Chapter 4: Intentions

HELENE

Rather than being stumped by my questions, Camille smiled.

“I’ll answer your questions one by one,” she said calmly. “First—Lucien.”

“You don’t want to marry him? But Helene, at the very least, you’re familiar with him. He’s cold, yes, but he’s also known to be a gentleman.”

She tilted her head slightly. “If you wait for our parents to arrange another match for you, can you guarantee the next man will be even half as decent?”

“I—”

She waved me off.

“I know what you want to say,” she continued. “That you’re your own person. That they can’t force you to marry someone you dislike.”

Her tone sharpened, but just a little.

“But that thinking is nothing short of naïve, Helene.”

“The moment you were born a Laurent, your fate was already sealed. The family has to ‘recoup' the cost of raising you.”

“And for a woman,” she added evenly, “that cost is repaid through marriage to a suitable match, chosen by them.”

“There’s no escape,” she said, her voice calm and matter-of-factly, “unless you give up your name, your identity, and disappear completely—to a place where they can no longer reach you.”

She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.

“That,” she concluded, “is the price of being born into a prominent family.”

I listened in a daze, as though she were reciting the unspoken laws of a world I had never asked to live in.

“So if you truly want freedom,” she continued, “you have to let them recoup their investment. And the fastest way to do that is by marrying Lucien—then using that opportunity to sever ties with the family permanently.”

She met my gaze steadily. “This may be the only chance you’ll ever get.”

I wanted to scoff. To tell her she was exaggerating.

But the deadly seriousness in her eyes told me she wasn’t.

This was the reality I had to face.

Camille went on, “Second, you’re worried the Blackthornes will reject you once they find out you’re no longer a Laurent.”

"But..." A faint smile curved her lips. “Do you really think our parents would be foolish enough to let that slip before the marriage?”

“And if the truth comes out afterward?” Her smile deepened. “Then the Blackthornes would likely be delighted that you've cut ties with them. Who would still harbor goodwill toward a family that pulled such a despicable stunt?”

She added coolly, “Even if our parents tried to cling to you afterward, the Blackthornes would stand in their way and protect you.”

“Lastly,” she said lightly, “you asked why you’d want to be tied to Lucien and the Blackthorne family for life.”

She arched a brow. “For glory and wealth, of course.”

I stared at her, my expression deadpan.

A heartbeat later, she laughed softly. “I’m joking. I know you don’t care about things like that.”

Then her expression turned serious.

“I’ll be blunt with you,” she said quietly. “A severance document only sounds powerful. But if our parents ever decide they want something from you, it’ll amount to nothing more than a worthless piece of paper.”

She paused, then added evenly, “But with the Blackthorne family’s influence behind you? That’s an entirely different matter.”

I was silent for a minute, then smirked faintly. “Breaking free from one cage by stepping into another. What a brilliant plan.”

Camille shrugged. “As long as it works.”

Silence settled between us—heavy, contemplative—each of us lost in our own thoughts.

Then she spoke again.

“And if you’re really worried about being tied to Lucien forever… it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.”

I glanced at her, curious as to what she had to say.

“From what I know, Lucien is pragmatic,” she continued. “Before officially registering the marriage, you can propose to him about entering into a contract marriage instead of a conventional one.”

She really does have an alarming number of strange ideas, I thought, realizing again just how little I understood this sister of mine.

“And you think he’d agree?” I asked.

“Why wouldn’t he?” she replied. “It’s common practice among families like ours. Not to mention he doesn’t strike me as someone exactly eager for emotional entanglements.”

I thought of the cold, distant figure in my memories and nodded slowly.

To some extent, I could agree to her words.

“You seem to hold him in high regard,” I said after a brief pause.

“Of course,” Camille replied. “He’s a natural-born genius. People will always admire those better than themselves.” Her lips curved faintly. “And he isn’t arrogant, either.”

“Even after his accident?” I asked quietly.

Her smile didn’t falter. “Do you think a disability diminishes a person’s worth?”

“No,” I said. “But earlier, you were the one who told Father that the situation had changed. That his position had become uncertain.”

A glint of cunning flashed through her eyes. “And how do you know I didn’t say that intentionally?”

I stared at her, suddenly unsure where she truly stood.

Instead of continuing the conversation, she reached out and flicked my forehead lightly.

“Children shouldn’t be curious about everything.”

“All you need to know,” she added, her tone deceptively casual, “is that you won’t go wrong marrying Lucien.”

I didn’t respond.

Instead, I asked quietly, “You orchestrated this game and dragged me in without asking for my consent. So at the very least, I deserve to know—what’s in it for you?”

She smiled, mischief flickering across her face. “Think of it as eliminating a competitor for the inheritance.”

She opened the car door, then added without looking back, “And more importantly, setting someone up for unimaginable regret in the near future.”

Before I could react, she stepped out.

“I look forward to seeing you at the next family meeting,” she said over her shoulder. “And learning what choice you’ve made.”

I watched her walk away.

For a fleeting moment, a flash of understanding surfaced—

Then, just as quickly, it vanished, leaving only confusion behind.