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 9

However, a dark shadow fell over the future her sister had thought would be fine.

Her sister had been busy with preparations for the wedding and studying for managing the estate.

Liana begged her sister to try on the nearly finished wedding dress.

“Oh?”

Her sister was impressed by the luxurious embroidery on the simple dress, but Liana noticed that the dress was slightly too big and tilted her head.

It had fit perfectly when her sister tried it on shortly after her engagement.

“Sister, have you lost a bit of weight?”

“…That might be the case. I’ve been busy.”

Her sister replied, but her complexion didn’t look too good.

Indeed, her sister had been looking busy lately.

“You shouldn’t overdo it. Your health is the most important thing.”

“Yeah. I understand.”

Liana expressed her concern, but her sister smiled, saying she was fine.

However, after that, her sister continued to lose weight, and it became more frequent that she would fall ill and remain in bed.

“We should see a doctor…”

“No, we can’t. It would cost too much.”

Despite her pale face, her sister shook her head.

When her sister got engaged to Najé, there was still some debt left by their parents.

The succession of the title and the return of the estate was conditional on fully repaying the debt left by their parents, so the Hord family had temporarily covered it.

Thanks to that, preparations for returning the estate were progressing smoothly, and it was expected that her sister would be allowed to inherit the title and return the estate when she got married.

The condition set by Count Hord to recognize her sister and Najé’s engagement was to repay all the borrowed money before the wedding scheduled for a year later.

So if the debt repayment was delayed, the wedding would also be postponed.

If too much time passed, the engagement itself might be dissolved.

Although her sister was clumsy and didn’t work much, she seemed to be desperately looking for ways to save a little money.

Earning money was incredibly difficult.

And her sister knew well that if she saw a doctor, that money would vanish quickly.

So when she simply had a cold, saying that resting would cure it, they decided to just wait and see without forcibly calling a doctor.

But during that time, her sister’s condition continued to worsen.

Why hadn’t her fiancé noticed how much her sister was losing weight?

Expressing her anger, her sister defended Najé, saying it was because she had been hiding it.

She had concealed her thin body with loose clothing, claiming that her lack of appetite was due to dieting for the wedding.

“If this continues, you’ll collapse before the wedding. I’ll definitely repay the debt. So let’s call a doctor, okay?”

“But…”

“If you don’t get better, the wedding might be postponed.”

Desperately persuading her sister, Liana managed to get her consent and decided to use her saved wages to call a doctor.

No matter how little money they had, they couldn’t show an unmarried noblewoman to a commoner doctor.

She requested a female doctor with whom their parents had connections while they were alive, and the following day, the doctor came for a home visit.

The female doctor, who was about the same age as her mother, introduced herself as Amalia. After examining her sister carefully, she wore a serious expression.

Though her sister had initially responded properly, it seemed she had grown tired from the lengthy examination and had fallen asleep.

Her sister would never have done such a thing in public before.

Perhaps her stamina was declining.

Leaving her sleeping sister behind, Liana moved to the drawing room.

Seeing Amalia’s serious expression made Liana feel uneasy.

“Doctor, how is my sister…?”

As soon as she sat down on the sofa, she asked.

“It’s a somewhat difficult illness.”

Amalia said this while looking at Liana with pity.

Although it was rare among nobles, it seemed to be a disease that easily affects women with weak bodies.

Gradually, the body weakens and loses weight. Eventually, they can no longer stand, and in the end, even their vision deteriorates.

She explained the progression of such a cruel condition.

And it seemed that most patients simply weakened and passed away.

“My sister…”

Liana clenched her trembling hands tightly.

“…Is there a treatment?”

“There is. Until recently, it was considered an incurable disease, but a very effective new drug has been developed. However, since it is a new drug…”

It was said to be a very expensive medicine.

“Please. I will definitely prepare the money. Can you provide that medicine for my sister? She is getting married soon.”

Liana bowed her head to Amalia repeatedly.

Although she wanted to help somehow, the doctor also looked troubled.

It seemed the medicine was so expensive that it couldn’t be purchased without payment in advance.

Moreover, they needed to try it for about thirty days first to see if it worked.

After that, if the effects were confirmed, they would continue the medication.

From previous cases, it seemed that about a year’s worth of treatment was necessary for a complete recovery.

And the cost for a year’s worth of this expensive new medicine would be about the same amount as the debts left by their parents.

“That much…”

She was indeed surprised, but it couldn’t be compared to her sister’s life.

No matter what it took, she had to prepare the money and cure her sister’s illness.

“Shall we start by trying the medicine for thirty days?”

“Yes. Please. I will definitely prepare the money for the medicine.”

It seemed it would take about five days to get the medicine.

After those five days, the doctor would come for another home visit. They needed to prepare the payment for the initial thirty days of medicine by then.

“Then, I will see you in five days.”

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

Liana saw off the female doctor Amalia and returned to her sister’s side.