The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 121

The thought, How insolent, caused the corner of his lips to lift in a crooked smile for just a moment.

“Is there really any need to discuss this further? I said I’d sponsor him instead.”

Or is he hoping for something other than sponsorship?

Cold, ashen-gray eyes swept sharply over Henry’s face.

“Honey, I made the offer first. But now you suddenly want to snatch him away—isn’t that against what’s right?”

“For the promising future of an up-and-coming artist, I’m saying I’ll sponsor him in the name of our house, and yet your reaction is excessively sensitive. Or is there some other motive that I don’t know about?”

“Ah, um… that…”

Henry looked back and forth between the two with an awkward expression.

At that, Nina sighed.

“Young man, I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve gotten you caught up in this because of me.”

“N-No, Madam.”

Nina gave Henry an apologetic smile, then leaned in to whisper quietly in Ash’s ear.

“You and I need to talk for a moment.”

Ash nodded as if he had been waiting for this. He had wanted to leave anyway.

***

On the way home.

Nina glared at Ash the entire time, her brows furrowed.

It was because of her frustration with her husband, who had tried to snatch away her source of money (Henry).

Ash, too, had grown up and received an education all his life among the nobility.

How harsh must the education have been in the Bayern Duchy, which was no less than the Taylor Duchy?

He had an eye for aesthetics as keen as hers, so it was true that she’d felt uneasy when going to see Henry’s paintings…

“…Your Grace, even so, I thought you had some sense of professional ethics, but you’ve gone too far.”

“Professional ethics?”

The man, sitting with his long legs crossed and his arms folded, tilted his head and scoffed.

It was an expression she hadn’t seen in a long time—a thoroughly disagreeable one.

“You tried to steal the artist I had my eye on. Of course, ethics are going to come up.”

“‘Had your eye on’… For that to come out of your mouth is rather vulgar, wife.”

“So you broke professional ethics, and you expect me not to say anything vulgar? That’s what I’m saying.”

“Hearing you talk about ethics only makes me more suspicious. What’s the reason you’re so insistent on being his sponsor that you’d bring up ethics?”

With one corner of his mouth lifted as if he found her amusing, Ash retorted sarcastically, prompting Nina to raise her voice in frustration.

“Why do you think I brought up professional ethics just now? It’s about the money!”

What are the reasons a noble would offer to sponsor an artist?

Broadly, there are three.

First is money.

Second is vanity.

Third is a pure passion and love for art.

Among these, her reason for wanting to sponsor Henry was, without a doubt, money.

“Money… you say?”

“Yes, because of the money. What else? Those paintings are works that will make money.”

What other reason could she possibly have for wanting to sponsor an artist?

Nina was never someone with much interest in the arts, whether it be paintings, sculptures, or anything else.

What drew her attention were pretty dresses, sparkling jewels, ceramics or tea sets decorating the table.

She had no intention of belittling the value of art.

It was simply a matter of different interests.

Like people who collect bags, figures, or devote themselves to collecting comic books.

“You’re saying you only wanted to sponsor him for the money? There’s no other reason?”

“What other reason could there possibly be besides money?”

Nina Bayern was a person who had never once sponsored an artist in her life.

If he hadn’t been someone who could turn a profit, she wouldn’t have promised to sponsor him with what little she had.

This was a form of investment.

And now, for her husband to try and take her investment opportunity away—how could she not be angry?

When Nina glared at him, breathing heavily, he suddenly smiled and stroked his chin.

Hadn’t he just been sneering a moment ago, clearly in a foul mood?

But now, why did he suddenly look so pleased?

“…Are you happy now that you’ve heard it’ll make money?”

Even though he’s someone with more money than he could ever need?

Or is he amused by her certainty, when she supposedly knows nothing about art?

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