His footsteps headed towards Blair’s bedroom.

Without knocking, Halden burst into the room. In his eyes, Blair was changing from a bathrobe to a bed gown.

At the sight of Blair behind the still unfastened bed gown, Halden paused for a moment.

“Kyah… Huh.”

Rena, who was holding a towel, was about to scream in surprise at Halden’s sudden intrusion but realized he was Blair’s husband and closed her mouth.
There’s no issue with a husband seeing his wife’s naked body.

However, he hastily covered Blair’s gown.

The person who actually revealed their body seemed surprised by his sudden appearance, but the face showed no significant shock at the fact that her body was exposed.

“Rena, you may leave now.”

Rena greeted the two and quietly withdrew. Only Blair and Halden remained in the room.

Halden, who was about to reprimand Blair directly, closed his mouth at the sight of Blair, who looked back at him with tearful eyes. The reason for his heightened emotions was the memory of seeing tears in those eyes once before.

Suppressing the overwhelming emotions to the point where he couldn’t understand them himself, Halden, with a lowered voice, spoke again.

“…I heard you told Ruth about our contract.”

“Ah… I thought Ruth knew. I thought it would be fine even if he knew.”

It wasn’t a conversation that should be happening.

As Blair said, Ruth was a close confidant, and even if it cost him his life, he wouldn’t be the one to spread the story that could become his weakness to the outside world.

In Halden’s eyes, who was swallowing the inexplicable emotions, Blair’s lips came into view.

Only now did he seem to understand the reason for this anger.

He was upset that she casually brought up the end of the contract with those lips.

“We’re getting divorced. As per the contract.”

As if he heard those words once before.

Now, the woman in front of him, the woman within reach if he extended his hand, felt so distant.
…Like this, it feels like she will disappear.

That should not happen. It would be a breach of the contract.

The conditions of the contract he presented have not been fulfilled yet. He cannot even take this woman’s warmth, which came as a small reward for the contract, as he desires.

The anger towards that fact is probably the name of this uncontrollable emotion shaking him now.

Finally, he concluded the name of his emotion and embraced Blair’s cheek, meeting her gaze. His gaze looking down was twisted.

“Is this contract a joke to you?”

Blair’s pupils shook finely at his chilly tone. However, Halden did not stop.

No, that’s why he couldn’t stop.

He didn’t want to see her utter the end of this contract with those lips again.

“You seem to have forgotten, but this is a scam to deceive the emperor. It’s not a child’s prank.”

“…….”

“Never mention the contract in front of others again.”

His chilling voice, which had settled down, stopped. Blair’s pupils, which had been shaking slightly, stopped moving.

For a moment, she seemed to hesitate, but soon, as always, she nodded with a calm face.

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Her eyes seemed to understand his words.

Certainly, that was the answer he wanted.

Yet, Halden felt a renewed thirst that had not been quenched. His throat felt dry and empty.
However, there was no longer any reason to be angry in front of the woman who agreed with my words.

“……Take a rest.”

Halden suppressed his emotions and left the bedroom. A sigh escaped through his lips as he roughly swept his hair back.

Lately, the emotions that had been raging like a madman were terribly unpleasant.

“We’ve arrived.”

The carriage Blair was riding in stopped in front of the art museum.

Today’s meeting place with Mikhail was here, the private art museum.

Since the last theater was a public and crowded rendezvous point, they decided to meet openly at the art museum this time. If there’s anyone who recognizes them, they can say he’s someone helping with an auction.

Still, wanting to avoid unnecessary attention, Blair double-checked the lace-adorned hat she was wearing and opened the carriage door.

At the same time, a large hand extended towards her.