Raising my Fiancè with Money

Chapter 83: Will She Love You?

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The carriage back to the Evantheon Mansion was quieter than a library. Only the occasional sound of wheels rolling outside the door could be heard.

Sitting in a corner, Karhan wrapped his hands around his face. His hot breath dissipated between his fingers. From the face to the back of the neck, even to the earlobes, everything was hot. If it had been bright daylight, he would have been caught with a glowing red face.

“…….”

He had been out of his mind for a while. He couldn’t remember how he got in the carriage properly. He just felt like crying.

It was an emotion that he had denied, turning a blind eye to it until now. He was curious about the true nature of his feelings for Lilia, but on the other hand, he thought that it might be better not to know. When he finds out, he fears there will be no turning back.

However, love sometimes comes suddenly, as there comes a moment when you become aware of it since it accumulates little by little like grains of sand. It’s grown out of control, so you can’t deny it.

Karhan now knew the identity of the emotions he was harboring. If this is not love, he could never know love for the rest of his life.

“I wish I hadn’t known…….”

His feelings for Lilia were something he shouldn’t have dared to have. He couldn’t ask or hope for it. It’s shameless if he dares to crave love when he has only been receiving from her so far. The shapeless voice kept tormenting Karhan.

Karhan knew his situation better than anyone else. Lilia was the one who saved him from being the heir in name only.

For various reasons, she is still pretending to be his fake lover, and from the beginning, there was no emotion in this contract-related relationship. So he didn’t want to embarrass Lilia because of his selfishness.

The carriage, which was running in the dark, stopped. Karhan, who had been crouching in the corner for a long time, slowly got up and got out of the carriage.

Karhan looked around blankly. It was midnight, so he couldn’t see an inch ahead. The lamp on the front door was subtly illuminating the front of the building.

Karhan hesitated to go inside. Tession, who returned home earlier, would be waiting. It was obvious that he would find it strange, because the heat on his face still hadn’t subsided.

After getting some fresh air for a while, Karhan quietly opened the front door and entered.  A familiar voice came from the stairs.

“You’re coming in late.”

Rebecca was standing on the stairs with her arms folded. Karhan froze and slowly raised his head. His heart, which continued to pound, sank coldly.

“……I’m late because I had work to do.”

“You’re not going around and fooling around are you?”

A fierce look fixed on Karhan. He remained tense and silent. He had been visiting the Bloden mansion every day, which made his mother suspicious. However, the fact that he was taking classes there was top secret. Even the Bloden couple did not seem to know the details.

Rebecca, who was not accompanied by an employee, came down one step at a time with only a lamp. The light that seemed to spread got closer and closer, and Rebecca stopped in front of Karhan.

“Don’t forget your duty. Blair will be back soon.”

Karhan’s body hardened like a piece of wood. After hearing the name, the memories he had forgotten came alive.

Blair’s Evantheon. The eldest son of the Duke Evantheon, the real heir. It’s been quite a while since Karhan last saw him. When he returned to the capital, Blair had already fled abroad.

And yet his shadow lingered like an afterimage. Unlike Rebecca, who openly showed dislike for Karhan, Blair was a different person from the outside. He was a man who gave a dazzling smile but spouted poisonous words like, ‘Get out of here because you disgust me.’

As a child, Karhan wanted to become friends with Blair and followed him eagerly. But Blair saw Karhan as a competitor rather than his brother, and was endlessly wary. He pretended to be a kind brother in front of others, but was merciless behind closed doors.

Verbal violence was natural, and he didn’t hesitate to raise his hands occasionally. The most memorable of all was when he was locked up in a warehouse.

—If you stay calm until I open it, I’ll play with you tomorrow.

He went into the warehouse that was rarely used and waited patiently. He was thrilled at the thought that he might be able to play with his brother tomorrow if he just waited an hour or two.

Long after, the sun went down and the dark night came. Sitting in a corner and staring at the moonlight coming through a narrow window, Karhan realized. No matter how long he waits, Blair won’t come.

Karhan shouted for someone to open up. But there was no one passing by because it was far from the mansion. The temperature dropped and the cold came. Karhan trembled because of the one mistake he made, and he stayed up all night crying for someone to open it.

The next morning, if a passing employee hadn’t opened the warehouse door, Karhan might not have been here now.  After that, Karhan did not like going into a quiet, dark room. So he always turned on the lamp in his room or left the music box open.

Karhan’s face darkened when he remembered something from a long time ago.

“All you have to do is get engaged quickly to the Bloden family.”

Rebecca, who was looking at Karhan with cold eyes, continued.

“I’m sure she chose you because she has an ulterior motive. So let’s hurry up and get engaged before we get caught.”

Rebecca thought Lilia, like Stella, was dating Karhan with vain hopes of becoming a Duchess.

