In a quiet room, Eloise’s pen tip, filled with black ink, glided over the faded paper.

“If we were strangers from the beginning, it wouldn’t have mattered.”

No one would have made an issue of it if a high-ranking aristocrat from the capital city had shown a less than polite attitude towards the second daughter of a commoner family.

It would have been different if she were a noble lady.

“…But we were once close childhood friends.

Even though we suddenly became strangers without knowing the reason, I think the time we spent together was special to him too.”

It wasn’t difficult to guess that Ansel Blaine had his own circumstances.

Every family has its own story. Even the Baileys do, so how much more so for a prestigious noble family?

It would have been nice if she could have gotten an explanation for why he suddenly distanced himself, but Eloise thought he probably didn’t want to disclose his circumstances.

Part of the reason she accepted it was because she herself was in no position to simply criticize his silence.

She could have easily gone to Ansel and asked directly. She just chose to hide behind various excuses.

“Is it because it’s still awkward to appear like this again and pretend not to know about what happened back then? Although we all used to laugh together when we were young, only you two made a lifelong promise, so maybe you’re concerned about the feelings of the one left behind.

Or was I just a means to get close to my sister from the beginning?

Even if I think that way, it’s not… surprising.”

The movement of the pen, which had been calmly writing, gradually slowed down.

Eloise’s neat lips had somehow crumbled weakly, trembling.

Suddenly, his coldly rushing gaze came to mind. It made her eyes sting reflexively. Almost like inertia.

Even when she tried to deeply inhale the old paper scent to find composure, her pounding heart wouldn’t easily settle down.

“Honestly, I… I just wanted to ask everything straightforwardly. Why did you suddenly distance yourself from us, and why are you acting so unfamiliar to me now?

Everything is incomprehensible. I don’t even know anymore if he’s the strange one, or if I’m the strange one.”

It was the first time she had scribbled words in this way in her cherished diary.

Eloise, who had put down the pen as if throwing it, let out a sigh-like breath. Her trembling hands covered her face.

‘If I loved my sister just a little less, I would have asked him demandingly.’

But unfortunately, Eloise loved her only sister too much. So she didn’t want to ruin it.

This marriage too, her sister’s happiness that would naturally be completed if she just let time pass like this.

She must never become Sarah’s flaw. She couldn’t even make a speck of a scratch. Because as a sister who knew her sister’s burden better than anyone else.

It was already hurtful to hear words about a marriage that didn’t match her station, but if a greater commotion occurred, that wound would be entirely her sister’s share.

Moreover, if it was because of her, Eloise might have collapsed with guilt.

‘When will I be able to sort out these feelings?’

Staying by her sister’s side with these painful emotions was deception. It was no different from deceiving herself.

Why did she have to fall for that person of all people?

After seeing the wedding end and her sister standing by his side as his wife, would she really be able to accept everything then?

‘Get used to it. I have no intention of changing my mind.’

Adapt. He said that as if it was nothing. That cold voice was like a blade.

His sharp gaze tied her ankles so she couldn’t even run away.

In front of that man, Eloise always became powerless without fail.

Even if she tried to resist clumsily, nothing changed. Whenever she faced him, too many thoughts would rush in like a white tide and she felt like she was helplessly crumbling.

Could she get used to this feeling too? As time goes by, could she really become indifferent to the fact that he is her sister’s husband? Would she someday stop hurting from his cold gaze?

“I wish time would pass quickly…”

A deep sigh flowed out, filled with complicated feelings. The upcoming wedding just felt distant.

Even after that, Ansel calmly visited the Bailey family.

Whether Eloise’s heart ached or not, he seemed intent on fulfilling his duties as a faithful fiancé. It was no longer surprising that he was so devoted.

The fortunate fact was that she had become quite skilled at naturally avoiding him.

In other words, she was now quite used to cleverly leaving when Mrs. Hurst or Sarah opened the door.

But the problem was that there were times when she had to directly greet this awkward guest herself.

It was because she couldn’t run away ignoring the knocking sound when Eloise happened to be near the front door when he visited.

She was already anxious that her family might have noticed that she was avoiding Ansel, and if she blatantly pretended not to know him, it would definitely look suspicious.

So she had to act naturally. Keeping the peace in the house was more important than not facing him.

Of course, confronting Ansel Blaine was never easy no matter how many times it was repeated.

To the point where she was suddenly afraid that she might never get used to it even if she became family with him through her sister’s marriage. Fortunately, there were no more instances of facing each other alone like that day.

