Chapter 23

“Uh, well, um.”

Catherine couldn’t readily answer with a “no” and mumbled.

“No way, really?”

Paul asked back as if he couldn’t believe it. When Catherine shrugged, he asked again.

“Did someone you love appear?”

Catherine could definitely say no to that.

“That’s not it…”

“Did you have to?”

Paul was very perceptive and had a good intuition.

And that intuition was particularly sharp when it came to Catherine.

“I was right. That’s good, Catherine.”

Catherine glared at Paul. 

How could it be good when I was in trouble?

“Don’t look at me like that. I mean I’ll help you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s get married, you and me.”

Paul suggested it as lightly as if he were asking her to have a meal together.

“What?”

Catherine’s steps halted. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as if in disbelief.

“I’m also getting tired of the Earl’s nagging. The threat of not giving me an inheritance is a bit scary. So, Catherine, why not use me if you need to?”

“Paul, marriage is not a joke.”

Catherine scolded his endlessly light-hearted attitude.

Then the smile disappeared from Paul’s face.

“A joke? Who said it was a joke? I’ve never thought of marriage as a joke. I’m running away because I can’t take marriage lightly.”

Paul was running away because he knew he couldn’t fulfill the responsibilities of married life.

If he thought of marriage lightly and intended to just let things happen, there would be no reason for him to uncomfortably run away.

“Paul, I’ve never once thought of you as a potential husband.”

“How about trying it from now on?”

“No, absolutely not, even in the future.”

Catherine was very clear.

Even when she felt a sense of kinship, when Paul jokingly suggested marriage, and when he seriously tried to appeal to her, Catherine was not swayed in the least.

It was a completely different reaction compared to when she thought of Hugo, even she could feel it.

Catherine realized.

Now that Hugo had proposed to her, whether it was strategic or not, no one else could be an alternative.

“Paul, I have somewhere to go.”

The conclusion was reached.

“Suddenly? Weren’t you going home? If it was burdensome, I’m sorry, Catherine. But my proposal…”

“Thank you, Paul. I’ll take it as a sign that you think I’m a good person. But Paul, don’t propose to just anyone when you’re at a dead end.”

Paul frowned. He didn’t like Catherine’s words from start to finish.

But Paul didn’t explain his feelings and circumstances to Catherine in detail.

Instead, he stood beside her.

“I’ll take you there.”

“Do you know where I’m going?”

“Anywhere. It’s dangerous to go alone, Lady.”

Paul smiled playfully again.

Catherine lightly hit Paul’s arm. Paul pretended to be in pain.

Somehow, his serious face was bothering her, but she decided not to dwell on it.

Catherine liked Paul, as a friend.

And she liked this state. A relationship where they could exchange light jokes.

Paul and Catherine exchanged trivial jokes as they stood in front of Hugo’s mansion.

“Was the place you were going to Duke Edward’s house?”

“You knew? That Hugo became a Duke?”

“It’s already widely known.”

The title conferment ceremony was over, so it must have been officially announced.

Catherine had been too distracted to know, but it was obvious the capital was abuzz.

“I see.”

Catherine responded meaninglessly and rang the bell.

Just before the door opened, Paul said goodbye to Catherine and turned around.

When she told him to at least say hello before leaving, Paul said he was busy and turned away.

Somehow, it seemed like he was avoiding Hugo, so Catherine didn’t insist twice.

As Paul disappeared, Catherine’s heart started pounding fiercely.

It hit her directly why she had come here.

***

Hugo was looking at the profit report from the gold mine.

“Use 5% of the gold mine’s profit for the local residents. Use the remaining profit appropriately and invest the leftover money well in the Horseshoe Bank. Just keep receiving investment information and intervene if necessary.”

“Understood. By the way…”

John answered while noting Hugo’s orders on the report.

After that, the two seriously discussed where to use the gold mine’s profit and how to invest it.

Hugo suggested investing in a new business, and John replied that real estate was good.

“Your Excellency, real estate doesn’t disappear. Does land run away? But human endeavors come with risks. They run away.”

