TDIDTRA Chapter 2

Chapter 2. A Secret Contract

Bonida had no place to sleep and no money to buy food. She had never even seen money growing up. Ignorant of the outside world, she was merely a doll that ate and slept whenever her mother had asked her. Reflecting on it now, it felt utterly pathetic.

There was no room for worries about whether Girion might be worse than her mother. The fear of being beaten by her mother if Girion discovered she wasn’t a saintess loomed larger. Somehow, she had to work in a way so that Girion would reject her without upsetting her mother

If Girion decided he didn’t like her, there was nothing her mother could say or do. He wasn’t a man anyone could dare oppose, which oddly felt like a relief. This meeting would end in just one encounter.

As the knight inspecting Bonida’s face suddenly widened his eyes, she instinctively lifted her hand, wondering if something was on her face. However, Marais harshly grabbed her hand, mouthing sharply that she’ll ruin her makeup. The knight, watching this exchange, respectfully closed the door. Trapped once again in the stillness of the carriage, Bonida couldn’t help but long to escape.

Bonida had never been away from home, nor had she ever ridden in a carriage for this long before. Thankfully, after another ten minutes of travel, it seemed they had finally arrived inside the estate. As the carriage door quietly opened, Bonida prepared to step out. However, before she could, a hand was extended toward her.  

Frozen for a moment, she realized the man was offering to escort her. Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his and carefully descended from the carriage.  

Since her divine power had never manifested, Bonida had never attended any parties. Her mother had forbidden it, fearing that others might discover her lack of divine power and her worth would be lowered. By the age of twenty, most women would have experienced being escorted several times, but for Bonida, this was entirely unfamiliar.  

Nervousness made her already cold hands tremble, curling inward. She had to squeeze tightly onto the man’s hand just to steady herself.

“My name is Herba Laura. I am an aide to the Duke.”

She didn’t know that Girion’s aide would come out to meet her. While watching Bonida’s embarrassment, Herba waited silently. Bonida calmed down the agitation and answered.

“It’s my first time seeing you. I’m Bonida Bello.” 

“The Duke is expecting you. Shall we head inside?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have any inconvenience coming?”

“Fortunately, it was fine.”

Her hips, thighs, and entire body ached, but Bonida replied calmly, pretending nothing was wrong. Herba’s sharp eyes quickly scanned her face, lingering on the dark circles under her eyes and her dry lips. Though she said nothing, it was clear he saw through her act.  

Bonida subtly followed Herba’s gaze with her own, only releasing a quiet breath once his eyes finally turned away. She was terrible at lying, and now she worried that she had caught the attention of Herba. A stranger but clearly someone as important to watch out for.

Fortunately, she was able to pass without any more fuss. Herba guided her as if nothing had happened, and Bonida entered in a dazed manner. The mansion’s hall was anything but ordinary, adorned with decorations that looked valuable enough to be sold for a fortune. All these would be enough to live comfortably for years. The interior was not only luxurious but also carried an air of elegance.

Bonida is a stranger to this world. But even she, who knows nothing, could see at once that they are expensive and luxurious things. How would it feel to live in a place like this? It was a place that made her forget that her current situation was hanging on the edge of a cliff.

“Please sit back and wait.”

“Yes, thank you!”

Bonida’s ‘Thank you’ put a friendly smile on Herba’s face. Then she heard someone walking through the open door. Bonida looked on the side where the sound was made as if she were being led.

It was black hair just like the ink she got from her mother recently. She could tell that his hair was smooth even without touching it. Eyes darker than his hair quietly observed Bonida. With a sharp nose and a sleek jawline, the man was so stunningly handsome that it seemed as if the gods had playfully placed him on earth. Finally, standing before her, he spoke without hesitation.

“I’m Girion Tefort.”

“….I’m Bonida Bello.”

This man was the Duke of Tefort? He looked completely different from what she had imagined. She had imagined him to be a sinister and cold man, yet the man before her was so strikingly handsome that she didn’t know where to rest her eyes. Though his gaze was cold, his polite demeanor revealed he was a man well-versed in manners.

Unlike Bonida, who stood wide-eyed, he seemed to have little impression of her. However, before a second even passed, that assumption was proven wrong by his immediate reaction. After their formal greetings, Girion’s smooth forehead creased. Following his gaze, Bonida lowered her head. She realized his eyes had stopped at her chest. Displeased, he stared at that spot before speaking.

