The person who greeted Emily warmly was Marlene, the daughter of the Marquis de Huppert.
She easily took Emily's place as social queen while the Sinope family was falling apart. Of course, with her family in ruin and her marriage in tatters, Emily had no interest in such a title.
“What does the social queen have to do in the break room from the start of the party?”
But since she had been a rival of Marlene since we were young, she couldn't help but have a nervous expression on her face.
“Of course, I was waiting for you.”
Marlene chuckled, completely oblivious to Emily's slurred speech. Emily raised an eyebrow at the unpleasant smile and asked,
“How did you know I was coming to the break room?”
"I thought you'd come here to avoid your former followers. Actually, I was surprised at how predictable it was."
Emily bit her lip, angry that her true feelings had been read.
"Emily, don't you get it? No one knows you better than I do."
“No, really? Many people know me better than you.”
“Huh, that’s funny. Tell me who it is.”
“My mom and dad...”
Unfortunately, there was no one left in her mind.
“Do you really have to hear all that to feel better?”
“Yes, so among your friends, I know you best.”
Emily had never really thought of Marlene as a friend, but she decided to give her the okay.
“But why were you waiting for me?”
“Oh, that?”
The corners of Marlene's mouth rose again.
“If I stick close to you, I can see the most interesting things up close.”
Marlene was famous for blowing the small stuff out of proportion. Emily ignored her exaggerated intonation and expressions as she asked.
"Why?"
“Oh, I guess you haven’t heard the news yet.”
“Well, unlike you, who has nothing to do, I have a lot of work to do.”
“Oh, really?”
Emily was the one who felt uneasy, watching Marlene, who seemed relaxed despite her sarcastic remarks. Ultimately, unable to overcome her discomfort, she asked first.
“What is it?”
Marlene, who had been hesitating whether to speak or not, finally opened her mouth, unable to hold back her trembling lips.
“The Duke of Sadie is attending the banquet.”
"What?"
Emily rubbed her ears, wondering if she had misheard, and asked again.
“What did you say just now?”
"Do I have to tell you again? Your ex-fiancé, Duke Sadie, is attending the banquet today."
Emily's best-preserved composure was suddenly shattered.
“Why is that gentleman suddenly like that?”
Why are you so cute!
Emily's silent screams filled the break room.
Duke Charles Sadie of the North.
He was Emily's former fiancé. However, when the Count of Sinope incurred massive debts and lost his dowry, a letter of annulment was sent through the royal family. Since then, there has been no communication between them.
“So, you won’t come to me and pretend to know me.”
But Marlene thought differently.
The Duke of Sadie was a man who rarely attended banquets. Why would he attend Emily's first wedding party? The circumstances were certainly suspicious.
“Marlene, I know you’re good at overdoing things, but please hold back today.”
“No, my feeling is right, so just wait and see.”
The two returned to the banquet hall together. True to Marlene's words, the Duke of Sadie had arrived. He maintained a consistently listless demeanor toward the crowds that swarmed around him like bees.
The Duke, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, still had a gloomy and decadent atmosphere that was fascinating.
The sharp nose and jawline, which were almost perfect, the deep blue-violet eyes, the vivid platinum blonde hair, the slightly upturned eyebrows, and the sensitive red lips left a strong impression.
Just by looking at his broad shoulders, you could tell how tall and muscular he was.
But Duke Sadie wasn't just handsome. He was also the Empire's sole sword master and the commander of the Knights of Penitus, who guarded the border.
It was no wonder that people flocked to him to look good, as he was perfect without any flaws.
Emily had no regrets about his sending her the divorce papers.
It wasn't a particularly affectionate relationship, so even Emily herself would have been reluctant to marry into a family so deeply in debt. With that thought in mind, Emily gazed at Charles absentmindedly, and then their eyes met.
'Should I at least say hello?'
Emily, who had been thinking, bowed her head slightly and greeted him, and the Duke strode towards her.
'What the heck? Why is that guy coming this way?'
Marlene quickly slipped away, leaving Emily in a state of confusion.
“Young Lady Sinope, it’s been a while.”
In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn to her. It was attention she'd once desired, but now completely undesired. Emily answered with a forced smile.
“Your Excellency, I hope you’ve been well. I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but I’m no longer the Lady of Sinope...”
“Oh, I heard. You married a mafia man.”
