AFRPR 33

Episode 33

“Wait, I’m not using this room alone?”

“They said since I already kicked you out to the annex once, people might gossip if we also sleep in separate rooms. So we’re supposed to share this one. Didn’t you hear?”

“No, not at all.”

Apparently, the servant forgot to explain it to her.

“I really didn’t know.”

Estelle muttered and clutched the front of her bathrobe tightly.

It wasn’t much different from their wedding night, but she was more nervous now—probably because things had changed.

“He held my hand… and my waist… What if he touches somewhere else next?”

She thought about the other wedding nights she’d had with her previous husbands.

She had begged so many times.

[Please, let’s just talk!]

But begging never worked.

Hot breaths like a wild beast that had forgotten how to speak…
Mushroom-spotted hands grabbing her to overpower her…

Her mind went completely blank.

“Sorry.”

Lennox turned around.

“I’ll be outside. Let me know when you’ve changed.”

Even after Lennox left, Estelle stared at the closed door for a moment, then slowly changed into her nightgown.

Her hands were trembling slightly.

“You can come in now.”

Still shaking, she hid her hands behind her back. Lennox walked in slowly.

He glanced at her outfit, then continued the conversation.

“It’s too late to change rooms now. So sleep on the bed tonight. I’ll take the sofa.”

“Like our wedding night?”

“Yes. Like that.”

Estelle thought for a second before asking,

“Is it because you think I’m dirty?”

“No. I don’t sleep well anywhere, so it doesn’t matter where I lie down.”

“If that’s the case, let’s both sleep in the bed.”

She spoke firmly.

If Lennox had looked at her with even a hint of lust or bad intentions, she wouldn’t have suggested this.

But his attitude was clear and respectful, and that made her feel safer.

‘Technically, this is his room after all.’

Her hands no longer trembled.

“If we’re both going to sleep badly anyway, we might as well be comfortable.”

“Estelle…”

“The bed is big. Even if you move in your sleep, we won’t touch each other.”

Lennox raised one eyebrow, clearly not thrilled with the idea.

“If you sleep on the sofa, I’ll feel bad. I might lose sleep over it.”

“So this is for your own good?”

“Yes.”

Lennox finally seemed to consider it.

Estelle then went all in.

“If you won’t sleep in the bed, I’ll leave this room right now.”

Lennox hesitated, then nodded.

“I’ll turn off the light. Lie down first.”

Thankfully, it worked.

Estelle lay down and closed her eyes.

The lights went out, and she felt Lennox lie down beside her.

She instinctively turned to face away from him.

He did the same.

They lay with their backs to each other.

“Oh, by the way… I’d like to use some of my dowry money. Is that okay?”

She asked quietly, breaking the awkward silence.

When they married, all her personal property became part of her dowry.

She didn’t think Lennox would claim it as his, but she still felt she should ask.

“You already have a separate allowance from the estate. Why use your dowry?”

“I was given another allowance besides the contract money?”

“Of course. It’s our duty to provide for your dignity.”

His voice was flat, but she felt relieved.

Until now, everyone had tried to take her money.

“Ask Pippin for the details.”

“Okay.”

That ended the conversation.

But she couldn’t stop thinking about the way he had held her waist. Her face grew hot.

‘It’s probably just me thinking about it.’

Estelle pulled the blanket up.

Then Lennox spoke again.

“If sleeping here is uncomfortable, we can use separate rooms starting tomorrow. The room next door is fine.”

Being conscious of someone wasn’t always a bad thing.

But Estelle knew her place well.

As a contract wife, she gave the only proper answer.

“…Okay.”

Next Day

Lennox woke up.

‘I must have been the only one who felt awkward.’

He hadn’t had a nightmare, and he felt well-rested.

‘Strange…’

Everything felt odd.

He had never shared a bed with anyone before, so he thought he wouldn’t sleep a wink.

But with her peaceful breathing beside him, he had slept deeply.

‘Every time she’s nearby… I sleep well.’

Why?

Even in the office, he couldn’t focus on his papers.

He turned to look out the window—and saw Estelle.

“Duren, no!”

“Eek! Baby, don’t eat that!”

Duren had picked up a bug during their walk and was about to put it in his mouth. Estelle and the maid screamed.

Heh.

Lennox couldn’t help but laugh. He set down his pen and rested his chin on his hand, watching her.

‘She really is keeping her distance from the child.’

Estelle had naturally handed the baby over to the maid and kept her distance.

Lennox’s eyes followed her quietly.

“Duke…”

Pippin entered the room but froze when he saw Lennox.

‘He didn’t even notice me… What’s he staring at?’

Pippin peeked and nearly laughed.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“…It is.”

When Pippin opened the window, Lennox looked slightly embarrassed and pretended to read.

But his eyes kept drifting outside.

After a while, Estelle was gone, but he still looked out the window.

Then suddenly—

“…!”

Lennox stood up.

“Is something wrong with Lady Estelle?!”

Pippin rushed over in panic.

“Pippin. I told you to make sure no priests visited the estate. Did you pass on the message?”

“Um, yes?”

Then Pippin realized something.

“Oh! Lady Estelle called a merchant to buy some jewels. He must’ve just arrived.”

“What are you talking about? Those were priests.”

“But… they were dressed like merchants…”

Before Pippin could finish, Lennox rushed past him.

One of them was definitely a priest.

He recognized his face clearly—he had seen that priest sucking up to Helios in his past life.

“Where are you going?”

“To Estelle.”

“Huh?”

The Winterlen family had always had a bad relationship with the temple.

Now a priest had snuck into the estate in disguise?

Lennox couldn’t let that slide.

“I’m going to my wife.”

This wasn’t about Estelle.

It was about protecting Winterlen.

Estelle, unaware, had gone inside to meet the merchants.

The room sparkled with jewels. Estelle’s eyes sparkled too.

‘All of this is my secret fund.’

Currently, none of Estelle’s money was truly hers.

‘While I’m married, it belongs to my husband. If we divorce, it’ll go back to the Bellonsa family.’

So she needed to set some aside, just in case.

Step one: convert invisible money into visible assets.

Jewels were perfect—beautiful, useful, and easy to obtain.

Even the allowance Lennox gave her?

Her money.

The contract fee?

Also hers.

And even the money the Bellonsa family tried to use as if it were theirs?

Still hers.

“My lady, about this jewel…”

SLAM!

“Estelle!”

Lennox burst in.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh—yes, of course.”

Confused, Estelle watched as Lennox walked over and whispered,

“One of those ‘merchants’ is a priest.”

“A priest?”

He nodded.

Lennox quickly scanned the room.

“He’s not here now.”

“Could it be a mistake?”

“No. I’m sure.”

With his sharp eyesight, he couldn’t be wrong—especially about someone he despised.

“Looks like some of them split off. I’ll go check. Don’t worry about it.”

With a dangerous look in his eyes, Lennox left.

‘A priest, huh…’

Estelle didn’t like priests either.

“Wait here,” she told the merchants and stepped outside.

‘He’s already gone.’

She walked aimlessly, then suddenly stopped.

There was a small child.

And in front of him…

[“If you’re good-looking, you should just get married early and have kids. That woman is smart for doing so.”]

It was the priest she had seen on her wedding day, standing next to Helios.