Episode 20
Monica was the first to look around. Luckily, the blueberry bushes that the gardeners had planted successfully obscured her.
Why on earth was Riella, who was supposed to be the main character of the banquet, here? Monica frowned and examined the situation.
Standing in the wildflower garden under the moonlight were Riella and a man.
The man was standing with his back turned, and even from the vague outline she could see that he had a large frame. At first glance, he was dressed neatly, so it was clear that he was a nobleman attending a banquet.
‘uh…….’
But it felt familiar. Monica, who had no interest in eavesdropping on other people’s secret meetings, was waiting for an opportunity to sneak away, but before she knew it, she stuck her head out.
‘What?’
Then Riella opened her mouth again.
“It may seem presumptuous of me to say this, but I believe that you, My lord, would need me too.”
“Miss Mollet.”
The man interrupted Riella in a low voice. Monica’s eyebrows rose.
“Please take me with you, sir.”
“I’m sorry…….”
“You know it is very embarrassing for a lady to say such things in person. But I will say it again, sir. I love you.”
I swear Monica had no interest in eavesdropping on other people’s conversations.
If it were normal, she would have first made her presence known by making a sound, then apologized, and said, “Ah, you two can have a happy conversation!” before leaving the place by giving her blessings.
Isn’t that right? A young lady confessing her love on such a romantic summer night.
Monica believed that a courageous maiden deserved courtesy.
But the moment she confirmed that it was Riella, Monica immediately felt uneasy. It was only natural. To Monica, the most uncomfortable and hated woman in the world was Riella Mollet.
The scene where she confesses her feelings to a man. In many ways, I didn’t want to hear it or see it.
‘Should I run away secretly?’
But Monica couldn’t leave that place. It was because of the man who was standing there with his back turned under the moonlight.
There was no way she wouldn’t know him. Monica was confused.
Luis Berfeil.
Until yesterday afternoon, he was the man who had called Monica ‘Dear Moni Moni’. Even the way he spoke, ‘I’m sorry, but… …’ was exactly the same.
Some puzzle pieces that had been wandering around in Monica’s head without a place to fit slowly began to fit together.
The way he suddenly went into the shadows after seeing Riella and the noble ladies on the commercial street, his behavior and attitude. The man who called herself my love without hesitation seemed really familiar to women.
The way he chose clothes that suited Monica without hesitation was enough to make anyone fall in love.
So, it was quite plausible to assume that one of those women was his lover.
“I love you my lord.”
But that’s Riella.
Monica’s head was pounding. It felt like some kind of virtual bomb had been thrown at her.
The situation was clear. There was a man who was proposing marriage to Riella. But Riella was confessing her love to a completely different man right now. Up until this point, it was a good story. It wasn’t that uncommon for a woman to love someone else while leaving her fiancé behind.
But if the man was a womanizer, as Monica knew, it was a different story.
‘Should I pretend not to know?’
Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.
Monica knew all too well what the end would be like for women who gave their hearts to a philanderer.
For example, it can be compared to a surprise box, a surprise box sold by street vendors.
The peddlers lure women on the street by claiming that they have dozens of boxes lined up and filled with expensive jewelry rings.
After paying just one coin, the women opened the box, hoping to find a gemstone ring inside.
But most of the things in that surprise box are not even worth a single dollar. A cookie baked with cheap ingredients, a small doll made of straw. But that’s better.
Giving your heart to a rascal is like picking out a surprise box that contains nothing good and only bad.
Even just a moment ago, Monica had hated Riella so much that she had started to hate herself. She didn’t want to see Riella living a happy life and she felt inferior.
So what if Riella meets a womanizer and ruins her good marriage?
Would Mrs. Mollet, the cheerful and kind-hearted woman who always smiled at Riella, be angry that her adopted daughter had brought shame on the family?
Monica stopped thinking there.
‘Please, please stop. Monica Offen.’
Monica buried her head in her knees for a moment, then decided to get up. Get up and make sure Riella stopped pulling out those damn surprise boxes.
‘But how?’
Monica took a moment to imagine a scene from a popular novel she had read. It was like what they usually did in such situations.
A third party who found out about the relationship between the two people came forward and spoke to the girl.