Emily took a deep breath. Looking around, she saw that, thankfully, the voices hadn't reached them. She sighed in relief and spoke in a tone that was reassuring.
“Yes, but I think it would be better to call me Marchioness Starr.”
The Duke shrugged his shoulders and held out his hand, as if he didn't really care.
“I want to dance with you.”
“Ah, all of a sudden?”
Emily tried to control her expression, putting aside her embarrassment.
“It’s such an honor, but I haven’t even danced with my husband yet, and he’s right here.”
As Killian approached, Emily quickly stood beside him as if she had been waiting.
“Your Excellency, this is my husband, Marquis Killian Starr.”
And Emily also introduced the Duke to Killian.
“Greetings. This is Duke Charles Sadie.”
Marlene, who had been watching the three people from behind with interest, added her explanation.
“By the way, the Duke is also Emily’s ex-fiancé.”
“Marlene!”
Emily glared at Marlene with blazing eyes, but Killian had already heard everything.
“Aha, so you’re my wife's fiancé.”
Killian's tone was monotonous, but anyone who saw him could sense the chill. Emily awkwardly glanced between the two men, then clapped her hands together.
“Now that we’ve said hello, shall we part ways?”
Strictly speaking, they didn't exchange greetings. All that was exchanged between them was a piercing gaze. In a seemingly endless battle of wits, Emily forcibly grabbed Killian's arm and said goodbye.
“Your Excellency, we will withdraw first.”
"Wait for a sec."
Charles met Emily's eyes and opened his mouth.
“I’ll invite you to the Duke’s residence later.”
“Hmm...”
Emily, who had been rolling her eyes, couldn't help but smile positively.
She could feel Killian's burning gaze from beside her, but given her inferior status, there was nothing she could do. It hadn't even been an hour since she arrived at the party, and she was already completely drained.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
"Yes."
This is how the meeting that attracted public attention ended.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Lucius, the main character of the banquet, appeared only after all the commotion had ended.
He appeared as the typical Prince Charming of girls' imaginations, with bright, brilliant blond hair and warm amber eyes.
The Empress watched with a puzzled expression as she greeted people with a breathtakingly sweet smile.
“That kid isn’t the type to come out so easily...”
The maid next to her opened her mouth cautiously.
“I wonder if there’s someone His Highness likes among the ladies attending today’s banquet?”
“That’s absurd.”
He had been rejecting countless women over the years. What had caused him to suddenly become attracted to a woman?
“The Crown Prince said that Your Majesty asked him to dress up to look his best today.”
“Huh? Is that true?”
“Yes! I heard it clearly.”
The Empress watched Lucius's actions intently, holding a glimmer of hope.
At that time, Lucius was greeting countless people, unaware that the Empress was watching him, and was searching for the woman who had stolen his heart.
But no matter how much he looked around the banquet hall, he couldn't see the woman.
“Ha... Where did that woman disappear to?”
“Who are you talking about?”
The aide asked in a curious voice.
"She looks like a goddess, like a fairy. She's someone you rarely find in real life, someone you only dream of."
The aide frowned at Lucius's awkward explanation. It seemed the Crown Prince was seriously lovesick.
"Shall I look for it? Just tell me the specifics and I'll do my best to find out."
Lucius's eyes sparkled at his words.
“Can you really do that?”
“Yes! I’m quite adept at finding people.”
“Yes. That lady....”
At the very moment Lucius was diligently explaining, Emily, whom he was so desperately looking for, was actually in the palace gardens with Killian.
She was struggling hard to explain what had happened with the Duke of Sadie earlier.
“Did you know I was engaged?”
“Yes, I knew.”
At Killian's words, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"However."
Killian added, looking annoyed.
“I didn’t know you were so close with him.”
“Me?”
Emily was beyond absurd. Far from being intimate with Charles, she could recall only two proper encounters with him.
“When was that?”
“Hmm....”
Emily forced herself to recall her memories and told Killian about the past.
So, their first meeting happened by chance.
On Charles's route from the north to the capital lay the estate of Emilia Sinope. He usually passed by this route, but for some reason, the Duke ended up staying there that day.
And at that time, Emily was secretly going out of the mansion without her parents knowing, picking wild strawberries, playing in the water, and reading a romance novel under a tree to dry her clothes.
