CWMBR 83

Chapter 83

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Sponsored by Elisa. Thank you ❤️ (7/8)

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Bridget Pennington was a peculiar woman.

She remained utterly unmoved by Finn Emerson's blatant advances, smiled like a fool at those who ignored her, and gazed fondly at her uncle whenever she was reminded of his resemblance to her father. She also endured Donna's rudeness solely because the Grand Theater was her primary source of income. She attached affection to commonplace sights and found meaning in a worn-out mansion.

"If you insist on spending money in Glynford, how about this place? It gets plenty of sunlight, the mansion is in excellent condition, and the architectural style is quite old-fashioned."

Ain had no intention of buying Mrs. Olden's mansion.

Not until Bridget explained it to him.

"You bought that ruin for no reason at all?"

Impossible. He never spent money without reason. And what he purchased wasn't a ruin abandoned for ten years, but the childhood landscape of a girl that lingered in that place. What he cherished were the girl’s memories of it.

It was true the building resembled the form of Elver's mansion where he'd once stayed briefly, but he hadn't attached any special meaning to that. Honestly, that point had actually contributed to dampening his desire to buy it.

In fact, when he heard that Donna Green was from Elver that day, his heart grew so cold that even the lingering nostalgia he'd felt for Elver seemed to wash away completely.

Donna Green? That woman, fluttering about trying to secure a good role by any means necessary, even by taking the seat next to Finn? She was from Elver?

Unbelievably, the circumstances suggested Donna was indeed the girl who had been his first love. When the story of Elver's grand mansion came from her mouth, he couldn't deny it. Fortunately, it seemed like she had forgotten that the boy she met back then was Ain, since it happened so long ago.

After confirming through personal investigation that Donna was indeed from Elver, Ain didn't feel the need to verify anything further. After all, only that moment in time held meaning for him; that preciousness hadn't carried over into the present.

However, he resolved to show her at least a measure of generosity and patience—the girl who had brightened his dull childhood hours. It wasn't so much an act for her sake as a gesture of respect toward his younger self, who had treasured that brief encounter.

That was why he readily gave hints to Donna, who sought to win Finn's favor, and why he quietly observed without humiliating her.

And Bridget was heartbroken to learn Donna was Ain's first love.

"First love seems to mean more to you than I thought."

She was transparent.

Ain had realized at some point that she harbored a vague interest in him.

Ain remembered the expression Brigitte wore when she occasionally tolerated Donna's rudeness. He found it somewhat enjoyable to watch her, unable to say anything because she felt unqualified to interfere, fidgeting nervously.

He admitted it. It was a base satisfaction. Through Bridget, he learned he possessed this vile side.

Bridget was the woman who showed him just how bad a person he was.

Ain had no intention of developing any kind of relationship with Bridget. The more they met, the more intense a certain thirst became, but he endured it. It was just a fleeting impulse anyway. A momentary flame, something he would surely forget the moment he left this place.

Bridget Pennington was nothing more than a trivial provincial girl, far too insignificant to handle a man like Ain Wise. Ain fundamentally believed relationships between mismatched partners never ended well. With such extreme disparities in their lifestyles and values, deepening their connection would only lead to exhaustion.

Yet he enjoyed her attention and reached out to her as she grew increasingly isolated. He felt no guilt, for he hadn't crossed any lines. It was probably the warmth she needed at that moment, so wasn't it mutually satisfying?

If he hadn't taken the drug at the Grand Theater and erased his memory, if he hadn't slept with Bridget that day and she hadn't conceived his child, would the two of them have become so terribly entangled?

They wouldn't have. Ain would have left Glynford before that.

In fact, around that time, he’d sensed a crisis and was already thinking he should slowly leave this place.

“We slept together?”

“Yes.”

How had he felt upon hearing those words?

He’d been in the worst state, cursing the damn pills, yet surprisingly, upon hearing her words, he felt his mood gradually lift.

Of course, being drugged was still unpleasant, and he was determined to uncover the circumstances and make someone pay. But he was relieved that, at least while his memory was gone, he hadn't rolled around with just anyone. At least Bridget was someone he suddenly desired intensely.

He easily reversed his decision not to cross the line. It was after he realized how much he regretted not remembering their night together.

If he couldn't remember, he could simply build new memories.

Once he dealt with whoever had harmed him, he'd have the leisure to fully indulge in physical pleasure with Bridget. If he hadn't touched her at all, it might be different, but once he'd touched her, how hard could a second time be? She wanted him, and he wanted her. Two consenting adults enjoying themselves together shouldn't be a problem.

To make that happen, he had to find the person who slipped the drug into his glass quickly. Dealing with potential threats first was only logical.

"I don't know if you remember, sir. That special champagne stored in your office. Miss Bridget was the one who decided to serve it at this party. She personally opened the bottle and poured the glasses."

Donna clung to him then. Earnestly, she insisted they were all shocked by Miss Bridget's cunning. That the Grand Theater was innocent, and this was something Bridget had done unilaterally, solely to save the theater.

"That was something the late theater owner, the lady's father, had kept carefully stored. Who would dare touch the belongings of the deceased? Only family would!"

Bridget used drugs on him?

"The lady clearly knew your true identity. Otherwise, why would she suddenly do something like this?"

He scoffed at Donna's words. Donna seemed to hate Bridget with an almost unnatural intensity, making her testimony hard to believe.

"I'm pregnant."

But how was he supposed to take that?

"It's your child."

If such a thing hadn't happened in just one night, Ain would have considered this matter more carefully. If only she hadn't said that Bridget already knew his true identity...

"You knew my identity?"

"I didn't know at first... but... yes. I found out later."

Even before they spent the night together, she already knew who he was.

How?

"You told me."

She dared to mention Elver. She brought up the memory of that day when he had assured her it meant something, using it to justify her own actions.

Did that even make sense? It was far more plausible that Finn, the only one who knew his true identity, had casually let it slip to Bridget. When Ain pressed him, Finn evaded the question, and their relationship shattered instantly.

Her shy gaze he had seen, the way she would steal glances... Every scene he remembered was now stained with pretense.

She wasn't stupid; she must have known he tried not to cross the line. How effective this current situation was as a way to cross the very line he tried not to cross.

The moment the child was conceived, the line he had sought to protect lost all meaning. The birth of a child carrying even a drop of the Alencia royal bloodline was an obligation to report to the royal house.

He was engulfed by a fierce sense of betrayal.

"If you were going to pretend not to know my true identity, you should have at least held out until the end. Or did you think there was no need anymore?"

He raged. And swiftly calculated their situation.

The royal house had secretly hoped for new blood from the Wise family. Not out of any great obligation, but merely a form of trivial interest and encouragement. Ain knew they would acknowledge the bastard child.

But what about Bridget?

If asked whether she could survive this entire ordeal—drugging Ain, spending the night with him, becoming pregnant—he couldn't say for certain.

The most likely scenario was that they would take only the child. They would defer judgment on her guilt until after she gave birth, then take only the innocent child and judge her crimes afterward. The Grand Theater would close, and she would be sent to prison immediately for the crime of recklessly coveting the royal bloodline.

………………But if he took her as his wife.

If he brought Bridget into the Wise family, all the sins she had committed would be overlooked under his name.