If I was Going to Regret It Anyway

Despite Eleanor’s words, Daryl still seemed unable to let go of his worries.

 

“So…”

 

“Yes. I’ll see you at the ceremony.”

 

Eleanor bowed her head to Daryl and headed for the bride’s waiting room. The dark mood had flown away and disappeared as if she had opened the window of her heart and ventilated it.

 

****

 

“Eleanor!”

 

Layla, who was sitting in the waiting room, brightened up when she saw Eleanor. Instead of greeting her, Eleanor gave her a smile.

 

“What should I do? I feel like I’m going to die of nervousness.”

 

“It’s okay. You just have to stand still and follow the priest’s words. You can do it.”

 

“Really? I can do it, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Eleanor slightly adjusted the flower decoration in Layla’s hair.

 

“You look really beautiful today.”

 

At those words, Layla blushed and smiled. She looked quite adorable. She was a bride that perfectly suited a bright summer day.

 

“Did you talk to my brother? If you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to attend the ceremony.”

 

“Why would you say that, it’s disappointing. I want to see Layla getting married too.”

 

“Huh? No, I didn’t mean that…”

 

Layla blinked in confusion. Eleanor chuckled.

 

“I’m joking. It’s really okay, don’t worry about it.”

 

Layla looked puzzled for a moment, but soon smiled back at Eleanor. Just then, someone entered the waiting room. Eleanor reflexively turned to look and stiffened slightly.

 

It was Daryl and Layla’s aunt, Countess Cecilia Crawford. Cecilia looked much older than Eleanor remembered. Her face had more wrinkles, and her once rigid posture was slightly hunched.

 

“Countess Crawford.”

 

“…”

 

At Eleanor’s greeting, Cecilia frowned. But contrary to expectations, she didn’t pour out harsh words at Eleanor as before. She took her gaze off Eleanor and approached Layla.

 

“Are you ready, Layla?”

 

“…Yes, Aunt.”

 

“This is a gathering of precious guests. You can’t afford even a small mistake.”

 

“I know. I won’t disgrace the Lloyd name. I’ll do well.”

 

It was quite a bold answer for a somewhat nervous and tense face. Cecilia nodded faintly, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

 

Cecilia, after checking Layla’s dress and giving a few instructions to the maid in charge of the dress, left the bride’s waiting room. She didn’t look at Eleanor at all, except for the first time. As soon as Cecilia left, the tense atmosphere seemed to relax instantly.

 

Layla let out a big sigh.

 

“I won’t have to see that face anymore once I get married. You have no idea how relieved I am.”

 

“Layla.”

 

Eleanor made a slightly stern face.

 

“Honestly, Eleanor, you must have thought the same thing after your divorce. Don’t deny it. I know it’s the truth.”

 

“…I’ll refrain from commenting.”

 

At Eleanor’s words, Layla chuckled.

 

****

 

After leaving the bride’s waiting room, Cecilia’s expression was stiff. The words she couldn’t pour out to Eleanor were stuck in her throat like fish bones.

 

‘How dare she, where does she think this is?’

 

Cecilia still vividly remembered the humiliation she suffered from Eleanor four years ago. How dare she make a scene as if she had nothing to regret, and then set foot in the Duke’s house again. Nevertheless, the reason she couldn’t scold Eleanor was none other than Daryl.

 

[Miss Townsend will attend the wedding.]

 

It was what Daryl had said when he met with Cecilia a while ago. Cecilia involuntarily widened her eyes.

 

[Miss Townsend? You don’t mean the Miss Townsend I know, do you?]

 

[We formally invited her at Layla’s request. Miss Townsend is a guest of Layla and also my guest. So no one should be rude to the guest]

 

[…What? Are you telling me to listen to this?]

 

[Of course. There’s no one else here but you and me.]

 

Daryl spoke with a blank expression. Cecilia gritted her teeth.

 

[What are you and Layla thinking? Why would you invite a woman who has been cut off from the Duke’s family a long time ago? What will people say when they see this?]

 

[It’s not an invitation. Miss Townsend is just attending the wedding as a friend of Layla. Do we need to be conscious of people’s eyes for such a trivial matter?]

 

[……]

 

Several thin wrinkles overlapped in her tightly furrowed eyes.

 

Daryl had unilaterally cut off contact with Cecilia for the past four years. The few times Cecilia had forcibly visited the Duke’s house to meet him were all there was. But this time, Daryl had asked to meet Cecilia first. It was because of Layla’s wedding. Daryl unilaterally informed Cecilia that Layla had decided to marry Joshua, Viscount Sheppard.

 

Normally, Cecilia should have been asked for permission and greeted first. She was already furious at that point, but Cecilia held back. Not only because Daryl had reached out to her for the first time in a long time, but also for another reason. Daryl, who she met after a long time, had regained his old healthy appearance. Apparently, he had completely cleaned up his life, which had been like a recluse since his divorce from Eleanor. Honestly, it was about time. No, it was too late. Four years was too long a time to waste on a woman.

 

Anyway, seeing Daryl like that, a sudden hope sprang up that everything might return to the way it was before. She had been unable to forgive herself for her guilt towards Frederick, who had been dead all along. This was because she had not been able to do anything she should have done as the only elder in the Duke of Griffith’s family and as the aunt of Frederick’s children.

 

It was a long-awaited opportunity to restore relations. She had to endure some humiliation and not mess things up. But then, that woman’s name came out of Daryl’s mouth again. She couldn’t stand the twisting feeling inside her.

 

Why did she have to hear this from Daryl? Shouldn’t she be saying this to that woman? Don’t be rude? Me, the older sister of Frederick and the only elder of the Duke’s family, to such a young and lowly woman?

 

[Promise me. Even if you see Miss Townsend on the day, you won’t acknowledge her or talk to her. If you don’t promise, I’ll remove your name from the guest list. Of course, the same goes if you break your promise. Then you should never think about setting foot in the Duke’s house for the rest of your life.]

 

[…..]

 

She gritted her teeth so hard that her old, loose teeth felt shaky. She couldn’t stand it any longer.

 

[Why? What’s so great about that woman? She was just a formal couple for a year because of Frederick’s will. You said it yourself. What’s so great about her, what’s so important to you, that you’re putting your only aunt through this? Aren’t you ashamed to see your dead father again?]

 

Despite Cecilia’s bloody protest, Daryl didn’t bat an eyelid.

 

[So you can’t promise?]

 

[Daryl!]

 

Daryl got up from his seat without hesitation.

 

He buttoned his jacket and said.

 

[That’s a shame. It seems Layla will have to have her wedding without her only aunt.]

 

[……]

 

Leaving Cecilia trembling with rage, Daryl left the room as he was.

 

Cecilia had to be sick for several days due to her anger. Even so, Daryl didn’t apologize to Cecilia, let alone contact her again. In the end, Cecilia was the one who was disappointed. She had no choice but to send a letter promising Daryl with a heart-breaking feeling.

 

The only compromise she could make in her heart was that Daryl had said it was “not bringing her back”.

 

She didn’t know why Eleanor, who seemed to have left for good, was attending Layla’s wedding now, or when she became Layla’s ‘friend’, but it wasn’t something she couldn’t tolerate if she was just attending a wedding for a day. In fact, she felt like her blood was rushing backwards the moment she saw Eleanor’s face just now. But she had no choice but to endure it. Holding onto the hope that she wouldn’t have to see that face again after today.

 

Cecilia moved her feet, pounding her cane on the floor as if to press it down.