What happened after Ansel knocked on the door was always similar.

Eloise, who opened the door, would lower her gaze and slightly bend her knees, saying, “I’ll call my sister for you.” Then he would lightly nod his head.

If she hurried upstairs to send her sister down before he could say anything, she could be alone again.

And in that empty room, Eloise would stand blankly for a long time, feeling numb in her fingertips and toes.

It’s over now, he will return soon as always.

While feeling relieved like that, she would sometimes let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of this abnormal series of situations.

Anyway, no incidents occurred after that day. It was relatively peaceful days.

However, during the repetition of such things, Eloise overlooked the fact that her heart was slowly breaking and crumbling.

It was for that reason that she ended up being caught crying by Sarah.

“Eloise, you’re now…”

At the sudden voice, Eloise froze, curled up.

She had been caught by Mrs. Hurst a few times, but it was a sight she never wanted to show her sister of all people.

Feeling dizzy, Eloise hurriedly wiped her tears with her sleeve and stood up.

“It’s a cold, sister. I caught a cold…”

“A cold?”

Sarah asked back as if puzzled. Her bright blue eyes were wavering with worry.

“Yes.”

Only then did Eloise realize how absurd her answer was.

No matter how hastily she made up an excuse, hiding and crying because she caught a cold… Moreover, it was the peak of summer now.

“I need to go wash my face.”

Eloise, who smiled brightly with reddened eyes, vigorously rose and left the room. It was a clear escape.

She knew it would look strange, but she couldn’t calmly talk to her sister in this state, so the best thing for now was to leave.

‘…I’m sorry, Sally.’

It was early afternoon, and the lazy sunlight stretched long like cheese, warming the inside of the house.

The old wooden stairs shone glossily, soaked in the warm afternoon sun.

“Elsie, don’t feed the ducks! I already fed them.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Responding obediently to Mrs. Hurst’s words as she was mending fabric near the stairs, Eloise headed straight for the front door.

She had no intention of going to wash her face from the start.

In fact, what Eloise needed to wash away was not her tear-stained face, but the complicated thoughts in her head.

“Wow…”

As she went outside, a blessed ray of light poured down from above her head.

It was an extremely sunny day. Eloise thought about letting the ducks out for a while, but shook her head.

‘When I have a lot on my mind, rather than playing with the ducks…’

A quiet walk would be better, probably.

Eloise, who made a shade over her forehead with her palm, looked up at the bright blue sky.

Her thin, wheat-colored eyelashes fluttered in the pleasant glare.

Eloise, who stretched slowly, took a step with a leisurely face. It was a day when tears would dry up quickly even if she cried her heart out.

Summer in Maybery is a season with no time to be bored.

Her heart was full of the green scenery filled with glittering and fresh things.

With each step she took, her love for this season became as vivid as the greenery.

It was good. Walking silently for a long time while feeling the soft breeze, and going much farther than she thought.

“Look at me.”

But even she herself wouldn’t know why she walked towards Fairmont House.

Eloise, who came face to face with a dense forest, stopped walking with an indescribable feeling.

What was I thinking coming this way? As if I’m desperate to run into him by chance…

“Ah, I don’t know.”

The forest spread out between Maybery and Longfield was a shortcut to the Earl of Huntington’s mansion.

It was also a place where the Bailey sisters spent a lot of time in their childhood.

How many times had they gotten lost in here? There was even a time when they fell asleep in the forest and the peaceful Maybery was turned upside down.

Naturally, it was a place with many memories.

‘Wait, Eloise. You’re hurt.’

‘I’m fine… Mom will treat me.’

‘Get on my back. I’ll take you home.’

If she crossed the forest like this, the grand Fairmont House would soon reveal itself.

It was rather miserable that she had come here out of habit, but Eloise had no intention of getting any closer to him.

However, her legs hurt too much to go straight home. It was because she had walked a long distance without resting.

‘So staying here a little longer isn’t because I have any other intention. Absolutely not.’

Eloise, who had a rather determined expression, went to the shade of a nearby oak tree and plopped down.

Then, as if it had been waiting, a sigh of relief burst out.

“The weather is nice, the breeze is fragrant, and there’s no one around.”

Eloise muttered in a low voice, closing her eyes while listening to the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Leaning against the tree was quite comfortable. Now, she could cry comfortably. The moment she had that foolish thought.

As if it were a lie, a voice was heard.

“Eloise.”