"What? You're talking about first love or something. A dog should poop on your face."
She was reading it quite roughly.
“So that’s why Mom says there’s no man she can trust.”
The novel's plot was about the male protagonist meeting his first love secretly. Emily turned the next page, trembling.
A few minutes had passed. She was reading a very important passage when she felt a chill. The breeze that had been blowing behind her was no longer there.
“Ramis grabbed Lola by the back of her neck and kissed her?”
'What, what is it!'
Emily was so startled that she turned her head towards the sound and bumped her forehead into the other person.
“...Who, who are you?”
The man she met after letting out a single scream was a handsome man, the kind you wouldn't find anywhere else in this area. He frowned and rubbed his forehead.
“You have a very strong head.”
“I’m sorry, but why are you reading a novel out loud when other people are reading it...?”
Emily hid the novel in her skirt and groaned. There was no shame like this. Come to think of it, she doesn't even know why she should apologize for being so stubborn.
“Are you the Young Lady of Sinope?”
The words "no" were on the tip of her tongue, but she figured she'd be caught anyway, so what's the point in trying to deny it? She had no choice but to nod.
“Your father asked me to look after his daughter, who had disappeared.”
“I only lost three hours?”
Emily frowned as the Count's men came up to find her. Emily threw the book into the bushes and hid it.
“Miss! You’re here.”
“Yes, butler. I was just about to go in.”
Emily swallowed the thought, "You're all overdoing it." The butler didn't respond to Emily's words and immediately thanked Charles, who was standing next to her.
“Thank you for coming to see the young lady, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“Your Excellency, the Duke?”
For a moment, Emily couldn't remember what the word "Duke" meant. It wasn't out of ignorance, but she was simply too surprised to understand.
“You don’t know yet, young lady. This is Duke Charles Sadie.”
Emily tilted her head and looked up at the Duke. Charles was looking down at her, one corner of his mouth raised in amusement.
This was their (unlucky) first meeting, as far as Emily could remember. He stayed on the estate for a few more days, but she didn't bother to bring it up.
Anyway, Killian still felt bad after hearing Emily's past memories.
“So, when is your second meeting?”
“That wasn’t a very pleasant encounter either.”
She easily took Emily's place as social queen while the Sinope family was falling apart. Of course, with her family in ruin and her marriage in tatters, Emily had no interest in such a title.
“What does the social queen have to do in the break room from the start of the party?”
But since she had been a rival of Marlene since we were young, she couldn't help but have a nervous expression on her face.
“Of course, I was waiting for you.”
Marlene chuckled, completely oblivious to Emily's slurred speech. Emily raised an eyebrow at the unpleasant smile and asked,
“How did you know I was coming to the break room?”
"I thought you'd come here to avoid your former followers. Actually, I was surprised at how predictable it was."
Emily bit her lip, angry that her true feelings had been read.
"Emily, don't you get it? No one knows you better than I do."
“No, really? Many people know me better than you.”
“Huh, that’s funny. Tell me who it is.”
“My mom and dad...”
Unfortunately, there was no one left in her mind.
“Do you really have to hear all that to feel better?”
“Yes, so among your friends, I know you best.”
Emily had never really thought of Marlene as a friend, but she decided to give her the okay.
“But why were you waiting for me?”
“Oh, that?”
The corners of Marlene's mouth rose again.
“If I stick close to you, I can see the most interesting things up close.”
Marlene was famous for blowing the small stuff out of proportion. Emily ignored her exaggerated intonation and expressions as she asked.
"Why?"
“Oh, I guess you haven’t heard the news yet.”
“Well, unlike you, who has nothing to do, I have a lot of work to do.”
“Oh, really?”
Emily was the one who felt uneasy, watching Marlene, who seemed relaxed despite her sarcastic remarks. Ultimately, unable to overcome her discomfort, she asked first.
“What is it?”
Marlene, who had been hesitating whether to speak or not, finally opened her mouth, unable to hold back her trembling lips.
“The Duke of Sadie is attending the banquet.”
"What?"
Emily rubbed her ears, wondering if she had misheard, and asked again.
“What did you say just now?”
"Do I have to tell you again? Your ex-fiancé, Duke Sadie, is attending the banquet today."
Emily's best-preserved composure was suddenly shattered.
“Why is that gentleman suddenly like that?”