“That depends on the person. And I can pretty accurately judge people.”

“Ah, so that’s why Lady Catherine ran away…”

John was babbling and then shut his mouth. Hugo glared fiercely.

“That was when I was young. Not now. And that person, I think she’ll come back.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just a feeling.”

John was very curious, but Hugo didn’t answer.

And exactly five minutes later, a guest came to Hugo’s office.

“Was it a promise when you said she would come back?”

Seeing the sudden appearance of Catherine, John asked.

Hugo stood up while organizing the documents.

“No. It wasn’t a promise.”

“What is this? Oh, what are you doing behind my back?”

John followed Hugo, dying of curiosity.

Ignoring John, Hugo stood in front of Catherine.

“Did you come to give me your answer to my proposal?”

“P-pro-proposal?”

John’s mouth dropped open.

Hugo pushed John far away.

“Let’s go to the reception room, Catherine. This isn’t exactly the right place to talk.”

Seeing the piles of documents and the disorganized desk, Catherine accepted Hugo’s suggestion.

“The butler was going to guide me to the reception room, but I wanted to meet you right away. I should have waited in the reception room.”

Catherine sided with Hugo’s butler, Roek.

“You must have wanted to give me your answer quickly, Catherine?”

“Well, something like that.”

“Is it positive?”

Catherine didn’t answer. Hugo smiled, looking at her face.

“You’re not the kind of person who would come all the way here just to refuse, are you, Catherine?”

Hugo acted like an impatient person, and Catherine reluctantly nodded.

“But Hugo, there’s something I need to make clear. My answer is, hmm, yes. It’s leaning towards a positive direction as you said, but I haven’t decided yet.”

“We need a quiet place. Then you will love this place.”

Hugo walked a few steps ahead. And opened the door.

Hugo’s words that Catherine would love it were not a lie.

The reception room decorated with emeralds, which Catherine liked, had paintings by her favorite artist, furniture by her favorite designer, and exotic tapestries she liked.

“How is it, Catherine?”

Hugo asked, placing his hand on Catherine’s shoulder.

Catherine was startled and took half a step forward.

He spoke as if he had prepared all this for Catherine.

Even though it couldn’t be true, it sounded that way, making Catherine’s ears turn red.

“It’s nice. Very nice. You must have hired a servant with excellent taste.”

“I chose it myself.”

“What? Yourself?”

Hugo was not someone interested in decorating the house.

“Yes. Myself. Thinking of someone.”

Catherine didn’t ask if that someone was her.

Hugo’s intense gaze was the answer.

Why is this person like this?

Catherine was bewildered by the changed Hugo.

He was clearly acting towards her as he would towards a woman he liked.

But she wasn’t sure if Hugo liked her.

If he liked her, he would have honestly confessed his feelings before talking about a sham marriage.

The Hugo she knew was that kind of person.

“Let’s go in, Catherine.”

Hugo gently pushed Catherine’s back, blocking the door.

As she stepped into the room, Catherine was surprised once more.

The room smelled like her favorite scent.

She wondered how could he know her preferences so well, remembering everything with only three days of married life.

It was just amazing.

When Hugo rang the bell, a maid came.

Hugo asked for tea for the guest. The maid left, closing the door tightly unlike Elbert.

Catherine stared at the closed door for a long time.

Hugo sat on the soft sofa, trying hard not to break his relaxed smile.

In fact, when she appeared, Hugo wanted to raise his arms and sing.

When he made a half-proposal to Catherine yesterday, he remembered her reaction.

She didn’t seem inclined to accept his proposal.

The crisis Catherine faced-finding sponsors for the residents of Catherine House-was a problem she could solve on her own.

The second reason he mentioned for needing to get married had nothing to do with Catherine.

Of course, he had boasted in front of John, hoping she would come, but it was just a boast.

He never dreamed Catherine would really come to him.

Hugo controlled his rising smile and asked the question she always asked first.

“What brings you here, Catherine?”