Winter had to reduce his office space due to fiscal austerity, so he ate and slept in a small office in a building in the middle of the market.
Hayel piled up the documents on his desk and shouted, unable to bear it any longer.
"I told you to eat properly!"
"Shut up and get out."
"You sleep two hours a day and eat the same meal every day. Then you really die from overwork."
Hayel checked the sandwich on the plate. It was a sandwich with just peanut butter on it.
"At least you can eat it with ham."
"It takes a long time to chew."
"Then with soft ham. No, it's not about ham."
Hayel sighed deeply and placed a letter on top of the document he was looking at.
"Please read the letter from Little Madam one more time."
"You read it."
"Read it again."
Winter clicked his tongue and opened the envelope.
[Winter, your birthday is only a week away.
This birthday, I'm going to try cooking myself.
So please come home on your birthday dinner. I'll wait.]
Winter asked, scratching his cheek.
"When is my birthday?"
"It was two months ago. Even Little Madam's birthday has passed in the meantime."
Winter, who finally felt a little guilty at Hayel's sarcastic remark, stood up.
"Buy some dresses. The one that's popular these days."
"Well, what? What kind of dress are you buying when you've been eating peanut butter sandwiches for every meal for a week now?"
"What if this Princess actually cooked for my birthday?"
"No way. Little Madame has probably never cut herself with a knife in her life."
"You never know. Just buy it. I can afford to live like that."
"There is room. But the CEO lives like this..."
Hayel was full of dissatisfaction but had no energy to break Winter's stubbornness, so he just turned away.
***
Winter hid her bitterness with a playful face as he recalled the events of that day.
"So... What did you eat for my birthday?"
"Are you going to make fun of me?"
"No. I won't make fun of you."
"Tomato pasta with sausage."
As soon as the easiest menu item in Rockround to make came out of her mouth, Winter made a huffing sound and then burst into laughter. Then Violet got angry and glared at him.
"You said you wouldn't make fun of me!"
"Did you buy sausages?"
"Of course. Then do I make it?"
"What about tomato sauce?"
"I had help, but I boiled the tomatoes myself. Pasta too."
"Now that I think about it, I feel sad."
"...Are you just planning on making something like that for your birthday?"
"No. I didn't go home that day."
He regretted every part of those three years. During those three years, he experienced all kinds of joy in his business that made him forget all the pain. All of Violet's memories of those three years were unhappy. Every time he thought about it, he wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
Violet took a deep breath and smiled.
"So, you sent the dress."
"I sent it."
Violet felt rather sorry and patted the back of Winter's hand.
"Sorry. You've given me more than I thought. That's what I didn't know. I should have looked around a little more. I'm so sorry."
"..."
Instead of getting angry, Winter's heart sank when she apologized. Since the divorce is scheduled, Violet is probably trying to quickly get Winter out of her mind. Rather than lingering on it unnecessarily or assuming it had been like this back then, she was trying to apologize and move on.
Winter couldn't say anything more and kept his mouth shut. Then Violet asked quietly.
"I'm sorry, but can I say something to your parents?"
""Why are you asking for my permission?"
"Because you are a man who loves his Family."
"I made it up with money."
When Winter spoke as if swearing. Violet laughed a little. Anyway, he is a man who only chooses hateful words like this. It was funny to her to think that she would miss a man like this even after divorce.
Everyone at the party was already drinking and pricking up their ears in amusement at the scandal unfolding among them. A fantastic atmosphere, gradually cloudy weather, beautiful music, and the peak of splendor. All of this piqued the interest of others.
"Let's go out for a moment."
She looked at the Blooming couple gave notice, and walked away. She blamed it on people's gaze.
Mr. and Mrs. Blooming had no choice but to follow her outside. Violet walked a little further away. Catherine said, following behind her.
"Violet. I just... Okay, be honest. I hated Winter sending such nice clothes to you, who had taken everything away from my son. Our poor son..."
"Are you going to hand over the title to my husband?"
Violet interrupted, turned around, and asked. Then Catherine closed her mouth, refusing to answer, and James opened his mouth.
"Winter is also my son, so he is a subject of consideration as always."
"Diev will not be able to sustain the family on his own. Winter doesn't like his brother, so it's hard to expect any help from Diev after he takes over the title."
Watching Violet talk about money as naturally as Winter, the couple noticed that a lot had changed in her while they had not seen each other.
Violet said, looking at Catherine.
"But mother would be against it."
"I love both children equally. However, in the Blooming family, there has never been a case where an illegitimate child succeeded the family."
"My husband didn't know the color tone that the Blooming family symbolizes. He didn't learn anything else that his family should have taught him."
"..."
