Chapter 21: The Side of Him She Didn’t Know
A gorgeous chandelier.
Elegantly dressed people.
Dignified and restrained staff.
Classical music softly enhancing the atmosphere.
The dark sky outside the window, with the moon and stars seemingly closer than ever.
Ah, so this is the hotel.
Mellie looked around in amazement, taking in the sight she had never experienced before. That was when she turned her head at the sound of wheels turning and saw a chef approaching with a trolley, flanked by a dozen or so attendants.
“Your Majesty, it’s an honor to have you here,” the chef said, bowing low—his hat nearly touching the ground. The attendants who accompanied him were equally deferential.
Mellie glanced at Edric, who casually accepted their reverent
greetings as though it were entirely natural.
It was a different kind of dignity from how he handled the servants at his residence.
But of course, it would be. A household head and a business owner would naturally have distinct roles. Here, every decision he made directly impacted their profit and reputation.
She had heard before that Edric owned several hotels.
However, Mellie, who rarely interacted with the outside world, had imagined a “hotel” to be nothing more than a slightly larger inn for travelers. Never had she imagined it to be a tall, majestic building.
Moreover, it housed one of those new-fangled machines she’d only heard of in passing.
The elevator—a mechanical marvel Mellie had encountered for the first time—left her awestruck. She stared in wonder as the lobby gradually disappeared below her feet, enchanted by the conveniences of modern civilization.
Edric, meanwhile, was kind to her, as though they’d turned back time.
“Are you hungry? Eat as much as you like,” he said warmly, cutting her steak into bite-sized pieces and placing them in front of her.
It was the kind of kindness she had missed so dearly.
And yet, Mellie couldn’t fully enjoy the restored friendliness.
Something still weighed heavily on her mind.
“How could someone as perceptive as you act like that?”
Edric’s harsh words from before replayed in her head, eliciting a sigh. She had thought long and hard about it and had decided—if he was going to find out anyway, it was better to tell him sooner rather than later.
“I have something to tell you, Edric,” Mellie said, with her solemn tone, just then a tea and a three-tiered dessert tray were set on the table.
“Actually, I didn’t go to the square alone earlier.”
Edric’s calm gaze shifted to her, wordlessly prompting her to continue.
“I went with Prince Francis Adele,” she confessed.
His gaze remained steady.
“He came to the ducal residence, saying he wanted to see you. I don’t know if that was true or not, but… after the unpleasant incident before, I thought it best to handle him myself. That’s why I took him to the square and, eventually, sent him away.”
Mellie kept her head lowered as if she were confessing a crime.
She desperately hoped for two things: first, that Edric wouldn’t despise her for this, and second, that he wouldn’t question her further. If she could only have one, then please—let it be the latter.
“Raise your head, Mellie.”
“…?”
“Why are you bowing your head when you’ve done nothing wrong?”
Edric’s voice was gentle, free of reproach.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. The fault lies with him. He likely wanted to use you to further his own goals. But he doesn’t need to do that anymore.”
The meaning of his final words was unclear, but Mellie didn’t press. What mattered was that there were no cracks in their restored friendship.
Relieved, she vowed to cherish this friendship and resolved to abandon her lingering feelings for him entirely.
“I was too harsh the other day,” Edric said, his voice softer now.
“I think I said something I shouldn’t have. Will you forgive me?”
“No,” Mellie replied quickly.
“I was the foolish one. You were absolutely right—it was absurd of me. To imagine myself becoming Mellie Felton… how could I have entertained such a ridiculous thought?”
Edric’s smile slowly faded as Mellie continued.
“I owe you an apology, Edric. I’m still Mellie Enwood, and I will always be. No, I might one day become Mellie Claude or Mellie Florence—but never Mellie Felton. I promise I’ll never ask you to make me part of your family again.”
Edric’s expression turned stony, and Mellie hesitated, puzzled.
Does he not believe me?
She resolved to make herself even clearer.
“I swear to God, I will never again—”
“Okay,” Edric interrupted.
“Have some dessert.”
He pushed the three-tiered tray towards her.
“Thank you, Edric,” Mellie said, relieved.
Though her vow remained unfinished, she was elated that he seemed to believe in her sincerity. The weight she had carried over the past few days lifted, replaced by an insatiable hunger.
She ate nearly the entire dessert tray, offering him some, though he politely declined.
‘Why doesn’t he seem as happy as I am?’ Mellie wondered.
But perhaps it was because he had other matters occupying his mind—marriage arrangements or the plaza redevelopment project, maybe.
Whatever it was, she decided not to pry.
