22 Chapter 22

"Can you now tell me the reason for your visit today?"

"That..."

Gian can see how Shannen's eyes are shaking a little. She also grips the hem of her dress tightly. She looks restless and keeps on fidgeting in her seat. Gian can't fathom the reason why Shannen looks very anxious. This is a complete opposite display on how she enthusiastically and intimately greeted him a while ago.

"Lady Shannen?" called Gian.

Gian was surprised when she suddenly looks at him straight in the eye. Although he was caught off-guard by her gaze, Gian didn't avoid it. As if she had already decided on something, Lady Shannen takes a deep breath before slowly opening her small lips.

"Lord Gian Cres Val, please become my husband!"

Silence suddenly fills the receiving room. Lady Shannen's blush seared through her cheeks and for a minute, Gian thought she is suddenly having a fever. But still, Lady Shannen's expression shows how determined she is right now.

"...Well..." Gian faltered.

"Lord Gian, please marry me and make me become your beloved wife!" Lady Shannen urged as she moves a little from the sofa to get closer to Gian.

"..."

"I promise to love you until death does us part. I will become a loving wife and a caring mother to our future children. I will also become a lady suitable for a Marquis's son like you. I promise I will not look at any other man aside from you."

"What are you—"

"And if a day will come where you will fall in love with another woman, I will become magnanimous and an understanding wife. I am willing to welcome that woman as your second wife if that will make you satisfied with me. As long as you make me your official wife, everything comes next doesn't matter to me anymore. I will also—"

"Wait! Please hold on!" stopped Gian as he raises his hand to pause whatever Lady Shannen wants to say. "Stop speaking first. Be quiet for a while and let me...think."

Lady Shannen listens to Gian and complied with his request. Shannen was not aware of how she tightly grabs the hem of her dress until she opens her palm and makes her stiff body relax a bit. Her heart is still beating fast as she finally told Gian the reason behind her visit today. She planned to do it before but was stopped a lot of times because of her hectic schedule in the academy.

Lady Shannen only wanted to visit Gian with a pure intention of meeting her precious someone. Shannen hasn't seen him for so long and she really missed him so much. This visit of hers today is really not her original plan. If possible, Shannen doesn't like to do this at all.

Lady Shannen was aware that her request is over the top. She even knows that her request is indeed a difficult one. But she really had no other option left. If not because of her mother's unending persuasions last night, Lady Shannen will never visit Gian like this and directly asked him a ridiculous reason.

Gian was no different from Lady Shannen. His heart also beats so fast due to his surprise. In both past and present times, this is the very first time that Gian got a marriage proposal from a woman. Not only that, but Gian also feels weird to be asked by a lady to become her husband.

Isn't it the other way around?

Gian didn't notice that his throat gets parched during the time he listened to Lady Shannen. He really needs to drink something. As if Lady Shannen can read his thoughts, she stands up and carefully pour the lavender tea on his teacup. Gian only looks at Lady Shannen but didn't say anything and let her pour the tea for him.

After drinking the whole cup of lavender tea and satisfying his thirst, Gian's mind gets a little clearer. Thinking about her body language together with her way of speaking, she is not only speaking muddleheadedly. Lady Shannen was clearly delighted when she saw him earlier and became anxious when he asked her why she suddenly visited him. It is obvious that she has a reason behind her ridiculous request.

"Lady Shannen." called Gian.

"Yes?!" She exclaimed, clearly surprised that Gian calls her after being silent for a while.

"Why do you want to become my wife?" inquired Gian.

"Well... Because we are already friends since childhood."

"Only that?" queried Gian as he raises an eyebrow. "If that is your only reason, then I will now call Madam Finna and let her escort you out to our mansion."

"Wait, please!" pleaded Lady Shannen as she fidgets in her seat. "Well...I..."

"What?"

"I...I think I like you!"

"Oh? But I'm afraid that I don't feel the same way towards you."

Gian stands up from his seat and fixes the collar of his suit. Seeing him like this makes Lady Shannen to be filled with nervousness.

"Since we don't have the same feelings for each other, I will now go and return to my room." Gian declared as he walks towards the door.

"Please wait!" Lady Shannen begged and hastily followed Gian. She tightly grips on Gian's arm to stop him from leaving. "Can you first listen to me?"

"I have already listened to you ever since you mentioned your intention to become my wife."

"Then why are you leaving now?" Lady Shannen asked.

"Simple. Because it is obvious that you are not being honest with me." Gian stated. "I do not want to waste any more time listening to your unreasonable ramblings."

"I did not—" Lady Shannen stops herself from talking when she sees Gian's honey-colored eyes looking straight into her eyes. His gaze feels like he can totally see through her lies and she has no other way to escape or make excuses for it anymore.

"I'm sorry." Lady Shannen apologized as she lowers her head to avoid Gian's gaze. "I apologize for lying to you, Lord Gian. But please don't leave yet. Listen to me first. I promise that I will be honest this time and tell you the truth."

Seeing that Lady Shannen looks sincere with her words this time, Gian nods his head in agreement. Lady Shannen removes her hand from Gian's arm and sits back on the sofa. Gian also did the same and lazily lean his back on his sofa chair. He looks at Lady Shannen and waits for her to explain herself.

"It is true that I originally wanted to visit you because I missed you. Please believe me on this. I just really want to see you because it's been a long time since we have met."

"Then why are you now asking me to marry you?" Gian interrogated Shannen straight to the point.

"It's...It's because I really need your help." She shyly admitted. "My mother wanted me to marry someone who was way older than me. And I obviously don't want to marry him. After thinking for so long, I have come to a conclusion to ask you to marry me."

"And may I ask who is that 'someone' your mother wanted you to marry?"

"Oh. It's Earl Karl Bartilon."

Gian's eyebrows furrowed after he heard the name from Lady Shannen.

Earl Karl Bartilon.

Just like what Gian originally thought. That Earl is the one Lady Shannen married in his past life. If his memory and calculation were right, Earl Bartilon's wife just died four months ago due to suicide. It was said that the late Countess Bartilon was depressed and decided to end her life by drinking ten bottles of medicinal pills.

If someone will ask what was the reason the late Countess Bartilon got depressed in the first place, no one can answer it. But Gian already knew the answer. Countess Bartilon was never depressed. In fact, she was a victim of abuse.

And the perpetrator was her own husband, Earl Bartilon.

This was revealed after Lady Shannen died in Earl Bartilon's hands. Lady Shannen's personal attendant revealed how he always hurt and abuse Lady Shannen almost every day. According to the personal attendant, Lady Shannen was killed because she accidentally found out the truth behind the late Countess Bartilon's death when she found her hidden diary. Earl Bartilon was afraid that Lady Shannen will reveal it to everyone, so he hastily kills her to keep the truth hidden. Unfortunately, the Earl left a lot of evidence that time and he was quickly arrested.

Looking at Lady Shannen, Gian started to think about her situation in his past life. Aside from the Cres Val family, The Cladeu family was also well-known for their good businesses in the East. Their fur and paper-making business are also doing well and bring a huge amount of money for their family every month. Then out of nowhere, their businesses slowly collapsed one by one. In just three months, the Cladeu family was buried in a huge debt. If not because of Earl Bartilon's help, the Cladeu family will surely be removed in the high society.

But how come a firm and steady business like theirs will suddenly collapse?