A broken contract

“That’s right, I don’t need it.”
Theron answered immediately.
Money was nothing to him now.
If Selene didn’t want a rich man, he just had to earn enough not to be ashamed of her.
Ah, of course, he had to earn enough to buy whatever Selene wanted.
“That’s a shame.”
“You still haven’t given up?”
Even though the subject was missing, Orlando seemed to have understood his words right away and raised the corner of his mouth.
“It was originally supposed to be mine, so why should I give it up?”
His obsession was a veritable fortress.
Theron was inwardly amazed at Orlando’s attitude, which was not just confident but brazen.
“I heard your daughter was very disappointed. Do you still not care?”
“Evelyn is my daughter. She’ll understand me someday as time goes by.”
‘Well. Seeing as she just looked happy at the picnic, it seems she has no thoughts at all.’
“So, what do you want to say? It seems we’re walking completely different paths now.”
“Don’t you have any intention of persuading Selene?”
Theron let out a hollow laugh at Orlando’s completely unexpected proposal.
“To give up the title to you?”
“It’s not an impossible task if Selene persuades her grandmother herself.”
Even while saying such absurd things, the colonel’s gaze was endlessly serious.
“I have no intention of getting involved in someone else’s family feud. What’s important to me is only Selene.”
“Persuading her would be for her own good.”
Theron’s expression darkened at Orlando’s meaningful words.
“What do you mean?”
“Just as I said. I will not give up the title.”
“Just in case, if you’re thinking of doing anything foolish, you should stop now.”
Theron barely moved his tensed jaw and let out his voice.
He was suddenly uncontrollably angry.
To think that he had been called all the way here just to be vaguely threatened.
“If I don’t stop, are you going to strangle me here or something?”
Orlando asked, smiling nonchalantly.
Theron remained silent for a moment with his mouth shut.
If he had his way, he would have really wanted to snatch the revolver tucked in the colonel’s waistband and put it to his temple, but that man might have been hoping for that to happen.
In the end, Theron, who had regained his stiff expression, forced a smile.
“A businessman can’t use force.”
“I see.”
“But if you touch even a single hair on Selene’s head, I will make you regret it, even if it means risking everything I have. In any way.”
At Theron’s warning, Orlando’s smile slowly faded.
His stiff face made him feel a little relieved.
Theron, satisfied with having gotten a hit in, stood up from his seat.
“As you know, the contract we made before seems to be completely broken.”
Theron, with his hands in his pants pockets, glanced at Orlando.
“So I hope we don’t see each other again.”
Theron, who had left his words, left the drawing-room first.

Hooo.
Theron, who had come out of the private residence, undid the buttons of his jacket and let out a big breath as if to exhale the contaminated air.
He felt his health worsen every time he went there, as if the colonel smoked cigars all day with the windows tightly shut.
But in fact, Theron knew.
He used to smoke cigars whenever he had a chance, and he wouldn’t feel so stuffy just because of that.

“I don’t think that’s something the person who is deceiving her should say.”

That was the word that had decisively put a heavy weight on Theron’s already low spirits.
After sleeping with Selene, that inexplicable stuffiness had worsened.
It was ridiculous to feel guilty now, but sometimes he felt as if his chest was being crushed, as if he were being chased by something.
Deceiving Selene and approaching her was not something that could be undone.

“The land you’re trying to buy on the Rigus Coast, it’s not empty land, but a vineyard, surprisingly.”

And the fact that he needed that vineyard would not change no matter what he did.
Theron, who had arrived home with a heavy heart, wet like a dark rain cloud, found a letter left by the mailman.
It was a letter from Selene, who had said she didn’t have time to spend leisurely.

Summer had passed quickly after returning from the picnic.
The sky was high and a lonely wind was blowing, so it seemed autumn had arrived.
For Selene, the change of season meant that there were about three months left until she would leave for the continent of Vetgraz to study abroad.
Selene, who had woken up early in the morning and sat in front of the piano, gauged how quickly that time would come.
It was an exciting thing.
To compete with outstanding pianists in a new environment and to hone her piano skills under a great leader.
Selene still found playing the piano more enjoyable and exciting than anything else.
But in a corner of her heart, Theron Cox was once again continuing to grow his presence.
Selene suddenly thought.
‘Would I give up on studying abroad again because of Theron Cox?’
‘And if I did, would I not regret that choice in the future?’
“Mr. Cox has arrived.”
Gwendolyn’s voice, which was heard with a small knock, brought Selene out of her reverie.
‘It’s already that time.’
Selene closed the lid of the piano and went outside.
Today, she had promised to go with Theron to the pub where he had worked.

