Catherine put down her teacup.

Below the sofa, two children held up both hands.

“What did you break.”

One of the reception room’s glass windows was shattered.

“I’m sorry. I did it.”

“No. It was Tahon!”

The two children blurted out their words, then glanced at each other. They both nodded, and Ahon spoke up first once more.

“It was me who did it!”

Should one say it’s nice to see such good sibling affection where they protect each other?

The children were throwing snowballs in a snow fight and broke the reception room window. The butler passing by almost got hurt. It was fortunate no one was injured…

Lorendis put down the documents he was reading nearby.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m fine!”

The butler laughed heartily saying he was fine, and the broken window could be replaced. Lorendis embraced the child.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”

“Dear, I was in the middle of disciplining them……”

“It’s cold. Let’s give the children some warm hot chocolate and warm them up by the fireplace first, then it’s not too late to scold them.”

It’s definitely too late. Knowing this, the children scurried to the fireplace and sat down with their bottoms against it. The children wearing fur hats leaned their heads on each other’s shoulders.

They stretched their fidgeting hands toward the fireplace, and Catherine gently shook her head. At this point, she should give up on scolding them today.

“I’ll bring a blanket.”

“Yes! Tahon will bring it!”

The head maid just returned with blankets. Tahon brought a blanket and draped it over his sister’s shoulders, then over his own. It was a white blanket with fluffy fox fur.

“Perhaps because they’re still young, they get along well.”

Tahon, who had taken off his fur hat, tousled his hair. Lorendis approached and tidied his disheveled hair.

“You’re too soft with the children.”

“They make me weak.”

Catherine touched her teacup and smiled slightly.

This noisy peacefulness isn’t bad.

* * *

A bottle of alcohol was placed on the side table.

Catherine moistened her throat with a glass of alcohol. She leaned her body against the backrest and looked out the window. The moonlight scattered as if crushed.

Only the pitch-black night sky stretched outside.

Lorendis approached and draped a blanket over her shoulders.

“Why are you like this?”

“I feel like time is very fast. It feels slow in the moment, but looking back, everything passes quickly.”

Lorendis sat in the seat next to the sofa. Today he was dressed in a light robe.

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Today even all the staff have gone home.”

“It feels like it’s been a while since just the two of us were like this.”

As she leaned her head, thick fingers stroked her long hair. He caressed the hair wrapped around his fingers.

“Why are you alone like this?”

“I just wanted to be like this for a moment.”

“Without any reason?”

“The night sky was too clear. I was captivated, lost in thought.”

She put down the glass of alcohol.

“Shall we go to bed now?”

“What about the children?”

“They fell asleep together after reading a storybook.”

Catherine stretched out both arms. Dressed in a thin nightgown, she leaned into his embrace, and he stroked her hair.

Long strands of hair tangled in his grasp. The two walked to the bed and lay down softly.

Lorendis propped his arm beside the pillow and bent his waist.

‘Cold.’

Catherine continued giving small kisses on his chin.

The arm that burrowed into her waist firmly supported her. His short hair tickled her cheek.

Catherine wrapped both arms around his neck. As she burst into clear laughter, his breath penetrated.

Their lips locked together. Breath exploded thickly. She swallowed the saliva pooled in her mouth.

“Haa.”

Catherine moaned softly and pressed her hand on his shoulder. Heat pooled fully in her lower abdomen.

Hot. It gradually becomes hotter.

As she pressed firmly on his shoulders with her hands, his intense gaze followed.

“You’ve become playful with your hands.”

“Mmm…… do you hate it?”

“How could I hate it.”

His touch fumbled around her navel. His touch, wandering below as if lost, gradually moved higher. After continuing small kisses on her chin, he buried his face in her neck.

Nibble.

He gently bit her skin. A faint heat pooled in her lower abdomen.

“I’m hot.”

“Your cheeks are red.”

“Haa……”

As Catherine moaned as if sighing, he put his head inside her top. His lips touched her navel. Her skin burned from the heat pooled inside her body.

Catherine stroked his hair.

“Hot, isn’t it?”

