When Veronica returned to being 16 years old, she resented Harry for sending her there.

But later she found out that the hospital had a reputation for being generous with service and dedication on the outside.

The reality was the opposite, but no one knew that.

Veronica also didn’t experience harsh treatment from the beginning.

At first, she received normal treatment while getting counseling, but gradually became sharper with resentment towards Harry for not taking her out of there, and as Harry’s visits became less frequent, terrible things were done.

After going completely mad, she only screamed even when Harry came, so he probably couldn’t even imagine what kind of treatment she received there.

After the Empress’s reading group ended, Veronica stared at the women gathered in the distance.

It was a vibrant scene, as lively as flower buds formed chasing the spring air.

Veronica saw that woman there. At first, she didn’t recognize her.

The condition of all the patients there had deteriorated so much that they had long lost their original appearance.

Veronica also found it difficult to associate her with the daughter of the noble Magnolia Lining family who had vomited porridge and wailed.

Perhaps she had encountered her in her previous life but hadn’t recognized her. Veronica approaching her was an impulsive act.

The sight of her being congratulated on her marriage to a man who would one day lock her up in a mental hospital made her feel dirty. Because she resembled her so much, reminding her of herself.

“Veronica. What are you thinking so deeply about?”

Veronica came to her senses at the sudden sound of Lady Arin’s voice. She turned to her and shook her head as if it was nothing.

“Do you have any plans afterwards? If not, shall we go out together after a long time?”

“Sure.”

The lady smiled brightly at her answer.

“Hoho, actually my husband is supposed to come pick me up today.”

Veronica smiled back, seeing her excited at the thought of introducing her husband.

Veronica, who had come out of the imperial palace, greeted Lady Arin’s husband for the first time.

Of course, it wasn’t the ‘real first time’, but it was the first meeting here.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Veronica. I’ve heard a lot about you from my wife. She often talked about you. She said you were a really pretty and brave girl. So I wanted to greet you at least once. Ah, I wonder if I can call you by name…”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Veronica nodded towards the man who was bending his waist to meet her eye level and giving a sincere greeting.

The bespectacled man had an innocent impression, just as Lady Arin had said.

Kind and honest, seemingly without any desire for power. She could understand why Lady Arin fell for him at first sight.

“You should come with us.”

“I can’t intrude on women’s time. Don’t mind me and have fun with her. I’ll be waiting at the mansion.”

“Alright. I’ll play for a little while and come back.”

The couple whispered sweet nothings until the moment they got on the carriage.

Veronica watched from behind as the couple waved at each other until they were out of sight, with the lady’s husband who had nodded to her being carried away in the carriage. It was the scene of a deeply affectionate couple.

Only after the carriage had completely disappeared did Lady Arin turn around. Upon discovering Veronica watching her, she smiled shyly.

“It seems like you’re still newlyweds even though it’s been about 2 years since you got married.”

“Does it look that way?”

Lady Arin had an expression like a newlywed bride who had just gotten married.

The two first entered a nearby restaurant to satisfy their empty stomachs.

While ordering food and waiting, Veronica listened to Lady Arin’s story. From praising her husband to trivial conversations.

“Come to think of it, how did you and your husband become lovers?”

“Did I not tell you? At Baron Sosolin’s ball! As soon as I saw him, I had a feeling. That I was there to meet this man.”

“No, I heard that story.”

As the familiar story that she had heard to the point of boredom began to flow out, Veronica quickly cut it off.

“I’m curious about how you persuaded your husband’s heart. It couldn’t have been easy.”

It was a marriage that was forced through despite the family’s opposition.

It would have been difficult for the man with the humble nature that the lady sang about to demand marriage to a woman who already had an arranged match.

Even if he had harbored affection, he probably wouldn’t have revealed it. She was curious about the secret to successfully coaxing and persuading such a man into marriage.

“Of course it wasn’t easy. There was a difference in wealth, and my husband was such a diligent person. He clearly had feelings for me, was definitely attracted, but tried not to show it at all. He was the type to show it even when trying to hide it, but there was fun in seeing that too.”

A wistful look appeared on the lady’s face as she reminisced about past hardships.

“I tried to show my face often. To make him recognize me, I followed him to every place he attended. And if our eyes met even once, I would just smile slightly like this. I practiced beforehand how to smile prettily. If you meet eyes often, smile, and show the appearance the other person wants to see, generally they tend to develop feelings.”

“So you became lovers?”

