FMLDM 05

Chapter 05 

I’m Remarrying the Male Lead’s Father

I already knew he was a master schemer.

Still, I didn’t expect him to use his schemes even on his contract wife…

At that moment, the curtain fluttered in the breeze, and the sunlight struck his decadent face that seemed made for shadows.

Because of that, I couldn’t see his face clearly; only his voice echoed in the room.

“I’ve prepared the contract in advance. Please read it.”

His voice was businesslike and dry.

But it didn’t sting at all. After all, this was exactly the kind of relationship I wanted.

As I checked the contract he handed me, I began to understand why he had just performed that absurd act.

1. Mrs. Calypso will use the East Wing, and Macaron will use the West Wing.

2. Except for official events, there will be no interference in each other’s private lives.

3. There will be no marital relations.

In other words, don’t even lay a hand on me.

Isn’t this more of a divorce contract than a marriage contract?

The last clause was even more ridiculous.

4. The contract period is one year. When the contract ends, we will get a clean divorce.

He’s really building a fortress. To put up such a barrier even before marriage.

Even if this was a contract marriage, if it were another woman, she would’ve clicked her tongue and walked away at the stiff terms.

But I had no problem with it.

Especially the fact that our living spaces were separated was very appealing.

When I finished reading the document, I found the clause about the maintenance allowance.

I was secretly hoping for it… and the amount was much bigger than expected, making a weak smile appear on my lips.

As expected of a prince—his spending class is on a different level.

By the time I got to the end of the contract, my eyes widened.

One billion derks as alimony after one year, plus the valuable Lloyd Island.

This guy knows how to make it worthwhile.

Money and real estate—a truly generous compensation from the Creed family.

With this, I could easily open a whole shop building after the divorce.

Imagining such a golden future, I felt a refreshing lightness.

Thinking about divorce before even starting the marriage seemed ridiculous, but…

Actually, I felt it was fair to say my “second life” started right then.

Carving out my beloved’s life and living freely for myself.

What could be better than that?

I’d open a modest makeup shop and live enjoying great, certain happiness.

To be honest, I was confident I’d hit the jackpot, and I had plenty of ideas I was planning.

Coral would stay here with Kai, and I’d have my happy ending with the alimony.

Everything was perfect.

“Should I sign here?”

Did I rush? Maybe I should’ve stalled a little.

Macaron raised one eyebrow slightly and then lowered it.

It could have been just a twitch, but it was the biggest expression change I’d seen here so far.

He looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“I can’t believe it. You must have heard the rumors about me…”

Suddenly, his red eyes gleamed as he lazily propped his chin on one hand.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect anyone to want to marry me.”

Just by propping his chin, he looked like a photoshoot master and captivated people, but I ignored him cleanly.

Why ruin a promising future?

Thankfully, with the experience of a second life, it was easy to put on a poker face.

While I promised myself to start and end this neatly, he continued speaking with the same expression.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why have you decided to marry me?”

When he was looking for a marriage partner, he never asked that.

In the original story, he was completely indifferent to Calypso.

It was a little surprising but no problem.

“For the child. I want to provide a better environment for their education.”

Saying it was for the child was quite a persuasive reason, wasn’t it?

It was true, after all.

But Macaron tilted his head as if hearing something unexpected.

He knows I’m Coral’s stepmother.

Since he must have been fully briefed on Calypso, maybe this wasn’t the answer the interviewer wanted.

He quickly added an answer that fit the stereotypical villainess concept he might expect.

“To be honest, I’m also interested in the alimony.”

Macaron seemed to accept why I came here, relaxed his hands, and nodded.

“I was worried you might have feelings for me, but that’s a relief.”

“…?”

Was Macaron always this blunt?

Maybe he read my expression, because he added quickly.

“Just kidding.”

Does he joke with such a serious face?

Then his expression hardened a little more seriously, as if he was serious this time.

“I’ve never seen a woman who didn’t fall for my face.”

That was probably true. Who wouldn’t fall for that face?

But it was the first time someone said it so openly, and it caught me off guard.

Noticing this, a picturesque smile painted itself on his decadent, sculpted face.

He now offered me the pen as if to say, “Sign here.”

“Before you sign, I have one request.”

He put down the pen with an ambiguous expression, as if he expected this.

“Go ahead.”

Macaron knew he was handsome and carried himself well.

Only someone like that could casually pull off that model pose.

If it were another woman, she probably would have fainted at the sight.

But since he’s not my man, what’s the use of admiring?

My mind was filled only with future plans.

“I’d like all authority as the lady of the house to be delegated to me.”

First, I needed to properly plan the year I’d be living here.

During the contract, I would thoroughly manage the Creed family and pass it on to Coral.

So that Coral could walk a flower path even where I was not.

Macaron raised one eyebrow as if surprised by my unexpected request.

“What’s the reason? It won’t be fun. There will be many tasks and corresponding responsibilities.”

From Macaron’s point of view, it might have been absurd.

A contract wife just pretending for a while, yet asking for such things.

Maybe he thought I was a shameless woman.

But even if so, he had no choice but to agree.

Because, as he said, I was the only woman marrying him right now.