“Now that you’ve brought it up, I think I want to go too… now that my heart doesn’t hurt when I see a piano.”

She was curious.
What Theron would recall, what kind of face he would make, at the pub he was visiting after a long time.
‘It would be nice to hear Theron’s jazz performance there.’
However, Theron had said he couldn’t even be sure if the pub was still in operation.
Since it was a long time ago.
If that were the case, it would be a little disappointing, but Selene intended to be satisfied with having gotten closer to Theron’s memories.
“You’re beautiful today too, Selene.”
As she approached the parked car, Theron, who was leaning against it, greeted her by pressing his lips to the back of her hand.
“Hello, Theron Cox.”
Although Selene did not particularly compliment Theron’s appearance, he was likewise handsome today.
Selene liked his sparkling blond hair on a sunny day like this.
“But I think there’s a little problem with your attire.”
Theron said, looking Selene up and down.
To which Selene retorted, “I’m dressed as usual.”
“That’s the problem. It’s the attire of an elegant young lady whose origin anyone can guess.”
‘What’s the problem with that? I am a person of noble birth.’
“The pub I remember is a much more free-spirited and noisy place, so if you show up in such a noble attire, everyone might stare at you. They’ll probably think you came to the wrong place, thinking it was the opera house.”
If that were the case, there was a bit of a problem.
Selene did not like to attract attention.
“But most of my clothes are like this.”
“We can just go buy some.”
Theron said that and grabbed Selene’s hand.
“I’ll gift you an outfit that suits you.”
Theron, who had helped Selene into the passenger seat, grabbed the steering wheel with a happy face.
The place they arrived at was a department store.
Theron took Selene to a place where women’s clothes were hung.
“This style would look good on you.”
The clothes Theron chose were far from the one-piece dresses Selene usually wore.
They were as flashy and casual as what Evelyn would enjoy wearing, rather than Selene.
“And these shoes would be good.”
It didn’t take long for Theron to transform Selene.
If anything, the problem was that he was too skilled.
Selene, who had been transformed from head to toe in an instant, led by his hand, asked, “Have you done this often?”
“Hmm, what?”
“Choosing women’s clothes, I mean.”
“…Of course not.”
“It’s just the past, Theron Cox. So be honest.”
Even as she said that, Selene had a sharp look in her eyes, as if she would kill him if he told the truth.
“It may or may not have happened, but it’s what the old Theron Cox did, so don’t worry about it.”
“The old Theron Cox?”
“There is. That bastard. The world’s biggest fool who went around doing foolish things without knowing he would meet a wonderful woman like you later.”
At Theron’s self-deprecating reply, Selene could not help but soften her sharp gaze.
Anyway, Theron Cox had a talent for melting people’s hearts.
“Shall we get going now, Selene? It’s a pub, so it opens in the evening, but if it gets too late, there will be a lot of strange guys around.”
Theron appropriately changed the subject.
At the same time, he nonchalantly took Selene’s hand and started walking.
Selene also found such a Theron to be a little cute, so she decided to forget his unpleasant past.
Leaving the department store, Theron’s car headed for an unfamiliar place.
As soon as she set foot on the street, Selene smelled the scent of wine wafting from somewhere.
Looking around, although it was not a late hour, there were already drunk people laughing and talking.
Jazz music was flowing from the pubs and bars that were already lit up early.
“You’re making the same face I did when I went to the zoo.”
Theron laughed, looking at the mesmerized Selene.
“It’s my first time in a place like this, so it’s fascinating.”
“Your eyes are going to pop out, and this is just the beginning.”
Just as he was looking at such a Selene as if she were cute, a drunk person stumbled past her.
“…Oops, excuse me…”
Theron quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her.
‘Bastard.’
Theron muttered a curse under his breath.
“See? It’s fine to look around, but there are a lot of strange guys here, so you have to stick close to me.”
Selene nodded.
Although everything was still fascinating, since Theron was on edge, it was better to be obedient at times like these.
Theron, who had caught his breath, relaxed his expression and pulled the hand he was holding.
“Let’s go to the pub before the crowd gets bigger.”