CWMBR 21

Chapter 21

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Bridget lowered her gaze, vaguely understanding his thoughts now.

It was unlikely he was checking up on her simply for the sake of feeling smugly superior. Rather, it would be for more practical reasons, such as gauging how much energy she had to devote to the case.

On this point, however, she had already communicated her thoughts. When they met at Breford's hotel.

“Don’t worry. This is a rare moment where our intentions are aligned.”

That was what she had told him when he'd made it clear he didn't want to be in her company. She thought she had  made herself clear enough, but he didn't seem to understand, or perhaps he wanted to be assured, or perhaps he understood but still didn't believe her.

"First of all, let me tell you, I'm not being kicked out, I was never treated as Mrs. Wise in the first place, and I can’t be kicked out of a place where I basically don’t belong.”

The times Bridget was called Mrs. Wise were few and far between. There were no public events she attended as Mrs. Wise. Certainly, she never went to gatherings where she could meet other Wise relatives; her only trace was a name in a corner of the family tree.

No one would have thought of her as a member of the Wise family, so there could be no such thing as an outcast.

"And the alimony, yes. That's definitely something to worry about, but it's also something I don't need to worry about now, because I was never going to be your equal in this lawsuit in the first place."

Despite the big name of the lawsuit, it was really just a process of re-examining whether or not the marriage existed and its terms. It was a process that was harder because they married wasn’t for love. And she was the one who needed to be validated in this process.

It was a cruel and humiliating autopsy.

"There is nothing I can do to prevent the annulment of the marriage. My pregnancy, which you took issue with, and our.................. no. As for my child's parentage, the royal family has sent their own investigators, and they will determine its authenticity. I can only wait for their findings."

The child was gone. To prove that the child she had already lost once existed, they'd search for Magnus, they'd visit the people who had met Bridget during her pregnancy, they'd gather every little piece of evidence. 

They'd put a magnifying glass to the papers Magnus left behind and examine every letter, for those who were convinced they were forgeries. They would also investigate that intensely private night of their entanglement, and perhaps Bridget would be called to testify about it.

She would have to explain her night with Ain to a stranger. It couldn't have been more humiliating, but it was for the best, Bridget thought. 

She now had neither the will nor the energy to convince Ain of the night's events, so she hoped a third party would come to a definitive conclusion. At least then Ain would accept that the night with Bridget had not been forced upon him. That the child really existed.

But if, on the other hand, only Ain's honor was worth protecting, that was beyond her control, and she had to give it up.

"If the result is that the marriage is invalid, then I must accept it. How can I overturn a royal investigation? You will get what you want, and if you want to extract alimony from me in the process, I will comply."

The long words drained her energy. It made Bridget's voice even more fragile than it had been at the beginning. It was precarious, like a lantern that could go out at any moment.

"So you'll have to leave your tiresome suspicions at the door, and next time, you'll have to find a legal representative you're comfortable with and talk to him."

A short silence fell over the waiting room at the end of Bridget's long answer. Ain, who had been staring at Bridget with unreadable eyes, spoke up in a stifled voice.

"The royal investigation will be impartial. It cannot be biased and one-sided, which is why the royal family is sending their own investigators in their honor."

"Then the investigation will be impartial. Should I be happy?"

Ain seemed speechless, and Bridget couldn't understand his reaction.

He didn't seem happy that he was going to get what he wanted, and he didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about her having legal representation.

In the end, it was Bridget who decided to end the conversation. It didn't seem like he had anything important to say, so there was no point in sitting there any longer.

Pushing her chair back to get up, Bridget spoke up.

"I have to clear the waiting room soon..................."

"Why did you lie to me?"

Ain asked, abruptly, interrupting Bridget. His cobalt eyes glowed more intensely than ever as he stared straight at Bridget. For the first time, Bridget's eyes, which had been dry the entire time, fluttered slightly.

She blinked slowly, her tongue tracing her lips. The cracked lips left a tingling sensation on the tip of her tongue.

If she could feel her heart at this moment, it would be like this.

"This is unnecessary."

The answer came out calm and serene, as if the momentary wavering was a lie. She rose to her feet first. 

"Go."

***

*past

Ronan's first visit from Finn Emerson and Patrick Sherman.

Quick to recognize that Finn and Patrick were not dressed like locals, Ronan greeted them politely. Bridget didn’t have to tell him about Finn's identity.

The mood was jovial, and Finn seemed to like them, and Bridget, who was only there to show them around, vaguely suspected she had a good feeling about it. Until Finn got down to business.

"No."

"Haha, no, I think she's a little surprised by the suddenness of the offer, but she’s not saying no by any means.................."

"No, we're not selling the theater."

As soon as Bridget realized that the "business" Finn Emerson was referring to was turning the Glynford Grand into a glittering mall, she abandoned all illusions about him. How could a great playwright so easily dismiss the history of a theater that had been in the same place for at least a decade? He would tear down the entire theater and build a coffee house!

Finn swallowed hard, embarrassed by Bridget's outraged expression. Patrick, seated next to him, was scanning the interior of the office, seemingly uninterested in the current topic.

"Bridget, I think you should step outside for a moment."

Ronan smiled awkwardly and tried to shoo her out, but she didn't get up from her seat.

Even though she hadn't been directly involved in the operation or present in any of the business matters, she couldn't be left out of this. She was the owner of the Glynford Grand Theater, no matter what anyone said.

"No, this deal can't happen without my consent. I asked you to run the theater, not sell it."

Bridget's adamant words caused Ronan to hastily pull her to her feet. After a quick look at Finn and Patrick, Ronan took Bridget to a corner of his office and whispered, 

“Bridget. I don't know if you realize it, but the price they’re offering is outrageous. You can't get that kind of money for this theater anywhere else."

"No one will, because I won't sell it in the first place."

"Do you have any idea how worthless this theater is? Even the people of Glynford are underpaying for it!"

It sounded like the words of someone who had tried to sell the Grand Theater anywhere. Bridget narrowed her eyes and looked at Ronan suspiciously.

"How does uncle know the price is so low?"

"How can I not ? It has to be worth something to get investment, and I don't know of a single person who would invest in the theater."

Ronan's eyes narrowed and he said wistfully. The words "no investors" were like scabs on his ears. In Bridget's opinion, the most important thing to run a theater was good plays and audiences, and Ronan had often told her she didn’t know what she was talking about. This time was no different. "You're talking about a good play," Ronan lamented in a low voice.

"If your parents hadn't died and I hadn't taken over running this theater in the first place, would you have had the chance to be so stubborn?"

***

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