Derrick, ushering Leah onto the balcony, spared no words in expressing his discontent.
“Do you realise how ridiculous my situation has become because of you?”
With a gruff and determined expression, Derrick confronted Leah, who had stumbled against the railing under the force of his words. She looked up, her gaze distant and detached.
“Rumors are spreading among the guests that you’re facing a breakup. Because of that, even Ainel is being mocked and ridiculed.”
“….”
“If you wanted to mock the nobility without knowing the subject, you should have stuck to it till the end. Now, you’re facing a breakup, and even Ainel is suffering. Do you find that amusing?”
Leah, devoid of strength, looked up at Derrick and then glanced away in silence.
While Caius hadn’t officially given her a divorce notice, as the banquet approached its end, the widely accepted truth among the people painted a different picture.
Silently recounting the situation as if contemplating someone else’s predicament, Leah wiped away her self-pity when Derrick’s angry voice continued.
“I knew it would turn out like this from the beginning. Unless that crazy prince had lost his mind, why would he marry someone like you? Your father, thinking you’d become a princess, went along with all the nonsense and made a fool of himself.”
Derrick, scratching his head, expressed his frustration.
“Even with the gifts sent to the empire this year… damn it.”
King Ainel, who initially dismissed the news of Leah’s engagement, gradually began to anticipate as the engagement persisted longer than expected.
King Ainel had started harbouring expectations when the banished figure he sent away unexpectedly proved useful.
On this visit, he even sent excessive gifts through an envoy.
Yet, the news of the breakup came upon their return. Derrick, unable to contain his anger, shouted.
“What are we going to do now?”
When Leah turned away from Derrick to avoid his gaze, a large hand firmly grasped her shoulder.
The rough grip squeezed her shoulder without mercy. Leah winced with pain, subtly furrowing her brow. Derrick, who was unyielding, shook her shoulders as if he could knock her down at any moment.
“Answer me!”
Dizzy and discomforted, Leah closed her eyes, and at that moment, the balcony door creaked open. In the dimness of Leah’s fading eyes, a faint glimmer of hope appeared.
However, the person who entered wasn’t the man she had hoped to see.
“Stop it, sir.”
Jade, with a furrowed brow, grabbed Derrick’s arm and forcefully pulled him away. Even as Derrick turned away without resisting, he retorted vehemently.
“Jade, aren’t you infuriated too? Our Ainel has become a laughingstock because of this woman!”
“How can you blame the princess for that?”
“If it’s not her fault, then whose is it? Even if she didn’t spread her legs for the prince who doesn’t know his place…”
“Derrick Ainel.”
Jade quietly called Derrick’s name eerily as he approached Leah.
“I said enough.”
In the face of the cold and assertive voice, Derrick, angry until that moment, momentarily faltered.
Derrick casually glanced at Jade and felt like his pride was wounded.
“Unlucky, damn it…”
Derrick, begrudgingly stepping away, shot a final glare at Leah before leaving the balcony with a resounding thud.
*Thud!*
Leah, who stood with stiff shoulders, only allowed her shoulders to relax after the balcony door closed. Then, she weakly turned away from Jade’s worried gaze.
“Thank you. I’m fine, so you can go to my father.”
Her low voice carried an unmistakable tone of exhaustion. She had no strength left for further conversation.
Nevertheless, Jade stood there in silence, unwilling to leave her side. Closing her eyes tightly to avoid his gaze, Leah turned away from him.
“I’m sorry. I want to be alone right now.”
“Do you really want that?”
His softly inquiring voice was dark and cautious. Leah nodded without answering.
Understanding her feelings, Jade refrained from saying anything further. Instead, he gently draped his coat over her shoulders.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Jade, having retreated without resistance, finally turned away. As his footsteps faded away, Leah slowly fell to her knees.
She grabbed the railing and let out a heavy sigh. Even though the commotion had passed, her heart felt hollow.
Her faint eyelashes slowly fell. Leah struggled to piece her thoughts together forcibly.
‘What will happen to me from now on?’
