His deepened ash-colored eyes stared at Olivia.

She seemed like someone who had completely erased that day’s events from her memory.

Otherwise, shouldn’t she be looking for the culprit who pushed her back at the lakeside when she regained consciousness?

Instead of demanding a divorce.

“Why at the lakeside?”

Olivia asked with a puzzled expression.

“No. Nothing.”

Johan said softly, looking at the woman’s face that was no longer unfamiliar.

“Keep listening.”

Johan filled the now empty glass with water, erasing his distracting thoughts.

There was no need to forcibly recall memories that couldn’t be pleasant. It was then that a knock was heard.

Olivia, who had just put a piece of sea bass in her mouth, startled and stood up abruptly.

“It’s alright. Sit down.”

Johan reached out and gently pulled Olivia’s wrist.

As Johan’s order to enter fell, the door opened.

“It’s been a while, Madam. Ah, I apologize. Miss Blanchet.”

It was Morris. He was holding a neatly folded maid’s uniform in one hand and shoes in the other.

“Ah. It’s been a while.”

It wasn’t difficult to find the man in Olivia Blanchet’s memory.

She had been jealous even of Morris, who followed Johan like a shadow.

Olivia greeted him with an awkward smile.

Morris leaned in and whispered softly in Johan’s ear.

“The Princess has departed, sir.”

Morris’s whisper carried across the table. Olivia hurriedly stood up.

“The clothes. Please.”

“After you finish your meal−.”

“It’s enough.”

Morris felt unnecessarily sorry and looked at Johan.

Johan nodded slightly, and Morris handed over the change of clothes to Olivia.

“Guide her through the back door.”

Johan ordered as he stood up, buttoning his black jacket.

“Pardon? No. Why not use the main entrance−.”

For a moment, Morris’s mouth closed automatically at Johan’s cold gaze.

Why is he angry, they’re not even a couple anymore, did they have a fight? Why is this affecting me? And why bother when there aren’t even any reporters around?

Questions flooded Morris’s mind, but pondering wouldn’t yield answers, so he had to do as told.

Suddenly feeling like an intruder, Morris tactfully left the bedroom.

“What about you?”

Olivia looked up at Johan, who was standing still, and asked.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Even if she changed in the dressing room. Still, wouldn’t he hear?

The rustling sound of clothes being removed from her body.

Olivia was bothered by the thought of the man outside hearing such sounds.

“Please leave.”

Olivia said sternly.

We’ve seen everything there is to see.

The image of his wife lying seductively on the bed without a stitch of clothing flashed through his mind.

It was amusing how she was suddenly treating him like a stranger now.

At the same time, he felt foolish for suddenly reacting when he hadn’t been moved back then.

“My lady!”

Anne threw herself into Olivia’s arms.

It was Anne who had rushed out as soon as she heard the sound of the carriage stopping in front of the quiet red brick mansion.

Anne burst into tears with a face flushed bright red. The front of her white blouse became wet.

“Anne.”

For a long time, Olivia stroked Anne’s back. Until Anne’s sobs subsided into the yellow sunlight.

And at dusk, Edgar came to visit.

“Your body…”

He looked gaunt in just one day. The sunken area around his eyes appeared tired.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

His low voice was incredibly affectionate.

“Fortunately not.”

Olivia smiled faintly.

To escort her back with utmost respect. Why did I think it would be me? Olivia reproached herself as she looked at the man sitting across from her.

She had been naively overjoyed.

That someone would consider her precious when even her birth mother had abandoned her.

It’s no wonder.

You, you confuse people too much.

Olivia felt endlessly embarrassed for her own misconception. And she felt upset.

“I’m sorry. It was my negligence.”

Edgar said in a tightly locked voice.

“It’s not your fault.”

The conversation broke off again after a while, with teacups between them. Silence fell. Outside the now dark window, full evening had arrived.

Olivia lowered her gaze diagonally. The tea was growing cold.

“To escort her back with utmost respect”

The elegant handwriting kept flickering before her eyes. So the Princess was such a precious person to you.

Why does that fact make me so, so…

Upset.

She couldn’t bear how unfamiliar this feeling was to herself. There was no reason at all for her to be upset.

Olivia’s eyes wavered unsteadily in confusion.

Is it because of Johan?

Edgar silently stared at the woman and came to that conclusion. Because of Johan.

Last night, the only night he hadn’t received a report from Marie, bothered him unbearably.

What happened?

What words were exchanged?

He didn’t like how her eyes darted away like someone who had committed a sin.

Because she was a woman he had worked hard to make look only at him. So you should look at me, Olivia.

