章節 7: Contract conditions (2)
"I suppose coming at night would have made my men think you were a criminal. Take a seat," Edgar pointed to the free chair on the other side of his desk. "I am extremely curious to know how you were able to leave your father's home when it is said you never leave. Did you play a trick on your father or did he let you out willingly?"
As Alessandra was taking a seat, she digested Edgar's words carefully. "I am not working with my father. In fact, he would never allow me to visit this place. He would even call me crazy for thinking you would ever invite me into your home."
"Does your father hate you?" Edgar bluntly asked. There was no point in beating around the bush when what they were here to discuss was serious.
Alessandra thought about it before giving her answer. "I don't think my father hates me. He is ashamed of me. Who would want a daughter with a reputation like mine in a world like this?"
"It is a parent's job to love their child no matter what. It's a shame you were born as a baron's daughter. You would have been loved elsewhere." To Edgar, it was only people with wealth who cared to distance themselves from someone all because of reputations.
"If I were the daughter of farmers they would have rightfully cast me aside to sell their crops-"
"Why would something so drastic happen to a farmer's daughter for her to end up wearing a mask? Whatever you are hiding, it was done because you are a baron's daughter right?" Asked Edgar. "High society is quite competitive."
Edgar was well aware of the things young women do to others they were jealous of. Alessandra was no doubt in the line of someone's jealousy.
"Yes," Alessandra gave up since he was right. It all happened due to her being a baron's daughter.
"Someone must have been really jealous of you, Alessandra. Fine, let's say I believe this is all your planning and your father is not involved. Why would someone who has lived a vast majority of their life in hiding want to marry someone who has the spotlight on them?"
"Truthfully, me asking you about marriage was something that just slipped out of my mouth. I was looking for someone to get married to, but I never pictured that person to be as grand as you. I have considered three things, Duke Edgar. One, you are a private person so there would be no need for me to mingle with many people. Two, I can ward off people from coming around you. Lastly, you are capable of controlling my family," she explained.
Before falling asleep last night, Alessandra thought critically of the benefits of marrying Edgar. If she were to bring someone below her father's status, her father and stepmother could easily push that person away and Alessandra would have to stay caged up.
Now, if a man like Edgar were to come asking for her hand in marriage, her father could hardly object to it. Her main objective was to get away from her home.
"It is true that I like to keep to myself but there are few parties I need to attend whether it is hosted by family, friends, or work-related. Am I to show up without my wife? It would be boring if you hid all the time," said Edgar. He was not looking to have his wife be a prisoner.
"You are misunderstanding something, Duke Edgar. I never hid because I wanted to. I did what I was told to. I would love to go out and view the town, attend parties, and dance around. I might not have the experience and my confidence might need to increase, but I do not wish to live in the shadows anymore," she looked right into his eyes as she made this confession.
Alessandra did not care to mingle with too many people not important to Edgar, instead, she wanted to go out and start enjoying her life.
"Hmm," Edgar made a humming sound as he contemplated something. "A week ago, I would have never entertained this conversation with you, but I am in the mood to play games," he placed a piece of paper on his desk.
"What is this?" Alessandra asked as she looked at the paper with fancy designs on the edges.
"A contract marriage needs to have rules and conditions right?" Edgar pushed the paper, a pen, and ink toward her. "Let's get started."
Alessandra's eyes widened as she realized he had officially accepted her proposal for them to get married. 'Isn't this a little too easy? I expected him to grill me some more,' she thought.
"What are you waiting for?" Edgar asked when she continued to stare at the paper without doing anything.
"Sorry," Alessandra reached for the paper and pen. She gasped when Edgar grabbed her hand before she could touch the paper.
"What happened to your hand?" Edgar spotted a faint redness around her knuckles. Glancing at her other hand, he saw that it was perfectly fine. "Did you punch something or did someone hurt you?"
"It's nothing," Alessandra pulled her hand out of his grasp.
"It is something seeing that you will be my future wife. I don't take too kindly to someone hurting my people. Name the person and I shall have them punished," said Edgar. Now that they were going to be husband and wife, her problems became his.
"It was an accident Duke Edgar-"
"Just Edgar is fine. See to it that you do not have any more accidents while you are living there before we get married," Edgar decided to leave the topic for now, but he would get back to it. He didn't like the feeling he got as he thought about the life Alessandra had.