No matter how much she pondered, Leah couldn’t figure out how her life would unfold. No, she couldn’t even determine what she should do right now.
Up until now, Leah had staked everything on Caius. He was practically her entire life, and that hadn’t changed.
Without him, she felt like a puppet, unable to do anything.
The man who had once whispered loving words in a tender voice and pulled Leah out of despair was no longer there.
After being completely abandoned by him… could she accept that fact?
Leah tightly held onto the railing and rose from her crouched position, unsure of how much time had passed.
It was time to return to the banquet. Leah, somehow managing her staggering steps, opened the balcony door.
She found a man standing in front of her.
“Lord Richter?”
Jade, who she thought had returned to his place, was still standing at the door.
It seemed he had been guarding this place to prevent people from entering the balcony.
“From now on, even if you don’t permit it, I’ll stay with you.”
Jade, who had been looking down at her intently, stated matter-of-factly. Leah blinked with a slightly dazed expression.
Why was he helping her to this extent? Even as this question crossed her mind, Jade patiently waited without pushing.
Leah, glancing around slowly, bit her lip and eventually nodded her head.
She knew it was selfish, but right now, she wanted his help.
Standing alone and facing the disdainful glances of the people had taken a toll on her heart.
* * *
Unhesitating steps traversed the long marble path leading to the banquet hall.
The unyielding walls had no disruptions, facing only forward.
After the coronation ceremony, Caius had executed the plans he had made. He drafted divorce papers and sent the finalised marriage agreement with Count Bresha to the Imperial Palace.
Rumours had it that upon hearing the news, the Empress surprisingly raised her voice at the Emperor, but it was no longer a matter of concern.
Caius, who smoothly ascended to the throne as the crown prince, could no longer exercise his influence over the Empress regarding the marriage issue.
The documents he sent would be swiftly dealt with. Now, all that remained was to wait—just that.
“The Crown Prince is entering!”
Upon reaching the door, the guards loudly announced his entrance. Caius, without hesitation, stepped inside as the people’s attention poured upon him. Yet, he paid it no mind as he scanned the interior of the banquet hall as if searching for someone.
In an instant, his gaze reached the usual guest tables.
There she was, Leah Ainel. Caius stood there for a moment, silently observing her.
The sight of the woman standing alone was truly pitiful. Though her expression seemed somewhat composed, her tightly clasped hands around her dress contradicted that.
He was aware of the rumours circulating within the palace.
The incident on the coronation day when he asked another woman to dance, not his fiancée, must have stirred quite the gossip among the courtiers.
It wasn’t something he had anticipated or planned, so he didn’t bother.
However, looking at the isolated woman, a strange mix of emotions bubbled within him.
As if he had fallen into a trap of his own making, the situation felt both hollow and strangely satisfying.
Amidst these conflicting emotions, Caius maintained his stoic expression.
Until a man approached Leah’s side.
The intense gaze on Leah dissipated as it now focused on the blonde man who stood next to her.
“Hah.”
Watching their interaction, Caius, with a faint smirk, leaned against a pillar. Then, with a cruel look, he observed the two conversing.
They were cousins and were of the exact origin. Even if he considered it just sharing a consort, his feelings became inexplicably dirty.
Perhaps it was because he felt she was relying on him at this moment.
The woman who should solely depend on him was looking at someone else.
Even though he had allowed it to happen, Caius contemplated it without guilt on his face.
Somewhere deep within him, something was undoubtedly falling apart. Yet, he accepted it willingly.
He had decided to keep Leah Ainel within his reach, and there was no intention of going back on that plan.
Anything disrupting his plan had to be cut off from the beginning.
Summoning a passing servant, Caius received a champagne glass and swirled it forcefully.
The woman who had been his from the beginning. A woman so stunningly beautiful that he hadn’t even noticed the filthy desire that had been lurking beneath.
Caius had no intention of letting her slip into anyone else’s hands. Lifting the glass gracefully, he tilted the champagne to his lips.
Everything would undoubtedly go according to his will.