"You two just took advantage of my husband's loneliness. I can never forgive you two for that. I'm going to tell everyone about this, including my husband."
"Violet..."
"But like I said, maybe I can forgive you. Even giving me medicine."
Violet spoke calmly and the couple looked at her. Violet continued her words calmly.
"Please elevate my husband to the first line of succession in the Blooming family."
"No. Never."
When Catherine revealed her true feelings, Violet opened her eyes and said.
"I told you. This is non-negotiable. Haven't you been receiving anything from my husband until now? You have to pay the price."
"Why didn't he give me anything? Didn't you give birth to a child mixed with the dirty blood of a foreigner?"
Catherine's eyes flashed with a coolness that made Violet wonder if this had ever happened before. The eerie feeling that Vioiet often felt toward Dieb was felt in Catherine. If the other person seemed funny, she had to put them under her feet and step on them to relieve her anger.
Catherine continued.
"How would my son feel if I said this?"
"..."
"We have to be satisfied with this relationship. Everyone has a position that suits them, right?"
Violet was silent for a moment. When Winter's biological mother needed money, she first appeared in front of him. She couldn't let the person he believed to be the mother he knows had treated her all this time.
Catherine continued.
"Violet, you may be leaving soon, but I am his mother. That alone is enough for Winter."
James was fidgeting next to her, but he was speechless, like a mute. Of course, for nobles, having a child out of wedlock was always a huge scandal, and even though it was because of money, it was true that his wife had tolerated the scandal all this time. He couldn't raise his voice loudly here.
Violet opened her mouth quietly.
"Getting divorced doesn't mean we become a complete stranger. After the divorce, my husband will be there for me when he gets tired of his loneliness. He is a precious person to me."
She continued bitterly.
"My husband... If he had grown up with more love, he would have had things he loved more than money. In that sense, the two of you were really great."
The couple fell silent. Violet muttered quietly.
"The succession will be decided by you two and the elders of the Blooming family. However, no one can deny that it is better for everyone in the family for my husband to continue the family. So even if you two reject me, I will persuade the family elders."
"Violet!"
"I told you. This is the only solution for me to forgive you two."
Violet spoke in the harsh tone she had learned from Winter and turned around. She returned straight to the party. The music changed, and people were dancing, but Winter stood in the middle, lost in thought.
Violet walked towards him, avoiding the crowd, and held his hand. Winter looked at her with his expressionless face, wrapping his arms around her waist and slowly beginning to dance along the people.
"What did you talk about?"
"It wasn't much of a story."
"Yes."
Winter nodded as if he didn't want to ask any more questions. He then bent her waist slightly and asked.
"By the way, have we ever danced?"
Then Violet raised the corners of her mouth slightly and shook her head. Then Winter clicked his tongue.
"There is no such bastard."
"This is our first time."
Winter, who was forced to dance because he was invited to all kinds of parties, and Violet, who had received all kinds of education to prepare for the social world from a young age, were such good partners that no one could believe that this was their first time together. People stopped in the middle and watched the two people dancing in fascination.
However, they were the ones who felt this harmony with their whole body more than anyone else. Neither Winter nor Violet had ever met a dance partner who suited them so well in their lives.
Winter, whose expression was stiff, smiled slightly and said.
"Sometimes dancing is fun."
"Fun?"
"Yes. It's my first time."
Violet seemed to like the idea that it was fun, too, and the corners of her eyes curled and she smiled.
"Now that I think about it, I see that, it's fun."
"You're pretty when you smile."
"These days, people say I'm pretty."
"You seem pretty these days."
Violet laughed a little louder this time at his taunt.
***
The star of the party from beginning to end was Violet. She was constantly surrounded by people, so Winter had to save her repeatedly.
Originally, Winter didn't plan on staying for long, and Violet felt burdened by the attention, so the two left the party early. Even though it was early, it was close to 12 o'clock. The party was now starting in earnest.
As soon as the door closed, Violet sighed.
"The party was this difficult. I forgot for a moment..."
Winter shook his shoulders and laughed at her words.
Violet, who was heading to the sofa, thoughtlessly looked through the Rockround newspaper that Winter had brought her, found a torn part, and asked.
"Why is this place torn apart?"
"I took it. There's something about airships."
"Airship?"
"Yes. I really like airships."
"Ah..."
Since there were so many people who liked airships, Violet didn't think it was a big deal and sat on the sofa. Then Winter sat down next to her, pulled Violet's legs, placed them on his own legs, took off her shoes one by one, and threw them away.
There was more than one thing she didn't understand about his actions, and Violet was tired of asking about them one by one. Now she doesn't even want to know why he put someone else's leg on top of his leg or why he threw someone else's shoe. He just does it because he wants to. That man who grew up in the opposite direction of herself.
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