Her Devious King

Contract

"V-Viscount Marden," Adeline greeted. She bowed her head in respect.

Adeline had just entered the room. Her shoulders were already trembling. It was difficult to not cower before him.

Despite Viscount Marden's age, he was a man of considerably large stature. His frame was broad and he was sporting salt and pepper hair. There was a healthy glow to him.

Viscount Marden was handsome in his youth. Or so, Aunt Eleanor always bragged. Unfortunately for him, he grew a large wart on his left cheek. A single hair solemnly grew out of it, making him an eye sore.

However, his reputation and presence was enough to command the room. In particular, his private study, furnished in polished rosewood and decorated with green velvet furniture.

"Y-you called for me?" Adeline added on.

Adeline lifted her eyes to see that the Viscount had his back to her. He was watching out of his window, even though there was nothing that could be seen, except a pitch-dark forest behind their large mansion in the middle of nowhere.

Adeline noticed the cane in his hand. It was a walking cane, with a lion head at the top. He used it to support one of his bad legs. As a result, one of his arms was stronger than the other.

"You failed," Viscount Sebastian said.

His disappointed voice forced her to tense. Adeline's stomach uncomfortably churned. She suddenly wanted to use the bathroom. Her nerves were all over the place.

"Useless, through and through," he seethed.

Adeline tried to not shake. His glare would worsen, and she'd be a stuttering mess. Now that she thought about it, Adeline did not stutter as a child. Somewhere along her growth spurt, she had picked up the habit.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he demanded in a crude voice.

Adeline had a thousand things to say. The mission was rigged. It was an impossible task. His Majesty wasn't present. These phrases barely scratched the surface. She could provide many explanations.

Viscount Sebastian would deem all of them excuses. Failure was failure. With it, came punishment. So the same mistakes were not repeated. Ever again.

And he would be certain of it.

"I-I have a lot to say," Adeline managed. "But you'll think of them—"

"As excuses," he finished for her.

Viscount Sebastian swung around. He preferred not to look at her. She was the splitting image of her beautiful mother. Too bad Adeline inherited none the grace and elegance. Staring into those large, green eyes of hers, his heart burned with envy.

"On with it," Viscount Sebastian gestured.

Adeline shrank back. She gripped the sides of her dress, knowing what was to come. A failure was a failure. Even when he sent her on a suicide mission. Somewhere along the lines, she wondered if he enjoyed hurting her.

"Y-you said you wouldn't hurt me if I failed," Adeline explained. "You told me—"

"I said I won't be mad," Viscount Sebastian said. "It's a difficult task that guarantees your freedom. But you failed. And now, it's time to fulfill your end of the bargain."

Viscount Sebastian did not lie. He was not mad. At all. He had expected this outcome. He made certain of it. It was known that His Majesty rarely showed his face in public. Much less a boring socialite ball.

"Now sign the papers," Viscount Sebastian stated. He motioned towards his mahogany table. Everything was immaculately organized. Not a single paper or pen was out of place. He preferred it that way.

Adeline's shoulders relaxed a bit. Her back legs were still burning from two days ago. Like a dog walking to its death, she trudged forward. Her eyes swept over the paper.

"A deal is a deal," he reminded her.

His voice was lighter now, and less disappointed. What man would be unhappy to make more money? It only took a single slip of paper, too. How easy was that?

Adeline gulped. She picked up the papers, her fingers quivering. She expected as much.

"Party A agrees failure to fulfill Section 1. Mission, Party A will relinquish rights to Kaline and Addison Rose's inheritance bestowed to their sole daughter, Adeline Mae Rose. Adeline Mae Rose's inheritance will be transferred to Sebastian Marden."

Adeline's eyes flew to the Section 1. Mission. "Party A will be fully emancipated from House Marden and relatives if Party A completely eradicated the person of Party B's request by the end of the Ball."

"It's time to hand your fortune over," Viscount Sebastian calmly announced. He pointed to her name at the bottom of the paper. In neat handwriting, was her signature and thumb print in red ink.

"T-there's a problem, Viscount," Adeline slowly said.

Viscount Sebastian quirked a brow. "And what's the problem?"

Adeline's heart thundered in her ears. She found a loophole. Everything was going to either go very, very wrong. Or everything would fall into place. She prayed it was the latter.

"The Ball is just beginning, today's the first day of the season."

Viscount Sebastian chuckled. It was faint and sounded like a breath. Viscount Sebastian had never been so entertained by her stupidity. Adeline was exactly like her mother. She was just a pretty face with no brain. How did a fool like her find a fault in a legal contract?

"S-so if you can be patient enough," Adeline assured him "I will fulfill your request soon."

Viscount Sebastian loudly laughed. The taunting noise echoed in the room and sent her flinching back.

Her eyes clamped shut in fear.

His lips curled into a snarl. Her terrified reaction was just like that of the past, when he saw her before her parents ever did. It was funny how the world worked.

"What a brave girl you've become," Viscount Sebastian spat out.

The Mardens had always been at the mercy of the Roses. Adeline's father was a Crown Prince. Prince Kaline of Kastrem. They were only Princes and Princesses in name.

A castle didn't reside in Kastrem. It was forbidden for any other castle to be built besides the one possessed by His Majesty. However, Crown Prince and Princesses resided in enormous mansions that might as well have been castles.

Kastrem's expansive land was valuable. Residing on their land were large mines where precious gemstones had been unearthed for decades. The mines gave the Rose family their wealth.

Crown Prince Kaline was filthy rich. His fortune was supposed to be given to Adeline the day she turned twenty-one. It was an unexpected age. Children usually inherited their parent's fortune when they turned eighteen.