MGN | Chapter 34

“Still, isn’t it too much to be the first to marry under the new law? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve known each other for such a short time,” Diane said, turning back to Maël. At the pointed remark, Maël replied calmly, as if resigned.

“You know how it is, Diane. Even if it’s suddenly enacted, it could disappear anytime. People might change their minds. Better to do it while we can.”

“Do it, you say… What about the Grand Palace? You’re Manon’s brother.”

“They probably don’t know yet.”

The way Diane bombarded him with questions while holding his hand tightly seemed more like a caring sibling or mother than a work colleague.

Maël did his best to defend himself, as if he were pleading a case. Despite looking like he hated this whole charade, he was desperately trying to reassure his boss.

He was both pitiful and amusing.

“Where will you live? Did you write the prenuptial agreement well? Are you going on a honeymoon?”

“It’s only been a day since we decided… Are a honeymoon and house that important? Of course, I wrote the prenuptial agreement well. That’s my specialty.”

Well-written, indeed.

It was a foolish prenuptial agreement. Maël wouldn’t gain anything from this marriage except for his brother’s perfect crime.

Just wasting two years of his life for his brother, without even securing proper financial gain.

His boss seemed eager to check the prenuptial agreement immediately. But Maël wrinkled his nose and changed the subject.

“When will you congratulate me, Diane? Finally, the day has come when clients can’t refuse to hire a lawyer who’s never been married.”

“Maël, you talk like you’re getting married just for that.”

They both laughed simultaneously, perhaps taking it as a joke. Well, that might be the only advantage Maël gains from this marriage.

“But isn’t Manon your witness? Even if it’s the day after her wedding, she wouldn’t refuse.”

As noon passed, long sunlight streamed into the waiting corridor. Underneath it, Maël’s flushed skin and trembling eyelids were visible.

His light brown eyes met mine. Sitting on the wooden chair, Maël hesitated before forcing a smile.

“Manon’s going on her honeymoon today. She’s busy. I’ll probably hear about it later, though.”

“Just hear about it? She’ll probably nag you for life…”

Their conversation was cut short when a City Hall employee opened the door.

“Those participating in the ceremony, please come in.”

At those words, Maël stood up first. With tightly pressed lips, he approached and stood beside Yves.

You have to do what you have to do. When Yves slightly opened his arms, Maël hesitated before linking his arm.

“No other family members joining?”

Seeing the small number of people, the employee asked before closing the door.

“There are circumstances.”

“They probably don’t even know.”

Their answers brought an awkward smile. Soon, the heavy door closed behind them.

Inside the hall, which smelled of old wood, were chairs for about thirty people. Four small chandeliers hung from the dark mint ceiling, emitting light.

In a gold frame on the front wall was Yves’ ‘family,’ whom the City Hall employee had just mentioned. Overseeing all ceremonies in this country, the Grand Duke of Monaco. Lucien III in his ceremonial uniform.

Under that gaze, three City Hall employees sat behind a desk draped in purple satin. In front of them was a chair for the couple to sit during the ceremony.

“Please take your seats, and the ceremony will proceed.”

Maël, with his arm linked, walked slowly. The lawyer subtly dragged his right thigh since this morning. Yves didn’t think it was the aftermath of the night. It wasn’t a gentle encounter, but he had been with lovers who made a fuss until recently.

‘Is it a funny rebellion?’

Was it a sign he didn’t want to go through with it? Yves deliberately widened his stride.

“Ugh.”

A faint groan was heard.

Maël managed to keep up with the widened stride. Despite feeling the arm linked with his stiffen, he didn’t ask to slow down, perhaps due to his stubborn pride.

“It’s a historic moment. You two are the first same-sex marriage in Monaco.”

As they sat, the officiant in the middle of the three behind the desk smiled. Yves shrugged, and Maël nodded.

The officiant, wearing a sash of white and red diagonally across her shoulder, began reciting the long legal clauses slowly. Yves looked up at the face of his father, smiling benevolently behind her.

It was amusing that all this nonsense was to see that man’s twisted face.

“Yves Hervé Valois, do you agree to take Maël Montmatier as your spouse?”

“Yes.”

But that wasn’t a reason to hesitate.

“Maël Montmatier, do you agree to take Yves Hervé Valois as your spouse?”

At that question, Yves turned his gaze. Maël, with his eyes lowered, only moved his pale pink lips.

