Chapter 73
Amanda’s calm demeanor and her words didn’t match, making Ella take a long moment before speaking.
“He said he would break off the engagement with me?”
“Yes. He said he wants to break up with you.”
“…Even though he knows I’m innocent, why would he do that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he just stopped liking you.”
Ella felt dizzy, her stomach churning as she tried to stand up. But her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the floor.
Crash!
As she instinctively grabbed the table to break her fall, it tipped over with her. The sound of dishes shattering echoed through the room. Cold tea and desserts spilled over her.
Her golden hair, shining like stardust, was smeared with whipped cream. Her elegant sky-blue dress was stained with tea, losing its beauty.
Yet, Ella remained sitting, lifeless like a broken doll.
Amanda shivered at the sight but was also slightly worried. She approached Ella cautiously.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m… really unfairly treated, Mother.”
Tears streamed endlessly from Ella’s eyes.
“It’s so unfair. I don’t know why my life is so miserable.”
All she ever wanted was to live a better life. To escape the wretched bottom and enjoy the comfort of a privileged world.
But why was the world so cruel to her? What crime had she committed in a past life to deserve such misfortune? Why was everything she worked for slipping through her fingers like sand?
“Was I wrong?”
Was that why every time she tried to find happiness, it was taken away from her? But what was so wrong about wanting to be happy? How could that be considered a sin?
“This isn’t my fault. Then whose fault is it?”
Ella needed something else to blame. If she believed the world itself hated her, the sadness would be unbearable.
She refused to make her already pitiful life seem even more tragic.
Then, suddenly, an image of Diana standing happily beside Harold came to mind.
A mere servant’s daughter, yet born into a noble family, never knowing hunger.
Even when thrown onto the streets, she survived and married a duke.
“Diana… It’s because of Diana.”
She was the reason Kaiden’s attention had shifted. The reason she had to suffer is because the reason her plan was ruined to expose Diana’s infertility failed.
“Because of Diana, my life is ruined.”
Ella’s heart pounded wildly.
At that moment, she realized exactly what she needed to do.
“Did you hear? Lord Kaiden and Lady Ella have broken off their engagement!”
The noblewomen gathered for tea turned their attention to the speaker.
“Who in the capital hasn’t heard about it by now?”
Their breakup was the hottest gossip in high society.
Not only was Kaiden the leading candidate to inherit the Baisen family, but their engagement had also been one of the rare few formed out of love.
On top of that, the reason for their breakup hadn’t been officially revealed. So rumors continued to spread, growing wilder with each retelling.
“Countess Russell once said Lady Ella’s true personality was different from what we all believed. At the time, I didn’t want to believe it, but now I’ve heard she nearly beat her servants to death. Though, I can’t be sure if that’s true.”
“My maid is close with a servant from the Garcia household, and she confirmed the rumors are true.”
“Oh my…”
The noblewomen gasped softly.
“She never seemed like that kind of lady. Truly, you never know what’s behind a mask.”
The eldest among them clicked her tongue in disapproval.
Time passed quickly, and soon, the gathering came to an end.
After bidding farewell to the other ladies, I stayed behind with the Marchioness of Mayer to discuss next week’s charity event.
The location for the event had been confirmed: the new orphanage established by Prince Andrew.
We finalized the list of needed supplies and the attendees. As we wrapped up, I became curious about the prince’s well-being.
“How is His Highness doing these days?”
“He’s well. Busy as always, barely getting any sleep, but he seems happy.”
Watching her proud smile, I recalled the recent changes in the capital.
The city looked both the same and different.
No longer were there starving beggars lining the streets or young pickpockets lurking in the alleys.
“I never imagined I’d see this kind of change while still living in the empire.”
It was proof of the prince’s dedication.
Rumors often painted him as reckless, with the Mayer Marquis and other nobles constantly cleaning up his messes.
Even if those rumors were partly true, the fact that he listened to their advice meant the empire’s future seemed brighter.
“That’s a good thing.”
As I lifted my teacup, the Marchioness’s gaze fell on my wrist.
“The decoration on your bracelet… Isn’t that the magic stone discovered in the ruins?”
“Yes, it is. How did you recognize it so quickly?”
I asked, surprised.
Most people simply admired the bracelet’s beauty or noted how the gem’s color matched Duke Harold’s eyes.
“I participated in the auction to buy one as a gift for His Highness.”
“Oh… Since it has protective magic, it would’ve made a great gift for him.”
Prince Andrew was always in danger, so it made sense.
“Yes. I thought I had bid a high enough price, but I lost to an anonymous competitor. And now I see that person was Duke Harold.”
She sighed, remembering Harold with slight annoyance.
Since their tastes often overlapped, they had frequently competed for the same items.
But then, she smiled warmly.
“Still, I don’t feel too bad about losing this time. It makes sense for a man to do this much to protect the woman he loves.”
The Marchioness genuinely seemed pleased.
“And to think, he had the stone made into a lady’s accessory. That was unexpected.”
“I was surprised too.”
No one had ever transformed a magic stone into a woman’s jewelry before.
As I studied the bracelet, trying to understand Harold’s reasoning, I gave up with a chuckle.
“May I take a closer look?”
“Of course. Feel free.”
I rolled up my sleeve and handed her the bracelet.
“Thank you.”
She examined it briefly before returning it.
I tried to fasten it back onto my wrist, but it wouldn’t clasp properly.
That’s strange—it usually fit easily.
Just as I was about to call over Anna for help, the Marchioness spoke.
“Shall I help you?”
“…Yes, please.”
I handed the bracelet back and held out my arm.
But instead of fastening it immediately, she stared at my wrist.
Did I get something on my skin? Oh.
“The shape of that birthmark is unusual, isn’t it?”
I pointed to the small, star-shaped mark inside my wrist with a smile.
“Yes. I never thought I’d see this pattern again.”
“You’ve seen it before?”
“My younger sibling had it too.”
“Oh…”
The Marchioness of Mayer spoke with a nostalgic expression, and I looked down at my arm.
“What an interesting coincidence.”
She gently fastened the bracelet around my wrist and then softly called my name.
“By any chance…”
“Yes, Marchioness?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
In the end, she never told me what she was about to say.
I looked at the bracelet she had just fastened for me.
As I absentmindedly touched it, the gemstone reflected the sunlight, and I slowly rubbed my neck.
I still couldn’t understand how Harold had managed to find a stone that perfectly matched his eye color.
“Madam, we have arrived.”
I stepped out of the carriage and walked toward the mansion.
As I climbed the stairs and walked down the sunlit corridor, I suddenly stopped.
Ahead of me, I saw Harold walking alongside Evan, their backs turned toward me.
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• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Freya• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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Advance chapters of this novel are available of my kofi channel
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