Chapter 12
Andria blinked with a stiff expression.
The face behind the thick glasses looked exactly like the Andria she had accidentally seen before. Their builds were similar, their features identical, so no one had ever known.
That Andria had been exploiting her twin and stealing her abilities.
“…I don’t understand. Should I take this as an insult?”
Her words were sharp, but her trembling body made her seem far from threatening.
Swallowing the pity I felt for Andria, I continued, “Take your time to think it over and respond. I just feel sorry that all the freedom and rights you deserved were stolen from you.”
Everything Andria owned—her honor, her wealth—should have belonged to Andria. Andria had died young from overwork, and only after her death had the truth been revealed, allowing her to reclaim what was originally hers.
‘But what good is reclaiming it after death?’
I knew because I had died once.
What happens after you die doesn’t matter. What’s most important is what happens while you’re alive.
Even if you earn the highest honors after death, it’s meaningless if you can’t enjoy them. It’s better to live well now, even if it means being criticized after you’re gone.
“Of course, I’m not helping you out of pure kindness. I’ll help you reclaim what’s yours, and I’ll expect compensation in return.”
I didn’t pretend my motives were pure. Even if they were, saying so would only feel like mockery to Andria right now.
Andria lowered her head without a word. Leaving her in silence, I gestured to Marina.
Marina opened the door, and the staff waiting outside entered, bringing dozens of outfits they laid out before me.
Only when I rose from my seat did Andria regain her composure and approach me.
“These clothes are…”
“Ah, no need for an explanation.”
I fanned myself lightly, feeling my heart race faster than it had when I first met Shanur. Swallowing dryly, I closed the fan and pointed to the dress on the far left.
“From here…”
I slowly moved the fan to point at the dress on the far right.
“To there. I’ll take them all.”
A thrilling sensation started at my toes and swept upward, making my scalp tingle. I licked my dry lips.
‘Is this how thrilling spending money can be?’
Until now, I thought earning money was the most exciting thing. But I was wrong.
No wonder people spent recklessly at their in-laws’ expense. It would be strange not to get addicted to something this thrilling.
Pressing the fan against my pounding chest, I made a vow.
‘I’ll work hard to earn money so I can live like this even after the divorce!’
My heart raced like I’d fallen in love for the first time.
Andria’s clothes were extremely expensive, and buying dozens at once left the staff scrambling to pack them, their shock evident.
“We’ll tailor the clothes to your size and deliver them to the Grand Duke’s estate,” one of them said.
I nodded, too overwhelmed by the lingering thrill to respond.
A staff member approached with a measuring tape, intending to take my measurements behind a partition. But the person who entered wasn’t staff—it was Andria.
Hiding my surprise, I let Marina help me out of my dress. Andria measured me silently and then stepped back.
As I was about to put my dress back on and return to the drawing-room, she spoke.
“…Please help me.”
I turned to look at her.
She was gripping the measuring tape so tightly it stretched taut, her head lifted. For the first time, her eyes burned with an unrecognizable intensity.
“Help me reclaim what’s mine.”
At her words, I smiled brightly.
“That’s exactly what I wanted.”
Andria insisted on accompanying her clothes to the Grand Duke’s estate. Her straightforwardness in scheduling the next meeting left me satisfied as I stepped out from behind the partition.
Descending to the first floor, I noticed the stares fixed on me. Being directed to the third floor meant meeting “Andria.”
When Andria came down to see me off, people watched in shock as she disappeared. News would soon spread that the future Grand Duchess had purchased dozens of outfits at Andria’s salon in one go.
I got clothes, made headlines, felt the thrill of spending money, and sealed a deal with Andria. For a single outing, it was far too cost-effective.
In high spirits, I hummed softly as I climbed into the carriage—only to be startled by the person already inside.
“Your Highness?”
Hearing that, Marina quickly turned around and climbed onto the coachman’s seat beside Nosel.
“Are you just going to stand there?”
Snapping out of it, I sat across from Shanur.
“Why are you here?”
Shanur paused at my blunt question, recalling what had happened at the Grand Duke’s estate.
After I left, Rosalyn was puzzled. Over the past few days, I had gone out a few times, but never this dressed up. As his former nanny, she didn’t hesitate to voice her thoughts when Shanur explained the plan.
“Your Highness, you should accompany her.”
“Me? Why?”
“It’ll be more effective. You’ll make it clear: This woman is mine!”
So, reluctantly, Shanur had come, waiting in the carriage as I emerged.
Snapping back to the present, Shanur narrowed his eyes.
“Do I seem strange?”
Fiddling awkwardly with my dress under his gaze, I replied, “Why are you staring at me like that?”
Shanur’s mood darkened further.
“Did you know having me accompany you would be more effective?”
“Yes.”
As expected. Shanur hadn’t believed for a second I wouldn’t realize such a simple fact. Yet, despite anticipating my answer, his mood hit rock bottom.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well…”
I hesitated, eyes darting as if picking my words. Shanur immediately understood the reason.
“Did you think I wouldn’t come?”
“To be honest, yes.”
Since he’d already figured it out, I nodded without hesitation.
“And I could’ve executed the plan on my own. I didn’t need Your Highness to come along. Besides, you hate going out.”
“I hate going out?” Shanur murmured, almost to himself.
Oblivious, I continued, “So, I’m touched. I didn’t think you’d go as far as personally seeing me off.”
Since he’d worn his mask, it meant he intended to show himself publicly, which he hadn’t done in years. Knowing he’d done so for such a minor plan left me feeling strange.
“You even dressed properly.” I teased lightly, eyeing his simple shirt.
Shanur chuckled, incredulous.
“Did you think I’d wear a robe outside?”
But as he spoke, he couldn’t ignore the unfamiliar feel of his clothes against his skin. For five years, he’d rarely left the estate, spending most of his time in soft silk robes.
Now, even the slightest pressure from regular clothing felt like a subtle pain.
“Does it hurt?”
“…What?”
I stiffened, caught off guard by her matter-of-fact tone. She continued, “Even light contact causes you pain, doesn’t it? I’ve seen you shiver in the wind, or wince when even your robe brushes your skin.”
Her smile was gentle.
“While you were watching me these past days, I was watching you too.”
Shanur stared, uncertain how to respond.
Most people overlook these things. But not her. And for the first time, he didn’t find it bothersome. Instead, it made his heart ache in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
