CWMBR 96

Chapter 96

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How can I not understand? What on earth are you talking about?

Ain frowned. Bridget lowered her gaze, lightly flipping through the documents with her fingertips as she muttered to herself.

"It's not... a relationship that can be organized into documents."

"Every relationship can be documented."

"Yes, I understand that's a given in your world... but..."

Bridget, who seemed about to say more, pressed her lips tightly together. Raising her gaze with a calm expression, she slid the documents toward Ain.

"Anyway, I'm done with this. There are plenty of others who'd want to be Madame Wise even if it wasn't me. Negotiate this properly with someone whose values align with yours."

If he wasn't mistaken, their conversations had always felt superficial. Ain narrowed his brows and sighed. He couldn't understand why Bridget kept bringing up other people. Was she misunderstanding that he was seeing someone else on the side? Surely not because of Donna? It felt like too high a price to pay for respecting old memories.

"Bridget, I don't understand why you don't get it. You're the one I want to negotiate with."

"I'm the one who doesn't get it. Why on earth?"

Bridget retorted, sounding exasperated.

"You married me for the child in the first place, and that child is gone now. Your reason for staying married to me has vanished."

It was true the child had been the catalyst for this marriage. But marriage wasn't just about the child, was it? Ain began, his voice laced with a sigh.

"The child could be replaced..."

"Stop right there."

Bridget cut Ain off with a sharp voice. A sudden spark flashed in her green eyes, which had been listless and somehow unmoved until now.

Her gaze, now cold and settled in a way incomparable to before, fixed on Ain. A hint of hostility even flickered in those eyes. Ain faltered at this surprisingly exclusive reaction.

"One more word and this conversation is over."

Bridget's eyelashes fluttered. Blinking slowly a couple of times, she lowered her gaze as if suppressing her emotions. Bridget, who had been sitting with her teeth clenched, her words momentarily halted, slowly parted her lips.

"Say whatever else you want, but don't mention the child."

Her voice was sharp, as if every nerve was on edge, drawing a firm line.

Seeing this, Ain suddenly recalled the first moment he had felt a subtle sense of unease toward her. At the Bredford mansion, after he had accused her miscarriage of being a lie. The light in her eyes had gone out precisely at that moment.

"It truly pains me that I alone saw the expression on her face when the pregnancy diagnosis was delivered."

Magnus had said he couldn't understand because he hadn't seen it. Ain now realized the emotion Bridget had just revealed was connected to that very thing. What she had called the family she wanted seemed to be just beyond grasping. It was frustrating, like chasing the shadow of something that didn't exist, like a mirage in the desert.

"My position remains unchanged. If you have no intention of settling, I'll prepare for litigation."

Ain, who had been trying to grasp that fleeting illusion, snapped back to reality at those words.

"Then... postpone it."

"What?"

It was a rash statement, blurted out without much thought, but upon saying it, it didn't sound so bad. Buying time might just give him a chance to think of a way to resolve this mess.

"Let's... postpone the divorce."

"Postpone what?"

Bridget frowned, clearly confused. Ain took a deep breath and calmly organized his thoughts. The points he'd prepared for the negotiation table were perfectly suited as justification to delay the divorce even a little longer at this moment.

"You want to get divorced right now, don't you?"

"Yes."

"But the moment we divorce, those savages lurking on the streets, waiting to pounce, will rush at me demanding revenge for Donna Green."

Bridget's expression turned uneasy.

"The police...?"

"Isn't that precisely why you haven't gone to the Grand Theater? Because you don't fully trust the police?"

Seeing Bridget unable to deny it and fall silent, Ain felt relieved. It was certainly difficult to place complete trust in the police. They weren't personal bodyguards; they were merely responsible for maintaining order in this city. They were the ones who showed up after a conflict erupted, barely managing to clean up the mess afterward. They couldn't possibly screen and prevent every single danger that might befall an individual beforehand.

"If you divorce me, the royal investigators will have fulfilled their duty and won't concern themselves with this side anymore. The royal court will withdraw its interest too. Even though your uncle is still walking the streets freely, hospital staff could break down the door again at any moment. What do you plan to do then? If that happens, you could be dragged back to the hospital just because your only blood relative requested it."

Bridget's face drained pale, as if the memory of that day had resurfaced. Seeing her like that, Ain’s stomach churned too. That night, truly, if he hadn't visited here, she would have been taken away. Halfway injected with the drug through the syringe, Bridget's face was as pale as a corpse, and her movements were noticeably sluggish. She didn't show it outwardly, but even her speech was slurred, unlike usual. Presumably, normal thought was difficult.

If she was like that with only half the dose, what if they seized another chance and attacked again? If properly subdued, Bridget would be helplessly dragged away. If only she were bigger or stronger, but with those slender limbs, struggling would be like paper fluttering in the wind.

The thought of those large hospital staff members hoisting her up sent a chill down his spine, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. That chill gave his words unexpected force.

"At least wait until everything threatening is dealt with—whether it's your Uncle or Donna Green—before you divorce."

"Why?"

"Because it's dangerous."

When Ain replied as if it were obvious, Bridget sighed as if suffocating.

"No, what I mean is..."

Pressing her temples and sighing repeatedly, she spoke in an even more weary voice.

"Why are you worried about my safety?"

"Why indeed?"

Ah, what was I thinking?

Ain let out a hollow laugh.

"Well."

But after getting that far, he couldn't continue. Because... he couldn't find the words.

It was simply natural for him to worry about Bridget. So natural he couldn't fathom needing a reason. Yet hearing her point made him feel slightly off. Ain concealed his inner bewilderment at this unexpected sense of dissonance.

If asked whether he was usually this selflessly concerned for others, the answer was clearly no. He was generally cold toward acquaintances, and even those closer to him. Even when listing the special favors he'd granted his first love, Donna Green, the best he could come up with was overlooking her rudeness of calling him by name.

In that sense, his current fervor over Bridget's safety was definitely a little... maybe even a lot stranger.

Ain, who had been pursing his lips, quickly racked his brain. At this point, saying it was because she was his wife would sound like utter nonsense to anyone. He needed to come up with a more convincing reason, one that Bridget could accept.

Fortunately, he found that reason without much difficulty.

"Because my behavior over the past few months caused you harm."

It wasn't pleasant to bring up his own mistake again, but it was also the best excuse to persuade her.

"Think of this as my way of making it up to you."

Just as Ain had guessed, Bridget seemed to accept it a little. Watching her reaction and confirming her expression had softened, Aini added as if granting a favor.

"If this isn't enough compensation, I'll add whatever you want."

"I don't really want anything………………."

Bridget, who had been about to shake her head, suddenly stopped speaking. After a moment of seeming hesitation, she changed her expression and altered her words.

"I do. I want something."

Ain, who had always expected her to shake her head and say she needed nothing, looked at Bridget with surprise. But fearing she might change her mind, he quickly nodded.

"Tell me."

It finally seemed like they were approaching something resembling a negotiation table. Even though he hadn't actually settled the divorce, he felt a sense of satisfaction, as if something significant had already progressed.