Chapter 19: Marriage Contract?

“Fifty-something-year-old nobleman?!”

Olivianne felt like the words that had just come out of her aunt’s fat mouth were way too abstract to even process. But after Venus said that, she just kept looking at Olivianne with a proud, smug look on her face. Was she trying to…

…show off her charm or something?

The blue-haired loli girl fell into deep thought. Was this fat woman really so out of touch with her own looks? Being noticed by a man in his fifties was something to brag about?

Wait—no. That wasn’t even the most ridiculous part. The real question was: that fifty-year-old noble actually had his eyes on her? Seriously?

How?! In terms of appearance, even grabbing a cow from the livestock pen would look better than her. In terms of wealth,

under her “wise leadership,” the Lores family business was practically going bankrupt. Personality-wise, she was bitter

and mean. And on top of that, she already had a kid!

She had absolutely nothing going for her. So what—was that noble geezer into something…weird? Did he have some special taste? Maybe he just liked… over-the-top body types?

 Olivianne couldn’t understand it at all. Sure, maybe he was old—but not so old that his taste in women had gotten this weird, right?

Besides, wasn’t there a saying that “men are boys until they die”—no matter how old, they always go for eighteen-year-olds?

No problem there—Olivianne had been a man in her previous life, so she definitely understood that point…

Whatever.

Unable to make sense of it all, Olivianne just shook her head. Then she looked at her smug aunt and cautiously asked:

“So… what you’re saying is… you’ve found yourself a new man?”

As soon as Olivianne seriously asked that, Aunt Venus instantly went into rage mode. She ground her teeth and suddenly slammed the table, yelling:

“…You little brat, what are you saying?! Are you making fun of your aunt?! Damn it, that nobleman isn’t interested in me—he’s here to propose to you, Olivianne!”

Olivianne frowned deeply and stared at her aunt in disbelief. Now she finally understood the proud look on Venus’s face earlier. That expression…

It was just like a scammer in Myanmar waiting at the airport to pick you up… or a fraudster grandma waving you down in front of your car… or Cassius slapping Melmel’s butt in front of Gawain…

That look was pure fake kindness hiding vicious intentions—the smug grin of someone whose trap just snapped shut. It sent chills down her spine.

No wonder the fat hag had pretended to act so nice and gentle just now—turns out, she just wanted to gently talk her into getting married off quickly.

Naturally, Olivianne’s face turned dark. She narrowed her eyes and asked directly:

“You didn’t already accept on my behalf, did you?”

“Wait—sister-in-law, how come I never heard anything about this?!”

Even Fufu couldn’t stay silent anymore. When it came to something as serious as her daughter’s future, she finally stood up and questioned Venus.

But Venus just blinked calmly, waved her hand, and sneered:

“Sister-in-law, you were out on errands at the time—of course you didn’t know. Besides, I really couldn’t tell you this… because when that old nobleman came at first, he actually asked for you, dear sister-in-law.”

“He said he saw that seductive blue-haired beauty while out walking and immediately got his soul snatched away. He was dead set on marrying you~”

After shading Fufu with that fake-sweet sarcasm, Venus turned back to Olivianne with a smirk and said:

“But what could I do? I told him you’re a virtuous widow who has no intention of remarrying. However, I do have a

newly-adult daughter, who looks exactly like her mother, graceful and elegant, and even younger! That nobleman was

thrilled when he heard that. He insisted on proposing immediately.”

“And I thought, well, he’s a high-ranking noble! Even if Little An becomes a concubine, she’s not losing anything—in fact, she’d be marrying up! So… I agreed. How about that, Little An? Isn’t Auntie being good to you?”

As Venus finished speaking, she pulled a contract out of her pocket and slammed it onto the table. Olivianne glanced at it

with an ugly expression on her face—and sure enough, in the space for the bride’s name, “Olivianne” was written clearly.

And the wedding date? Next Sunday.

Olivianne let out a cold snort, then turned to Venus and said directly:

“I didn’t sign that. I’m not playing house with you. If you want to marry some old noble as a concubine, go ahead—I’m not doing it.”

“Tch… What kind of attitude is that, Little An?” Venus huffed. “You need to understand—he’s a great nobleman! If you

marry him, you’ll be one of them! You’re just from a merchant family—this is a huge step up. You’ll be living in luxury,

with endless money, land, and estates. Why are you acting like I’m tricking you?”

“Besides, he’s already in his fifties. At most he’ll live another twenty years. Just endure it a little, and it’ll be over!”

Venus kept up her “I’m doing this for your own good” tone, performing like she was some self-sacrificing saint. But the smug look on her fat face betrayed her—she was clearly gloating over ruining Olivianne’s future.

Olivianne gave another cold snort and shook her head, then shot back directly:

“You make it sound like once he dies, I—the concubine—will suddenly inherit piles of gold or something. Would I even get

a penny? ‘Endure it’? That’s easy for you to say! That’s twenty years of my youth gone! How the hell can you say that with

a straight face?”

“So what? You’re stopping me from going to school just so you can ship me off to that old man next week?”

“Well… heh. Sigh. Fine, whatever. I try to do something good, and this is the thanks I get. Think what you want.” Venus

said with a fake sigh. “Anyway, you know how hard things are at home. Your little brother is starting primary school next

year, and tuition’s going up again. If you want to keep studying, what’s he supposed to do?”

“He’s a boy, after all. Besides, I’ve raised you for all these years—it’s time you did something for the family too, right?”

As she spoke, Venus reached out and patted George beside her. She had always spoiled George too much. Maybe that was

the only person in her life she truly loved. Olivianne didn’t deny a mother’s love—but that didn’t justify sacrificing others

for it.

As she watched Olivianne’s small fists slowly clench tighter, Venus turned to her with a twisted smile, like she already had the upper hand.

“Well, no choice, Olivianne. If you really insist on breaking off the engagement, let me remind you—this contract says that if the bride cancels before the wedding or asks for divorce afterward, she has to pay the groom a huge penalty.”

“For you, that’s a number you can’t even imagine. And if you want to keep studying? Graduation year tuition is also expensive. The family can’t afford any of it, so don’t expect a single coin from us.”