Brai was flustered. He sensed that the situation was going wrong.

Moreover, it was even more irritating to see the fiancée behind Veronica Hardness sending respectful glances.

“Magnolia!”

At that moment, a shout broke through the tense atmosphere.

Another man got out of the carriage. Upon seeing him, Magnolia came out to the side.

“Father!”

“Oh, my daughter.”

Magnolia ran to her father, Viscount Lining. Viscount Lining embraced his daughter and gently rubbed her tearful face.

“Darling. How could you really leave like that? I was worried.”

“I’m sorry……”

“Look at this face. You’re all distressed, breaking your father’s heart. That’s enough now, let’s go back. Your mother is waiting too.”

Viscount Lining led Magnolia. But Magnolia broke free from his embrace and stepped back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Father, my feelings are the same as before. I won’t return until the engagement is broken off.”

“Magnolia.”

“I’m sorry, Father. I’m really sorry.”

Magnolia spoke earnestly, clasping her hands together.

“But I want to break off the engagement.”

“Magnolia!”

“Please, Father……”

“Breaking off the engagement is not possible.”

Brai interrupted the conversation between the two. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and showed it to Magnolia. It was a paper stamped with the Lining family seal.

“Viscount Lining borrowed money from Colega. A considerable amount at that. This is a pledge promising to transfer all rights of the Lining family to Colega if that money cannot be repaid. Viscount Lining has not yet repaid the money, and we cannot break off the engagement. You should know well what that means.”

Brai held out the paper he was holding to Magnolia.

She snatched the paper to check it. It indeed listed the amount that the Lining family had to repay to Colega.

“That, that can’t be.”

Magnolia hurriedly turned to look at her father. She examined Viscount Lining with a confused face.

Viscount Lining rubbed Magnolia’s cheek with a bitter expression.

“I’m sorry, darling.”

“Father.”

“Breaking off the engagement…… is not possible.”

“Father!”

“Let’s go now.”

As Brai raised his hand, servants came out of the carriage they had arrived in and restrained Magnolia.

She struggled frantically in confusion. But it was not enough to shake off the strong men.

“Let go! I said let go! Father!”

Magnolia desperately called out to her father. However, Viscount Lining ignored his daughter’s calls and got into the carriage first.

Following him, as the situation seemed to be settling, Brai followed the Viscount. There was no one here to help her.

Magnolia’s gaze, being helplessly dragged away, suddenly met Veronica’s. Her bright yellow eyes, losing their vitality, welled up slightly.

Her face, fallen into despair, was desperately hoping for someone’s help. Her quivering lips let out a faint sound.

“……Help me.”

Her desperation once again reached nowhere this time.

Magnolia was forcibly put into the carriage, and that carriage slowly disappeared into the distance. Only the familiar silence remained at the Hardness estate.

And so, Magnolia returned to the Lining family.

The new business that Viscount Lining had forcefully pursued failed.

Deceived by the tongue of a swindler, he not only used up the family fortune but even his personal assets.

It seemed he wasn’t the only one who fell for that swindler. Among them, Viscount Lining, who had made the largest investment, was left with nothing but debt.

If the debt wasn’t resolved, his family would be thrown out onto the streets immediately.

He sought help from those around him, but no one could repay such a massive debt. He couldn’t tell his sons who were away from home.

In such a desperate moment, there was someone who miraculously extended a helping hand.

It was Colega, his daughter’s fiancé.

Since they were to be related by marriage anyway, Viscount Lining accepted the help without burden.

The money could be repaid someday. In exchange for paying off the debt, the marriage was brought forward, but that wasn’t a problem.

He thought everything was well resolved, but his daughter suddenly declared she wanted to break off the engagement.

The reason was her fiancé’s debauchery. It was said that Brai, the third son of Colega, had been associating with other women despite having a fiancée.

For his daughter’s sake, he should have agreed to break off the engagement, but the Viscount had a debt to repay. He had no money to repay it immediately.

The Viscount had to force his daughter’s marriage. He slapped his daughter who wanted to break off the engagement and accused her of lying.

