The Stand-In Villainess's Contract Marriage: I Was Divorced After a Year, But For Some Reason, My Ex-Husband Seems to Be Looking for Me - Chapter 28

However, by the time Valentina had so easily discarded him to get engaged to his half-brother, any affection he had for her had completely vanished without a trace.

In fact, he even contemplated whether it was possible to somehow have Valentina exiled as Braulio’s accomplice.

Despite this, Valentina shamelessly claimed, “I had no choice but to do it for the family. My heart has always been with you,” uttering words she didn’t truly mean.

Naturally, Kararize rejected her.

The idea of getting engaged to Valentina again was absolutely out of the question.

He sharply pressed her, asking if she had forgotten the cruel words she had spoken to him while he was being summoned by the security knights.

Valentina cried and screamed, but the tears of someone he once loved no longer moved him. Rather, they irritated him.

Though he had inherited the title, it was more out of spite for his father and half-brother than any desire to marry someone else.

However, Valentina’s father, the Marquis of Madariaga, who was also Kararize’s father’s cousin, did not give up.

“Now more than ever, we must unite as a family to protect the Kirina Ducal House,” he rallied the relatives, trying to push Valentina back as Kararize’s fiancée.

Kararize, of course, refused, but as a young man who had just graduated from the aristocratic academy and inherited the title, the power gap between him and the Marquis of Madariaga, once seen as more fitting to head the Kirina family than his own father, was vast.

Still, Kararize was determined to avoid marrying Valentina.

It was then that he learned the late Earl Tweed’s lover had been frequenting parties.

“She must be looking for a new lover to replace the earl.”

That was the lament of Naje, the man engaged to the lover’s sister, who pitied his fiancée for her struggles.

The earl’s lover, Liana, was the daughter of the Count of Karota.

Some years ago, the Karota Count and Countess had died in an accident.

Unfortunately, just before his death, the count, who was also a businessman, had borrowed a large sum of money in hopes of expanding his business.

Though it was likely a calculated business investment, it left the two orphaned sisters with nothing but debt.

Her older sister, Esley, had dropped out of the aristocratic academy less than a year after enrolling and worked hard to repay the debt.

But Liana, on the other hand, had skillfully ingratiated herself with Earl Tweed, taking on his daughter’s name, “Lana,” and living a life of luxury.

It was no wonder Naje, the sister’s fiancé, was dismayed.

Liana was, as Kararize loathed, a selfish, self-centered woman who thought only of herself.

(“The wicked woman, Lana…”)

Still, she was preferable to Valentina, who, despite everything, still seemed convinced that Kararize loved her.

And after all, Earl Tweed had asked Kararize to take care of his lover before his death.

Kararize shared this with Naje and proposed marriage to Liana.

Of course, he had no intention of truly marrying her.

The arrangement was for one year only.

And since Liana was said to be eager for money, Kararize planned to offer a substantial payment for the contract marriage.

They would be married, but it would be a nominal union—no formal meetings, and certainly no consummation. Once the year was over, she would be expected to leave promptly.

Naje, who disliked the idea of his future sister-in-law becoming Kararize’s bride, seemed troubled by the complexity of the situation.

Still, Liana swiftly accepted the offer.

Though Kararize owed a great deal to Earl Tweed, opposition erupted among his relatives over his decision to marry the earl’s former lover, especially at a time when talks of re-engaging with Valentina were ongoing.

“I owe Earl Tweed more than I can ever repay. It was his final request, so I will marry her.”

Of course, it wasn’t as if anyone would simply accept such a statement.

So Kararize added one condition.

“If she truly is the wicked woman the rumors say, and I can’t manage her, I will divorce her and relinquish my title.”

In that case, the most likely candidate to become the next head of the family would be the Marquis of Madariaga, Valentina’s father.

Kararize knew that the marquis had always regretted ceding the title to his father.

That was precisely why he wanted his daughter to marry Kararize.

If he did marry Valentina, the marquis would certainly interfere in everything as his father-in-law.

And Kararize was aware that, at this point, he didn’t have the power to stop him.

So, in the end, he decided he would rather give up the title altogether.

He had never wanted to inherit anything from his parents, and relinquishing the title would allow him to live freely.

Though Valentina fiercely opposed the marriage, the Marquis of Madariaga agreed, and so Kararize prepared to marry Liana.

That said, the “marriage” amounted to nothing more than submitting the paperwork.

With the divorce already planned for a year later, there was no need for an engagement party or a wedding ceremony.

Kararize quickly signed his part of the marriage document, leaving the rest to his steward, Felice.

A few days later, Kararize was informed by Felice that Liana had arrived at the estate.

She had been shown to the guest room and, despite her modest attire and single suitcase, made no complaints.

Felice even remarked that he had doubted whether she was truly the wicked woman, Lana.