“Is this your preference?”

When she heard something unexpected come out of his mouth, she was puzzled. What do you mean by preference? She just wore what her mother ordered, which is popular these days. The piece of cloth that barely covered her ample breasts would reveal her nipples if she pulled it down just a little. Even though it was clearly covered by her clothes, when his explicit gaze reached her, it felt as if her chest were completely exposed. It was a dizzying moment that she had never experienced before.

As Girion shook his head, Herba politely greeted him and went out of the drawing room. Herba, with blue hair reminiscent of a lakefront and light brown eyes, was a handsome man with a cold impression. He was very tall and of a slender frame.

When they were left behind, Bonida awkwardly fiddled with her fingertips. As Girion’s persistent gaze was uncomfortable, he said coolly as she stood in an awkward position.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

Fortunately, Girion made no further remarks about her attire, allowing Bonida a brief moment to quietly steady her breath as she sat down. The atmosphere was so tense that even exhaling too loudly felt inappropriate.  

Girion’s long fingers began tapping lightly on the table. The soft, rhythmic tapping was unsettling. Each sound echoing like the beat of a heart. The steady noise made Bonida’s own heartbeat turn erratic, heightening her anxiety.  

As the oppressive silence stretched on, she nervously swallowed. Then, Girion’s brow twitched slightly, and without a word, he casually loosened his cravat. Bonida stared in confusion, only to be even more shocked when he nonchalantly unbuttoned four buttons of his shirt. Through the widening gap, his firm, well-defined abs came into view. His skin was astonishingly taut, revealing just how rigorously he must have trained.

Though Herba was tall, he was nothing compared to Girion. It felt as if the world had unfairly bestowed every desirable trait upon him without restraint. Bonida couldn’t make sense of why this man was casually undressing. Then, in a voice as smooth as silk, he spoke.  

“I thought I should match your taste.”  

“…..”

“It’s not that difficult, after all.”  

Bonida nearly let out an awkward hiccup but barely managed to swallow it back. His words implied that since she showed up in such a revealing dress—so low-cut that even a slight pull could expose her nipple completely—he might as well loosen up too. The unbuttoned shirt and his relaxed, indifferent posture gave off a carefree air. Yet beyond that, a raw and potent masculinity radiated from him.

In the usual way, she wouldn’t have cared about whether others misunderstood her or not. However, she didn’t want to be shabby in front of this man. For some reason, courage that hadn’t been there before suddenly welled up within her, and Bonida’s voice grew firm.

“This isn’t my cup of tea. You misunderstood.”

The words she spoke were completely different from the clothes she wore. However, for some reason, the man showed no sign of surprise. It was as if he already knew that the outfit, which might have seemed vulgar to some, was never really her choice from the beginning. 

“Who knew I was a bastard who couldn’t take my eyes off a woman’s chest?”

The smooth, deep voice suddenly muttered, and its captivating tone made Bonda hesitate, unsure if she had heard correctly. She couldn’t understand why she felt so nervous and vulnerable around this man. His gaze was calculating as he looked at her before speaking again.

“We need to check the contract.”

“Does that mean, instead of my mother handling it, I have to sign the contract directly? Right now?”

“You’re the one who’ll be doing all sorts of things with me. You’ll press your body against mine and kiss me. Why would you expect your mother to handle the contract? You’re an adult now. You should be dealing with this yourself.”

“That’s true. You really mean that I can sign the contract, right?”

“Yes.”

Bonda’s mind was in a whirlwind at Girion’s casual tone. She couldn’t shake the fear that signing the contract could lead her into an irreversible situation. A chilling image flashed in her mind, and her body instinctively shivered. As she was about to refuse, Girion preemptively spoke again.

“We’ll keep a copy of the contract in the vault here. It will be safe until the agreement is complete, so don’t worry. Doesn’t this seem better?”

“If you could do that, I’d be grateful. That way, no one but you and I will have access to it.”

“Exactly, it’s a confidential contract. Take your time to read it. If there’s anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Yes.”

Bonda quietly stared at the pile of contracts he handed her. It was better this way, with only her and Girion involved in the contract rather than her mother and Girion. Since Girion had already expressed his intent to form an agreement, her mother would surely follow through with it. 

If it was really her mother dealing with Girion, she would have to rely entirely on her mother’s words about the contract’s contents. In that case, she wouldn’t even know if what her mother said would be true or not.

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