The End of a Fake Marriage

***

When Miss Angrias left and Renee was left alone, she suddenly looked up at the sky. Large clouds were moving, covering the moon, and the sight seemed ominous. She could smell the humidity in the air. It seemed like it was going to rain soon.

‘See, weather forecasts are often wrong, Alexander.’

The banquet schedule, already delayed due to the potential rain, but it looked like all that effort would come to nothing.

Renee turned slightly and looked at Alexander. He saw a large man who stood out even though he was surrounded by many people. Surrounded by everything, he seemed to be the center of the world. Without doing anything, people followed him, naturally hovering around him.

Yes, like an eagle.

A bird that flies to the highest place, one that can hunt with the greatest strength, a bird for which this power seems completely natural. It wasn’t just his status or wealth that gave off this impression. Just as an eagle remains an eagle even if its wings are muddy or wet, so was he.

Even in Whitehall, that small seaside town, when they first met while she was an ignorant village girl, he had effortlessly captivated her.

Renee suddenly found the situation amusing. She also felt a sense of wonder at how strangely her life had unfolded.

A girl living in the countryside and a young master from a great family who came to visit the countryside. A young love that was ruined after jumping into it without knowing the subject.

And then, after experiencing war and poverty, just when she was dealing with the idea of a marriage deal because of her reckless uncle, a failed first love, and a dramatic contract marriage.

‘Wow. If someone wrote this as a novel, nobody would believe it.’

She looked at the cloudy sky and giggled.

Maybe one day, far in the future, when she had children and those children had children, she’d be able to tell them a story like this.

‘You know, once upon a time, I was married to Alexander Chambler. Oh yes, that man, the owner of Chambler Corporation. It only lasted two years, but still… and with the hefty settlement I received, I raised you all.’

When that time comes, you and I will forget the memories of our fake marriage and may fall in love with someone else. As time passes, memories fade and eventually only the afterimage of it once happened would remain.

Renee inhaled deeply and exhaled, trying to calm her racing heart. It was then that she heard it.

“Haa, I missed you so much. Please, just once.”

“No, stop, mmph! S-Scar… please… let me go…!”

A strange voice was heard from somewhere. Startled, Renee flushed and looked around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. ‘Should I be avoiding it?’

“Hold me, kiss me! I was foolish, I never should have let you go!”

“Mmph, no, ugh! Stop…! I said no…!”

But it sounded like one side was being forced. The person was clearly protesting, saying “stop” and “no,” but being ignored.

“Shhh! Darling, leave it to me. There’s nobody here anyway, and you’d have missed me, wouldn’t you?”

“Stop it, why are you doing this? Let me go, ugh!”

‘…It definitely didn’t sound like a sweet, romantic meeting.’

Hesitating for a moment, Renee quietly cleared her throat to make her presence known. The sounds coming from beyond the rounded corner of the balcony immediately ceased.

Realizing the effect, Renee deliberately made her footsteps louder to emphasize her presence. As a result, she heard hurried footsteps retreating.

“Looks like they’re gone.”

Just as she was about to leave, unsure of the situation but thinking it was resolved, when a tall man with messy clothing, hesitantly appeared from around the curve.

“Excuse me, I apologize for the unpleasant sight. Thank you for your help.”

The man who had been approaching while greeting stopped standing still facing Renee. He couldn’t take his eyes off her face and was making a surprised expression.

‘…Does he recognize me?’

Renee, who didn’t take the man’s gaze off her face, responded with her usual smile.

“It’s fine. I didn’t see anything at all.”

“…Oh. Oh! Yes, thank you, thank you.”

As if snapping out of a shock, the man blinked his large eyes, blushing and looking flustered.

The man, who Renee thought would quickly leave the place out of embarrassment, glanced back and asked cautiously.

“Would you mind if I stayed near you for a bit? I think I might get caught again if I go back out there.”

It wasn’t like she owned the balcony or had paid for it. It was a space anyone could use, and she planned to head back inside soon anyway.