‘Will he say no?’

Just as that thought crossed his mind, Maël looked up. His light eyes, trembling as if in pain, stared at Yves for a few seconds. Then Maël lowered his gaze again.

“Yes.”

It was a yes that sounded like resignation. Yves lifted the corners of his mouth toward the man who fulfilled his role. The ceremony continued to its conclusion.

“By the authority vested in me by the Grand Palace, I declare you two united in marriage.”

They exchanged rings again. The fingers beneath his were cold, but the rings sparkled beautifully under the light.

The old gold pen on the desk was dipped in ink and passed over. They stood up. Yves signed the marriage contract first, followed by Maël. Once witnesses Mikola and Diane also signed, the officiant raised her voice.

“You may now kiss.”

Standing after signing, they looked at each other.

It was a perfectly normal procedure at a wedding. However, Maël still stood awkwardly, biting his lip.

Perhaps it was a bit of mischief not to move first, wanting to end it quickly. Yves smiled and looked down at Maël. Troubled, Maël grabbed Yves’ suit collar and tilted his head.

Smooch.

The approaching lips were soft, but the kiss was cold and dry. It touched briefly and then parted, followed by applause from the few guests and staff.

The modest wedding, barely meeting the formality, ended like that. Along with the marriage certificate, they received a family record book with a red cover.

The door opened again. From the end of the corridor, a man with dark brown hair came running with a bouquet.

“Ah, lawyer!”

“Jacques?”

While Maël was surprised, the man stopped in front of them.

“Oh, no, you should have told us about this. Huff, wait, huff, I prepared this bouquet after getting a message from the partner lawyer saying there wasn’t one. I tried to make it look like a bouquet as much as possible during lunch break.”

The man, likely an office staff member, panted. He adjusted his glasses on his nose and handed the bouquet to Maël.

It was a bouquet of cream-colored La Perla roses, the buds not yet opened. The color was quite elegant, but the shape was sharp. Despite not matching well, Maël received it with a joyful smile.

“I was out of my mind. Thank you, Diane and Jacques.”

“Still, you should have told us. But… wow, is this the ring? Is this a real diamond? What kind of marriage did you have…”

The staff fussed over the ring. Diane approached Yves, who had stepped back to wait for the commotion to end.

“Mr. Valois, I know it’s presumptuous, but may I ask what led you to consider marrying Maël?”

The question, posed in a calm voice, was sharp.

The ceremony was over, so there was no need to answer. But similar questions would come endlessly in the future, and Yves needed to have a suitable answer ready.

“For starters, I’ve never seen such a beauty in my life.”

After a moment’s thought, Yves spoke in a light tone. There was no need to mix in lies.

“I saw someone with such high pride cry just once, and it gave me a certain conviction.”

The blue light of dawn, Maël crying beneath him.

Though he called it conviction, what he actually felt was a completely different, strange sensation.

There was something he had broken with his own hands. The shattered pieces glimmered ominously in the light.

The avoidance felt when seeing something he had ruined. The bizarre allure and exhilaration felt from the beauty of the wreckage.

He recalled it several times today. The bundle of sensations layered within what could be called discomfort.

There was no falsehood in Yves’ words. Diane nodded, taking it in somehow.

“I was surprised, but I’m not against it. Some couples break up right after a long relationship, while others marry after one meeting and live well. But… Maël really needs a family.”

Diane hesitated after saying that. Yves waited for her to continue.

“Take good care of him. It took me over five years to learn that he feels pain in his right leg when stressed. I heard it from Manon. He was seriously injured when he was young. He never says anything. He tries not to show it.”

Perhaps she thought he didn’t know and subtly informed him. It was true he didn’t know.

“I’ll take good care of him.”

Yves answered briefly, suddenly recalling the blue chip that had fallen on his hand last night.

‘Number? Logo?’

‘Number.’

If the number came up and Maël won, he planned to follow him.

If the logo came up and Maël lost, he intended to postpone all troublesome conversations for later.

The chip on his hand bore the casino’s logo, not a number.

Maël’s damn gambling luck helped him as usual. If Yves had postponed the conversation as per his pre-set rule, Maël wouldn’t have needed to marry him here.

‘To your room.’

However, it was Yves who impulsively changed the rule and followed Maël.

The result of all that was this marriage.

Whether it was luck or misfortune, no one could tell.