He’d have to give up the successor position when Blair returns, so she planned to push the engagement before that. She murmured, recalling the last moment she met Lilia.

“Like Delotta, she doesn’t know her place and is greedy.”

“Don’t insult her.”

When the silent Karhan answered back for the first time, Rebecca paused. She looked at Karhan, wondering if she had heard it wrong. Rebecca, facing a hard gaze looking down at her, bit her lips tightly.

Rebecca, who raised her hand without hesitation, slapped Karhan on the cheek. The harsh sound of slapping skin was transmitted to every corner of the central hall. Rebecca glared at Karhan, whose head was turned slightly.

Karhan, who had been slapped in the face, was calm. He looked more comfortable now than when he was hearing the insult to Lilia. Rebecca, who soon calmed down, laughed coldly.

“Do you think she will love you with all her heart?”

Karhan’s pupils shook briefly. Rebecca murmured in disgust.

“You’re terrible, even to me, your mother.”

She recalled the past by looking at Karhan now. He pretended to be innocent, and did terrible things. Even now, when she sees a bird, she would think of the corpse from the incident that started it all, and she would be startled. As if Rebecca didn’t want to see him any more, she hurriedly turned her back and left.

Looking at her back, Karhan exhaled his suppressed breath. Her words lingered in his ears even after Rebecca disappeared.

—Do you think she will love you with all her heart?

Karhan stood for a long time in the dark central hall with his eyes closed.

***

A few days have passed since the birthday party. The people in the mansion looked excited as if they had not yet escaped the day. Lilia was also often absent-minded as if a screw were missing. Of course, it was for a different reason compared to them.

What happened at the birthday party felt distant, but only that night came to her mind vividly. In the early evening, when the twilight slowly came, while walking with Karhan, the wisteria was in full bloom and the wind was blowing. Fragmented memories poured endlessly like the rain of flowers she saw that day.

Lilia knew that Karhan was avoiding her these days, so she vowed to get it right this time. But when she looked at Karhan, she forgot everything she was going to say.

Karhan’s eyes were very deep looking at her. It shined as clear as a summer lake, but inside it was as passionate as a burning flame. His eyes were affectionate as if he were seeing something precious.

To be honest, it would be a lie to say it wasn’t exciting. Her heart was about to explode, and she couldn’t hear the sounds around her.

After the dreamlike moment at a midsummer night, Lilia returned to the mansion. Standing in front of the mirror, Lilia saw her red face. She looked like she did something with a lover.

“…….”

Lilia only fiddled with the necklace Karhan gave her as a gift. In fact, it wasn’t the first time she felt this way. Being together with him, she couldn’t help being conscious of him.

The eyes that only looked at her, and the friendly attitude, broke Lilia’s wall around her heart little by little by little. Endless waves rushed towards her as if slowly craving a way through the rocks.

Each time Lilia drew a line, denying that they were not in that kind of relationship. She is not ready to accept a new love yet. She didn’t want to be disappointed after starting hastily, and she thought it was enough as it is.

Lilia wondered what to do with Karhan. However, Karhan did not visit the mansion for several days, due to his family circumstances. She was worried for no reason whether he was making excuses because he was also feeling awkward or if something had actually happened.

At the sound of someone knocking on the door, Lilia raised her head.

“Lady, we have a letter from the Tersian family.”

It was Malek who opened the door and came in. Lilia received a letter from him. She had been sending him the letter of consent to break up the marriage for some time now. It may have been a reply to that.

Lilia opened the envelope and checked the contents. There was a lot of resentment and anger written, but the main point was one line. He was asking for money in return for breaking off the engagement.

“Crazy guy.”

Lilia tore up the letter. It was obvious that he was still crazy.

“He must be in dire straits. Enough to let go of his pride.”

To Lilia’s murmuring, Malek answered the information he had heard.

“I heard that the whole family invested money in the business of the Marchioness. It is currently on hiatus due to lack of funding.”

“Then let’s step on..….”

Lilia paused her speech for a moment. She intended to completely trample the Marchioness’ business, but she had a better idea. Efforts were important in business, but luck was also needed. No matter how hard one tries, if you are unlucky, you could be thrown onto the road.

And the bloodiest thing in business was being tortured by hope. You won’t know whether it will go well or not, but you can’t give up.

Lilia saw several people who ended up in debt after using up all the money they didn’t have. Lilia raised one corner of her mouth and said to Malek,

“The Marquis business, find out what happened.”

“What?”

When Malek asked back with a puzzled face, Lilia answered with ease.

“Everyone has slept in a soft bed thanks to my money. It’s time they learn to sleep on the street.”

***

TL: my bro just realised his love for Lilia and soon had to hear that sh*t from that good-for-nothing duchess