But all of that was just her delusion. The fact that she was the only one flustered and stuttering spoke volumes.

‘It’s so unfair.’

It was unfair that she had lost sleep and stayed up all night over the fact that she was marrying Lucas. It irritated her that, as a result, she had been making mistake after mistake at work this morning…

As Giselle muttered to herself while staring at the ceiling, someone tapped her on the shoulder. It was her colleague sitting next to her.

“Ah! You startled me.”

“I’m the one who got startled. What were you muttering while staring at the ceiling? You’ve been acting really weird today, Anticia. Can’t you focus at all?”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

At her colleague’s observation, Giselle’s face flushed red as she bowed her head, mindlessly flipping through the ledger. Her colleague then stood up and pointed to the wall clock.

“It’s lunchtime. You can do that later in the afternoon.”

“Ah, is it that time already?”

She stretched her neck to check the clock. The office had emptied out since everyone had gone for lunch.

“Are you bringing your own lunch again today?”

“Yes. Well… that’s right.”

Giselle gave an awkward smile in response to her colleague’s question. She didn’t have the means to buy lunch outside, so her meal was always a packed lunch. It was a remarkable feat that she could even afford cat food during this time.

“Enjoy your lunch.”

After the usual greeting, her colleague retrieved his coat and left the office. With them gone, Giselle was the only one left.

She took out the packed lunch she had brought from home. A sandwich with ham and a small glass bottle of milk were placed on the desk.

It was far from the meal of a noble lady, but given her family’s financial troubles, she couldn’t expect anything more.

“Haa.”

Giselle chewed on the bread as she reviewed the ledger again. The lack of focus throughout the morning had slowed the progress of her work.

‘I need to hurry if I want to finish by the afternoon.’

While taking a sip of the milk from the glass bottle, her green eyes were diligently scanning the ledger.

How much time had passed, she didn’t know.

Knock, knock.

The sound of someone knocking on the office door could be heard.

It was highly unusual for someone to visit during lunchtime. But if someone had come, it must be for an urgent matter.

Since the returning employees were not back yet, she was the only one to greet and attend to the visitor.

Giselle quickly wiped the corners of her mouth and stood up from her seat.

“Yes, please come in…”

Her face paled. The person who had come to the office was not a client.

“Ah… Count, what are you doing here?”

“Can’t I come and see the woman who is to become my wife? Hmm… So this is where the lady works, I see?”

Count Maurice strode in, holding a cane in one hand, and began examining and touching things around the office as if he owned the place.

Giselle was momentarily flustered, but seeing his behavior, she quickly stepped in front of him to block him.

“You shouldn’t barge in like this, Count. If you’re not here on business, please leave.”

“You’re alone here? Ah, it must be lunchtime.”

The Count disregarded her words and continued speaking.

“Convenient. Let’s discuss the matter of our wedding right here, my lady.”

“Count, about that marriage…”

“And we should also discuss you quitting this job. No, there’s no need to discuss it — you’re quitting immediately. Tsk, to let a grown maiden work among men like this. Neither you nor the Baron are in their right minds.”

The Count clicked his tongue, issuing commands in a domineering tone. Her face flushed with shame and anger as she opened her mouth again.

“I have no obligation to follow your orders, Count.”

“What?”

The Count furrowed his wrinkled brows, then forcibly curled his lips into a smile and burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! As expected, the youthfulness shows. The lady’s words are so absurd. While that naivety can be charming in a young lady, I’m not the type to just sit back and let my wife act so recklessly.”

The Count swung his cane threateningly. Giselle instinctively took a step back, her body trembling.

Rumors about him that she had heard before came to mind.

Working in the office, she would often hear various stories. People were naturally inclined to gossip to pass the time.

The rumors about Count Maurice were one of those.

「Is it true that the Countess really died from an illness? I heard she was killed.」

「I heard that rumor too. That the Count threw a vase and it hit her head, killing her…」

The whispers that had spread quietly through the lips of those who had worked at the County estate had become more prominent after the Countess’ sudden death.

And one could even come across stories about him in the yellow press that cost a durelec.

Giselle, who was short on money, would never buy the sensationalist newspapers, but those murmurs had still reached her ears.

She had simply let them go in one ear and out the other, not particularly curious. But now, seeing the Count’s domineering behavior, those faint memories resurfaced.

“And one more thing to clarify — I am not, nor do I have any intention of becoming, your wife, Count.”

Giselle mustered her courage and spoke up again, struggling to overcome the fear that had frozen her body.

“What do you mean? Didn’t you hear the proper explanation from your father? I said I would take the lady as my wife in exchange for clearing your father’s debt.”

“I will repay the money they borrowed from the Count.”

“Hahaha!”

The Count burst out laughing and strode towards her. Giselle tried to back away again, but clenched her fists and glared at him. Contempt was clearly visible on his face.

“The lady will repay it, you say… What touching filial piety. But you see, how exactly do you plan to repay that massive amount? I’m not unaware of Anticia’s financial situation.”

“That is not the Count’s concern.”

“How can it not be my concern? My money is tied up with your father’s affairs. Ah! Come to think of it, do you know about that?”

“…?”

Giselle looked at the Count with a puzzled expression. Seeing this, the Count grinned wickedly and continued.

“Just a few days ago, the Baron borrowed more money from me. As my soon-to-be father-in-law, I readily lent it to him. 30 million larcs, to be precise.”

“…30 million larcs?”

The color drained from Giselle’s face. This was something she had not anticipated.

Even with the massive debts they already had, she had never imagined her father would borrow money so recklessly again.

‘No matter how much I thought the debt would be forgiven, how could Father do this!’

She swayed, nearly losing her balance, and reached out to grab the nearby desk. Even as she did so, the Count’s composed voice continued.

“Oh dear. It seems you weren’t informed about that by your father. My, I let that slip.”

Contrary to his claim of a slip-up, there was a twisted delight in the Count’s tone.

Giselle took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the desk tightly. Gradually, the darkness that had clouded her vision began to clear.

It was as if she had been splashed with cold water, reviving her senses. And she once again fully grasped the reality before her.

30 million larcs.

Added to the existing debt, a new debt had been incurred in the past few days. Her father had borrowed more money.

‘Come to think of it, Mother did seem to be in a good mood lately. And William has been going to the clubs more often.’

She let out a hollow laugh, feeling utterly disillusioned. The Count continued to taunt her as he observed her.

“Baron Anticia is truly remarkable. Looking at how he’s trying to get the most out of selling off his daughter, you must be so proud to have such an impressive father, my dear.”

Giselle was momentarily too dazed to respond to his words. No, she couldn’t even muster the slightest reaction.

It wasn’t until the Count suddenly reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close, that she snapped out of it.

“What do you think you’re doing! Let go of me, Count!”

She struggled and tried to break free from his unexpected embrace, but with her delicate female physique, she was utterly powerless against him.

“So be a good girl. After all, you’re worth nearly 90 million larcs!”

As the Count caressed Giselle’s waist, his hand gradually slid towards her chest.

“Let go of me…”

Giselle, her face pale with fear, continued to wrestle to get away from him, when suddenly, footsteps approached, and the Count, who had been about to grab her chest, was sent sprawling to the floor.

“Ugh! What, what is this? How dare someone—”

“Anticia.”

Giselle didn’t have time to process what had just happened before she heard her name being called. She turned to meet a deep indigo gaze.