"I will try my best. Based on our conversations, no love shall be the first condition. It shall not be a problem on my end," Alessandra stated as she wrote down the first rule.
"I hope you are like this until the very end."
Alessandra looked up from the paper to Edgar. He was a handsome man, but that was all. She knew nothing about him and frankly, if she was not so desperate to leave her father's home she would have never talked to a man like Edgar. "You are not my type, Edgar."
"So, there is a type," Edgar for some reason wondered what kind of man moved her heart.
"I was hidden away, but I was not blind. What should the second condition be?" Alessandra asked so they could move on from the love topic.
"Obviously, speak of this to no one besides my butler Alfred. He shall be a shield for you in dangerous times. Three, we need to communicate any issues we have. Do not allow something small to grow and become big. It is irritating," said Edgar.
"I agree," Alessandra saw no issue in that. "I must ask that I am able to keep my mask on until I feel comfortable walking around without it on."
"That is your business. Do whatever you wish. Five, we must sleep in the same room. Why are you looking so surprised? Did you honestly think I wouldn't sleep with my wife?" Edgar tilted his head slightly as he awaited her answer.
Alessandra thought they wouldn't share the same bed, but as he said, she would be his wife even though a contract was involved. "I suppose that makes sense. It is something couples do after all."
"Everyone does it. Young or old," Edgar picked up a smooth rock from his desk to move around in his hand.
"Young? How young?" Alessandra asked.
Edgar only now realized she had misunderstood what he meant. "Sleeping, Alessandra. I was referring to just sleeping. However, if you wish for something more-"
"No! Sleeping is just fine," Alessandra looked back down at the paper feeling completely embarrassed for thinking he meant something else. "Is there anything else?"
"No, we've covered the basics. Anything else should be handled with communication in the future. You do not appear to be a difficult person who shall make things hard in the future. We can add on whatever we think of as time goes on. Sign it," Edgar reminded her.
"Don't you wish to add a punishment for anyone who breaks the contract?" Alessandra thought he would fine her or imprison her if she were to break this contract. "We have not set a timeline of how long we shall be married as well."
"The main thing on the contract is to not tell others about it. If you let it spread that we are married under this circumstance, it will hurt you more than I. I shall remain a duke while others will go out of their way to humiliate you for needing a contract. I am sure you do not want that."
Alessandra shook her head saying no.
"Lastly, we shall be married forever. I thought that was obvious," Edgar revealed to Alessandra's surprise. "Be sure to add that to the contract now as it is important."
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Violet_167
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章節 8: Contract conditions (3)
"Forever?" Alessandra muttered in disbelief. Forever was a long time. Was she wrong to believe he would only want to do this for maybe a year or two? Wasn't that what the people in the books she read did?
"Yes, forever. Do you plan to break your wedding vows? Till death do us part," Edgar grinned, enjoying the look of horror on her face. He only planned to get married once which was why it had to be with someone he could tolerate.
"At some point, you will need an heir," she said. Did he expect that to happen with her?
"Of course. My wife shall be the mother of my child, but no need to worry, I am not in the mood to have a child running around my home any time soon." Honestly, Edgar had a dislike for children.
"You wouldn't mind me having your child?" Alessandra didn't know how she fell into this hole of confusion, but she would really enjoy Edgar's help to pull her out of it quickly.
"You're starting to annoy me by not understanding what is simple, Alessandra but I guess it would be a shock for you. Yes, I wouldn't mind you having my child one day Alessandra. If I did mind, we wouldn't be here discussing marriage. If this is too much for you, we can still ignore all of this."
"I'm worried what a child of mine would have to go through in this world. Others might attach the rumors about me to the child," Alessandra pictured it in her mind. She wouldn't want anyone to experience being outcasted.
"Alessandra, you are not aware of the weight my last name carries. Once you become my wife, those rumors would fade away and no one shall dare talk about you or a child in the future," Edgar had his ways of making people shut up.
If you rip out their tongue you would find it hard to understand a word they say. Eventually, they would shut up.
Alessandra did not need to ask Edgar how he could guarantee that would happen. There was obviously some truth to how dangerous he was. She had a feeling he was being considerably nice to her right now with the way he spoke.