‘Father!’

‘Everything you’ve enjoyed is from our family. If you can’t take responsibility as a member of the family, then leave. Either leave alone with nothing, or marry as planned.’

She had been a good daughter who had never rebelled until now.

He thought she would understand her parents’ words this time too. But his daughter really left alone.

“So that was the situation.”

Veronica clicked her tongue after receiving the report of information gathered by sending people to investigate.

No wonder she came alone to this Hardness family with no connection, there were circumstances that made it inevitable.

Suddenly expelled, she was alone, and couldn’t ask for help from people connected to her family.

Wanting to break off the engagement because her fiancé was unfaithful, but instead being expelled – that story would be like spitting on her own face.

Perhaps she came to Veronica because she had no connection with her.

People sometimes find it easier to confide their private matters to someone they’re not close to.

Relationships are strange; the more precious they are, the more one tends to be cautious and careful, unintentionally keeping secrets.

But to seek out someone she had met just once, Veronica must have been truly the only one she could ask for help.

Maybe even the Magnolia she met at the mental hospital wanted to break off the engagement but had to accept it inevitably.

What she thought was stupid gullibility might not have been so.

News of Magnolia came not long after.

Word spread that the noble daughter of the Lining family and the third son of Colega were to hold their wedding ceremony.

It was proceeding much faster than the originally planned date. Veronica heard about it through Lady Arin.

“Veronica. What are you going to do?”

“Well. Should I go and congratulate them?”

“But Miss Lining was trying to break off the engagement, wasn’t she? I couldn’t ask in detail, but there must have been some circumstances, right?”

Veronica didn’t particularly respond. Seeing her face deep in thought, Lady Arin carefully continued speaking.

“If you need any help, I’ll step in too.”

“Do I really have to help her?”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t have any reason to help her.”

Lady Arin was taken aback by this straightforward assertion.

“But Miss Lining doesn’t want to get married, does she?”

“That’s right. But Lady, that’s not a reason for me to help her. Why do people think they should naturally help someone just because they know their face? Why do they talk about fate after just a few conversations? Even though I didn’t feel any great intimacy. Moreover, she and I have only seen each other’s faces a few times and spent a moment together, that’s all. Even that was because I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her situation.”

“Because you’re close…”

“She and I are nothing to each other.”

In this life, her acquaintance with Magnolia Lining was limited to the previous reading gathering of Her Majesty the Empress.

If there was any connection before that, it was just being coincidentally seated next to each other at the mental hospital. Even that was something only Veronica knew about.

They weren’t close enough to call each other friends, nor could they be considered close.

In fact, if someone else had come asking for help, Veronica would have immediately refused and sent them away.

But was it because she knew about her future? Even Veronica couldn’t coldly turn her away.

Well, why was that? Maybe it was sympathy. But that was all.

“Do I need to continue a relationship that won’t be reciprocated?”

“……”

Would she be any different from others?

Like the predetermined tragedy of her family, like people’s constant betrayal, Magnolia would also betray her trust just like others.

There was no reason for Veronica to help her, knowing that nothing would remain in this relationship.

Is it bad to turn away someone asking for help? Should one be criticized for it? Does one have to display altruistic sacrifice to be considered a good person? But no one reproached those who turned away when she needed help.

They justified that turning away was natural.

People want to be bystanders when it’s not their business, and they’re reluctant to get involved in troublesome matters.

If they have to suffer a loss, it’s natural to dislike it. That was a natural instinct.

People tend to agree more in the face of natural instincts.

The categories of good and bad people are determined there. Even those who turned away from Veronica said not to view their choices negatively because they were natural.

That’s how people are. Everyone is like that. Veronica was too. Moreover, Veronica wasn’t even a good person.

Accepting Magnolia who suddenly barged in was the only generosity she could show.

‘You didn’t ask me anything. You didn’t expect anything.’

That’s what Magnolia had mumbled softly on the night they shared a bed. It was because she already knew about her circumstances.

