Episode 190
In the end, the limit of the protection period that Rosaria said was approaching. Elisha was now in a situation where she would have to leave her sanctuary very soon.
Elisha became desperate for Lucerne to fulfill the divorce conditions in the contract.
'This time again, I can't help but feel sorry for myself.'
He requested several more interviews after Elisha sent a letter with Faian's will attached. And Elisha ignored all of that.
And Lucerne sent short notice one day.
[I would like to request a consultation on the continuation of my marriage life.]
The letter was written by the lawyer himself, and it was very hard, like an official document. Only then did Elisha write a reply. She was permitted to visit for consultation.
The reply came quickly. It was Lucerne's position that only face-to-face negotiations between the couple would be allowed.
'I don't want to meet you.'
Elisha thought. No, rather than hate…….
Across her two lives, she already loved Lucerne so much. She even gave her wounds to Lucerne, but her wounds she received were also great. Even so, she couldn't put an end to all her thoughts right away.
Her scattered emotions lingered like embers in her heart, breaking Elisha's heart from time to time. She felt like she would shake if she just looked at him.
She didn't know how to make him a total stranger to her future life. So she didn't want to see him until she slowly let the remaining sparks of this ember fade away, until it turned to white ash.
But there was no way. Elisha had to sort out her debts with him and, most of all, she had to erase the Cartier family trace tattoo.
“Are you all right?”
The priest who served Elisha asked while she was undergoing a formal sainthood test. She had been ordered by Rosaria to keep a special eye on Elisha today and to dispatch a guardian if necessary.
“Yes, please set up a visit.”
Said Elisha.
“I have to greet guests after a very long time.”
* * *
The day she was supposed to meet Lucerne came quickly.
How many ways does Elisha have to threaten him today? She thought dozens of times in her head about how she could shake him even a little bit.
Then, on several occasions, she had to go out for a walk, as her thoughts of Lucerne confused her head.
The place to meet Lucerne was a building for VIPs on the border of the sanctuary. The sanctuary was not open to the world except on special occasions. Therefore, a small mansion was prepared for the visit of distinguished guests.
She purposely visited the place 20 minutes early.
Lucerne is probably busy, and he didn't even see a carriage arriving outside. She intended to arrive first and wait for him.
“This is the room.”
The priest opened the door to the parlor where he was supposed to meet. Elisha's mind went blank for a moment.
Why didn't the priest tell me?
Lucerne had already arrived first.
Lucerne stood looking out of his window. Even from a distance, his tall stature and strong shoulders were impressive.
The languid afternoon sunlight was falling on his shoulders. He slowly turned his head. Light dust rose like sparks from the old curtains and shone beside his head.
The real thing was much more beautiful than the memory, and it looked much more cruel.
Elisha stood there holding the open doorknob. Her tongue froze and her lips didn't move.
Elisha went into her room, trying to hide her trembling pupils. She stood in the doorway and looked at Lucerne. With her back to the sunlight, he glanced at her.
“Elisha.”
Lucerne said.
“Come here.”
As always, it was a heavy voice. Elisha held back the fact that her feet almost fell off. She clenched and opened her fists, hidden behind the hem of her dress to hide her tension.
“Filled…….”
Elisha opened her mouth.
“I told you not to prepare. It's not going to be a good story for others to hear, and it's not going to be a long story.”
Elisha said quietly.
“Sit.”
They sat around the table. Elisha had the impression that Lucerne was very thin.
“My conditions are the same.”
Elisha said calmly.
“Of course, you haven't become the family head yet……. Now there is no heir but you. Jacob is…… Because I became an illegitimate child.”
Said Elisha.
“The curse of the lineage of the poor that hung over you is gone. Stevan is said to have been a very arrogant demon, but……. He also had weaknesses. At least, if Jacob wasn't the son of the poor. If he was just an illegitimate child born out of wedlock, he would have a chance to recover……. No. What Undine said is correct. Cheonmin's lineage is stronger than anything else. Besides, Jacob isn't as competent as you, so he won't have a chance to stand up again.”
