or because something had happened?

“… … Odette?”

Finally, the door to Cedric’s office opened.

She saw Cedric standing up with a bewildered expression, as if he hadn’t expected her. However, Odette couldn’t answer him.

This was because she could see the blood on the floor and Walter lying down.

Walter’s face was bloodless. The doctor who seemed to be examining him had a defeated look on his face.

Odette took a step toward him blankly.

“Walter, why… …”

And then she was stopped. Cedric, who looked anxious, was blocking her.

“Odette, wait a minute. I can explain the situation, so step back. I haven’t confirmed the exact cause of death yet. There must have been poison in the tea he drank, and Walter couldn’t have known that… …”

Cedric’s words kept circling around in her mind. However, Odette couldn’t understand any of it properly. The voices ringing in her head were just complicated and dizzying… .

-Please, Odette. Don’t do that. I can’t let you go.

Ah.

– I love you. I know I shouldn’t, but I love you deeply. So please… … can’t you have a little pity on me?

Ah.

– I don’t want anything. If you just live, I think I can live somehow. Please just live… … .

Tears flowed down my cheeks. The desperate confession remained as the only clear thing in Odette’s hazy mind, awakening her mind.

What came to mind at first was only a small piece, but Odette could feel it right away. This was the last memory she could only know by borrowing Louis’s words.

The moment she jumped from the balcony.

The confession of the last time she met Walter. Finally,

　
all of Odette’s fragments were put together.

Walter was not a murderer, as Louis had said. He knew what Odette was trying to do on the balcony, and he had also worked tirelessly to stop it. While confessing the love she had never intended to say out loud.

Even so, the reason Odette jumped, no, the reason she could jump was

because she was the most ruthless and selfish person at that moment.

– I’m sorry, Duke. I don’t pity you. I’m too tired… … I can’t think of anyone else anymore.

The words asking her to live for herself, the words asking her to pity herself, had no meaning to Odette. She was already worn down by the price of pitying someone, by the price of living for someone.

What if she had been a little more selfish? If she had given up on listening to Louis’s request and showing the least courtesy to Lady Clovis. Such thoughts came to mind along with countless resentments and then subsided.

So even at that moment, the thought occurred to me that you too were trying to live using me as a stepping stone.

‘No one would live for me.’

They say that if you have nothing, you will be used, and that is exactly right. Why did you have so much kindness when you have nothing, and come to this point?

-You said you loved me. So please do me one favor.

I just wanted to be a little happy.

-If you look even a little pitiful… …Please let me go, Duke Ertmann.

Odette could feel the grip of the hand that was holding her slowly loosening from the joints. Yes, this world is where the cruel wins.

I was cruel, and you were desperate to do anything for me, so it is natural that I should take it.

-Thank you.

With those words, Odette fell.

An irreversible death.

Odette’s memories ended with a dull noise. And

so she returned to reality. To the reality where Walter, who had loved her, was dead.