I Have Become a Beautiful Trash Villainess

Thank you, Astarria, for editing this chapter 💋 😘. 

 

 

“…Mary!” I smiled with gritted teeth, trying to suppress my anger. 

 

“What am I supposed to do if you give me such an interesting book, huh?”

 

“…Pardon?” 

 

“I got so absorbed in it that I didn’t even notice the Marquis leaving.” 

 

“….” 

 

How ridiculous it must have looked.

 

It was already absurd enough for me to visit without a reason, but to find myself so buried in a book that I didn’t even notice him leaving the room was just beyond the pale.

 

“It is an autobiography written by a recent popular author, but I didn’t know it would be this engaging…” 

 

“Enough. Tomorrow, bring me something boring! Absolutely boring!”

 

So, the next day, the book I brought was a history book about the neighboring country, Lucan. 

 

But that also turned out to be a problem. This time, it was too boring. 

 

I found myself caught in a loop of observing Evandel, who always seemed busy, but missing my chance to speak and then getting back to reading.

 

Scratch. Scratch. 

 

The sound of his fountain pen scratching the paper became a kind of white noise, and I often found myself dozing off without even realizing it. After shaking my head several times to stay awake, it became useless, and at some point, I just fell asleep.

 

And when I opened my eyes again… 

 

“…Oh my gosh!” I shouted, startled by the handsome face that was right in front of mine. 

 

At my scream-like outburst, Evandel frowned, and stepped back. As I quickly sat up, not even knowing when I had lain down, an unfamiliar blanket slid off me. It was only then that I realized he had approached to cover me with it.

 

Feeling embarrassed, I tried to explain myself.

 

“Ahem, I didn’t sleep well last night so….” 

 

Only to realize the source of evil that had put me to sleep was already lying on the floor. 

 

…Maybe I shouldn’t bring books next time.

 

Unable to meet his gaze out of embarrassment, I heard Evandel ask in a low voice. 

 

“Why do you keep coming here?” 

 

“…..” 

 

And I knew this was my only chance. 

 

Recalling the lines I had practiced in my head, I forced my reluctant mouth to move. 

 

“To keep an eye on you.” 

 

“.….” 

 

“Who knows? Maybe you’re just pretending to be busy so you could meet up with another woman?”

 

After a slight adjustment, the words came out relatively naturally. Pleased with my performance, I gained confidence and started delivering more of my practiced lines.

 

“In that case, let me ask you. Where did you go yesterday while I was reading?” 

 

“…I went to the training grounds.” 

 

“What were you doing at the training grounds?” 

 

“What can one do at the training grounds but train?” 

 

“Maybe there were women there? Perhaps one of them subtly wiped your sweat with a handkerchief or pretended to hand you something to drink, while sneakily grabbing your hand.” 

 

I rattled off the plausible-sounding accusations I had seen somewhere, but then I heard a faint sound like air escaping. Wondering if he had just laughed, I carefully observed him. 

 

However, his expression remained as neutral as usual when he met my gaze.

 

“If you were that worried, why didn’t you follow me around like you used to do before?” 

 

“Ohhhh…Back then, you made me out to be the strange one, but it seems you secretly enjoyed it?” 

 

I had definitely read that he was fed up with the princess’s obsession, so what was this attitude? 

 

“That’s impossible. Didn’t Your Highness pursue me with baseless accusations?” He immediately denied it, his expression serious.

 

“You must have given them reason.” 

 

“I swear, I never did.” 

 

“The world’s most notorious playboys also say the same thing.”

 

Of course, the real Attila was definitely excessive. She couldn’t stand to see him spend even a few seconds with another woman, but now wasn’t the time to be objective.

 

No matter what the truth was, I needed to push him to the point where he’d get fed up. I wasn’t sure if I could live up to the original Attila, though.

 

Evandel narrowed his eyes, studying me as if trying to see through my intentions. 

 

“So, are you saying that the reason you’ve come to my office yesterday and today is because you’re worried I might be cheating on you?” 

 

“Exactly. As they say, you know what’s in your own heart, so after hearing you talk about infidelity so much, I thought I’d better confirm it for myself.” 

 

“And yet, you didn’t seem to care at all about who was coming and going?” 

 

“….” 

 

Someone came in?

 

I never thought my hearing was that bad, but apparently, it’s worse than I expected.

 

Clearing my throat, I quickly repeated the excuse from earlier. “That’s because I was a bit tired, so….” 