“Of course, I know that. But once I come into this house, it’s certain I’m the lady of the house. If that’s not clear, the household will be confused, causing disputes.”

He silently looked at me as if to say, “Say more.”

“Education for the children, participation in the Creed family’s external affairs—there will be many things to do. But isn’t that natural?”

“…”

“Even if just for the contract period, I am the lady of this house.”

Macaron showed no movement, his expression unreadable, which made me impatient.

In the end, I threw my last card at him.

“If these conditions are not met, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can marry Your Highness.”

When I smiled like a winner, he burst into the biggest laugh I’d heard since I came here.

Did I say something that funny?

I didn’t think so…

Finding it hard to follow his sense of humor, I silently watched as he quickly sobered and nodded.

“Alright then. I’ll instruct the butler.”

He rewrote the clause he just said, then handed me the pen and papers.

“Thank you in advance.”

Only then did it hit me.

It hadn’t even been long since I signed the divorce papers…

And already it was remarriage.

This remarriage would probably end in divorce too.

My lips tasted a bit bitter, but it didn’t matter.

As long as Coral could walk a flower path, this was nothing.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t introduced me to his son yet.

“Where is your son?”

Since it was our first meeting today, I’d expected to meet the original male lead, Kai.

But Kai was nowhere to be found.

Apparently, Macaron inspected the estate alone…

“We didn’t call him today because it’s contract signing day. I’ll introduce him properly next time.”

Probably the same reason I wasn’t told anything to Coral.

He was a bigger son-freak than me.

He might have raised Kai Spartan-style, fitting the “monster” nickname, but he hadn’t.

If things stayed as they were, this education method would be fine…

But later, it would become poison to Kai.

Kai was destined to be the emperor someday.

Raising him sheltered led to an unprepared emperor, and Kai’s era of hardship began.

Coral, as the lady, also had to walk that thorny path.

What I must do going forward is…

Prepare the estate so Coral can inherit it and comfortably manage it as a duchess.

Educate Kai, who had no idea he would become emperor someday.

Also…

The male lead and female lead become my children.

I’ll have to live a long life to see how this all turns out.

At that moment.

Kai was staring wide-eyed at the scene before him.

Is that my stepmother…?

After hearing Ain and Momont’s morning chatter, Kai barely believed it.

Finally, I’m going to have a mom too…!

At the academy, Kai was so distracted by the thought all day that his professor called his name repeatedly.

Actually, on his birthday a year ago, Kai had begged his dad for a mom.

Kai first learned about the concept of “mom” at the Imperial Academy.

He vaguely understood it meant a female version of dad, but he didn’t need one.

“Dad is always a perfect pillar who loves me without lack.”

But the kids who bullied him cut deeply into Kai’s heart.

“Do you really not have a mom?”

“Then did mom eat you?”

“You’re momless.”

Whenever Kai was bullied, mysterious punishments befell the bullies.

Having a father who was a top pharmaceutical maker in the empire, Kai naturally had many chances to learn about medicine.

His pharmaceutical skills were quite impressive.

He easily passed the national exam, difficult even for adults, in just two years and was recognized as a promising rising star.

Kai used his talents perfectly.

He made the bullies cry uncontrollably.

Made them fart while using loud magic.

For the worst bully, he used auditory hallucination drugs to make him spew out whatever Kai wanted.

“You’re an idiot.”

That was what the bully had said to Kai.

“Someone like you likes Coral?”

That was also something Kai had heard.

But the thing Kai hated most was this:

“Do you think Coral would like someone without a mom?”

Since then, Kai’s dreams became nightmares.

In his dreams, Coral stared fiercely and pushed him away.

“Did mom really run away because of you?”

Even though he knew Coral wasn’t that kind of person, Kai kept having such dreams.

Coral was the brightest star at the academy.

Not only in Kai’s eyes, but other kids liked her too.

But soon, that was easily resolved.

The moment rumors spread that Kai’s dad was Prince Macaron.

The bullying stopped, the kids stayed away, and no one dared talk to him.

“Why are they acting like this all of a sudden?”

Kai still didn’t know the reason.

“I’m not scared of my dad at all…”

Maybe the kids heard something at home, but once his dad was known, they treated Kai as a rival.

From then on, Kai naturally became a loner.

The one who stood by Kai back then was Coral.

Yes, Coral was truly… pretty.

Not just pretty, beyond words.

Kai didn’t know much, but the adults all said the same.

It was a shame he had no mom.

The real reason Kai never confessed to Coral was this.

Once I have a mom, I’ll be invincible, right?

This time, Kai was determined to confess to Coral.

Moreover, the glimpse of his new mom pleased him.

Someone with a warm embrace that would feel cozy if he rested on her.

Even the hallway smelled of a pleasant fragrance.

In a word, to Kai, the stepmother was a “pretty person.”

At that moment, his dad’s low voice echoed from inside.

“I’ve heard you have a daughter about Kai’s age.”

“A daughter? Same age as me?”

“Yes, she’s seven this year.”

“At seven, that’s a little sister. She must be so cute.”

A mom and a younger sister—Kai’s mouth fell open in amazement.

But then…

“Her name is Coral.”

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