090. Start again
All the blood in her body rushed to the top of her head.
Emilia stared blankly at the man's hand reaching out toward her, breathing heavily.
He caressed her rosy cheeks and moist lips without any hesitation. His touch was lewd, as if suggesting copulation, and powerful, as if asserting ownership.
Emilia did not avoid all this. She could not avoid it.
Hardius Meyer was a swamp from which one could never escape, a gigantic trap. In those silver-gray eyes, as deep as an abyss, Emilia felt helpless, as if she could never escape.
If it weren't for Prince Meyer's influence, would the King have invited that commoner into the palace to personally comfort her and even give her a bribe?
Everything must have been planned and planned by that man. She knew it, but she fell for it anyway.
From the moment she arrived at the palace, Emilia felt as if she was suffocating with memories of the engagement party. The fourteen-year-old girl she thought was dead had come back to life, swallowing her heart and making her tremble once again.
How is it that nothing has changed?
The jet-black hair that makes her want to put her hand in and touch it, the eyes that look at her breathlessly as if nothing in the world matters, and even that cold face that hides all that hot, surging stuff deep inside.
Hardy Meyer still shines, still looks beautiful, still makes her heart flutter.
“It’s like Pandora’s box, Emilia.”
A low, deep voice tickled my ears.
“You poured out your frustration and pain on me, and left me with a damn hope at the end. So there’s nothing I can do.”
Emilia's body felt like it was floating, and her vision was dizzy. In a part of her consciousness that was becoming hazy, she felt like she was someone else, obsessed with hatred and resentment. Emilia calmly observed herself like that.
“We broke up, but it’s not over.”
The hand with the ring on it was lifted into the air by his hand.
“You are free. I will be free. And then we start again.”
The man's lips touched. His hot breath poured out like a brand, running down her arm, to her heart, and throughout her body.
Emilia struggled to get out. She struggled hard.
But in the end, she can't get out of this situation even one step, and she's back to square one.
Why am I running away? When I can't win, and I can't run away.
Emilia stared into the gray eyes that were tightening around her as if they were binding her.
Can I love you again?
To the point where I could abandon the peaceful life I had just regained and jump back into chaos...
Can I love you that much?
Kalia and Mitch glanced out the window whenever they had a chance. Ever since the King's messenger had come by unexpectedly two days ago, the mother and son had been anxious and expectant.
Their trembling heart reached their peak this morning when the carriage sent by the royal family disappeared carrying Emilia.
Half a day passed like that.
When the pale morning sun rose directly overhead and began to shine brightly into the corners of the forest, the carriage finally arrived.
The two heads looked at each other in surprise as they realized that it was the Meyer family's and not the royal family's.
Charlotte, who was sitting on the swing and kicking the ground, was also surprised. She felt the scent of a familiar man next to her sister, who was getting closer.
“How have you been?”
At that moment, Charlotte felt her eyes getting hot for some reason.
"Master!"
“Have you heard from Pip? Moriah is growing up very well. You can come and see him anytime.”
“Really?”
Charlotte's head naturally turned towards her sister.
There was no sign of emotion from her sister. But at least the fact that she wasn't as angry as before made the child's heart flutter.
...There must have been something between them. Clearly.
All the blood in her body rushed to the top of her head.
Emilia stared blankly at the man's hand reaching out toward her, breathing heavily.
He caressed her rosy cheeks and moist lips without any hesitation. His touch was lewd, as if suggesting copulation, and powerful, as if asserting ownership.
Emilia did not avoid all this. She could not avoid it.
Hardius Meyer was a swamp from which one could never escape, a gigantic trap. In those silver-gray eyes, as deep as an abyss, Emilia felt helpless, as if she could never escape.
If it weren't for Prince Meyer's influence, would the King have invited that commoner into the palace to personally comfort her and even give her a bribe?
Everything must have been planned and planned by that man. She knew it, but she fell for it anyway.
From the moment she arrived at the palace, Emilia felt as if she was suffocating with memories of the engagement party. The fourteen-year-old girl she thought was dead had come back to life, swallowing her heart and making her tremble once again.
How is it that nothing has changed?
The jet-black hair that makes her want to put her hand in and touch it, the eyes that look at her breathlessly as if nothing in the world matters, and even that cold face that hides all that hot, surging stuff deep inside.
Hardy Meyer still shines, still looks beautiful, still makes her heart flutter.
“It’s like Pandora’s box, Emilia.”
A low, deep voice tickled my ears.
“You poured out your frustration and pain on me, and left me with a damn hope at the end. So there’s nothing I can do.”
Emilia's body felt like it was floating, and her vision was dizzy. In a part of her consciousness that was becoming hazy, she felt like she was someone else, obsessed with hatred and resentment. Emilia calmly observed herself like that.
“We broke up, but it’s not over.”