"We can carry on with the contract, Duke Edgar," she started to sign her name. Giving him an heir would not be a problem if he could shield the child.
"Edgar," he reminded her once again.
"Sorry, Edgar."
"I predict it shall take you a while to start calling me by only my first name. I will come to visit your father tomorrow to ask for your hand in marriage. It is to make sure you do not have any more accidents where you hurt your hand," Edgar slid the paper from her side while she hid her hands.
"Would you like to live with me until it is time for the wedding? It is not uncommon though some people might think you are pregnant-"
"Absolutely not!" Alessandra exclaimed as she did not want another rumor. "The list of rumors about me is good enough. I do not need to add on pregnancy so early."
Edgar scoffed, feeling a sense of deja vu with her response. "Anyone who would believe I have gotten you pregnant before marriage would be an idiot anyway. Then again, there are rumors that I sneak women into this house at night."
"Do you?" Alessandra didn't find that hard to believe, but she wanted the answer from his mouth since she rarely believed rumors unless the person confirmed them.
Edgar pretended to be offended to mess with Alessandra. His eyes went wide, he gasped and placed his hand on his chest. "I would never."
Alessandra felt bad for even questioning it. "I'm sorry-"
"But there was some truth to the rumor. I didn't sneak the women in here. They jumped over the gates and my guards caught them. One person who heard about it passed it on to another until the story changed completely. Rumors are such messy things when they are about me. There are some moments when they help me catch criminals."
'Right, he has been assigned to investigate cases under the king's orders,' Alessandra said to herself.
"I shall hide the contract somewhere safe for no one to find. Now that the contract is over, have you eaten? Alfred can bring you breakfast or have mine. I am not ready to eat with the work I have to do. I would have been done already if not for your father and his lie." The baron's party cut into his work time.
The information he got from the baron was not useful in any shape or form. It was something Edgar already knew about the missing girls.
"I'm sorry. My father used your name to gain a few more guests and Kate fancies you which was why my father felt pressured to have you there," Alessandra apologized even though she had nothing to do with it.
She cared for her father and did not wish to see his reputation falter. He loved it more than anything. After her mother ran away, it was the only thing he seemed to love until he met Katrina.
"Your father, stepmother, and sister shall not gain entry to my home after we are married. I am sure by now you know the type of people they are and if you found them to be tolerable you wouldn't be looking to marry a stranger to get away from them," said Edgar.
"I don't mind," Alessandra didn't want to see her family too much starting now. "I must leave now, Duke-Edgar. I told my father I wanted a view of the town for me to paint and if I do not return on time he will be angry. I look forward to being married to you."
"I hope my life becomes a little bit more interesting with you around, Alessandra. Come, I will walk you out," Edgar stood up from his seat.
He could hardly wait for the king to find out about the woman he was marrying. It would teach the man to stop meddling in his friend's affairs.
"Thank you," Alessandra accepted the Duke's hand when he came to help her. "You have a beautiful home. I am jealous of your paintings."
"Do you enjoy painting?" It was the second time he heard her mention painting. He did not necessarily care about art. He only brought it because his mother badgering him to add more to his home.
"I do. It is relaxing and a fun way to pass the time. It takes a bit of practice but nothing will compare to the feeling when you finally nail the look you have been going for," Alessandra was so focused on talking about paintings that she did not realize she was still holding onto Edgar's hand.
Edgar did not mind it as he liked listening to her speak so fondly about her hobby. "Then, I shall buy a couple of your works."
"W-Why?" Alessandra choked up. She had never let anyone see her work for them to be able to buy any of them. "I am not a professional."
"I should at least buy it from someone I know. I have no idea who the people who made the art in my home are. Pick out the best ones you have to be placed around my home. I shall let Alfred take down some of the ones I have placed up-"
"Are you crazy?" Alessandra asked without thinking. Why on earth would he waste money on her paintings and take down the beautiful ones he had up?
"No, my doctor said I am not crazy as long as I don't- Never mind. This shall be your home too so you're free to decorate it as you see fit as the lady of this house. You should add pieces of what you like to make yourself at home and I shall pay for it."
"That makes sense," Alessandra muttered, now understanding what he was doing.
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