MGN | Chapter 31

“Presidential Suite?”

After confirming the destination in front of the elevator, Yves received Maël’s breakfast from the staff. He held the document envelope overlapping with the handle. The silver trolley cut through the brown carpet of the Riviera Hotel hallway.

Instead of ringing the doorbell, Yves used the key card to enter.

The balcony door, which had been closed, was wide open. The bed sheets were neatly arranged without a wrinkle, and the morning chill filled the large room. Under the morning sunlight and the fresh scent of the sea, the traces of last night’s affair had disappeared completely. As if someone had hurriedly erased them.

The lawyer who had slept crumpled in the corner of the bed was nowhere to be seen.

Swoosh.

Just as his eyes narrowed, the sound of water echoed from the bathroom. Yves roughly set the trolley covered with a white tablecloth and placed the document envelope next to the dome cover. Then he went back out to the huge balcony.

He took out his phone from his jacket, pressed the power button, and entered a couple of passwords on the number pad that appeared.

Buzz.

The screen remained locked after the vibration ended.

‘Anyway, it’s a lock even Mikola couldn’t crack.’

It was just a try. Without hesitation, Yves threw Philippe’s phone over the railing.

All that remained of the electronic device, now in the same state as its owner, was soap-colored bubbles. While staring at the undulating morning sea…

“Who’s there?”

A faint voice mixed with the sea breeze called out to Yves.

“Oh.”

When Yves turned around, the owner of the room appeared and disappeared behind the fluttering white curtains.

Maël bit his lip as if he had seen a ghost. Dressed the same as yesterday, his unstyled light brown hair swayed. Somehow, it was a sight that stung the eyes. Yves, who watched it for a moment, slowly entered the room.

“Did you just come in on your own?”

Did he even remember giving permission? Ignoring Maël’s obvious question, Yves pointed at the trolley with his chin.

“Eat, check, and sign. I’ll be leaving in thirty minutes.”

“Where am I supposed to go?”

Raising his voice slightly, it cracked immediately. With slightly wet hair and a shirt buttoned to the top, the lawyer spoke as if biting down.

“I’m staying here today. Because of Manon…”

“Your sister is leaving for her honeymoon today. Is there a special reason you need to stay here?”

His beak-shaped lips parted. Instead of answering, Maël looked at the trolley near the bed and muttered.

“I’m not hungry. What do you mean check and sign?”

Since they were at a similar distance, Yves picked up the document envelope from his side and shook it slightly. As Maël reached for it and stumbled, he grabbed the end of the trolley.

“Ugh!”

Whoosh, Yves reached out and stopped the trolley as it rolled closer. A red tomato juice stain was left on the white tablecloth of the trolley that had wobbled to a stop.

Maël looked bewildered. His shaky demeanor and awkward stance were irritating.

“Are you going to be like that all day?”

“…”

“Sit and eat. There’s a lot to do today.”

If he resisted, Yves planned to drag him to sit. However, Maël checked the slightly distant table and sat at the edge of the bed.

‘What’s with his leg?’

It was subtle, but he noticed a slight limp in one leg. Instead of asking, Yves tossed the envelope next to him, and Maël opened the dome cover.

An omelet topped with thinly sliced black truffles, a cup filled with pomegranate and red berries, and a steaming cup of coffee.

Maël took exactly three bites of the omelet with the truffles, sipped the cappuccino, and pushed the trolley slightly after finishing the three-minute meal. He pulled out the documents from the envelope.

“This is a prenuptial agreement?”

“Read and check it.”

Despite various commotions, the marriage was decided. As long as they used a local bank, a prenuptial agreement was essential.

The hastily prepared prenuptial agreement, obtained under an appropriate alias, contained implicit compensation for the marriage. Well, instead of bluntly calling it compensation, it was labeled as property division and alimony.

Maël, who was reading through the documents, looked up as he flipped through the attached personal property details of the two.

“Yves, how did you know about my financial situation?”

“There are various ways.”

