When she returned to her room in the annex, she didn't even go to bed. Before she stumbled to the ground, she walked over to the window and crossed her arms.
"Hah."
The heat inside her did not subside easily. She tried to open the window wide, thinking that it wouldn't work like this, but even that was too stiff to work. She tried to exert a little more force, but then she lowered her hand as if in resignation.
This isn't even her house, so she can't put a blemish on it.
Evangeline can't imagine what Deccarno would have said anymore. Judging from what he said about Kirion right now, there was no sign of him asking her for details or circumstances. She had already made up her mind and asked, but it was so ridiculous that even her excuse felt meaningless.
'What does this man think of me?'
Her pride was greatly hurt, and her head was empty. She has never met a man other than Deccarno, but she knows that it is common for people to leave their spouses and meet someone else in the open-minded social circles of Loark.
But she didn't know she would be like that. It didn't matter if she actually did it or not. Nothing mattered except that Deccarno thought so.
"Miss, can I come in?"
"..."
She was an exclusive maid in the annex. The maid carefully entered with a knock and set up tea and a simple meal. She didn't go out right away, but glanced at Evangeline's face and made eye contact with her.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I just wanted to see if you're okay... I wonder if the food is good for you..."
"Did the Duke tell you to do it?"
"..."
Looking at the maid's blushing face, it seems to be right. Evangeline asked the maid to leave her alone, but she knew from the beginning why the maid, who hadn't been there for a while, suddenly paid attention to her.
"Maybe he's right."
It was sad to realize that there is no such thing as pure goodwill in human relationships. Evangeline, who had swallowed and swallowed again and again, not knowing what she was going to say, called out to the maid who was about to leave.
"Wait a minute. Can you send me this?"
"What?"
"I'd be grateful if you could send it to Melx's Fifth Avenue."
She simply scribbled a few lines and folded the envelope, and handed it to the maid. After all, if it were Deccarno's sender, this letter would also go to him.
At least she should say that it is convenient because there is no trouble notifying him of the cancellation of the appointment.
Evangeline, who had dropped everything, didn't even have anger. Not being able to meet the old friend who made her laugh, and the fact that her situation was declining on his scale day by day, was just like that. Her mind is already soaked in sadness and misery, and she doesn't have time to feel anything else.
'...Maybe this is my bottom.'
She believed that there was no worse thing anymore. Her family was ruined, she was rejected by everyone, and she even misunderstood the man who was going to be his husband, but there could be nothing worse than this.
"What if it's the worst? Now all that's left is to hit rock bottom and climb up."
"...Father."
Evangeline, who had already fallen into bed, heard her father's roaring voice pour into her ears. Even when everything on top was stolen or when a mine collapsed due to heavy rain, her father chuckled as if it wasn't a big deal.
He said that if only people were not hurt, nothing would be lost. She was so dumbfounded that she looked at her father calmly, but in the end, she fell in love with the laughter.
Evangeline closed her eyes and looked up at the corners of her mouth as if to remember his smile.
'How did he laugh?'
She thought only of it so that the morning would become day and the day would become night. Deccarno would no longer be at home to receive a report on her situation, so she didn't mind eating.
She just wanted to endure. She wanted to do something about it.
"Smile, Evangeline."
She held her limp hand and grinned, trying to remember her father's laughter. Evangeline curled up alone in an empty bed and muttered to herself,
'I think I've reached the worst of the worst, and I'm going to start over. Otherwise, there was nothing I could do now, so I became even more desperate.'
"...Miss, are you there? Can I come in?"
"Yes."
It was only when she heard the maid's voice one after another that she realized that night had fallen. Even in this situation, she didn't want to face people with such a stretched appearance. Evangeline managed to get up and straighten her hair, and once again she faced the maid of the morning.
"Is the Duke back? If that's the case, I'll prepare it quickly."
"Oh, no, I have something to tell you."
"..."
It was a dim room with the lights off, so she didn't know what the maid was bringing. Evangeline finally looked at the dingy box, and the maid smiled and set it down.
"A guest came from the top. I said that I couldn't let people in because of the Duke's order, but he asked me to tell you about this first..."
"What is this?"
"It's just what you asked for."
The maid who blurted out the end of her words seemed to know nothing. Evangeline, who had sent her away, tried to turn on the light but suddenly stopped.
She didn't want to check it out in a well-lit place. Her fingertips, trembling hesitantly, opened the black box very slowly. To be precise, her hot breath burst out before they all opened.
"Ugh..."
In the blurred vision, a pair of muddy shoes and a button on the shirt she picked out for herself.
It was a keepsake of his father, who was once said to be the richest man in the Belice Empire..
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