Lorina couldn’t understand that situation at all.
‘Sergey Lindell! Why on earth is the successor of Count Lindell with Elaine?’
It was already infuriating to see Lark strangely with Elaine, but seeing the new nobleman in high society strolling around the temple with Elaine made her seethe with anger.
‘She’s poor, and she’s not even that pretty! She didn’t have connections with Newt, and she has nothing to gain.…!’
Sergey was the only child and the successor of Count Lindell. If he had been a lowly local nobleman, he wouldn’t have cared so much about socializing with Elaine.
However, the Counts of Lindell were an enormous family, with the name ‘Lindell’ itself being synonymous with greatness.
They had many businesses abroad, and the money they made was enormous.
It was said that they had quite close relationships with the royal families of other countries, and because of their huge contributions to the imperial family, the emperor was also paying attention to the Count Lindell family.
What about Sergey’s appearance, which became a hot topic as soon as he appeared in social circles?
Even Lorina, who had long been in love with Lark, could not help but stare.
‘Being a partner of someone like that would definitely put me in the spotlight….’
Although she was already nailed down as Lark’s fiancée, she absolutely could not stand seeing Elaine by Sergey’s side.
She gossiped that Elaine is acting naive again and that she has seduced Sergey, who is unaware of the rumors regarding the Imperial social life, but no one supports Lorina as before.
Lorina, who had been worried, eventually turned to Lark.
“What’s going on?”
Lark didn’t even say anything to Lorina like saying he was glad to see her or that he was glad she came.
It was something he was used to, but it hurt every time.
Moreover, she couldn’t help but hate Elaine more because Lorina knew that if she brought up Elaine, Lark’s attitude would change.
“It’s not about anything else…, it’s about Elaine.”
“Elaine? What’s wrong?”
As expected, Lark stopped what he was doing and turned towards Lorina.
Although there was a hint of curiosity, his face was still relaxed. She wondered if Lark still liked Elaine.
Lorina would love to see that slack crack.
“I thought Elaine might have given up on you, Lark, and moved on to someone else?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“She sticks to a man’s side in a temple where she’s supposed to be pure.”
Only then did a wrinkle appear between Lark’s eyebrows.
“If she was hanging out with a man in the temple,…is she dating a saint from another family?”
“Then it’s understandable, but I don’t know where or how she got involved, but she even invited the son of Count Lindel to the temple.”
“Count Lindell’s son…? Sergey Lindell?”
“Yes, that’s right. He’s the only child of Count Lindell.”
Finally, Lark’s face distorted just as Lorina had hoped.
Lorina thought this was the first time Lark had heard of the story, but Lark knew of the relationship between Sergey and Elaine. It was difficult to forget Sergey, who had given him a bad impression from the first time they met.
However, it was unknown why Sergey suddenly appeared at the temple.
‘As far as I know, that was the only time Elaine met that man.…?’
It was when Sergey rescued Elaine, who was locked in the coffin chamber of the cemetery during the New Year’s service last year.
Lark tried to check all the letters Elaine sent out of the temple, but for over a year, Elaine had not written a single letter to anyone, so it could not be said that they had communicated through letters.
However, it was possible to guess that Sergey had visited the Pavelo Temple several times.
He would have been there for the New Year’s service this year, and most likely stopped by a few times to make donations.
It would have been impossible for a family that was just gaining ground in social circles to not make a single donation to the temple.
‘So he met Elaine every time he visited the temple?’
The thought of Sergey and Elaine talking and perhaps even touching each other out of his sight made him feel very uncomfortable.
‘That little rat…!’
If a rat had tampered with the flowers you carefully nurtured in your greenhouse, you’d be furious.
To Lark, his anger was so natural that he never even thought of questioning it.
“What did Count Lindell’s son and Elaine look like? Please tell me, leaving out as much of Lady Lorina’s selfishness as possible.”
“Ah, I told you. Elaine is the one who seduced Count Lindell’s son.”
“That can’t be.”
“Yes…?”
“She’s not the kind of girl who’s confident enough to seduce anyone, and she never tried to seduce me.”
Lorina was speechless.
Especially since Lark hadn’t said anything back.
However, Lark was not the one who would understand Lorina’s confusion.
“Recall again what Count Lindell’s son and Elaine looked like.”
“That,…Hmm…Count Lindell’s son was expressionless, but he walked at Elaine’s pace, and Elaine…she looked shy.”
“That couldn’t have been the case….”
“Really! My friends were all so jealous. When I saw her face, she couldn’t hide her smile, though she seemed to be a little uncomfortable with the attention…”
Lark unconsciously clenched his fist.
Lorina, whose eyes fell on it, asked impulsively.
“Isn’t it a good thing? Everyone is anxious to become friends with Count Lindell’s son, so this is an opportunity to use Elaine to create a relationship with Count Lindell’s son.”
“No.”
“why?”
In the past, Lark had clearly treated Elaine as a pawn that could be used at will. Lorina was curious as to why Lark was pretending not to know about that opportunity. No, he was half anxious.
And Lark, as always, showed no understanding of Lorina’s feelings.
“I wouldn’t use Elaine like that… Besides, she hasn’t even debuted in social circles yet, so why would I plan for her getting involved with a man already? It’ll only diminish Elaine’s reputation later on.”
“What? Do you even think about Elaine’s reputation?”
“Elaine is a saint sent by our family anyway. Wouldn’t the family’s reputation be damaged?”
Lark didn’t waver at all, but Lorina realized that Lark had definitely changed.
‘The one who didn’t let go of Elaine…It was Lark.’
Until now, she wanted to continue denying it.
She wanted to believe that Lark had never been interested in Elaine in the first place, that he only felt a little pity for her because she pretended to be pitiful.
But over the past year or so, Elaine had constantly denied Lark and Count Newt, but Lark was impatient because he couldn’t get his hands on Elaine.
‘I thought it was because of Elaine’s value as ‘property’, but I just realized that it wasn’t for that simple reason.’
Lorina quickly got up from her seat, feeling as if tears were welling up at any moment.
“I didn’t think about that. Since you’re probably busy, I’ll get up and go. I think Ellie might be waiting.”
“Okay, see you next time.”
Lorina bowed slightly and left Lark’s room.
“Huh…”
As soon as she came out, the tears she had been holding back began to fall.
‘Why Elaine and not me? I’m better than her! I can be more helpful! I’m his fiance!’
‘There has never been anything that I couldn’t get. I’ve never worked so hard to be liked by someone…’
Lorina was so angry and frustrated that she had loved someone with all her heart and given him everything she had, but his heart was in the wrong place.
Her aunt’s words, ‘The empire even allows cousins to marry,’ kept echoing in her head.
Lorina, who was hiding in the corner of the hallway and wiping away tears, let out a ragged breath, and her red, wet eyes sparkled.
‘She will never take it away. Countess Newt will be mine. So now I can’t just rely on Lark.’
Lorina, who was biting her lips with a cold expression, quickly wiped her face with a handkerchief, fixed her clothes, and headed to Ellie’s room as if nothing had happened.
None of the servants who greeted Lorina noticed that she was crying.
‘I don’t care what Lark is thinking. I’m going to force him to like me.’
The unfulfilled desire was turning the girl into a monster.
* * *
Lorina’s a desperate bit*h.
Ty for the translation, Chewyy!