“It would be best to change your residence.”

The gaze that had been blankly staring at the teacup finally turned to Edgar.

Yes, like this. You should look at me.

Her fluttering eyelashes seemed to be asking where that place was.

“Stay at a hotel.”

“No. I don’t think that’s right.”

It was a firm rejection without a moment’s reconsideration.

“Why not.”

Edgar furrowed his brow.

Because of Johan?

They were a married couple who had lived together for 3 years. Why did that fact suddenly irritate him now?

Edgar frowned.

“The opponent wants you to give up this competition. They will continue to harm you like this. Olivia.”

Of course, he had planned to tie her up so she couldn’t move an inch before that, but aside from that, the woman seemed to need a bit of intimidation right now.

After a moment of silence, Olivia opened her mouth.

“If they’re that kind of person. I don’t think it matters where I am. And.”

Olivia bit her lip.

“Staying at a hotel would… only provoke her more. I think it’s better to stay as is. If the Princess isn’t foolish, she’ll keep quiet for a while.”

“If you’re anxious. If you don’t like it.”

The low voice resonated in her heart. Edgar’s eyes were deep and calm.

How sincere is this man’s kindness?

There was a man who was kind to everyone.

The senior she had a crush on, his kindness was equal to all. So there was no confusion.

But this man.

He’s only kind to me.

Olivia looked into the gray eyes tinged with a pale bluish hue.

In that kindness of uncertain authenticity, there was concern for her.

He must have looked at the Princess with these eyes too.

You confuse me.

It wouldn’t have been strange at all if she had fallen in love with this man right now.

Edgar’s attitude made Olivia misunderstand that much.

“Don’t worry about me.”

“Olivia.”

The man calling her name so casually stirred her up again, confusing her.

All the casually scattered words, glances, actions were too easy for a man, yet.

Erasing the empty feeling, Olivia spoke clearly.

“I’m not so weak that I need to worry you.”

Olivia smiled brightly.

It was too clear and quiet a voice to convey the cold meaning that she didn’t need someone like him.

That brazen voice ignited the wick deep inside Edgar.

A clear rejection.

It was the second time for Olivia Blanchet, after his father.

Johan signed at the bottom of the report after reviewing the reservation rate of Leopold Hotel and the event for the eve of the Dumblin Championship to be held in four days.

As the general manager who handed over the documents left, Morris entered immediately.

“The preparations for departure are all complete.”

As Johan nodded slightly, there was a knock. It was Princess Krantz.

After Morris bowed to the princess entering and withdrew, Johan stood up.

“What brings you here?”

His neat fingertips pointed to the sofa as he asked. His voice was cold, as if drawing a line with someone who couldn’t come here without business.

“That woman. Did she return safely?”

Irene asked while standing.

Johan walked to the desk and took out a cigar from the cigar box.

Loosening his hand that had been clasped to light the match, he casually put it in his pants pocket and asked.

“Don’t tell me you came here curious about that.”

His low tone and downcast gaze looking up were arrogant.

Because it bothered me.

Irene couldn’t say it wasn’t true. She just glared at the white smoke rising into the air.

If by any chance reporters caught wind of this and it became a scandal, her reputation would once again hit rock bottom along with the former illegitimate wife.

She didn’t want to show such an appearance to Christian.

“Please tell me how far I should turn a blind eye.”

Noble men taking mistresses wasn’t anything new, so Irene didn’t want to engage in a pointless emotional battle over that aspect.

The fact that the other party was his divorced wife was extremely regrettable, but. She could ignore it.

As long as no one found out.

“If it’s about that matter, shouldn’t you have gone to see the Princess of Brit instead of me?”

It was amusing how the woman was cornering him as if he had been caught doing something shameless,

when there was someone else who had kidnapped Olivia and pushed her into Johan’s bedroom.

“I’m talking about future matters. Whether you’ll continue to meet that woman in the future−.”

“Princess.”

A low voice cut into Irene’s words.

The pressure that made even her, born and raised nobly, shrink back weighed down on her shoulders.

“Then, and now. As I said, I haven’t done anything.”

Irene felt humiliated by the man’s gaze that seemed to be looking down from an unreachably high place.

“In the future. …We’ll see about that.”

That haughty appearance was different from Christian, whom she loved so dearly.

She hadn’t expected anything from a man without emotions, but being treated so coldly stirred her heart.

“If you make me miserable, I won’t stay still.”

“That doesn’t sound like something a woman who was entangled with another man while having a fiancé should say.”

“!”

Irene de Krantz froze, turning pale.