The hand with the ring on it was lifted into the air by his hand.
“You are free. I will be free. And then we start again.”
The man's lips touched. His hot breath poured out like a brand, running down her arm, to her heart, and throughout her body.
Emilia struggled to get out. She struggled hard.
But in the end, she can't get out of this situation even one step, and she's back to square one.
Why am I running away? When I can't win, and I can't run away.
Emilia stared into the gray eyes that were tightening around her as if they were binding her.
Can I love you again?
To the point where I could abandon the peaceful life I had just regained and jump back into chaos...
Can I love you that much?
***
Kalia and Mitch glanced out the window whenever they had a chance. Ever since the King's messenger had come by unexpectedly two days ago, the mother and son had been anxious and expectant.
Their trembling heart reached their peak this morning when the carriage sent by the royal family disappeared carrying Emilia.
Half a day passed like that.
When the pale morning sun rose directly overhead and began to shine brightly into the corners of the forest, the carriage finally arrived.
The two heads looked at each other in surprise as they realized that it was the Meyer family's and not the royal family's.
Charlotte, who was sitting on the swing and kicking the ground, was also surprised. She felt the scent of a familiar man next to her sister, who was getting closer.
“How have you been?”
At that moment, Charlotte felt her eyes getting hot for some reason.
"Master!"
“Have you heard from Pip? Moriah is growing up very well. You can come and see him anytime.”
“Really?”
Charlotte's head naturally turned towards her sister.
There was no sign of emotion from her sister. But at least the fact that she wasn't as angry as before made the child's heart flutter.
...There must have been something between them. Clearly.
Hardius turned around and tried to calm Brave down, who had been jumping around and wagging his tail for a while.
Kalia came running out late.
“Your Excellency, how did you... get here...”
Hardius looked around at her family and then immediately opened his mouth to tell them about the broken engagement and the bribe.
The shock caused a deathly silence all around.
Kalia looked slightly dazed as she looked back and forth between Master Meyer, right in front of her, and her daughter, who was far away.
Now that the engagement has been broken off, their relationship is over. All the controversy and confusion are over, and they are back to finding order and peace.
But why am I so upset and confused?
Kalia, who had been blinking, came to her senses for a moment and opened her mouth.
“You’ve come all the way here... It’s a bit shabby, but why don’t you come in and have a cup of tea?”
Hardius looked down at what Kalia and Mitch were wearing. They were wearing coats and hats, as if they were about to go out.
“It’s okay..”
Before he could finish speaking, a small voice interrupted.
“Would you like to go to the beach together?”
Charlotte continued speaking urgently, as if she didn't want anyone to interrupt.
“I was waiting for my sister and was planning to go out and play together. Today is a rare day off for everyone. Since you’ve come this far, you should come with me too. I’m sure you’ll see something amazing this time too.”
“No, no, Charlotte.”
“His Excellency is busy.”
Kalia and Emilia shouted almost simultaneously, but their innocent voices continued on regardless.
“Uncle Beppy will come with you, too. And Brave. And they have this many sandwiches.”
Charlotte held up a large picnic basket in front of her feet. Mitch was about to step in and say no.
“I wonder?”
Everyone was momentarily dumbfounded by the unexpected answer.
It was Beppy who broke the silence. He took Charlotte's hand with one hand and snatched the basket with the other.
“I want to go quickly. Beppy wants to go on a picnic quickly.”
“Yes! Let’s go! We have to go quickly before the sun sets.”
Charlotte took Hardius's hand without hesitation. The two of them started walking side by side as if it were only natural.
A hollow laugh escaped Emilia's lips. She had lost the will and energy to resist and could only follow them like a puppet hanging from a string.
When they arrived at the beach, the 'huge thing' Charlotte had been talking about immediately appeared.
The sandy beach was completely covered with a flock of white seagulls. A flock of birds on the shore was nothing special.
But when he got closer, Hardius felt his heart beating strangely, just like when he first saw Moriah.
Tiny things were wriggling among the sand and rocks. They were baby birds that had just been born.
For the family in the cabin, it was an annual event, so it wasn't all that unusual.
But it was different for Hardius. He looked down at the tiny baby birds for a long time, speechless.
Beppy was the same. He stopped at a distance, as if he couldn't bring himself to get close. Then he crouched down like a child and watched the baby bird quietly.
Emilia smiled brightly as she looked at him.
“It’s a black-tailed gull. Isn’t it amazing that there’s a gull that lays eggs in the sand?”
“Baby bird. Beppy loves baby birds.”
The sweet words coming out of the big man's mouth brought smiles to everyone's faces.
Emilia described the baby bird to Charlotte and then stood at a comfortable distance away, her heart melting like wax.
Having seen them every year, she knew that the future of these tiny, fragile creatures, no bigger than the palm of her hand, was by no means romantic. Only a tenth of all birds survive the savagery of predators and the harsh winds.