Why are you so cute!
Emily's silent screams filled the break room.
Duke Charles Sadie of the North.
He was Emily's former fiancé. However, when the Count of Sinope incurred massive debts and lost his dowry, a letter of annulment was sent through the royal family. Since then, there has been no communication between them.
“So, you won’t come to me and pretend to know me.”
But Marlene thought differently.
The Duke of Sadie was a man who rarely attended banquets. Why would he attend Emily's first wedding party? The circumstances were certainly suspicious.
“Marlene, I know you’re good at overdoing things, but please hold back today.”
“No, my feeling is right, so just wait and see.”
The two returned to the banquet hall together. True to Marlene's words, the Duke of Sadie had arrived. He maintained a consistently listless demeanor toward the crowds that swarmed around him like bees.
The Duke, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, still had a gloomy and decadent atmosphere that was fascinating.
The sharp nose and jawline, which were almost perfect, the deep blue-violet eyes, the vivid platinum blonde hair, the slightly upturned eyebrows, and the sensitive red lips left a strong impression.
Just by looking at his broad shoulders, you could tell how tall and muscular he was.
But Duke Sadie wasn't just handsome. He was also the Empire's sole sword master and the commander of the Knights of Penitus, who guarded the border.
It was no wonder that people flocked to him to look good, as he was perfect without any flaws.
Emily had no regrets about his sending her the divorce papers.
It wasn't a particularly affectionate relationship, so even Emily herself would have been reluctant to marry into a family so deeply in debt. With that thought in mind, Emily gazed at Charles absentmindedly, and then their eyes met.
'Should I at least say hello?'
Emily, who had been thinking, bowed her head slightly and greeted him, and the Duke strode towards her.
'What the heck? Why is that guy coming this way?'
Marlene quickly slipped away, leaving Emily in a state of confusion.
“Young Lady Sinope, it’s been a while.”
In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn to her. It was attention she'd once desired, but now completely undesired. Emily answered with a forced smile.
“Your Excellency, I hope you’ve been well. I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but I’m no longer the Lady of Sinope...”
“Oh, I heard. You married a mafia man.”
Emily took a deep breath. Looking around, she saw that, thankfully, the voices hadn't reached them. She sighed in relief and spoke in a tone that was reassuring.
“Yes, but I think it would be better to call me Marchioness Starr.”
The Duke shrugged his shoulders and held out his hand, as if he didn't really care.
“I want to dance with you.”
“Ah, all of a sudden?”
Emily tried to control her expression, putting aside her embarrassment.
“It’s such an honor, but I haven’t even danced with my husband yet, and he’s right here.”
As Killian approached, Emily quickly stood beside him as if she had been waiting.
“Your Excellency, this is my husband, Marquis Killian Starr.”
And Emily also introduced the Duke to Killian.
“Greetings. This is Duke Charles Sadie.”
Marlene, who had been watching the three people from behind with interest, added her explanation.
“By the way, the Duke is also Emily’s ex-fiancé.”
“Marlene!”
Emily glared at Marlene with blazing eyes, but Killian had already heard everything.
“Aha, so you’re my wife's fiancé.”
Killian's tone was monotonous, but anyone who saw him could sense the chill. Emily awkwardly glanced between the two men, then clapped her hands together.
“Now that we’ve said hello, shall we part ways?”
Strictly speaking, they didn't exchange greetings. All that was exchanged between them was a piercing gaze. In a seemingly endless battle of wits, Emily forcibly grabbed Killian's arm and said goodbye.
“Your Excellency, we will withdraw first.”
"Wait for a sec."
Charles met Emily's eyes and opened his mouth.
“I’ll invite you to the Duke’s residence later.”
“Hmm...”
Emily, who had been rolling her eyes, couldn't help but smile positively.
She could feel Killian's burning gaze from beside her, but given her inferior status, there was nothing she could do. It hadn't even been an hour since she arrived at the party, and she was already completely drained.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
"Yes."
This is how the meeting that attracted public attention ended.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Lucius, the main character of the banquet, appeared only after all the commotion had ended.
He appeared as the typical Prince Charming of girls' imaginations, with bright, brilliant blond hair and warm amber eyes.
The Empress watched with a puzzled expression as she greeted people with a breathtakingly sweet smile.
“That kid isn’t the type to come out so easily...”