His voice spread softly. He sat up and smoothly removed his shirt.

His shoulders turned smoothly. As he straightened his waist, the firmly toned muscles captured her gaze.

“It does seem a bit hot.”

“I’m hot too.”

Lorendis sat Catherine on his knees. Smiling, he kissed her temple.

* * *

Long hair scattered across the pillow.

She lay on her side and blinked. It was still early dawn.

Catherine buried her body under the blanket. The blanket was soft, and the canopy blocked the faint dawn light, making the languor slow to dissipate.

She wiggled her fingers. She opened her eyes again after closing them.

She felt a solid weight below her waist.

Someone was embracing her from behind. Whether awake or half-asleep, Lorendis was embracing her waist with his thick arm.

Catherine looked down at her body.

Dressed in a nightgown, she was lying on her side, embraced by him.

As she exhaled languidly, Lorendis stirred beside her.

He caressed her waist as if soothing someone asleep. Feeling that caress languidly, Catherine slightly raised her body. Then, Lorendis’s voice resonated deeply beside her.

“Are you done sleeping?”

“You should sleep a bit more.”

“Then come here too. You didn’t sleep much.”

Catherine lay down again. As she curled her body under the blanket, he extended his arm.

“It’s quiet.”

“It’s still dawn.”

“That’s true. The sun is just about to rise.”

The children were still in the midst of their sleeping time. Warm air blew in the room. It was a good day to linger in bed.

“Let’s embrace a bit longer.”

Lorendis, who buried his face in her tender neck, inhaled.

“You smell like dry sunlight. When I embrace you, I feel like I’m holding a lot of heat.”

So let’s stay just like this for a moment. The two remained still.

“Just a little longer like this.”

“Yes. Just a little.”

By now, the sounds of servants moving about could be heard outside. It was the sound of people just starting their day’s work.

Sweeping outside with brooms, clearing the paths, tidying up the places the children had messed up.

Even amid all that, light laughter spread.

“Sleep well.”

Catherine closed her eyes. A weary feeling spread throughout her body. Was it because the arm wrapped around her waist felt stable?

Catherine, falling into a light sleep again, had a short dream.

It was just a fleeting moment.

Catherine met a woman who looked exactly like herself. It was “Catherine Helen” herself.

She was sitting in the sunlight. “I” who had been reading a book raised my head. And met her eyes.

‘Are you well now?’

Catherine nodded. The woman in front of her closed the book and faced her straight on.

‘Then that’s good.’

Her whole body seemed to melt at that peaceful voice and expression. Somehow, she felt like she might tear up.

She was smiling without even realizing it. With her eyes closed, she looked like a woman sleeping peacefully.

The sunlight shone down as if melting, and the grass blades rustled in the wind. Rustle, rustle.

She remained there blankly for a while.

“……rine. Catherine.”

“……mmm.”

“It’s time to get up.”

Catherine opened her eyes. Looking up at the ceiling, something scattered as if an afterimage was fading. Lorendis was in front of her. He had shaken her awake.

“You were sleeping so soundly that I felt bad waking you. But you shouldn’t wake up too late.”

“Were you beside me the whole time?”

Lorendis nodded.

“I feel like I had a dream, but I can’t remember it well.”

“A dream?”

“It was a warm and touching dream.”

A dream full of warmth and tickling feelings.

Catherine pulled back the blanket and came out. The morning sun had already risen far away. She walked to the window. And pulled back the curtain.

“Oh……”

“Brady is looking after the children instead.”

It had seemed strange that this morning was quiet too, but Brady was playing with the children, giving them piggyback rides.

‘Good morning.’

Brady gave a casual greeting.

Tahon laughed brightly as he rode on Brady’s back. He waved his arms in the air while Brady held him securely with both hands.

Ahon ran far away and pulled at Brady’s clothes.

“I slept for a long time.”

“Brady seems to be playing with them instead so you could sleep more.”

Catherine smiled softly and looked down.

Tahon tilted his head back and discovered her. She responded in kind to his waving arms.

Like the dream she had just had, a warm and pleasant day began.

— The Contract Wife is Leaving Now. The End