An Incomplete Divorce - Chapter 33

The sunlight poured down onto the bright green grass court.

Olivia, with her hair tightly tied back, took a deep breath. It was then that Edgar placed his hand on her back. Startled, Olivia flinched and lifted her head. Their eyes met.

“Just like you did with me.”

Edgar whispered softly in her ear, as if sharing a secret strategy.

“Just do it the same way.”

‘Just do it like you did with me. That’s all, Ji-an.’

It was what her senior had said to her when she was nervous before a mixed doubles match with another club.

In truth, Ji-an wasn’t nervous about the match. She was excited to be on the same team as her senior for the first time. He would probably never know that.

This man keeps reminding her of her senior.

“…Yes.”

As Olivia nodded obediently, the man’s smiling face moved away. The warm breeze that had crossed the blue sea tickled her earlobe. Summer was coming.

A moment later, the crisp sound of a racket hitting the ball echoed across the lawn.

That damn bastard.

Russell was busy cursing his son in his mind as he faced Olivia.

At first, the boy had approached the game with impeccable gentlemanly behavior, but to avoid the worst-case scenario of losing to a woman, he was gradually resorting to vicious attacks.

The problem was that it wasn’t working, and each time, his son lost his composure and made repeated mistakes. It was so embarrassing he couldn’t lift his face.

To struggle so much against a single woman.

It made a mockery of the saying that this was a gentleman’s sport that valued manners. It was a game devoid of dignity and courtesy. Even if winning was important, aiming the ball at the opponent’s body was a bit much.

That rotten bastard.

Here and there, people were gasping and holding their breath. If it weren’t for the rule against booing during a match, there would have been a flood of criticism.

A fast straight shot flew towards Olivia’s abdomen.

Olivia nimbly twisted her body and easily returned the ball that nearly hit her thigh. The opponent, seemingly unprepared, let the ball slip by.

Russell couldn’t bear to watch anymore and covered his face with his palm.

Not only was his son earning curses, but he was also making his opponent’s skills shine. In an official match, a foul would have been called.

What a pathetic guy.

Olivia’s play exceeded expectations.

Although Russell’s second son, Russell Junior, had retired, he had been a professional player. Olivia was showing remarkable skill against a man who had wielded a racket for over a decade.

Good. Good. Very good!

Henry was in high spirits for the first time in a long while. His gaze never left Olivia as she darted across the court. Where had such talent been hiding all this time?

It was clearly different from Princess Anblyn’s elegant play. That’s how women’s games usually were. Light and graceful like a dance.

Olivia Blanchet was different. Her clean serves and sprints to the net made her look like a sleek black panther. She chased the ball with fierce eyes like a predator with gleaming irises. Every movement was dynamic.

As a long rally continued with the ball going back and forth over the net.

She won’t be able to return this one.

Russell’s son aimed the ball close to the empty left line.

We’ve won.

For the first time since the start of the match, the Russell father and son were smiling leisurely.

But that didn’t last long. Olivia, who was at the far right, lifted her skirt to her knees with one hand and began to sprint.

The jaws of the strait-laced nobles dropped all at once.

Good heavens!

Her snow-white legs raced quickly across the bright green grass under the blazing sun. All for a single ball.

The ball, which had been tracing an arc, passed its highest point and began to fall.

No way.

Surely a lady wouldn’t throw herself onto the ground. Just for a ball…

Contrary to such expectations, the mouths of the men watching with bated breath gaped open once again.

Ha! Olivia let out a small roar as she launched herself onto the grass.

Pang! The ball flew with a crisp sound. It happened just as Olivia’s body hit the grass.

The ball she had barely managed to return crossed over the net and landed in the center of the court. It bounced once more beside the stunned man before rolling outside the line.

“Forty, fifteen!”

Olivia’s victory was declared.

Edgar silently laughed as he looked at the woman catching her breath on the bright green grass.

[This is the timeline separator]

Anblyn, elegantly dressed in a black dress with gold chain shoulder straps, boarded the carriage.

“You look beautiful, Anne.”

Crown Prince Alex affectionately called his only sister by her nickname.

“Thank you, elder brother.”

Anblyn smiled brightly at Alex. The carriage heading to the Royal Academy of Arts, where the art exhibition was being held, passed through the golden gates of the palace.

Crown Princess Louise quietly observed the affectionate siblings. As always, Anblyn ignored her. She had never greeted her first, and this time was no different.

“Good morning, Princess Anblyn.”

