It has been about a week ever since I last saw Adele and I never saw him since. Irina asked with a worried look.
“Miss, are you going to stay all day in your bedroom again?”
I answered back, digging deeper into the blanket.
“What would I do out there?”
“Even if Lord Magnus doesn’t come, you can go out with me! Shall we go to the parfait store?”
Irina suggested in a lively voice, but I immediately refused.
“No.”
“Miss…”
I curled up on my bed and stared at Irina. She was biting her lips with regret.
“What if I can’t accept your death?”
If I die, she’ll be sad too, right?
Wouldn’t she want to forget about meeting me?
“Irina, I’ve been thinking too much about myself. I didn’t want to know the pain of the person who will be left behind when I die. Wouldn’t it be better not to meet anyone until I die than to hurt everyone like this?”
My words distorted my face as if I was going to cry right away.
She came up to me and went down on her knees in front of the bed and held my hand.
“Please don’t say such sad things. Every day I spend with you is very happy and precious. It’s an honor to be able to support you up close. I’m sure no one else will ever regret spending time with you.”
I hesitated. Irina forced herself to speak cheerfully.
“And you can be as selfish as you like! You’re so sick and distressed right now, how will you get better without other people’s help? You have to be surrounded by sweet people and eat delicious food and be happy every day. Such guilt may leave a big scar on each other. So please stay as you are right now. You just have to be loved as much as you can and get all the attention.”
“Eung… “
“I’m sure anyone will fall in love with you if they see you smile.”
Irina added with a warm and gentle smile. I blinked.
“Will Irina fall in love with me too if I smile?”
Irina was silent for a moment, then she sighed.
“In fact, the first time I met you, Miss, I lost all of my motivation. I don’t know how to explain it but, I thought it would only be a matter of time to make a country into a mess if you wanted to. You’re already a fraudulent beauty! And if you even smile!”
Irina was speaking so eagerly. It was even scarier because it felt like it’s coming from a sincere heart from deep inside.
“Irina, your eyes are so serious right now.”
“It’s because you’re asking me something obvious! Then, I’ll leave the black tea and some chocolates here. If you need anything, please call me anytime.”
Irina smiled a little and left the snack she brought on the table.
I was lost in thought as I heard the door closing.
I want to keep living here too you know…
But I knew very well that there’s no way that could happen.
The cause of my illness was not revealed even in the novel. It was a secret that never been revealed.
I was thinking of falling asleep again, but Irina’s expression came into my mind so I lifted myself up.
I didn’t feel as energetic as before, maybe the medicine’s effect was already gone.
Standing still in front of the mirror was a woman with a pale and thin body.
Nevertheless, she was very beautiful. Her straight hair shone as if it had been gathered and sprinkled with starlight.
Pearl-colored skin, cherry-colored lips, and big moon-like eyes made her look more unrealistic.
It’s just too much.
Her beauty was too much that it actually seemed like it was a disaster that was eating her vitality away.
A woman so fascinating, precarious stood unmoving at the other side of the mirror.
Except for her full lips, everything else of her appearance looks transparent and shiny white, a reminiscent of trees covered in snow and moonlight.
I stared at the mirror with a slight frown and went to the table afterward. I sat quietly and put chocolate in my mouth.
A week ago, Irina was very worried about me when I came back crying.
When Adele didn’t come the next day, I became even more pensive. I said I was okay with a smile, but I didn’t go out alone.
I stayed in the bedroom all day and tried reading or embroidery.
But I still gave up because I couldn’t thread the needle.
That’s when I truly realized. I really liked Adele. He was my first love.
However, he was under a lot of stress just living his normal daily life, and he still kept a lot of secrets that I didn’t know.
I was the one who had to leave anyway. It’s better to end it here, while our relationship is still not deep since the longest I could be here is only for two years.
A mind that couldn’t be held accountable should be thrown away.
“Hey, miss.”
Irina knocked on the door by evening.
“Come on in.”
Irina opened the door when I gave her my permission. She spoke with a troubled expression.
“There was a lady that has been wandering alone near the estate since about an hour ago. But she seems to be a lady of a well-established family.”
I tilted my head.
“What does she look like?”