She didn’t expect anything because it wasn’t necessary. To judge someone as a good person just for that, she was too naive.

The two were really nothing to each other, to the extent that they knew so little about each other.

Lady Arin said nothing to such a Veronica.

That evening, Veronica shared a meal with Harry.

It was the first time in a while they spent time alone after their guest who had stayed for a few days suddenly left.

“Come to think of it, Miss Lining suddenly went back, it’s a shame I couldn’t say goodbye. I heard she was going to break off her engagement, so I was surprised to hear news of her marriage suddenly.”

“She’s probably doing well.”

At least she would be carefully guarded. Harry stared intently at Veronica who was indifferently eating her soup from across the table.

“Veronica. Is there anything father can help with?”

“Pardon? There isn’t.”

“If you ever want to ask for anything later, tell me. Anything at all.”

At this sudden remark, Veronica put down her spoon. Lady Arin had said something similar last time.

“Do I look like I need help?”

“It’s not that. You never know.”

“Father. I’m not doing anything related to Miss Lining’s marriage.”

Harry’s eyes widened, then he soon smiled.

“Father didn’t say anything about that.”

“It seems like everyone thinks I’m going to help Miss Lining break off her engagement. Do you also think I want to help Miss Lining, Father?”

“No. But I know my daughter brought a guest after a long time. These days, you’re often alone except when you go for lessons or to meet Miss Aria or Prince Theron.”

Until now, there were many people around Veronica. Though unintended, she couldn’t help but receive attention.

The first thing Veronica did when she returned to being 16 years old was to settle things with her old lovers. As a result, her relationships with people narrowed considerably.

Certainly, apart from meeting teachers in classes, Lady Arin, and going to meet Cassian, she hadn’t had any other meetings.

If anything, it was just attending balls or banquets. Was he secretly worried about that?

“Father was really happy. To see our daughter laughing with a peer after so long.”

Veronica stared blankly at Harry’s face, which was genuinely happy.

Perhaps he had misunderstood that his daughter was being ostracized? It’s an unnecessary worry. Even so, was he relieved when Magnolia came?

“Relationships with people are really difficult. Sometimes you want to get along well but it’s hard because you can’t fathom their hearts, and you’re disappointed in yourself for making mistakes when you want to show your best side. You want to be repaid as much as you give, and when that doesn’t happen you feel secretly disappointed, you want them to understand your feelings as much as you don’t express them, but then you feel aversion if they understand too much. When you think about it like that, it’s a problem that’s too difficult even for adults.”

“I don’t want to form any kind of relationship with Miss Lining.”

“I see. But you don’t necessarily have to form a relationship to meet people.”

You don’t necessarily need to form a relationship. Veronica was silent for a moment. Harry finished his soup, and the two continued their meal.

Before long, empty bowls appeared one by one as the meal neared its end.

Harry instructed a maid clearing the dishes to bring some light tea. Until then, Veronica, who had been silent for a long time, opened her mouth.

“There’s something I’m not sure is right or wrong, but I have to decide whether to intervene or not. I’ll regret it later if I intervene.”

“You don’t know if you’ll regret it later or not.”

“No. I’ll definitely regret it.”

I’ll regret it and regret it again, endlessly cutting myself down. There will be no reward, only disappointment left.

The momentary resentment will soon be diluted and in the end, it will be remembered as a meaningless relationship. It was an obvious ending that could be clearly envisioned.

“But you’re troubled about it, aren’t you?”

That’s right. In fact, Veronica had been worrying about it all along. It was a worry she would never have had normally.

The face that looked back at herself and sobbed in the last moment, the her who struggled in despair until just before the hospital burned down long ago, kept appearing in Veronica’s mind.

Harry smiled faintly as he watched Veronica who seemed deep in thought.

“There’s a saying. If you’ll regret it, don’t do it, and if you’re troubled, stop for now. But if it’s something that will remain in your memory for a long time, do it first and regret later. If you can’t come to a conclusion right now, just follow your heart. It might lead to a good result.”