“No, it’s nothing, I’m fine. I’m really fine…”
While crouching and crying, someone appeared and grabbed Elysia’s arm lifting her before she could even tell. She had no choice but to look at them with eyes full of tears.
“Why are you like this?”
She resented him. Why did he show up when I didn’t want to meet him the most? Elysia tried to pretend she was okay, avoiding his gaze as the Prince looked at her with a stiff face.
“Why are you crying? Who did it?”
She couldn’t explain to the prince she was crying because no one else but her fiancé. There was nothing more self-defeating than that.
“Something got into my eye, that’s all.”
As if not aware of its owner’s feelings, tears poured down without stopping. As Elysia quickly wiped them away, Havern stopped her hand and wiped the tears away with his rough palm.
“But still, what are you doing like this? Bothering people…”
“Don’t mind me. I’ll be going. Take care.”
A sob mixed with Elysia’s voice.
“I’m already bothered, what do I do? If I let you go like this, every time I pass by, or whenever the night comes, I’ll remember your face thinking you may be crying alone somewhere.”
His eyes seemed to add words into his speech. Without Elysia answering, he locked her in his arms.
“I’m going to be your Oppa from now one, so let’s play with someone who was just passing by. You can say anything to someone you don’t know. We won’t see each other again anyway.”
“This is our garden. Saying you’re just passing by is wrong. Why are you here in the first place?”
It came out as a complaint, but her heart felt strange. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was comforting. Tears that she could barely hold back came pouring out when he said that he was just a passerby; someone who would not remember her even if she was someone crying in the sideroad. Elysia’s hand holding her collar tightened.
“I’m not crying because I am sad.”
Elysia whispered while crying in his arms and Havern nodded as if he knew well.
“Something got into your eye, that’s why.”
She was resentful and thankful to him for showing up when she was at the bottom and saw it all. She cried until her tears dried up.
* * *
It had been a week since her fiancé asked her to break up their engagement. Elysia organized all her thoughts and concluded.
“Convey to Young Master Rayden that his fiancée is here.”
Elysia stood in front of the gates of Duke Rayden’s residence. She did everything out of the ordinary. She came at the break of dawn unannounced to a place she should have made an appointment a month ago. She invited herself.
As expected, the Duchy was turned upside down. The Hellen family was a County, so it may be a little lower in terms of status and yet, it couldn’t be neglected in terms of will or social influence. Even more so if economic and political benefits can be gained by being close.
“My lady, what have you been up to since morning?”
Although the duke’s butler greeted her with a bright face, Elysia’s face was cool and stiff.
“Does the butler welcome the one who will be the hostess of this mansion?”
Even before Elysia’s counter-question was over, Duke Rayden, who had finished grooming in a hurry, came down from the second floor and entered the drawing-room clapping his hands.
“What brings my daughter-in-law like this? Come on, come on, we were in a hurry to prepare so it’s not a big deal, but is this what our relationship is like? I would be thankful if you could be at ease.”
Even the Duke could not treat Elysia, the successor of the Hellen family, unkindly. Considering the vast wealth she had and the secret skills that only the Hellen family possessed, it was absolutely impossible for the Duke to do as he pleased.
“I’m only grateful to you for saying that even at such a sudden visit. I hope you’ll excuse me for my rudeness.”
As Elysia bowed her head apologizing for the disrespect, Duke Rayden’s brain rolled. Hellen’s esteemed daughter would never make a sudden visit that would be described as ‘disrespectful.’ Even if the situation was her own mother dying right now. However, the Duke couldn’t believe that she, who came from a family that valued principles, came to his house like this. Even if it was because his son did something wrong, he must have done something seriously wrong.
“Young Lady Hellen… your favorite soft tea…”
He didn’t know what it was, but after asking to prepare her favorite tea to appease her, just at the moment he pulled the tea she liked towards her,
“I apologize, but I’ll have to break up the engagement.”
The teacup the duke was holding fell and rolled on the soft carpet. Without hesitation, Elysia called a maid to clean the floor. The duke, who had been observing the whole process, asked again as if he had come to his senses.
“Wait, wait for a… Young Lady Hellen, please wait a moment.”
As he left the drawing-room, she faintly heard the Duke asking for Conrad. Elysia smiled softly and picked the teacup that had not yet cooled down. Everything was within her expectations. She liked this controlled situation. Predictable and rolling along.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting so long. There seems to have been a bit of an argument since you’ve been together for a long time, but wouldn’t it be better to solve it with the parties involved? When you were young, you argued with each other a lot, didn’t you?”