Renee nodded slightly, offering the hesitant man her company.

A moment of silence followed. While she wouldn’t lie and say she wasn’t aware of the man’s awkward presence, it wasn’t a situation conducive to conversation. Renee remained silent, gazing at the sky. The clouds were moving incredibly fast.

‘I hope it doesn’t start raining before we make it back to the mansion,’ she thought.

Just as she thought that, something was slipped into her hand

It was a small, gilded, rectangular business card. When Renee looked at him, the man smiled gently and said. “I’m Levrus Litri, and I run IntoTheNewWorld Travel Agency.”

IntoTheNewWorld was a well-known name. In particular, their transcontinental train travel packages and cruise ship expeditions to the IntoTheNewWorld were quite popular.

“I just wanted to assure you I’m not some strange person…” he added.

“Oh, no, I didn’t think you were,” Renee replied. “I’m Renee Chambler.”

“Chambler… Would that happen to be the same Chambler I’m thinking of?” he asked hesitantly. Renee responded with a polite smile.

“I see. So, you’re Mrs. Chambler. I’ve only been back in Kaliba for less than a month, so I didn’t recognize you. Please forgive me if I’ve been rude.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. You haven’t been rude at all,” Renee reassured him.

“You’re very kind,” he said, genuinely grateful, his face flushing red as he scratched his head. He seemed to be someone whose emotions easily showed on his face.

‘The complete opposite of Alexander’

Amusingly, despite being so different, the man in front of her had strikingly similar bright blue eyes to Alexander’s.

They were roughly the same height, though their builds differed slightly, and upon closer inspection, he was quite handsome. It was remarkable how different their auras were.

‘Was it simply because he was more expressive? Or was it his soft-looking brown hair?’

Renee didn’t realize she had been staring at him with an almost studying gaze until he began shifting his eyes nervously, his face flushed.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I was staring without realizing it.”

When Renee apologized in surprise, he jumped up and waved his hands.

“N-no, it’s fine! You can keep looking. It’s just that… I don’t look very good right now.”

The man smirked as he brushed the hem of his rumpled clothes. Renee shrugged along with him, and then, as if deciding something, he pulled his wallet out of his inside pocket.

“Actually,” he began, “when I saw you earlier, I was so shocked. This might sound strange coming from someone you’ve just met, but…”

He took a small photograph from his wallet and showed it to her.

“You look a lot like my younger sister. This is a picture of her taken when she was at the military hospital. She’s wearing a nurse’s uniform in it…”

Renee took a good look at the photo. Though it was in black and white, making it hard to discern hair or eye color, the woman’s bright smile, standing among a group of soldiers, did seem oddly familiar.

Renee laughed in amusement and handed the picture back.

“That’s interesting. We really do look quite similar.”

“To be honest, my sister isn’t as beautiful as you Mrs. Chambler…but this photo makes her look quite stunning.”

“Really? I think she looks much prettier than me.”

The man burst into laughter at Renee’s humble words.

“That’s something my sister would love to hear, but objectively speaking, it’s really not true. Oh! And I’m not saying this just because I’m her brother, but really, objectively speaking. When she was little, her nickname was ‘little pig’ because she was so chubby and tiny…”

Although he insisted his sister wasn’t beautiful, the man’s voice was full of affection as he talked about her. They seemed to be close siblings, despite the distance between them.

“That’s funny. When I was a child, someone called me the ‘ugly pig cousin.’”

“Oh, my goodness. Mrs. Chambler? No way! I think the person who called you that didn’t understand what ‘ugly pig’ meant.”

“Back then—”

At that moment, a third voice suddenly interrupted, a voice that was both familiar and strangely unfamiliar.

“There’s a reason for that. Once you hear the story, I’m sure you’ll understand why I called my wife that.”

A large, warm hand gently wrapped around Renee’s shoulder, pulling her closer as if to assert ownership.

Renee looked up at him, slightly embarrassed, and Alexander’s blue eyes met hers with a more affectionate and intimate smile than ever before.