ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY BEST FRIEND AND SISTER, EUNICE!
STAND STRAIGHT. BE CONFIDENT.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU. DID YOU ENJOY THE DANCE?
Y-YES, MY LADY...!
I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME, THANK YOU.
HER..?
HA!
GET A LOAD OF THOSE FACES!
OH MY
YOUR DRESS...
WHAT A LOVELY WAY TO INCORPORATE MODERN TRENDS TO A CLASSIC GOWN.
DID YOU DO IT YOURSELF?
E-EUNICE...?
N-NO, IT WAS ALL ANRI...
I JUST SPRUCED IT UP A BIT.
EUNICE'S BEAUTY IS WHAT MAKES THE DRESS TRULY COME TO LIFE!
RIGHT YOU ARE.
YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL, LADY EUNICE.
ANRI'S SO WARM...
BUT WHERE'S THE GENTLEMAN YOU WERE WITH?
EUNICE FOUND HERSELF A HANDSOME DANCE PARTNER, YOU SEE.
H-HE PROMISED TO WRITE ME...
O-OH MY.
HOW WONDERFUL FOR YOU, MY DEAR.
WHO IS THIS GENTLEMAN?
LOOKS LIKE WE'LL HAVE PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT TOMORROW.
CINDERELLA FOR HIRE (4)
THE NEXT DAY
THIS MUST BE...
EDWIN'S STUDY!
THIS IS WHERE EDWIN DOES ALL HIS SCHEMING...
ENJOYS HIS HOBBIES...
...AND WHERE HE KEEPS A SECRET SPACE, KNOWN ONLY TO THE LORD OF THE MANOR!
TO THINK I FINALLY GET TO SEE THIS PLACE IN PERSON...
YOU'RE EARLY.
?!?
GOOD... MORNING, DUKE BRISTON!
I KNEW I WASN'T IMAGINING THINGS.
SHE'S BEEN AVOIDING MY EYES EVER SINCE YESTERDAY.
I FEEL SO AWKWARD AROUND HIM NOW THAT I KNOW HE'S EDWIN...!
I CAN'T KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE...!!
JUST IN CASE...
I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THERE'S NO TURNING BACK NOW.
WHAT...?
I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR AGREEMENT.
I'M SURE THAT WORD OF OUR ENGAGEMENT HAS ALREADY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM.
OH, YES. I SUPPOSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
I CALLED YOU DOWN THIS MORNING...
...SO THAT WE COULD DISCUSS THE TERMS OF OUR CONTRACT.
TAKE A SEAT AND READ THIS THROUGH.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING...
MARRIAGE CONTRACT
By entering into this contract marriage with Edwin Ascar, Anri Wentworth will agree to the following terms:
I'M ABOUT TO GO THROUGH A CONTRACT MARRIAGE WITH THE EDWIN ASCAR...!
ARTICLE ONE.
NO ONE MUST KNOW THAT THIS IS A CONTRACT MARRIAGE.
BOTH PARTIES WILL KEEP THIS CONTRACT A SECRET FROM OTHERS.
ARTICLE TWO: THIS CONTRACT IS VALID FOR 30 YEARS.
THIRTY YEARS?!
I'M WILLING TO REDUCE IT TO 29.
NINETEEN?
IS HE SERIOUSLY TRYING TO HAGGLE WITH ME?
THREE YEARS.
AND NOT A DAY LONGER.
THEN LET'S JUST MAKE IT A THREE-YEAR GRACE PERIOD.
IF WE MAKE IT THREE YEARS WITHOUT VIOLATING THE CONTRACT, WE CAN TRANSITION INTO A PERMANENT AGREEMENT...
WHICH WILL BE VOIDABLE AT ANY TIME.
ON SALE
THAT'S FINE.
BUT TERMINATION WILL REQUIRE AT LEAST THREE MONTHS NOTICE.
WE'LL NEED TIME TO ARRANGE OUR SEPARATION, AFTER ALL.
ALRIGHT...
K-KISSING...?!
Y-YOU WANT ME TO...
Displays of public affection, including kissing, will be negotiated in advance.
The bride must spend at least one night per month in the groom's room including the night of their wedding.
...SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOU?!
HOW DARE HE PUT SUCH LEWD THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD!!!
WE'LL JUST BE SHARING THE SAME ROOM, NOTHING MORE.
OH!
WAIT, WHAT ABOUT THIS PART?
NEITHER PARTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX WHILE THIS CONTRACT IS IN EFFECT.
NEITHER PARTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX WITH ROMANTIC INTENTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO REWORD THIS.
WHY IS THERE ANY NEED TO GET SO SPECIFIC?
IT'S A CONTRACT, SO THE MORE SPECIFIC, THE BETTER!
OTHERWISE, THIS CLAUSE MIGHT RESTRICT ME FROM EVEN SPEAKING TO ANOTHER MAN.
FINE.
LADY ANRI.
YES?
YOU MENTIONED YESTERDAY THAT THERE WERE STILL MANY THINGS YOU WANTED TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE.
MAY I ASK WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE?
OH... WELL, YOU SEE...
I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT A LIFELONG DREAM OF MINE.
I'M SURE YOU'VE ALREADY NOTICED...
BUT I LOVE ART... ESPECIALLY PAINTINGS.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE MUCH TALENT IN CREATING IT FOR MYSELF...
...I KNOW GREAT ART WHEN I SEE IT, AND I APPRECIATE FINE WORKS.
I'D LIKE TO SPONSOR PROMISING NEW ARTISTS...
AND OPEN UP A LITTLE GALLERY OF MY OWN.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD, IF I CAN GET THE CHANCE.
TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD TO DISCOVER NEW MASTERPIECES...
DOESN'T THAT SOUND LIKE A DREAM?
I SEE.
SHE'S WILLING TO GIVE UP A LIFE OF LUXURY AND A PRESTIGIOUS NAME...
ALL FOR THE SAKE OF SOME PAINTINGS?
IS SHE BEING SERIOUS?
I HAVE A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO DISCUSS...
ABOUT THE DIVORCE PROCEDURE AT THE END OF OUR CONTRACT.
ABOUT THE DIVORCE?
OF COURSE, IT WON'T BE A LEGAL DIVORCE.
BECAUSE THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY WAY WE CAN DIVORCE ONE ANOTHER...
...WHILE PRESERVING BOTH OUR GOOD NAMES.
SO, THAT MEANS...
YES.
ANRI WENTWORTH...
...WILL HAVE TO DIE.
In Chapter Draft 12 of the series The Duke's Obsession With His Wife, Anri sits at the table in Duke Edwin Ascar's study to establish the rules of the fake marriage she will enter with him. While the two conduct a detailed negotiation on the duration of the contract, room sharing, and loyalty conditions, Anri reveals her passion for art; Edwin, on the other hand, informs her that to avoid reputational loss when the agreement ends, Anri will need to be made to appear as if she has died.