The duke smiled kindly, but there was a hint of impatience in his eyes. Conrad, who had been brought in, sat on the edge of the sofa with a sullen expression on his face.
“Duke, I think you should say that to Young Master Rayden, not me. Because it wasn’t myself but the Duke’s son wanted the breakup. He confessed that he had someone he liked.”
At Elysia’s remarks, father and son’s eyes widened in unison. After losing his composure for a moment, the duke threw away his manners and slapped his son on the cheek.
“Father!”
“Can’t you shut your mouth? How dare you look at me like that after what you did? Young Lady Hellen, no, Elysia. You know very well that I think of the young lady as my daughter… please forgive me for this rudeness. The Lady has known my child since you were young, so you know it well because he hasn’t matured yet there are still many things that he lacks. Why, it’s like that. It’s like when you have only good things and suddenly eat street food, you misunderstand that you like it because of its sweet new taste. It’s just like that.”
But Elysia didn’t move a muscle. She was as calm as she was at the beginning. Just as she had seen the duke for a long time, the Duke knew her as well. The expression on her face was the one when Elysia was really angry. Because women of noble families wouldn’t show their emotions recklessly.
“I hope so. Breaking this engagement would be a loss for us as well.”
Elysia had never intended to break up the engagement. But this was a warning.
I found out about your son’s faults, so sort it up.
“What would you like me to do? It’s the father’s fault for not being able to control their children, so please, young Lady, be at ease and let it go. I beg you.”
“I don’t know. I can move on, but I don’t know if it’ll be the same for my family. My mother told me to follow my heart.”
Elysia was simply sipping tea with the smile she always had. Conrad, who was watching his father tremble and crawl, couldn’t help but snatch Elisha’s arm.
“You, get out.”
“You– this brat! Conrad!! Conrad Rayden!!!”
Glancing back at the duke, whose blood pressure was soaring, Elysia was even more convinced. In any case, this family had no intention of letting her go.
She smiled coldly at her fiancé’s fuming back.
It was not until they arrived at the vacant lot in the estate, that Conrad, who had already let go of Elysia’s arm, turned around cursing.
“Are you mad? Where did you learn such an uncultured language?”
Elysia, looking at his back, asked dryly.
“HEY!!!”
Conrad shouted at her with an angry face replying to her naive question.
“Wouldn’t you be angry? I said– I begged you! I prayed earnestly! How can you do this without discussing it with me!!!”
It was funny.
Since when did you become so passionate? What did you ask for? It was not a request, but a notice and a command. ‘I’m like this, so follow my words.’
“So you, did you ask for my permission to love? Did you ask me for my understanding and forgiveness? Conrad, I was your fiancée. Who should be angry in this situation? If you are so confident, why is the Duke so afraid?”
She felt betrayed. How dare you say that you will abandon me and two families tied by so many promises to choose love without any responsibility?
“Yes! Because you were my fiancée. That’s what I said. Because we were friends before. For the first time, I have found someone I love. It’s not for position, it’s a promise, it’s someone I really love. But can you help me? Should it be like this?”
It was really funny. This man, who would roll his eyes and forsake everything just in the name of that ‘love,’ which did not suit him, was too unfamiliar for her.
“Are you… is that so? You don’t want it, so it’s a waste giving it to others, is it?”
Laughter leaked out.
How the hell did my fiancé think of me to be able to say such a thing? I really want to ask him what the hell he thinks of me.
All sorts of stupid words lingered in her mouth. But Elysia didn’t show such poor emotions.
“Conrad Rayden, you seem to be greatly mistaken, but I don’t want to date you. I’m not asking you to love me. The Raydens and Hellens shared technology, combined capital, and concluded a contract based on future interests. I don’t have to tell you what the benefits are. Can you afford to let your feelings meddle into such a huge contract?”
Conrad opened his mouth with an exhausted look.
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“You… Seriously. Is that all you can think about in this situation? Spiteful. That’s why I’m sick of it. That’s why I have never seen you as a woman. I was the weird one who felt guilty. Live your life in a mold, spend the rest of your life considering and counting the benefits. I won’t do it with you.”
Elysia stared at him quietly as he snapped at her.
He was always honest with his feelings, but was it that much? Was that woman worth so much?
I have to say- I can feel Conrad’s annoyance lmao Elysia ilv but you’re too much
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