“I wasn’t really asking for the method. If you do it again…”

“Planning to sue? That sounds fun.”

A lawsuit from a spouse after registering the marriage. At the light retort, the lawyer sighed deeply and put down the document.

“Can I change a few things?”

“What’s the issue?”

It was a standard prenuptial agreement. However, Maël glanced at the document and spoke without hesitation.

“The marriage period is short, but the alimony and property division are excessive. I don’t want either. I didn’t expect to receive such a contract.”

“Then?”

“I thought I’d receive something more specific about behavior or restrictions. Since we’re registering the marriage for mutual benefits, what you showed is…”

Maël bit his lip. It wasn’t that he couldn’t find the right words. He’s someone whose job is to talk.

He just didn’t seem to want to bring it up. What a big deal. So Yves gladly said it for him.

“Does it seem too real?”

“…To some extent.”

“If we write specific behaviors or restrictions and someone finds out? The intentions are clear anyway, and it would be troublesome for you too. Besides.”

“…”

“Our relationship is fake, but the marriage isn’t.”

No matter how long it lasts, their names will be on each other’s documents. Even after the divorce, the marriage will remain as something that existed.

On all the documents of Maël, who said he hated lies, whether white or black. Like a bad joke.

Thinking of that, it seemed necessary to be a bit lenient. Yves twisted his lips.

“Take the money. A beautiful farewell is usually possible with money.”

“Does a fake relationship need a beautiful farewell?”

“You never know. I might ask you to handle the prenuptial agreement for my next marriage.”

If he’s a decent lawyer, there’s no reason not to use him just because he’s an ex-husband. At that, Maël opened his lips and let out a hollow breath.

After a moment of silence, Maël stubbornly muttered.

“I’ll make some formal adjustments before I leave.”

There were about fifteen minutes left before the hour. If he wanted to bother himself, there was no reason to stop him. When Yves nodded, Maël got up and slowly headed to the table.

His dry back bent at the place where yesterday’s coffee cup still remained. The sound of erasing and adding something filled the room. Watching that back, Yves picked up the untouched fruit cup.

The red juice burst in his mouth, and by the time he finished it all, Maël handed over the prenuptial agreement.

“It’s in a form that renews after two years. Of course, there won’t be a renewal, and it’s not a common form, but since it’s a rushed marriage, they’ll think your lawyer was clever.”

Yves took it and checked the added writing on the contract. There was a lot written in neat handwriting.

“I’ve explicitly stated there’s no property division. It doesn’t matter in Monaco if it’s not mentioned, but I wanted to be clear. The alimony clause is left, but it’s unnecessary unless someone files a lawsuit.”

Listening to the explanation, Yves read through the revised clauses. After confirming all the handwritten parts, he couldn’t help but ask out of genuine curiosity.

“Can you keep getting work with a prenuptial agreement like this?”

“What?”

“A lawyer who got divorced from the executive director of the Riviera Hotel without getting a penny, I wouldn’t trust my family matters to such a lawyer.”

According to this document, Yves was a cunning bastard, and Maël was an idiot. But Maël didn’t back down at all.

“I’m not doing this expecting money from you. I can just say I signed it blinded by love. I can at least gain empathy from clients.”

“Love.”

“Isn’t that our concept now? Getting married after a month of being head over heels. If my reputation seems to be at risk, I’ll file an alimony lawsuit later, so you don’t have to worry.”

In a stubborn tone that left no room for negotiation, Yves didn’t argue further. If Maël wanted nothing other than his sister’s safety, there was no need to correct that foolish choice.

Instead of answering, Yves handed the document back to Maël. After hesitating for a moment, fiddling with the edge of the document with his index finger, he finally spoke.

“There’s something I want to confirm because it’s not clearly stated. So… regarding sexual contact.”

The spaces between words were unusually long. Maël’s fingertips gripping the paper turned pale. What on earth was he trying to say?

Under Yves’ gaze, Maël finally asked with determination.

“Can’t you handle that outside without me?”