Chapter 32: 32

Lyla broke into a cold sweat, but she couldn’t refuse Aslan’s offer.

Since they were technically a married couple, it was natural for them to share a bed.

Although their marriage was purely contractual, and they didn’t have to physically engage with each other, they still had to spend the nights together in the presence of others.

A wife who is ignored by her husband in bed is often looked down upon, so he had to do it for Lyla’s sake.

That’s why during their marriage, they slept together on the same bed two or, at most, once a week. However, they didn’t have any intimate relations even while sharing the same blanket.

Unlike Aslan, Lyla didn’t have any complaints about it. She might even consider it fortunate that he didn’t approach her.

She was a wife who didn’t make any demands.

Aslan’s temples ached whenever he saw her, as if she had no intention of continuing her relationship with him after three years.

But sometimes her emotions whenever she looked at him were so clear… .

Lyla’s caramel-colored eyes sparkled lightly when touched by sunlight, but they shone even brighter when she looked at Aslan.

Aslan, who was perceptive, quickly understood the emotions she held for him.

Love.

Not long after their marriage, Lyla fell in love with him.

Aslan welcomed that fact. He was delighted that her sweet eyes were solely directed at him.

Even her hesitant voice when she finally spoke his name was pleasing to him.

It was difficult for him to resist the desire to swallow down those full lips when they quivered.

Whenever they lay in the same bed, desire swelled as if it would burst at any moment.

He couldn’t sleep deeply in the scent-drenched bedding she occupied. Sometimes he even resented his sleeping wife, who seemed to sleep peacefully without a care about his state.

Yet, he held back.

Because Lyla hadn’t told him her name yet.

Because Lyla hadn’t told him she loved him yet.

Until her feelings were clearly conveyed to him, Aslan endured and suppressed everything due to his fear of another bitter failure.

[Our contract was practically nonexistent. It was void from the beginning.]

As Aslan recalled shattered memories, he was reminded of a distant past.

[I’m sorry, my son. But I don’t want to live anymore…]

Even his mother, who whispered to him every moment that he was her everything, heartlessly tried to abandon him.

The scars from that time hadn’t healed, and deep mistrust was engraved in his soul.

Aslan didn’t trust Lyla.

Her subtle signals were not enough for him.

He needed something more definite. A clear indication that she would step forward and entrust herself entirely to him…

But lately, it had become difficult for him to wait.

Aslan intentionally focused on external matters.

Issues that required his full attention seemed to come rolling in on their own.

“There have been reports, believing that Count Larestine’s mistress and illegitimate child have escaped and entered Baron Peridot’s estate.”

The name Larestine was enough to quench Aslan’s thirst for revenge.

Although Count Larestine met a miserable end, his disgusting son and the son’s birth mother, Marisa managed to survive and escape against all odds.

Aslan couldn’t leave them to enjoy their lives.

Aslan released his subordinates to track their whereabouts, and he learned that they had wandered into Viscount Peridot’s mansion.

Marisa had found work as a maid in the kitchen and Glock as a servant in the stables.

In the countryside, it was discovered that the unusual-looking Glock had seduced the innocent country girl, Rosalyn.

Although their relationship had become strained since Marisa seduced Viscount Peridot and became his mistress…

There might still be something to gain.

At least a clue to the whereabouts of Marisa and Glock, who fled after using Viscount Peridot and accumulating him into a massive debt.

‘With the downfall of the household and her almost being sold off in debt, there must be a deep resentment.’

That’s why he brought Rosalyn Peridot.

Under the guise of a coincidence, he encountered her and took advantage of her plea for help.

Their first meeting, it was similar to when he first met Lyla, but he felt completely different emotions.

It was the desire for vengeance that started it all, the reason why he insisted on bringing Rosalyn into his home.

However, all the affectionate gestures towards Rosalyn were intended to break down her defenses. If he wanted to obtain the confidential information that only she knew, he needed to build her trust.

He could have assigned someone else to do it, but since Lyla was involved in the matter and it was important and urgent, Aslan chose to take matters into his own hands.

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Furthermore, he didn’t expect another advantage would come while keeping Rosalyn around.

Aslan quickly realized that his words and actions with Rosalyn yielded unexpected results.

On the first day he brought Rosalyn, when he took the fallen Lyla to the bedroom.

“It was just because I was surprised. You brought a strange woman here…”

The flickering jealousy in Lyla’s eyes as she tried to avoid his gaze thrilled him.

It felt like a light bulb had turned on in his head. He realized it was an opportunity to change his stagnant relationship with his wife.

It dawned on him that if he could use Rosalyn Peridot to provoke Lila, he might achieve what he desired.

In reality, Lyla changed after Rosalyn entered the mansion. There were no noticeable major changes; his wife was skilled at concealing her emotions.

However, on the day he returned from taking Rosalyn to a ball that Lyla who was ill at the moment wouldn’t be able to attend.

He’d just gotten out of the carriage and was trying to keep up with Rosalyn’s flirtatious behavior when he looked up.

Swish…

He witnessed the curtains of his wife’s bedroom window closing rapidly.

And at that moment, Aslan sensed that his petty plan had succeeded from the transparent expression he caught on Lyla’s face before the curtains completely covered it.

He hadn’t expected Lyla to get sick, though; he’d known her to get sick when she had a lot on her mind, but he hadn’t expected her to be as distressed as she had been when the two of them had gone to the ball together.

He wasn’t greatly embarrassed. The secret joy and delight were greater.

But when he saw the pale Laila, unable to regain her composure and sweating while in pain, those emotions disappeared as if washed away.

Taking care of the suffering Lyla, he found himself wishing it would have been better if he was in pain instead.

When she woke up, he couldn’t delay any longer and had to go to attend to the unavoidable matter, he regretted not being there after she woke up.

However, he was content that she had recovered her health.

But there was still an expectation.

Given the extent of the shock she had received, he anticipated some changes in their relationship.

However…

He didn’t expect to reach this conclusion.

[The contract is over. Our marriage is over too.]

She said it so casually, with indifference in her eyes.

[I appreciate everything you’ve done, Your Grace.]

To end it so easily.

Aslan wanted to hold onto her. If it weren’t for what she said next, he would have.

[You told Lady Rosalyn that you didn’t marry me out of love.]

He never expected to hear that.

[You entered into a contract with me out of necessity.]

Those words…

Yeah, he did bring it up.

But it was a precautionary measure in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

If the word reached Glock Larestine, that he cares about Lyla who knows what he might do to Lyla..

If he captured her and blackmailed him, with his weakness, Aslan wouldn’t be able to refuse Glock’s demands.

That’s why he deliberately said it coldly, so that Rosalyn wouldn’t make light of it anywhere, ensuring that Lyla wouldn’t become a target.

But he never expected it to reach Lyla’s ears. He didn’t expect her to say it so bluntly…

Aslan quickly tried to explain himself.

However…

[You said you didn’t think it would go this far, that it bothered you].

Though her face remained expressionless, he could tell how much hurt she was. There was resentment mixed with the trembling in her voice. Aslan’s mouth went dry in front of Lyla.

The previous words were meant to deceive Rosalyn, but the last words were sincere.

He truly didn’t expect the contract to last this long. He truly didn’t expect their relationship, filled with dry paperwork, to remain unchanged after three years.

At the very least, he thought they would be the affectionate, loving couple that the world knows them to be…….

As they talked, he became frustrated and added those self-pitying words. That was the truth.

But with Lyla looking at him with wounded eyes, he couldn’t say anything more.