Only then did Anblyn slightly tilt her head to look at Louise.

“Ah, yes.”

At a glance, it seemed like a gentle smile, but upon closer inspection, her eyes remained cold as ever. As if looking for any flaws. Her gaze quickly scanned Louise from head to toe.

Princess Anblyn had opposed the relationship between the two since the Crown Prince’s dating scandal with Louise, who attended the same university.

From the day she first greeted the royal family until now, five years later, her unchanging gaze was pure contempt for the humble family from the countryside.

“Don’t you think the hat is a bit small?”

This time it was the hat.

“The Crown Princess should always be careful when choosing hats because she has a large face.”

No. It was the face. Louise listened quietly with a faint smile.

“You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

With a bright smile, she always ended like this, making Louise appear as someone lacking in comprehension.

With a rustle, Anblyn opened her silk fan and elegantly fanned herself, turning her gaze to the window. Sitting upright by the sunlit window, the princess shone like a proud jewel.

“I’m always grateful for your guidance.”

Louise looked up at her husband with a broad smile.

When she first got married, she cried a lot.

She was overcome with fear every time she had to face people due to criticism about her accent lacking dignity, and when told she waddled like a duck while dancing, she practiced until her feet were blistered.

It was common to be invited to tea parties only to be ostracized, and it was frequent for her to be embarrassed with incorrect information.

Louise tried hard to be accepted and opened her heart to become close. When she finally achieved the image of a perfect Crown Princess after painstaking efforts, she realized. It had all been in vain.

The princess simply disliked her. Just because. Just because of her humble background.

“I chose that hat for her.”

Alex said, making eye contact with his wife. Anblyn frowned and turned to look at her elder brother.

“Did you find that pretty, brother?”

“The hat doesn’t matter, Anne. As long as I can see Louise’s face well.”

His eyes sparkled like a man still passionately in love. Louise blushed.

If Anblyn weren’t there, it seemed he would make love right there in the carriage. Anblyn was irritated by this sight.

Anblyn had hoped that her friend, Princess Catherine of Rondos, would become her sister-in-law. That’s why she disliked Louise even more.

She disliked the Crown Princess even more because of her brother, who had foolishly fallen for such a worthless woman despite having no reason to be loved so much.

The sight of Louise blushing at her husband’s kiss on her wrist overlapped with the image of Olivia Blanchet.

Do all men mistake the sympathy they feel for pitiful women as love?

Otherwise, there was no way to explain Edgar’s attitude towards that woman.

Yes. Sympathy.

As she dismissed Edgar’s feelings as such, the weight of anxiety pressing on her heart seemed to lighten a bit.

“It tickles, darling.”

Louise smiled shyly as she pushed away the Crown Prince, who was peppering her wrist with kisses.

She naturally picked up the newspaper she had placed on the seat.

“Is there any important news?”

Alex asked.

“Yes. There’s a very interesting article.”

Louise smiled like a cat and glanced at the princess. Anblyn was sitting like a doll, stiffly gazing out the window.

She clearly hadn’t heard the news yet, having been busy with her morning grooming.

“Have you read the article about the Dumblin Club?”

Louise asked, slightly raising her voice.

“Ah! The Conqueror of the Sacred Ground?”

“That’s right. Olivia Blanchet.”

At that moment, the fan that had been fluttering like a spring breeze stopped moving. Anblyn looked at Louise and asked.

“Conqueror of the Sacred Ground? What does that mean?”

Louise handed the newspaper to Anblyn, who was trying to appear calm, instead of answering.

“…!”

Anblyn’s eyes widened.

Today’s morning paper began with a bombshell.

“What is this…”

Her crimson lips trembled, unable to continue speaking.

“Olivia Blanchet, Breaking the Sacred Barrier”

Her eyes froze as they followed the article.

Seeing this, Louise inwardly burst into laughter.

If she had been dissatisfied with a daughter from a humble family, how much more would she dislike being compared to an illegitimate child born of adultery?

“She seems like an amazing woman, don’t you think, Princess?”

Just seeing the princess, who always acted haughty and arrogant in front of Louise, lose her composure and become agitated was enough to make all the pent-up resentment disappear.

Louise quietly covered her mouth with her fan, savoring this moment of joy.

Anblyn barely managed to control her breathing, which was about to become ragged. She gripped the trembling newspaper tightly and focused on the article.

With this, she has become the first woman to break the taboo of the Dumblin Cricket & Tennis Club…

This can’t be happening.