Derrick, ushering Leah onto the balcony, spared no words in expressing his discontent.
“Do you realise how ridiculous my situation has become because of you?”
With a gruff and determined expression, Derrick confronted Leah, who had stumbled against the railing under the force of his words. She looked up, her gaze distant and detached.
“Rumors are spreading among the guests that you’re facing a breakup. Because of that, even Ainel is being mocked and ridiculed.”
“….”
“If you wanted to mock the nobility without knowing the subject, you should have stuck to it till the end. Now, you’re facing a breakup, and even Ainel is suffering. Do you find that amusing?”
Leah, devoid of strength, looked up at Derrick and then glanced away in silence.
While Caius hadn’t officially given her a divorce notice, as the banquet approached its end, the widely accepted truth among the people painted a different picture.
Silently recounting the situation as if contemplating someone else’s predicament, Leah wiped away her self-pity when Derrick’s angry voice continued.
“I knew it would turn out like this from the beginning. Unless that crazy prince had lost his mind, why would he marry someone like you? Your father, thinking you’d become a princess, went along with all the nonsense and made a fool of himself.”
Derrick, scratching his head, expressed his frustration.
“Even with the gifts sent to the empire this year… damn it.”
King Ainel, who initially dismissed the news of Leah’s engagement, gradually began to anticipate as the engagement persisted longer than expected.
King Ainel had started harbouring expectations when the banished figure he sent away unexpectedly proved useful.
On this visit, he even sent excessive gifts through an envoy.
Yet, the news of the breakup came upon their return. Derrick, unable to contain his anger, shouted.
“What are we going to do now?”
When Leah turned away from Derrick to avoid his gaze, a large hand firmly grasped her shoulder.
The rough grip squeezed her shoulder without mercy. Leah winced with pain, subtly furrowing her brow. Derrick, who was unyielding, shook her shoulders as if he could knock her down at any moment.
“Answer me!”
Dizzy and discomforted, Leah closed her eyes, and at that moment, the balcony door creaked open. In the dimness of Leah’s fading eyes, a faint glimmer of hope appeared.
However, the person who entered wasn’t the man she had hoped to see.
“Stop it, sir.”
Jade, with a furrowed brow, grabbed Derrick’s arm and forcefully pulled him away. Even as Derrick turned away without resisting, he retorted vehemently.
“Jade, aren’t you infuriated too? Our Ainel has become a laughingstock because of this woman!”
“How can you blame the princess for that?”
“If it’s not her fault, then whose is it? Even if she didn’t spread her legs for the prince who doesn’t know his place…”
“Derrick Ainel.”
Jade quietly called Derrick’s name eerily as he approached Leah.
“I said enough.”
In the face of the cold and assertive voice, Derrick, angry until that moment, momentarily faltered.
Derrick casually glanced at Jade and felt like his pride was wounded.
“Unlucky, damn it…”
Derrick, begrudgingly stepping away, shot a final glare at Leah before leaving the balcony with a resounding thud.
*Thud!*
Leah, who stood with stiff shoulders, only allowed her shoulders to relax after the balcony door closed. Then, she weakly turned away from Jade’s worried gaze.
“Thank you. I’m fine, so you can go to my father.”
Her low voice carried an unmistakable tone of exhaustion. She had no strength left for further conversation.
Nevertheless, Jade stood there in silence, unwilling to leave her side. Closing her eyes tightly to avoid his gaze, Leah turned away from him.
“I’m sorry. I want to be alone right now.”
“Do you really want that?”
His softly inquiring voice was dark and cautious. Leah nodded without answering.
Understanding her feelings, Jade refrained from saying anything further. Instead, he gently draped his coat over her shoulders.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Jade, having retreated without resistance, finally turned away. As his footsteps faded away, Leah slowly fell to her knees.
She grabbed the railing and let out a heavy sigh. Even though the commotion had passed, her heart felt hollow.
Her faint eyelashes slowly fell. Leah struggled to piece her thoughts together forcibly.
‘What will happen to me from now on?’