 

“Moreover, it seems you’ve forgotten—you were the one who brought a stranger into this house, not me,” he cut me off.

 

“.….”

 

His face, which had seemed to soften a little, returned to its usual cold expression after those words. Then, Evandel went to gather some files from his desk before heading toward the door, as if he were about to leave. 

 

I stopped him just as his hand touched the doorknob, awkwardly rising from the sofa as I asked,

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I have a meeting.”

 

“There aren’t any women there, right?”

 

“…There are not.”

 

“I see.”

 

As I hesitated, unsure of what else to say, he turned the doorknob and opened the door.

 

Feeling like I hadn’t said enough, I hurriedly added: “You’re sure you’re only attracted to women, right?”

 

“….”

 

He gave me a look of disbelief for a moment, then let out a small, exasperated laugh before leaving the room. He seemed to think my question wasn’t even worth answering.

 

“Why, it’s not impossible, you know. Just because he’s the male lead doesn’t mean he has to be straight,”  I grumbled to myself, sighing heavily as I sank back onto the couch.

 

To be honest, I could be possessive if I wanted to. It’s not like I’ve never acted like that before, even if it was a different kind of possessive.

 

Having had a childhood similar to Attila’s, I could fully understand how she felt, and why she couldn’t help acting that way.

 

“Poor thing,” I muttered, not sure who I was speaking to before laughing bitterly.

 

Toxic attachment issues don’t just magically correct themselves just because someone becomes an adult.

 

Having given up on all expectations and resigned herself to reality, she inevitably got caught in an unwanted bond after receiving unexpected warmth.

 

The princess probably wasn’t obsessed with Evandel from the start.

 

She just became… too desperate.

 

When the warmth she had always longed for finally came, she fell in love, and given that she’d never seen anything so radiant before, it was probably inevitable.

 

However, in a world where mistrust was what she learned first, anxiety would have inevitably taken root as well.

 

The fear of possibly losing the one and only light in her world would have slowly eaten away at her heart, which was pretending to remain calm.

 

In the process, both she and the other person likely ended up hurting and breaking down.

 

It wasn’t anyone’s fault.

 

At least before he met the female lead, Evandel probably wasn’t as much of a jerk as one might think, and it wouldn’t be fair to put all the blame on the princess either.

 

“That’s why divorce is the only answer.”

 

There’s a limit to how many times a soft person could embrace someone with sharp edges.

 

Getting  pricked by those sharp corners and bleeding in pain over and over again wasn’t a burden anyone was obligated to bear.

.

.

.

.

Volume 2 conclusion: A Lovely Person

 

The sight of the sleeping Attila resembled the young girl she had been fifteen years ago, napping beneath a tree. Evandel knelt on one knee in front of the sofa where she lay. Her face, defenseless in sleep with her lips slightly parted, looked peaceful, as if untouched by any storms.

 

He moved quietly, minimizing any sound, and carefully draped a blanket over her. But then he noticed a few strands of hair crossing her forehead.

 

It seemed uncomfortable to leave it as it was, so after a moment of hesitation, he reached out. His fingers delicately lifted the stray strands, gently tucking them behind her ear, as cautiously as if he were removing debris from a sandcastle.

 

At some point, his fingers accidentally brushed against her skin.

 

“Ah.”

 

The warmth that traveled from his fingertips spread all the way to his chest. His tense eyelids trembled slightly, as if jolted by electricity.

 

The sensation of touching her for the first time in so long felt both warm and soft.

 

The urge to touch lingered, but he forced it down, withdrawing his hand. Then, the sunlight on her eyelids began to bother him.

 

He didn’t hesitate long.

 

In the end, he raised his arm again, glancing briefly at the window to gauge the sun’s position.

 

His hand, mimicking a sunshade, cast a long shadow over her face, and the rays that had been disturbing her sleep receded. As if by magic, the occasional fluttering of her long eyelashes stopped.

 

“Mmm.”

 

A small smile appeared on Attila’s lips, as if she were having a pleasant dream. Seeing this, a faint smile also spread across Evandel’s face.

 

“I always wished you were like this.”

 

It had become a sight he could only see when she was asleep.

 

With a bitter smile, he gazed at Attila for a long time.

 

A pitiful yet lovely person.

Why did you have to abandon me?

If I had held onto you at every moment we were at odds, would we be alright right now?

 

Silent anguish clouded his mind.

 

Evandel remained by her side, unmoving like a statue.

 

He stayed there, as if rooted to the spot like an ancient tree, until the sunlight shifted from her head to her body.