I Only Left Because It Was Contract Marriage

“There could be no life more miserable than this.”

My family had fallen into ruin.

And the duke who had destroyed my family said to me:

“If you work as a tutor, I might at least help you repay the interest.”

The family was ruined, and the debt kept snowballing.

While I was at a loss even to pay the growing interest,

he suggested I become a tutor.

“Is it too difficult?”

I knew very well that he wasn’t offering out of kindness — it was just to humiliate me.

But I had no choice.

“I understand.”

And so,

I became a tutor in the household of my family’s enemy.

The duke had an adopted daughter.

She was blind and gravely ill.

“You can give up on me. Everyone else has.”

But strangely, I found myself drawn to the child, and unintentionally, I did my very best for her.

Then one day, the duke said:

“She doesn’t have much time left. So fulfill her wish and marry me.”

“…Your Grace.”

They said the child’s life expectancy was, at best, one year.

“Just one year.”

Thus, I entered into a contract marriage with him.

“Do you need time to think?”

“I’ll do it.”

Even if it was a one-sided love,

I wanted to stay by the duke’s side.