‘I’m sorry, Miss Mollet, but I overheard your conversation and I feel I must speak to you. So leave this man alone.’
Damn it! Monica hit her forehead.
‘Even in the popular novels of my imagination, Riella is the main character and I am the third party!’
Even in these cases, most female protagonists speak to a third party.
‘Don’t believe him. He is a liar.’
And really, it’s the kind of story that unfolds when you find out that a man who is a slut has a secret. Monica wrinkled her nose. This won’t do. We’ll have to find another way.
But as always, the world didn’t wait for Monica. That was to be expected.
So while Monica was alone in the blueberry bushes, struggling and hitting her head, the silent man spoke first.
“I’m sorry, Miss Mollet, but I don’t have feelings for you.”
Monica’s eyes widened as she crouched down. Riella clung to her urgently.
“But at least you need my dowry!”
The man immediately responded, unusual for someone who had been silent for so long just a moment ago.
“Miss Mollet, do you know what you’re talking about?”
“I am…….”
“Miss Mollet is telling me to purchase you like an object.”
The tone of voice was as cold as the north wind. It was enough to make Monica, who was crouching beyond the bushes, feel her heart sink.
Even though I couldn’t see it, I could imagine Riella’s expression so well.
“… … Do I look inferior?”
Riella asked back after a while. Monica, who had been holding her breath until then, was taken aback. It seemed like this conversation was going to go differently than Monica had imagined.
So, it definitely didn’t look like a girl adopted into a rich family was suggesting that she run away to her true love, or that she dump her fiancé and got married.
To be exact, it was a situation where Riella was unilaterally hanging on.
‘I’m really glad I didn’t come out… … .’
Monica changed her mind. She decided to sneak away from this blueberry bush without anyone knowing. She tried to crawl through the bushes to the other side, just as she had crawled before. Her new dress was probably a little dirty, but she couldn’t help it. Rather than getting caught in this situation… .
Monica reached out her hand. The next moment, she felt a strange sensation on her palm.
Squishy.
Monica’s eyes widened as the wet, squishy thing pressed against her hand suddenly swelled in an instant.
“Ahh!”
Monica screamed involuntarily and threw her hand away. And the creature that had been crushed to death by her palm also let out a loud noise.
Gururuk!
It was a frog. Croak! Croak! The frog made a huge noise and jumped around to escape. And then Monica realized.
“Who are you?”
It’s ruined.
That too, quite definitely.
She felt eyes on her. Monica slowly turned around. The two people who had been talking just a moment ago were staring at her intently.
The one who asked who it was, was a man, that was, Luis. Luis was standing in front of Riella, probably trying to protect her from some unknown danger.
Why is the moonlight so bright today? It looked too good on both of them.
Their expressions were invisible against the backlight, but Monica could clearly see what their faces looked like.
And perhaps, the fact that they would look really good in the moonlight.
“Ah, that… … .”
I broke out in a cold sweat. That damn frog!
But since she had already been caught, there was nothing she could do. Monica got up, trying to stay as calm as possible.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was just trying to quietly get away, but somehow… … .”
As it turned out, she couldn’t think of anything to say. Monica eventually added after thinking about it.
“So, good night?”
… … It would have been better not to add anything. The reply I got was cold.
“It seems like it’s not a good night either way.”
“uh…….”
Monica blinked, because the tone of voice was strangely cold.
It was a face she clearly knew, but he spoke rudely as if she were his subordinate. Monica asked without realizing it.
“… … Luis? No?”
“… … .”
“Could it be Garcia… … is it you?”
The man suddenly fell silent. Then, Riella, who was behind him, pushed the man’s hand away and stepped forward.
“You, Miss Monica. What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be taking care of Martinel right now?”
Her face, dimly lit by the moonlight, was revealed as she took a step forward. Riella’s expression was covered with shame. Monica exclaimed, “Oh no.”
“… … Miss Mollet. That’s a misunderstanding. I have no intention of telling this story to anyone… … .”
But Monica realized immediately after speaking that her words were ripe for further misunderstanding.
How can you say you won’t say anything after hearing everything? Even more, Riella hates me!
It was difficult to come up with an excuse. Anger began to slowly rise on Riella’s pale face.
