TCPFLBW l CH 11

Episode 11-

“Baroness Bansen.”
It wasn’t just that they happened to cross paths—she even ended up working as a temporary maid in Ian’s mansion.
Was this really a coincidence?

Ian was quiet for a moment, then admitted the truth.
“Baroness Bansen is here in Cameron.”

Usually, he met with the broker outside. But sometimes, the broker would come directly to Ian’s villa.
If that happened, he might bump into the baroness, who now worked there as a maid—so it was best to say this in advance.

“What? Baroness Bansen is here?”
The broker looked shocked at first but then gave a bitter smile as if something had just clicked.

“I had a feeling she’d leave that village… So she really did.”
He pushed up his glasses with the back of his hand and leaned back with a deep sigh.

“She’s such an unlucky woman. She became the second wife just last year and already got kicked out.”

Ian, who had been listening silently, suddenly looked up at a word that caught his attention.

“Second wife?”

The broker made an “Oops” face.
“Oh. You didn’t know?”

“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”

So the broker began explaining.
“The first baroness died of a fever shortly after giving birth. So the baron raised his daughter alone with his mother. Then last spring, the baron’s mother passed away too.”

After that, he remarried.

So that means…
The child who had been living with them wasn’t the new wife’s biological daughter.

Ian’s expression changed slightly.
Suddenly, someone came to mind.
Cold eyes and a harsh way of speaking—yet a completely different kind of warmth inside.
They’re alike…

Maybe it was because of the way she cared for a child that wasn’t hers, as if it were her own. Someone overlapped in his thoughts.

Ian was lost in thought when the broker continued talking.

“That woman who married him is the same person now working in Cameron—Baron Bansen’s second wife.”

Pause.

“…‘Hired’?”
Ian asked.

The broker laughed awkwardly.
“Oh, right… You see, their marriage wasn’t about love. She was basically a contract wife.”

Contract wife.

Two words that didn’t seem to belong in the same sentence.
But they stirred a new kind of curiosity in Ian.

“Can you explain more?”

“It’s pretty simple. Baron Bansen is a work-obsessed recluse. He didn’t have time for family, so he hired a wife the same way you’d hire a housekeeper. It sounds ridiculous, but for him, it was probably the best option.”

Because he worked six days a week at a mine, there was no adult home to watch the child on weekdays.
The problem was, he didn’t have enough money to hire a maid or nanny.

“If he could afford a maid, he wouldn’t be working that dangerous mine job in the first place. So, instead of paying for help, he used his noble title to attract someone who wanted a higher social status.”

Even a fallen noble was still a noble.
And many people from the working class were desperate for an opportunity to move up.

“Still… a contract wife?”
Ian started to protest, but then fell silent.

At first, the idea of a contract marriage had seemed bizarre—
But then another thought crossed his mind.

If both sides get what they need…

It might actually work.
Ian sat back and thought.

It’s a method I hadn’t considered before…

As long as people didn’t find out about the contract, it could work.

Not bad.

He had come to that conclusion when he casually asked,

“What kind of reputation did she have?”

“Reputation?”

“I mean, even if they signed a contract, what if she still tried to become his real wife?”

“Oh, you mean the baron’s contract wife?”

The broker thought for a moment, then shrugged.
“There were no big issues during the contract, and she left quietly without taking any inheritance. That tells me she was a clean, honest person.”

At that moment, Ian’s eyes sparkled slightly.

“She didn’t get any inheritance?”

“None. I heard both the baroness and the child were kicked out without a penny.”

“…Interesting.”

Ian’s expression shifted again.

And yet she still cared for that child…

“The way you’re asking all this… Baron Bansen’s invention must’ve really been something. But I don’t think his wife stole his designs.”

The broker assumed Ian’s interest in the baroness was only related to the baron’s invention.

Ian simply nodded.

“Well, it’s an invention that could change history. We have to be cautious about everything.”

“I understand. Even though I wanted to break my own rules and invest—it was that revolutionary.”

Ian smiled and smoothly changed the subject.

“Anyway, you seem to know a lot about the Bansen family.”

“This is basic research. You can tell from just reading a proposal whether an inventor is real or a fraud, but other investors can’t. That’s why I investigate thoroughly.”

To make sure the inventor wasn’t just a con artist with fancy words.

“I see,” Ian said, rubbing his chin, pretending to think. Then he asked,

“In that case, could I ask one more favor?”

****

Estella was coming downstairs when she ran into the old butler, who had just returned from an errand.

“Heading to help with dinner?”

“Yes.”

“Anything else?”

“I had time, so I also finished making the beds.”

The butler widened his already round eyes.
“You made the beds too?”

“Yes.”

Estella was quick with her hands. She had already finished her chores ahead of the schedule Kamila had given her.

“Wow… You really are fast. So aside from helping with dinner, everything’s done?”

“For now, yes.”

The butler paused, as if calculating something in his head.

“You said it’s just you and a young daughter at home?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

He crossed his arms and tapped them with his fingers, lost in thought.
Then, after a moment, he uncrossed them and asked,

“Would you like to go home now?”

Estella glanced at the clock on the wall.
5 p.m.

It was dinner prep time. Leaving now felt a bit early.

“It is a little early to go, but it’s fine. The young master is eating out tonight.”

Meaning there wasn’t much to do in the kitchen—so she could leave early.

“Or you could wait two or three hours, have dinner, then go. The contract says we will provide you with dinner, after all.”

She hesitated. It felt wrong to leave this early on her first day.
And truthfully… She was looking forward to dinner.
Breakfast and lunch were light, but dinner often included meat dishes.

But…

Estella stared at the clock and thought of Ayla.

I didn’t even get to say goodbye this morning.

She had to leave so early that Ayla woke up with someone unfamiliar—Kamila—taking care of her all day.

She’s a smart girl for her age, but… she’s still a child.

Adjusting to a new environment takes time.
Until Ayla settled in, Estella needed to be there for her.

“In that case, may I leave early?”

“Of course. And if you keep working like this, you’re welcome to leave early in the future too.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yes. The young master doesn’t eat much dinner anyway. The chef and I can handle it.”

He said it lightly, but Estella could feel it.

He was being considerate.
He knew her situation as a widow with a child and wanted to help.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. You’re doing a great job. I wouldn’t say this if you weren’t.”

Estella smiled warmly and bowed politely.

“I’ll keep doing my best.”

“Good. Now off you go, before it gets too dark.”

****

After changing out of her maid’s uniform in the attic room, Estella came downstairs and saw a paper bag filled with fresh bread and fruit.

Her name was written on it—in the butler’s handwriting.
He had prepared it for her.

She paused for a moment, touched by the gesture.
Then she turned to the kitchen and bowed deeply before leaving the mansion.

It was still bright outside.
Indoors, the lights were just starting to come on. Winter really was ending.

This mansion is far from home.

It took about an hour and a half to get there.

Maybe I should start running.

She had noticed today how much stamina she had lost. She needed exercise.

They said we can use the bathhouse when we’re off duty, right?

The staff bath wasn’t fancy, but it had soap and everything.
It was one of the few perks of working at Lord Wyndham’s estate.

If I run to work, I can wash up in the morning.

She was busy planning all this in her head when she heard the faint sound of hooves behind her.

Naturally, she looked up—
Someone was riding a horse toward her, not too fast.

It was him.
The owner of the mansion. The man who had attended her husband’s funeral.

He also saw her and pulled the horse to a stop.