No matter how much she pondered, Leah couldn’t figure out how her life would unfold. No, she couldn’t even determine what she should do right now.
Up until now, Leah had staked everything on Caius. He was practically her entire life, and that hadn’t changed.
Without him, she felt like a puppet, unable to do anything.
The man who had once whispered loving words in a tender voice and pulled Leah out of despair was no longer there.
After being completely abandoned by him… could she accept that fact?
Leah tightly held onto the railing and rose from her crouched position, unsure of how much time had passed.
It was time to return to the banquet. Leah, somehow managing her staggering steps, opened the balcony door.
She found a man standing in front of her.
“Lord Richter?”
Jade, who she thought had returned to his place, was still standing at the door.
It seemed he had been guarding this place to prevent people from entering the balcony.
“From now on, even if you don’t permit it, I’ll stay with you.”
Jade, who had been looking down at her intently, stated matter-of-factly. Leah blinked with a slightly dazed expression.
Why was he helping her to this extent? Even as this question crossed her mind, Jade patiently waited without pushing.
Leah, glancing around slowly, bit her lip and eventually nodded her head.
She knew it was selfish, but right now, she wanted his help.
Standing alone and facing the disdainful glances of the people had taken a toll on her heart.
* * *
Unhesitating steps traversed the long marble path leading to the banquet hall.
The unyielding walls had no disruptions, facing only forward.
After the coronation ceremony, Caius had executed the plans he had made. He drafted divorce papers and sent the finalised marriage agreement with Count Bresha to the Imperial Palace.
Rumours had it that upon hearing the news, the Empress surprisingly raised her voice at the Emperor, but it was no longer a matter of concern.
Caius, who smoothly ascended to the throne as the crown prince, could no longer exercise his influence over the Empress regarding the marriage issue.
The documents he sent would be swiftly dealt with. Now, all that remained was to wait—just that.
“The Crown Prince is entering!”
Upon reaching the door, the guards loudly announced his entrance. Caius, without hesitation, stepped inside as the people’s attention poured upon him. Yet, he paid it no mind as he scanned the interior of the banquet hall as if searching for someone.
In an instant, his gaze reached the usual guest tables.
There she was, Leah Ainel. Caius stood there for a moment, silently observing her.
The sight of the woman standing alone was truly pitiful. Though her expression seemed somewhat composed, her tightly clasped hands around her dress contradicted that.
He was aware of the rumours circulating within the palace.
The incident on the coronation day when he asked another woman to dance, not his fiancée, must have stirred quite the gossip among the courtiers.
It wasn’t something he had anticipated or planned, so he didn’t bother.
However, looking at the isolated woman, a strange mix of emotions bubbled within him.
As if he had fallen into a trap of his own making, the situation felt both hollow and strangely satisfying.
Amidst these conflicting emotions, Caius maintained his stoic expression.
Until a man approached Leah’s side.
The intense gaze on Leah dissipated as it now focused on the blonde man who stood next to her.
“Hah.”
Watching their interaction, Caius, with a faint smirk, leaned against a pillar. Then, with a cruel look, he observed the two conversing.
They were cousins and were of the exact origin. Even if he considered it just sharing a consort, his feelings became inexplicably dirty.
Perhaps it was because he felt she was relying on him at this moment.
The woman who should solely depend on him was looking at someone else.
Even though he had allowed it to happen, Caius contemplated it without guilt on his face.
Somewhere deep within him, something was undoubtedly falling apart. Yet, he accepted it willingly.
He had decided to keep Leah Ainel within his reach, and there was no intention of going back on that plan.
Anything disrupting his plan had to be cut off from the beginning.
Summoning a passing servant, Caius received a champagne glass and swirled it forcefully.
The woman who had been his from the beginning. A woman so stunningly beautiful that he hadn’t even noticed the filthy desire that had been lurking beneath.
Caius had no intention of letting her slip into anyone else’s hands. Lifting the glass gracefully, he tilted the champagne to his lips.
Everything would undoubtedly go according to his will.
