The Predator’s Contract Partner
chapter-225

“By the way, he kicked out Jacob as well. It seems that the head of the family really loved the duchess. The Cartier family also loved her too.”

“Love?”

Lucerne asked as if it was an absurd assumption.

“Do people in this family do that?”

“Then what is the crystal coffin and the name plate inside?”

“Should I correct it?”

“… … yes?”

“Years before she died my grandmother was imprisoned. There was a funeral held but she lived for three more years. When the world treated her as if she was dead my grandfather trapped her in a world with only him. He locked her up because of his desire to monopolize his wife.”

“… … .”

“My grandmother was a beautiful person. Even at the moment of her death. Truthfully. The men in this family have bizarre tastes. They’re not enchanted with women because of their looks.”

“… … But — Your grandmother was nice to you right before she passed away.”

“Did you believe that?”

Lucerne snorted at her.

“My grandmother spent most of her life in captivity. Would she have really been happy about her new grandson?”

“… … .”

“The first time she saw me she told me that my eyes that resembled the patriarch’s were particularly terrible.”

“… … .”

“His was the worst pure ‘love’ I have ever seen. At least Gaju has never cheated.”

Goosebumps ran down Elisha’s back. She held her breath. After all, there was no one sane in this family.

And, as for men with normal emotional connections and interactions… … . There was no such thing.

“It’s a great family, isn’t it?”

Lucerne whispered.

Elisha wanted to agree with that statement completely.

‘Then, Lucerne, what about you?’

He was the odd one out among the Cartiers. However, she thought he was a more ruthless conqueror than anyone else. In that way, he was a Cartier type of person.

Then, when he wants someone—

What would happen when he was genuinely in love?

Elisha felt a strange sense of anxiety at that moment. But as she knew now, Lucerne had no heart for her. He had no time to love anyone.

Then. When something grows in that heart of his–

What kind of flower will bloom?

***

Now, without Carola, the mansion was a suitable place for Elisha to stay.

‘Except for just one thing.’

Carola was imprisoned, and the Head ordered:

‘Get rid of all those who are close to Carola in the house. You can kill them if necessary. However, since the family is in turmoil, carry it out as much as possible outside the mansion.’

Naturally, among those singled out were Carola’s maids-in-waiting. And Zain.

The head of the house entrusted the disposition of Carola’s maids to Elisha. Lucerne decided to take care of the rest.

‘I owe Zain a debt. I’ll take care of him myself.’

‘What debt do you owe?’

‘I signed a marriage contract with you. I can’t just leave it like that, can I? After a while I’ll send him to the border.’

He said she would organize it, so she had no reason to refuse. Elisha nodded.

‘But why are you leaving Zain be?’

It was difficult for her to understand Lucerne’s intentions fully. He had enlisted Zain.

Before he was sent to the border, he was walking around gloating about his better-than-expected treatment.

‘I don’t even want to come across him.’

Whenever she caught sight of Zain from afar, she frowned.

That afternoon was the worst. Zain suddenly appeared before Elisha, who was cutting flowers in the garden with Sophie. Her face turned white.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ma’am! No. Madam. I have something to tell you.”

“I am not the madam of this house. And I have nothing to say to you. Who let you in here?”

Zain’s eyes were sinister, and he seemed drunk. Sophie was frightened by his bloodshot eyes. When Elisha signaled, Sophie ran into the mansion—looking for someone to help.

Lucerne kept a close watch on his wife whenever she ventured out, even in the garden. So people would come soon.

“Isn’t the lady no different from the madam of this family? It’s no different… … . Don’t misunderstand me… … . You know that I was involved in a bad association with Madam. I will never harm you again. The lady and I… … . that… … What happened when I entered the bridal room. I really regret that! Please tell the general— I didn’t lay a finger on his wife back then.”

“… … .”

Elisha felt disgusted. Zain had never been this servile to the fourteen-year-old prisoner Elisha. When half of her face had been disfigured in her previous life, he was ruthless to her.

“So, what do you want to say?”

“I would like to sincerely apologize for my past mistakes. Please forgive me!”

“… … .”

It wasn’t worth answering. Elisha just turned away, showing her back. Her reaction made Zain realize that he had scratched himself and made a rash.

“Lady. Please listen to my story for a moment— lady!”

When Zain’s pleas didn’t work, he started chasing Elisha.

‘Huh, huh… … .’

Elisha suddenly remembered something from her past life. Back then, she had always run away when he appeared. She had to hide somewhere because he wanted to publicly harass her in front of his friends.

Elisha had a phobia of hanging outdoor lamps until she was an adult. Because they hung under the eaves, squeaked in the middle of the night, and shook like a human head. Whenever she looked at a lamp, she would think of Zain approaching her, holding her father’s head, and she would get scared and run away.

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