Chapter 14: Chapter 14

“Just make the trust fund in Isaac’s name. He will certainly graduate from the academy with good grades, become official member of it, and get at least baron title….”

“Angela, you are smart.”

Rubica decided not to reply to Mrs. Berner. She was neither going to listen nor believe.

“The interest of 50 thousand Gold can only be used for you to study and live at the academy. That is the condition.”

And Rubica was going to let Angela use the 50 thousand Gold freely after graduation. But she didn’t want to let her parents know that.

“Rubica, but the academy is for men….”

“And women, although there are few of them. Aron’s Academy would never refuse a student just because she happens to be a woman. Even commoners are allowed to study there, as long they are smart enough. Right?”

Edgar nodded to agree with her.

“If someone else messes up with that money, I will not tolerate it.”

Rubica looks straight at her aunt. She had most certainly changed. Mrs. Berner felt chill behind her back. When she accepted the duke’s proposal, she had thought she was going to strike it rich. As Rubica was weak and easily fooled, she was going to stick to her like a leech and suck out money. But now, Rubica had kicked them out of the mansion without anything. Now she was about to become a beggar on street.

“Then Rubica…. What are you going to do with the other 50 thousand Gold?”

Mrs. Berner’s muttering made lightening strike in Martin Berner’s mind. He realized. Then he smiled with content at Rubica.

“Yes, you decided to put the money in trust as Angela is way too young. Yes, as it is such huge money, you must put it in bank. But as we are, haha, adults, you can give us the money itself.”

Even his wife was dumbfounded at his optimistic way of thinking.

“Hmm, I think 40 thousand Gold would be enough, for Isaac and us to live and buy a new mansion.”

“I am not giving any money to you and Isaac.”

Martin Berner blinked his eyes. Rubica thought that expression made him look lie a toad.

“What? Could you say that again?”

“I am not giving even a single penny to you two and Isaac.”

It took long time for Martin Berner to understand that.

“Oh, my!”

Sweat ran down his forehead. He started to beg to Rubica.

“Rubica! I am your father’s brother. Think how we have lived as family.”

But he didn’t dare to get close to her or grab the end of her dress. Carl the butler was glaring at him behind her. His wife made sense of the situation faster than him.

They couldn’t get anything by convincing Rubica. She decided to work on the duke. He was willing to give 100 thousand Gold to a girl like Rubica, so there was still hope for her.

“Your Grace, are you going to let your wife’s family live in poverty? Everyone will talk behind you about it. Doesn’t your family keep expenses for maintaining dignity? We’re Rubica’s family.”

What she said made sense. Edgar thought about it for a while. They were bothering. Should he just give them some money and tell them to shove off? But people like them were more likely to stick even harder the moment they got what they wanted.

“I don’t have any family!”

Her yell made even the duke’s hard shoulders flinch. It sounded like a shriek.

“Uncle, aunt, you lied to my parents. My mother died because of worries and fear about the debt. To make things clear, you are my enemies, not my family. I am not holding you responsible not because I still care about you. It’s just because you are still my late father’s brother….. That’s just it.”

Rubica turned to look at Edgar.

“I’m an orphan. If you give them any money, I will take it as you are ignoring me.”

Edgar looked at the woman in front of him. Hurt, but strong. She appeared not to mind manners, but she knew who she should punish and who she should reward.

He felt there was extraordinary soul residing inside the woman who had looked to be ordinary. And that soul endlessly aroused his curiosity.

“I will not pay them.”

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He had been wondering how he should take care of those leeches. He rather thanked Rubica’s such attitude. Martin Berner was shocked. He wanted to yell at Rubica and make her change his mind. But he dropped that idea after seeing the butler showing him his fist.

How on earth had Rubica won the duke and his butler? He just couldn’t understand. He shouldn’t have been drunk with joy and dreams about the fortune in front of him and leave Rubica alone. That had been his mistake. How had she thought of running away when her room was up in the attic? He couldn’t know.

What a shame, what a shame.

After his brother passed away, his wife, who was from a count’s family and had no sense of money, so Martin had just come up with an idea. Considering her innocence, someone else would have taken the mansion if he hadn’t. He had just thought it would be better for him to take it as he was a Berner, so he changed the contracts just a little…

Martin Berner really couldn’t understand why Rubica was looking at her with rage and such huge hatred.

“…You are so awful, Rubica. But we will be present at your wedding, as we are related.”

Martin Berner was acting like he was being so merciful. Rubica stared at him. But she wasn’t going to back off now. She knew what kind of man her uncle was. People like him interpreted every situation in their own favor.

I cannot let him see even the smallest weak point of mine.

Rubica scolded her kind heart.

“Do not come.”

“What are you talking about? Who will fill your guests’ seats if even we don’t go?”

Martin Berner trembled in rage. He was really mad. He had acted generously and offered to be present at Rubica’s wedding, in spite of her cruelty, but she was rejecting even that…..

“Good, I happen to be an orphan, too.”

But even his great rage faded in front of Edgar’s cold blue eyes. His selective rage made Rubica lose the last bit of love she had had for him.

“Your Grace, as Miss Berner doesn’t want any guest, why don’t you make the ceremony simple?”

Carl the butler read Edgar’s mind and spoke. People were clearly going to spread rumors if they did the wedding without a single guest present on Rubica’s behalf. It would be better to do it without any guest and only with witnesses.

“It would be good. I don’t want to waste time on making preparation. Rubica, as I have conference to attend at the capital tomorrow, why don’t we get married tomorrow?”

The wedding is the most important event of life. Most brides want to do the ceremony in the most splendid dress, with fear and hope. However, Rubica didn’t want to marry Edgar. Their marriage was only an accident that had occurred because of misunderstanding.

She didn’t care about how the wedding with a man she didn’t love would be done. There was another wedding she really wanted.

“Okay.”

“What nonsense….. You will get married in two days?”

“What would people of the world say about it?”

“Rubica!”

Angela, who had kept her mouth shut till now, eagerly looked at Rubica. Rubica could see she was telling her not to rush with her wedding like that.

‘But it is not the marriage I want.’

Rubica quietly looked away. She didn’t care about her uncle and her aunt’s speeches, not even a bit, but for some reasons, the way Angela looked at her made her feel hurt. Angela was the only person there who truly wanted Rubica to be happy.

“Carl, is there a place we can get married right away?”

“There is Hue’s temple at Cord Hill, near your mansion.”

“….”

Dark shadow passed on Edgar’s face. Rubica felt strange about the short silence. Why was Edgar looking so troubled? Was he being hesitant about getting married near his mansion?

Rubica thought he had right reasons to be. Title, wealth, and even beauty. Hers were all lesser than his. Why was he so eager to marry her? Even she couldn’t understand. Then how could the people of the duke’s domain can understand? They could refuse to be present at the abbey because of her.

“There is a Hue’s temple near here. We can just go there and swear the oath now…..”

“No, no, Rubica. It would be better to prepare for the wedding, even for a day. And I would like to marry you at the temple in my domain and hold banquet at my mansion. This place isn’t good enough for you.”

It was like he could see her anxiety. He lightly lifted up her hand and kissed it. That gesture was picturesque. The back of her hand, where his lips touched, felt strangely hot.

Rubica could barely stop her face from turning red. Such gesture was more than enough to make most women get the wrong idea. Even Rubica, who knew he didn’t love her, felt thrill in her heat because of his beauty.