🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 04
“Besides, I’m a Werder. My family, my wealth, my looks—I’m lacking nothing.”
“You’re kind of obnoxious.”
“But it’s true.”
Anyway, if it became known that Chloe had dumped a man from the Werder direct line, rumors would spread fast.
People would inevitably conclude that Chloe must love her ex-husband, Duer, so deeply that she could even reject such an outstanding man.
“You seem to absolutely hate being entangled with your ex-husband.”
“……”
“Surely you don’t want to get involved with him again, do you? Especially on the day of your ex-husband and your half-sister’s wedding.”
Her ex-husband, who had cheated on her with her half-sister. Their wedding day. A happy bride and groom, while Chloe alone would look utterly miserable.
Melvin would definitely look at her with a victorious expression. Smirking smugly in her wedding dress.
“I absolutely don’t want that.”
Even ruining the wedding wouldn’t be enough—but imagining herself reduced to such humiliation was unbearable.
“Then you should take me with you, shouldn’t you? I’m handsome, capable, and young, just like you said.”
“And I even come from a good family,” Kaiden added.
Except for the fact that he was completely insane, he was undeniably a good match.
‘We can just say we broke up after the wedding.’
However, there was another reason Chloe couldn’t easily accept Kaiden.
“So how much do you want as your fee?”
The Werder family was among the top five wealthiest families in the empire. To satisfy someone like him, she couldn’t even begin to imagine how much money it would take. Or perhaps money meant nothing to him at all.
“It seems like money is meaningless to you.”
“Good eye. That’s right, I don’t intend to take money.”
“Then what do you want from me?”
It better not be anything strange. Her crimson eyes, tense, fixed on Kaiden.
Kaiden met her gaze and stood up. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.
“Shall we go, then?”
“Where?”
“To collect my payment.”
“Wait, the wedding hasn’t even started yet.”
“Think of this as an advance.”
Kaiden smiled like a mischievous boy. Chloe stared at him blankly, then found herself being led out of the hotel.
Outside the hotel, Chloe and Kaiden walked through a busy commercial district, still holding hands.
“Hey, when are you going to let go of my hand?”
“We’re supposed to be acting like lovers. We should practice this kind of physical contact in advance.”
“Ah.”
Chloe nodded as if it made sense. Kaiden’s lips curled into a faint smile as he watched her.
He stopped in front of a clothing boutique. Like a perfect gentleman, he opened the door for her. Chloe let out a small laugh and stepped inside.
“Welco—oh my, Lord Kaiden?”
“Long time no see, Madam.”
It seemed Kaiden was acquainted with the shop owner, as they exchanged greetings.
How long had it been? She had missed him. Where had he been?—the madam’s chatter suddenly stopped when she noticed Chloe standing beside him.
“And who might this young lady be?”
“My lover.”
“What?”
The one who was shocked wasn’t the madam—but Chloe.
Even if they were supposed to act like lovers, wasn’t this going a bit far?
Besides, he had said he would take payment. And yet he brought her to a women’s boutique?
“Oh my goodness!”
Unlike Chloe, who was flustered, the madam clapped her hands in delight.
“Such flawless skin, such beautiful hair… and those eyes, like wheat fields at sunset—so red and radiant…”
“That’s enough. I already know my lover is beautiful.”
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. I got too excited.”
The madam covered her mouth, laughing awkwardly.
“So, what would you like me to do?”
“Nothing complicated.”
Kaiden placed his hands on Chloe’s shoulders and turned her toward the madam.
“Make her a dress. Head to toe, nothing but the highest quality.”
From that moment, everything moved at lightning speed.
Before Chloe could even ask why, five attendants surrounded her. They measured her instantly, applied makeup, and changed her clothes in an instant.
When it was done, she was wearing a white dress with pearl accents at the cuffs. A matching pearl necklace and earrings adorned her, and on her left ring finger sat a massive 10-carat diamond ring. Of course, all of it had been chosen by Kaiden.
“You look absolutely stunning, miss!”
“White suits you so well!”
“You look like an angel!”
The attendants praised her endlessly—but Chloe couldn’t hear a word of it.
‘What on earth is going on?’
Why was she being dressed up like this in a women’s boutique, and why was he spending so lavishly when he claimed he was collecting payment?
At this point, she could only conclude that the man’s mind was impossible to understand.
“Shall we move on to the next place?”
“Again?”
Chloe, already exhausted, asked with a pale face.
“Did you think we’d get dressed up like this and do nothing with it?”
“I thought you said you just wanted payment…”
“Don’t worry. I’m collecting it properly.”
Collecting it? So far, all he’d done was spend money.
Still dazed, Chloe was led out again. He slowed his pace slightly, as if considering her new shoes.
For a brief moment, he even seemed like a gentleman.
But that illusion didn’t last even an hour.
Kaiden took Chloe by the hand and dragged her through shop after shop on Berrington Street—flower shops, jewelry stores, restaurants, cafés—visiting nearly every place in the district as if determined to leave his mark everywhere.
Naturally, all attention focused on them: a striking man and a beautifully dressed woman.
Every stop drained more money. Berrington Street was known for catering to nobles who wanted luxury leisure; everything there cost several times more than elsewhere.
‘Was this so-called payment actually a form of torture?’
Chloe could barely keep up as she thought this, her weak stamina completely overwhelmed.
“Are you tired?”
“Do you even need to ask?”
“I even gave you caffeine with your meal so you wouldn’t get exhausted. Your stamina really is terrible.”
“If you knew that, hurry up and finish this.”
“You’re impatient. Fine.”
He turned on his heel—and led her back to the hotel.
“Are you kidding me right now?”
“Calm down, Chloe. You’re diligently paying your fee.”
“Ha…”
So smooth with words, yet utterly infuriating. If this was another trick, she would smash his head with her heel.
Holding onto her last thread of patience, Chloe followed him inside.
“Welcome to the Scent Hotel.”
They passed through the grand lobby and turned down a corridor.
What appeared before them was the hotel’s magnificent, not-yet-completed wedding hall.
“Wow…”
Chloe gasped without thinking.
Even unfinished, the hall was breathtaking. The largest and most luxurious wedding hall in the Scent Hotel’s Berrington branch.
Weddings in the imperial palace were already considered outdated. Since news of this venue spread, every noble family dreamed of marrying here. Some even postponed their weddings just to wait for its completion.
There were no guests yet—only a few staff members inspecting the hall.
“Shall we go in?”
Kaiden made his presence known on purpose. The staff turned toward them.
“Sorry, but this area is restricted—”
“Wait.”
A woman, apparently their superior, quickly silenced the staff member.
She had recognized Kaiden.
“M-my lord… what brings you here?”
“Where else would I come for a wedding hall?”
He lifted their joined hands. On his ring finger was a diamond ring nearly identical to Chloe’s.
“…!”
The staff’s eyes widened in shock. Chloe’s did too.
“I-I will immediately inform Lord Scent!”
The staff rushed out.
Chloe leaned toward Kaiden and whispered,
“This ring… it’s not what I think it is, right?”
“What do you think it is?”
“Stop playing games and tell me properly.”
“Hmm. It probably is what you think.”
“What?”
Before she could ask further, the owner of the Scent Hotel burst into the hall, breathless.