“No. I actively expressed my feelings but was rejected. He said we could remain friends but not lovers. I knew he said it out of consideration for me. I had an arranged fiancé between families, and he said he was a very lacking person so I shouldn’t make choices swayed by momentary emotions. That I would surely regret it. But I didn’t want to give up. Because it wasn’t a lightly held emotion.”

“…”

“I caught him as he tried to run away and kept persuading him. I think I kept clinging to him until that man wavered towards me.”

A love that couldn’t be given up even if everyone pointed fingers saying it was wrong. Although she suffered losses, she didn’t regret it.

Lady Arin’s face, who came to be by the side of the person she loved, was fair and beautiful. It was the face of a woman in love.

The face of a beloved wife. One that Veronica had never had.

“But why are you asking about this? Is it because of Prince Theron?”

“It’s not exactly that, I was just curious.”

Though she evaded the question, Lady Arin seemed to realize something and let out a short sigh.

“Don’t worry too much, Veronica. If you take time to get to know each other, things will get better. And I guarantee, Veronica will become an even more beautiful woman in the future. You’ll surely become popular, and receive many advances. To the point where His Highness will be jealous.”

“I think so too.”

“…”

“But it’s… not easy.”

Veronica had been worrying a lot lately. Although her time with Cassian had increased, his attitude remained consistently cold.

She tried to speak affectionately and act like a lover, but it was in vain. He should have softened at least once, but he was always indifferent.

Cassian was fundamentally a blunt man. The type more accustomed to stiff words than affectionate ones.

The only person he opened his heart to and treated warmly was one person. His beloved older brother. The person everyone else was uninterested in but only he cared about most.

But even such a person knew how to show basic courtesy. The problem was that this courtesy seemed to evaporate in front of Veronica.

‘That attitude is definitely the problem.’

That iron wall that wouldn’t budge no matter how much she poked at it was definitely a problem. Although she gained a bit of Cassian’s sympathy at the last hunting competition, there was no big change.

He still disliked Veronica, rejected her, and wanted to keep his distance.

His attitude of trying to avoid even small contacts like linking arms if not necessary showed this.

She thought their relationship would improve a bit if they spent more time together. But he quickly disappeared as soon as official occasions ended, so Veronica couldn’t help but accumulate complaints.

“That won’t do!”

At that moment, a loud bang shattered her reverie. Lady Arin, who had suddenly stood up from her seat, shouted strongly.

“Veronica. You can’t gain anything with that attitude!”

Veronica’s face went blank as she grabbed the shaking table.

“Love is always accompanied by hardships and adversities. Are you going to give up so quickly just because you hit a wall? Are you going to back down? Was your heart so easily swayed? You can’t achieve anything with that mindset! You have to pour everything you have into effort after effort, whether it’s through threats or persuasion, to take it if you can have it!”

Lady Arin showed more spirit than a man as she slammed the table once again.

The face of the lady who had won in the war of love was more serious than ever.

“I always said, didn’t I? That love is something to be won.”

“But I don’t know how.”

Then Lady Arin suddenly stopped talking and gazed intently.

Not knowing why she was giving such a look, Veronica stared back puzzled.

“Hmm− Veronica is now at an age where she should know some things.”

“…?”

“Alright, Veronica. I’ll tell you a secret method.”

Secret method. It was a magic word that perked up one’s ears.

Lady Arin leaned in close as if telling a secret story. Veronica also leaned in.

“There’s a rumor going around among the ladies. If there’s someone you like but that person isn’t giving you their heart, if you’ve tried but keep getting rejected…”

If you keep getting rejected?

“Just push them down.”

“−!”

“It’s between a man and a woman anyway, right? Moreover, for an engaged couple, crossing that thin line shouldn’t be a problem. Sometimes it can be a way for both to be honest with each other. There probably isn’t a man who wouldn’t fall for Veronica, but just in case!”

Veronica’s eyes widened. Lady Arin chuckled.

“Ah, keep this a secret from Duke Harry. The Duke is weak when it comes to Veronica.”

Even Veronica thought that if her father heard this conversation, he would surely faint, clutching the back of his neck.

She wanted to ask if that’s how she had pushed down her husband too, but held back.

She said she would teach her the dating skills she had honed and polished on this occasion.

Like a class, she imparted her dating knowledge.

There were stories too embarrassing to just listen to quietly, but she could understand how much effort she had put in to marry her husband.

Early in the morning, the maid who entered Veronica’s bedroom was startled. Veronica was sitting on the sofa in her nightgown, reading a book.

“My lady?”

“I’ve been waiting.”

Veronica put down the book and stood up solemnly.