“She’s a very beautiful woman with black hair…”
“Ack!”
I chocked.
Black hair was not very common here.
Furthermore, if it was a very beautiful woman, that looks like someone from a well-established family, then the only one I knew who fits such a description is the villain sister.
“One of the guards spoke to her and said told him that she was waiting for someone.”
Argh! I got goosebumps.
The villain sister hated wasting her time for nothing.
As a Duke’s daughter, she doesn’t like waiting for someone.
The villain sister has very shallow patience.
I ran straight out.
“I’ll be right out!”
“Do you know her?”
“Yeah!”
Irina shouted something behind me, but I ran recklessly so I did not hear it.
As soon as the guard saw me, he told me where sister was.
I quickly ran out of breath because I had low stamina again.
Fortunately, the villain sister was still inside the estate area.
Gloss flowed from her elegantly styled hair, and the dress embroidered with the crow’s pattern revealed her collarbone and shoulders.
The guards moved far away because she was showing off an unusual character at a glance.
I slowly stopped running and began to approach her gently.
“Lynette?”
The villain sister, who looked at the wrong place even though she had already noticed me coming, looked back at me with delight.
“Oh, Anastasia! What a coincidence!”
I squinted.
“This place is our property.”
“Omo, there really are a lot beautiful coincidences in my life.”
The villain sister was ridiculously imposing.
“What brings you here?”
“I was just enjoying a light walk.”
“But this place is an hour drive away from Duke Bliss’ estate.’
“My legs are so strong that a regular walk is not enough for me.”
“Ah, sure.”
I was slowly losing my sincerity in my answer.
I was seriously thinking about going back, but the villain sister looked sad as if she noticed my conflict.
“Oh, my leg hurts all of a sudden. May I take a break since this is the estate of the Count’s family?”
It’s only been less than a minute since she said her legs are strong.
“Lynette, you don’t make sense at all.”
When I protested, the villain sister smiled fiercely.
“It’s not fun to pry too much, Anastasia.”
Ha, haha. I couldn’t help but be nervous. I knew well how this reckless sister would change if something didn’t go her way.
“C-come with me.”
Lynette came with me and entered the count’s mansion. As soon as she settled in the drawing-room, the villain sister made a reminiscent face and chattered in a hilarious voice.
“Anastasia, I was relieved to see you. As expected, meeting you that day was not a dream. The beauty that shocked me and left me in ecstasy was really real!”
I don’t know if I should be happy about that or not. I focused on drinking the tea that Irina brought instead.
“But why do you look sullen even after all my lavish praises? Did something upset you? What’s wrong with your waning eyes?”
I answered the sister who showed curiosity appropriately.
“Thanks for your concern. But I’m fine.”
Sister looked at me like she was exploring. Then he spoke in a tone that sounded evasive.
“Other nobles know that you’ve always been with Lord Magnus. But he hasn’t come out of his mansion lately. And so are you, Anastasia.”
I flinched at the mention of Adele’s name.
I don’t know where she got the information, but the big smile on her face sent shivers down my spine.
“You don’t have to answer my question. I don’t want to interfere too much in Anastasia’s personal life. I like your face as much as I can. I don’t care if you get dumped….”
Ugh!
The fork I was going to put in the strawberry cake slipped from my hand. Sister covered her mouth and laughed.
“Hooo, you’re so cute. Did I guess right? That’s a very honest response.”
“Why are you here?”
This villain sister must’ve truly liked my face and it’s making my insides turn over.
I don’t want to admit it, but this sister hasn’t taken her attention off me even for a moment.
She’s looking at me as if she’s checking on the estimates before making a product …
Sister put her chin on her hand and looked at me with a subtle gaze.
Hey, would you mind not seducing me?
“Anastasia, are you going to the party tomorrow?”
“I’m going to stay at the mansion. I don’t have a partner anymore….”
I was supposed to go with Adele, but that was all in the past.
“But didn’t Lord Magnus promise to be your partner?”
I frowned.
“How did Lynette know that?”
“Lord Magnus is a man who keeps his promises. I thought Anastasia would know that. Here, take it.”
My sister took out a neat envelope from her arms. I took it by surprise.