New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 160: CHARLOTTE & GEORGE (9)

Chapter 160: CHARLOTTE & GEORGE (9)

After his grandfather breathed his last, George left the room. There was no emotion on his face and he seemed to have become even colder.

His eyes met Charlotte before he turned away.

He ignored Charlotte who clearly wanted to see how he was doing, and even acted coldly to her. He just couldn’t bear to face her.

With all the emotions bubbling within him, especially since the only close person to him in his family had died, he didn’t know how to react nor how to handle his feelings.

"George," his mother, Erica, called.

But George ignored her, not even bothering to acknowledge both her and hos father who sat to the side.

To him, they were nothing more than strangers.

Watching his father not even bother to pretend to be sad about his grandfather’s death filled George with disdain, but he couldn’t be bothered with them.

He returned to the Academy immediately after his grandfather’s funeral, but he never returned to the capital during the holidays.

He only returned for the engagement two years later when he was nineteen and Charlotte was fifteen.

He had become the Marquis not long before as his grandfather had passed on the title some time before his demise even though he was still young.

His grandfather had been the Marquis and hadn’t passed it on to Gilbert because he disliked Gilbert’s attitude, so he had never made him heir. He always said that Gilbert would bring the Oswalt Marquisate to ruin.

When George was born, he was announced as the official heir of the Marquis title and had been under the watchful eye of his grandfather to prevent him being led astray by his parents.

This deeply irritated Gilbert, but there was nothing he could do. Instead, he put pressure on his son to become a perfect Marquis.

Meanwhile, Charlotte was clueless about what to say to him after his cold attitude the last time they met. George also was the same, but his cold attitude remained.

Charlotte’s engagement was also seen as her debut into high society. She was nervous and apprehensive as she had never been in such a situation before.

She had travelled to her mother’s kingdom after her grandfather’s death, but returned when it was time for the engagement. She was taken to the Oswalt mansion for the engagement. When she appeared at the ballroom the engagement was to take place, murmurs rang out incerssantly.

Charlotte could feel the numerous gazes on her. Some were scornful, some disdainful, some curious, some envious, and some neutral.

Some ladies approached her who pretended to wish her goodwill, but only said hurtful things to her, hidden under a meticulous twist of words.

She remembered what her parents had told her before the engagement. They weren’t present for the engagement, but they had warned her about the true face of nobility. They had said that under the lofty and pure mask worn by nobility, was the hidden battlefield filled with snakes, wolves and wickedness.

She hadn’t truly understood until she witnessed it. Even then, she still looked forward to the marriage.

She was thoroughly exhausted by the time the engagement was over. She and George had been walking around as he introduced her to people as his fiance.

She went back home and talked to her parents, who had been staying at her grandfather’s house since they returned for her engagement, of what happened. They consoled her and asked if she wanted to cancel the marriage, but Charlotte was adamant.

Her parents did not bring it up again, knowing her feelings for her soon to be husband. But they told her that if she chose to go on with the marriage, that that would be what she had to face.

Charlotte only met George a couple of times after the engagement until their marriage ceremony the next year.

That day, she was dressed up exquisitely. She was as pretty as a doll, adorned in beautiful jewelry and clothing.

They got married at the temple, which was where nobles usually got married, to ask for the blessings of Lord Nerin upon the marriage.

She approached George with her father beside her, feeling bashful. George was also dressed handsomely. His face still had its cold look, but it had significantly lessened.

Only George knew how his heart skipped a big and then increased its pace and beat faster as he watched her approach him. She was extremely beautiful.

After the marriage rites were completed, George and Charlotte greeted their guests as a married couple and headed home to the Oswalt mansion.

George’s parents were not present for the marriage since they never approved of it.

But George didn’t care. It made no difference to him if they attended or not. He had always known his parents didn’t approve of his marriage to Charlotte and wanted him to get married to a noble lady of similar status so as to increase the family’s power.

They had moved out of the Oswalt mansion to a mansion in the Oswalt Fief that George had purchased for them.

He had done it readily against their wishes. He didn’t want to see them whenever he had to visit his fief.

Charlotte’s family, however, attended the wedding. It was the wedding of their beloved only daughter and they couldn’t bear to miss it.

After the wedding, they bid their daughter goodbye with tears in their eyes as their year-long stay with her had come to an end. They got ready to return to her mother’s kingdom.

The carriage ride between the newlywed couple was a little awkward as neither knew what to say. They hadn’t spoken closely in a long time, and the relationship between them had been a bit strained ever since the death of George’s grandfather. So right now, none of them knew how to go back to before.

George felt an unknown emotion erupt in his chest as he stared at Charlotte with the acknowledgement that she was his bride now. She was his.

It felt hard to believe as George had always been sure that he would get married to a lady from nobility. But even when he found out that he was supposed to marry Charlotte, he had never really realized it until it happened and they were joined together in marriage.

He brushed the feeling away and moved his gaze to the window, but even then, his thoughts strayed to her and he had to control himself to not look at her.

Charlotte, on the other hand, was deeply ecstatic but also very nervous, especially when she felt his gaze on her. Not knowing where to put her hands, she settled with folding them on her lap and looking out of the window.

The carriage carrying the couple sped towards the Oswalt mansion, the rhythmic sound accompanying each in their own thoughts.

When the carriage finally stopped, Charlotte didn’t know whether to feel relieved or even more nervous.

George first alighted the carriage before holding out a hand for Charlotte, acting like a true gentleman.

Charlotte smiled shyly and slowly accepted the hand, gently placing her hand in his. As soon as their hands touched, a blush coated her cheeks. George didn’t fail to notice this.

"Hehe," he couldn’t help the chuckle that left his mouth.

Charlotte’s head snapped up in surprise on hearing him laugh after a long time, then she lowered her head in embarrassment.

George’s eyes trailed down his hand and he couldn’t help but notice how well her hand fit in his or how her small, soft hands made him feel like not letting go. He paused at that thought, wondering what was wrong with him.

Charlotte also followed his movement, seeing that her hand was still in his even though the carriage had riden away. She quickly withdrew her hand, looking elsewhere.

They both felt the emptiness in their palms.

"Ahem," George coughed. "Let us go in."

They faced the mansion to see a lineup of servants in front of it.

Charlotte froze. Had they been standing there the whole time? That only served to deepen the blush on her face.

But whether they saw or not, the servants didn’t show. Their head remained lowered respectfully.

"Welcome, Master and Madam!" They greeted simultaneously.

George’s face resumed its usual coldness, but his eyes contained a gentleness and joy that he wasn’t aware of.

After they entered the mansion, the servants dispersed, leaving George and Charlotte, and the head maid and Butler.

George introduced them to Charlotte first, before sending them away.

He led Charlotte up the stairs and through different corridors to a room at the end of a corridor.

"This will be your room." He explained, leaving Charlotte stunned.

Her room instead of their room? Did that mean they weren’t sharing a room?

"Don’t hesitate to come to me if you need anything." George pointed at another room. He knew that she wasn’t used to the mansion. She had only been here a handful of times.

"I will take my leave." He nodded and turned to leave. His voice was still so cold.

"Wait!"

George stopped at Charlotte’s voice, then turned around curiously. "What is it?"