In the end, most of them die...
And yet, that small body moves. It struggles to survive for a moment, in this futile life that will crumble and crumble.
While Emilia was trying to calm her thumping heart with her hand on her chest, Beppy suddenly stood up and jumped into the sea with Brave. Mitch, who was watching, also took off his shirt and jumped into the water.
Beppy, who had been swimming like a seal, jumped out of the water, looked around, and came to Charlotte. Then he crouched down and offered his back to her. Charlotte hung on to her uncle's broad shoulders.
Beppy cautiously dipped into the seawater. The gentle waves tickled Charlotte's ankles, causing the child to burst into laughter.
Kalia sat on the mat and spread out the food, looking at the children happily.
Only Hardius was staring at the waves from a suitable distance away from them.
“...”
Her bare feet on the sand flowed towards him like a magnet.
“I still can’t get it. Just thinking about things like a Duchess or a title makes me uncomfortable. I might never be able to accept it.”
It was a sudden and incoherent statement, but Hardius showed no sign of being flustered. He simply listened silently.
“Yeah, I know.”
“I... I’m... a really selfish person. I probably only think about myself and my family. When things get tough... I might just want to run away.”
"It's okay."
“I have no confidence. I have no confidence to be happy next to you, and I have no confidence to make you happy...”
"No."
A face as blazing as the sun turned towards Emilia.
“It doesn’t matter, Emilia.”
He spoke again with unwavering, stern eyes.
“...”
Only then did Emilia begin to understand what it meant to say that it didn't matter.
***
Saturday.
At the banquet held at the Grand Duke Leichnen's residence, Hardius Meyer did not attend in the end. Instead, his aide and a very expensive piece of jewelry purchased from the Mephix jeweler took his place.
People could not help but be amazed at the brilliance of the gorgeous jewels.
“Still, it’s not bad. Such an unexpected surprise gift...”
Enria glanced at her daughter, slowly waving her peacock feather fan.
Bianca's reaction was indifferent. She had never been interested in jewelry since she was young. But the chess set that arrived late was different. It made her heart beat quite fast.
“No matter what, there’s no way to hide my disappointment. His Majesty the King has already declared the breakup of the engagement, so there’s no reason why he can’t come.”
Enria sighed briefly and looked at her daughter once more.
“Aren’t you upset?”
“Not at all.”
Enria swallowed her surprise and looked closely at her daughter's face. This time, it didn't seem like she was doing it for no reason, just to save face.
“Those feelings are from the regretful side. I don’t want Hardy and me to have a relationship where one person feels regret and the other doesn’t. I want it to be a completely equal relationship. If the situation were reversed and I were in his shoes, I would make the same decision.”
“...”
“Father, Mother, you always blame and resent Meyer, but I don’t understand that either. If you think about it, it’s much more our fault. I heard that we secretly formed a negotiation team without consulting them. It was right when Hardy was trying so hard to break off the engagement. It’s natural to feel betrayed. I think I should be thankful that Mada. Meyer hasn’t brought it up so far. If we’re not just a business alliance, but a blood alliance with marriage in mind.”
Enria's heart ached.
“Yes, your father seems to have some regrets about that as well. Actually, I do too. Since then, Madam Meyer seems to have become increasingly wary of the alliance.”
Bianca let out a short sigh, her face darkening slightly.
Enria knew that her daughter held Kaitlyn Meyer in awe and respect. Unlike her, her daughter had not been raised as a common lady.
Kaitlyn and Bianca had something in common. They were the kind of people who fit the description of 'ladies and gentlemen'.
“Madma Meyer is particularly distant from Senator Richard. There seems to have been some misunderstanding between them, and your father is in the middle of it, causing her a lot of trouble.”
“Don't worry.”
Bianca answered, picking up the queen from the elaborately crafted chess pieces. The soft texture and the subtle scent of maple wood settled comfortably into Bianca's palm.
“How could there be no such minor friction or conflict when it is a union of families? I will continue to strengthen the alliance as much as I did the marriage. I will overcome the estrangement caused by the negotiating team issue.”
Enria gazed intently into her daughter's sparkling eyes. Bianca, with her chin raised, exuded the dignity and majesty of a queen.
When did the child who used to cry and ask why she was so fat and ugly grow up like this?
“I am so happy to see you so proud. But remember, Bianca. Your father and I are your parents before we are businessmen. We want you to be happy. That is the most important thing.”
Bianca relaxed her gaze and looked gently at her mother again.
“Of course. For me, too, marriage is more important than an alliance.”
“Will Meyer make you happy?”
"Well."
Bianca hesitated for a moment. When she opened her mouth again, her amber eyes were filled with a complex light.
“One thing is for sure. I can make Hardy happy. I am the only person who knows him better than anyone else.”
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