Said Elisha. Lucerne was still looking at her. Her palms sweated and her heart pounded for a moment.
“Your father and……. People might not acknowledge Undine-nim's previous marriage. But Undine-nim is a high priest. He has the right to officiate at his own wedding. He'll win if he sue. So, I want you to consider yourself the head of the household and keep the terms of the marriage contract.”
Elisha recalled the alimony written on her contract. The condition included Elisha's recognition of ownership of her property, which she had acquired during her marriage.
Freedom comes with a cost. Elisha was no fool. Even if she has the good fortune of living as a normal person in the future, she will need a lot of money.
She did not want to enjoy the freedom of poverty. If she lives in poverty, she will again become a slave to money. She also desperately needed the promised divorce alimony next to the removal of the tracking tattoo.
She said, “I don't mind reducing the alimony if you want. So, I am.”
Elisha realized that she was talking only to herself. Lucerne was just staring at her blankly.
“You've lost more weight.”
Lucerne spoke after a while. Elisha was speechless. She imagined the possibility that Lucerne would be madly furious with her.
Maybe she's been lurking nearby, and she's even imagined if her secret unit of Lucerne kidnaps her again. However……. I couldn't imagine Lucerne looking at her with these eyes of hers.
He really seemed like a man without any anger. He was just so damn calm that he couldn't read his emotions. Elisha knew he was more afraid when he was like this.
“I'm…….”
“Is there another one?”
Lucerne asked languidly.
“Suraño?”
“I should have known it was somehow odd.”
Lucerne gave a short laugh.
“You took no defense against Jacob, who must have been the greatest object of your revenge. You were active in clearing out the Carolinas and Marcos. But you knew That Jacob had a predestined downfall.”
Elisha flinched. She didn't deny it.
“Therefore. Now what's the next number you think of?”
Elisha shut her mouth and stared him in the eyes.
The next move was now threats against the terms of the contract itself. Elisha has completely restored her contents of her marriage contract. Now everything in the Cartier family is to blame. Only Lucerne was relatively noble in that family.
If Lucerne wants the Cartier family. Now that he has let go of his family hatred, he will want to save face.
'If the contents of the marriage contract are published, Lucerne, your honor will be shaken.'
The marriage contract Lucerne made Elisha write was absurd. In effect, it was a contract to take over Elisha's debts, and it was an unfair contract in which Elisha unilaterally paid her harsh alimony.
Elisha thought that if Lucerne did not give her a divorce, she would do anything to publish her marriage contract in the newspapers. It wasn't the next best thing to my liking, but I really couldn't help it.
“Whatever you are thinking.”
Lucerne said.
“You can stop now.”
“…… What do you mean?”
“I'll erase the tattoo on your neck.”
He said casually.
It seemed to Elisha that someone had struck a large bell in her ear and made her stand upright from head to toe. It's something I've been longing for…….
Therefore……. There was no sense of reality. She had to try not to notice controlling her breathing.
“Are you serious?”
“Okay.”
Lucerne said.
“I don't lie about that.”
“Unconditionally?”
“There is only one condition.”
Lucerne said. He seemed to have changed a bit. He looked tired and exhausted, but he looked strangely desperate, and he looked beautiful and contradictory.
“It's about preserving the marriage.”
“That doesn't work.”
Said Elisha.
“That's not our contract. You have to fulfill your contract.”
“The condition of the divorce was that I become the head of the household. Have you not thought of the possibility that I will survive without becoming the head of household?”
“…… You have a reason for that.”
“You have only one way to force me to become the family head. Assassinate my grandfather. No, even if my grandfather is assassinated, I can either give up the inheritance or get rid of the family while delaying the inheritance of the title as much as possible.”
Elisha felt dizzy for a moment.
Giving up inheritance of that enormous fortune in order to keep the contractual marriage? Is he a man with direct lineage from the most coveted family in the world?
Is this man sane now?
