You and I are from Different Worlds

Episode 17: The Woman Who Suits Me

The carriage sped smoothly down the street, cutting through the crisp air with ease.

Edric felt exhilarated.

The polished road beneath the wheels, the brisk wind blowing through the open windows—it all felt invigorating. But the best part was the resolution of the lingering nuisance that had plagued him these past days.

Thankfully, Rosalind had made her decision swiftly.

“Let’s say I dumped you. And I can make up the reason for that, right?”

“Of course. Make up whatever you want.”

And just like that, the engagement was dissolved. They exchanged signed documents as if it were a simple formality.

In truth, breaking off the engagement with Rosalind wasn’t the issue. It was something that could be resolved with a single decisive act.

The real problem laid elsewhere.

Mellie Ernwood.

She was Edric’s greatest source of turmoil.

Up until now, the feelings he harbored for Mellie had been easy to categorize: friendship, familial affection, or a deep sense of trust.

Of course, there were fleeting moments when she had stirred something deeper in him—something akin to romantic interest. During tumultuous times, Mellie had been his anchor, straightening his distorted thoughts and soothing his wounded heart. For a brief period, he had even been enamored by her.

But as time passed, he had come to realize something crucial. Mellie, back then, had not been a woman to him—she had been a remedy.

And remedies, while indispensable, were not meant to be loved.

Edric quickly came to terms with this distinction.

From then on, he convinced himself that his feelings were purely platonic. Mellie was too ordinary, too unremarkable. She was his pitiful little sister and a dear friend—nothing more.

He had even entertained the idea of finding her a suitable partner someday. Someone better than the likes of Blair, who only saw the world through calculative eyes.

He had imagined Mellie meeting a good man, starting a family, raising children, and living nearby so their families could share dinners and their children could play together.

The image had brought him contentment—until that day.

That day, when he saw Mellie entangled with Francis Adele, something within him cracked.

Children don’t fall from the sky or rise from the ground; they were born from physical unions. And that day, the mere thought of Francis and Mellie in such a union made his blood boil.

The memory of that moment was like a wildfire, consuming him every time it surfaced.

That was why he couldn’t accept Mellie as his legal sibling.

The realization struck him like a lightning bolt: he didn’t just like Mellie—he wanted her.

Once Edric confronted his feelings, he knew he couldn’t maintain

his engagement with Rosalind.

In the past, Edric had believed himself incapable of love or jealousy. He had even read in a book that some people were naturally devoid of such emotions. For the longest time, he had assumed he was one of them.

Even when women he admired whispered to other men, it had never bothered him. Not even Rosaline’s affair with her mistress had stirred him.

But Mellie—she had shattered his long-held beliefs in an instant.

And yet, this revelation brought him no comfort. Because the person who awakened these feelings happened to be Mellie Ernwood.

Edric prided himself on his high standards—for himself and for those around him. Was it truly possible for him to marry someone who fell so far short of those standards?

He doubted it.

Mellie was neither refined nor remarkable. She came from a near-penniless baronet family, practically commoner stock. A union between the illustrious Felton family and Mellie Ernwood was a scandal waiting to happen.

For generations, the Felton family had maintained their noble bloodline, avoiding any dilution with common ancestry. Marrying Mellie would feel like betraying the very legacy he sought to honor.

Still, Edric had made his decision. And once he decided on something, there was no turning back.

Instead of dwelling on the obstacles, he chose to focus on the path forward.

The engagement with Rosalind was already dissolved, which meant his mother wouldn’t immediately send Mellie away. He had time to strategize—time to overcome the inevitable opposition from his family.

He could already hear their objections.

“Marry a noblewoman, and take Miss Ernwood as your mistress.”

It was a common solution among noblemen. Most took mistresses and fathered illegitimate children while maintaining proper marriages.

But for Edric, that wasn’t an option.

“Why should I do that?”

He lived a life of choice and focus. If it came down to choosing between a parade of noblewomen and Mellie, he would choose Mellie every time.

It didn’t matter if he never saw another woman for years. But the thought of not seeing Mellie—even for a day—was unbearable.

Just imagining another man touching her made him seethe with fury.

So, in the end, it had to be Mellie.

She wasn’t perfect, but she was his choice.

And if she didn’t suit him now, he would make her suit him.

Satisfied with his conclusion, Edric turned his gaze to the approaching Duke’s residence.

His chest tightened as the grand ivory structure came into view. He recalled the brief glimpse of Mellie he had caught earlier in the lobby.

Two teacups.

One of them must have been his. His favorite teacup, filled with his favorite Darjeeling tea.

Did Mellie know how conflicted he had been in that fleeting moment? How much he had wanted to reach out and take her hand?

But he had held back, determined to resolve his engagement first. He wanted to approach Mellie with a clean slate, free of complications.

Now, the carriage slowed as they approached the main gate. Edric gave an unexpected order.

“Go a little slower.”

The coachman glanced back but complied without question.

Edric leaned back on his seat, lost in thought.

“Why doesn’t Mellie see me as a man?”

Her consistently indifferent attitude gnawed at his pride. She never blushed, never faltered, even when they stood close.

There wasn’t a single woman who didn’t react to him—except Mellie.

At first, he had appreciated her lack of pretense, thinking it made their friendship pure. But now, it stung.

Yet, as he reflected on her personality, a plausible explanation came to mind. Mellie was practical, grounded. She understood her position and probably thought any feelings she had for him were futile.

That thought lightened his mood.

“Just wait, Mellie. Soon, I’ll reach out to you.”

With a confident smile, Edric ordered the coachman,

“Speed up.”

The coachman snapped the reins, and the carriage quickly reached the Duke’s estate.

The butler was already waiting at the entrance.

“Welcome back, Your Majesty.”

Edric strode inside, his long legs carrying him towards the lobby.

“Where’s Mellie?” he asked.

The butler replied without hesitation.

“The young lady went out two hours ago. With a visitor.”

Edric stopped in his tracks. His expression darkened.

“Who was the visitor?”

The butler responded evenly.

“It was Sir Francis of the Adele family.”