The maid next to her opened her mouth cautiously.
“I wonder if there’s someone His Highness likes among the ladies attending today’s banquet?”
“That’s absurd.”
He had been rejecting countless women over the years. What had caused him to suddenly become attracted to a woman?
“The Crown Prince said that Your Majesty asked him to dress up to look his best today.”
“Huh? Is that true?”
“Yes! I heard it clearly.”
The Empress watched Lucius's actions intently, holding a glimmer of hope.
At that time, Lucius was greeting countless people, unaware that the Empress was watching him, and was searching for the woman who had stolen his heart.
But no matter how much he looked around the banquet hall, he couldn't see the woman.
“Ha... Where did that woman disappear to?”
“Who are you talking about?”
The aide asked in a curious voice.
"She looks like a goddess, like a fairy. She's someone you rarely find in real life, someone you only dream of."
The aide frowned at Lucius's awkward explanation. It seemed the Crown Prince was seriously lovesick.
"Shall I look for it? Just tell me the specifics and I'll do my best to find out."
Lucius's eyes sparkled at his words.
“Can you really do that?”
“Yes! I’m quite adept at finding people.”
“Yes. That lady....”
At the very moment Lucius was diligently explaining, Emily, whom he was so desperately looking for, was actually in the palace gardens with Killian.
She was struggling hard to explain what had happened with the Duke of Sadie earlier.
“Did you know I was engaged?”
“Yes, I knew.”
At Killian's words, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"However."
Killian added, looking annoyed.
“I didn’t know you were so close with him.”
“Me?”
Emily was beyond absurd. Far from being intimate with Charles, she could recall only two proper encounters with him.
“When was that?”
“Hmm....”
Emily forced herself to recall her memories and told Killian about the past.
So, their first meeting happened by chance.
***
On Charles's route from the north to the capital lay the estate of Emilia Sinope. He usually passed by this route, but for some reason, the Duke ended up staying there that day.
And at that time, Emily was secretly going out of the mansion without her parents knowing, picking wild strawberries, playing in the water, and reading a romance novel under a tree to dry her clothes.
"What? You're talking about first love or something. A dog should poop on your face."
She was reading it quite roughly.
“So that’s why Mom says there’s no man she can trust.”
The novel's plot was about the male protagonist meeting his first love secretly. Emily turned the next page, trembling.
A few minutes had passed. She was reading a very important passage when she felt a chill. The breeze that had been blowing behind her was no longer there.
“Ramis grabbed Lola by the back of her neck and kissed her?”
'What, what is it!'
Emily was so startled that she turned her head towards the sound and bumped her forehead into the other person.
“...Who, who are you?”
The man she met after letting out a single scream was a handsome man, the kind you wouldn't find anywhere else in this area. He frowned and rubbed his forehead.
“You have a very strong head.”
“I’m sorry, but why are you reading a novel out loud when other people are reading it...?”
Emily hid the novel in her skirt and groaned. There was no shame like this. Come to think of it, she doesn't even know why she should apologize for being so stubborn.
“Are you the Young Lady of Sinope?”
The words "no" were on the tip of her tongue, but she figured she'd be caught anyway, so what's the point in trying to deny it? She had no choice but to nod.
“Your father asked me to look after his daughter, who had disappeared.”
“I only lost three hours?”
Emily frowned as the Count's men came up to find her. Emily threw the book into the bushes and hid it.
“Miss! You’re here.”
“Yes, butler. I was just about to go in.”
Emily swallowed the thought, "You're all overdoing it." The butler didn't respond to Emily's words and immediately thanked Charles, who was standing next to her.
“Thank you for coming to see the young lady, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“Your Excellency, the Duke?”
For a moment, Emily couldn't remember what the word "Duke" meant. It wasn't out of ignorance, but she was simply too surprised to understand.
“You don’t know yet, young lady. This is Duke Charles Sadie.”
Emily tilted her head and looked up at the Duke. Charles was looking down at her, one corner of his mouth raised in amusement.
***
This was their (unlucky) first meeting, as far as Emily could remember. He stayed on the estate for a few more days, but she didn't bother to bring it up.
Anyway, Killian still felt bad after hearing Emily's past memories.
“So, when is your second meeting?”
“That wasn’t a very pleasant encounter either.”
Comments
Post a Comment