"Of course."
"Why so abruptly... Why me of all people?"
It was understandable that her filial duty towards her mother would drive her to consider marriage. Yet, she couldn't fathom the reason behind this approach. With someone like Cain, even if it weren't her, he could easily marry a beautiful and cultured woman from an impressive family. So why would a simple fishmonger, devoid of possessions and education, make such a proposition to her?
"If it's because you want to introduce a daughter-in-law before your mother passes away, then you can marry someone officially."
"There are circumstances that prevent that."
"What circumstances?"
"He needs a woman who doesn't ask that question."
After answering her question kindly, he silenced her with his final words. His expression conveyed no disappointment, as if he had no regrets despite being the one who made the suggestion. It seemed that there were many women who would be willing to grant such a favor, even if it weren't her.
"So I need someone who is content and desperate. A woman who can quietly step aside when the time comes."
"...."
As soon as Cain's response fell, she clenched her fist tightly. She felt as if her blood was drying up, coursing through her body. Now, she felt like she understood why he had appeared in her troubled life. He needed someone he could easily exploit and discard, someone who didn't belong to his world of women.
Suddenly, Cain became unfamiliar, and his smile felt somewhat bitter. He hadn't offered his kindness and consideration without a purpose. He had momentarily forgotten that there's no such thing as a free lunch, despite knowing it better than anyone else. Perhaps due to the unfamiliar environment, she couldn't easily recall the things she had known.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
With a hollow laugh, Laila shrugged off her melancholy. Surprisingly, she found herself able to accept his proposition with a light heart.
She stared at him calmly and asked.
"Where is your hometown, did you say?"
"It's Everdeen. It's located in the northeast of the capital."
"Is it far from here?"
"Yes, it is. It's a place where no one can chase after you."
Cain added a brief explanation, mentioning that it was an area where the roots of the Vanderbilt family lay. Laila nodded without further inquiry. After all, she didn't know where that place was anyway.
With a half-hearted feeling, as if it were both fortunate and reckless, she asked.
"Do flowers bloom abundantly there?"
"...."
Cain wore a bewildered expression, as if he hadn't expected such a question. Recognizing that she was serious, he chuckled and answered.
"When spring arrives, the fields are filled with a profusion of violet-colored iris flowers. In every direction, the earth is adorned with nameless blossoms, their beauty overwhelming to the point of satiation."
The man's response pulled her toward him like a magnet. Even the unknown flowers blooming solely on the palm of his hand seemed exquisite, so one can only imagine the breathtaking sight of an entire field in full bloom. It was an answer that stirred excitement in her, someone who had never ventured beyond the bounds of the familiar.
"However, when autumn and winter come, everything disappears. It becomes a place filled only with rain, fog, wind, and blizzards. Enduring that season might prove challenging."
"How splendid," she murmured.
Such vistas are seldom seen in the capital. The phenomenon that follows after the flowers have withered will undoubtedly possess its own charm. The conditions were more favorable than she had anticipated.
Once again, Cain maintained a brief silence. The gaze he directed at her had acquired a different hue as time elapsed. Did he regard her as an eccentric woman? It mattered not. Even in an ordinary and insignificant life, one could indulge in the luxury of cherishing flowers.
Laila gazed upon the paper and pen resting on the table. The typewritten script continued, with margins and more black letters stretching across the page.