“Thank you for coming out. I was actually worried that I might have been too rude, making such an abrupt request to Miss Humble. I thought perhaps Miss Somerset might not come out.”

Evan paused there and smiled brightly. Enough to make even the onlooker feel good.

“I’m glad. Actually, I was prepared to wait until the store closed.”

Evan said lightly, as if joking, and tugged at the corner of his mouth. However, Jacqueline knew that it wasn’t just a joke.

He really would have waited for Jacqueline until the store closed.

The straightforward feelings colliding felt especially heavy today. Perhaps because they were feelings that couldn’t be returned from this side.

Her own feelings and Evan’s feelings.

Jacqueline, bearing both, could only feel heavy. And Evan, having given his heart to Jacqueline, could only feel light enough to fly.

She exhaled slowly and lifted her chin slightly.

“The reason I came out here today is……”

At that moment, the waiter set coffee in front of the two. Plates with cookies and muffins were placed before them.

Jacqueline nodded lightly to the waiter and only opened her mouth again after he had disappeared.

“Mr. Knox, the reason I came out here today is.”

“Let’s have some coffee first. I heard the cafe owner studied abroad in the Kingdom of Naughty. So the coffee taste is quite excellent. I hope it’s to Miss Somerset’s liking as well.”

Saying that, Evan brought the cup to his lips. Soon his brow smoothed out in satisfaction. But he couldn’t perfectly hide his nervousness.

Slightly trembling eyes, a slightly sunken voice, stiffly frozen fingertips.

Evan had clearly anticipated the words of rejection that would come from her mouth. The end of his refreshing smile froze awkwardly.

Jacqueline, who had been staring intently at his lips, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Why me?”

Evan raised his eyebrows slightly as he set down his cup. Jacqueline looked at him straight on without touching her teacup.

As their eyes met, Evan smiled habitually. Suddenly, the thought occurred that he was very different from Windsor. He had never once shown a smile to Jacqueline until now.

That must be a Preston family tradition too.

Jacqueline tried to imagine his smiling face, but it wasn’t as easy as she thought. She had to use all her imagination, as if trying to recall a fantastical animal she had never seen before.

But in the end, she failed.

I’d probably be very surprised to see Windsor smile. Like that brilliant moment when I first saw Benjamin’s smile.

Jacqueline cut off her thoughts that kept wandering and focused on Evan in front of her. A voice that sounded calm at first glance flowed from between her teeth.

“As you know, Mr. Knox, broken engagements are quite common in high society. There are countless young ladies more excellent than me, and you could meet them without any difficulty. So why me? Even though we were engaged, we only met a few times. Or perhaps.”

Jacqueline paused there and threw him an intense gaze.

“Are you using me as a stepping stone to get out from under Lord Knox’s shadow?”

“!”

Evan’s eyes widened at those words. As if he had heard something completely unexpected.

Then he immediately lowered his eyes with a hurt expression. As if he hadn’t known Jacqueline was thinking that way, a sad smile formed at the corners of his mouth.

She unconsciously bit her lower lip. Perhaps she had suspected that Evan was using her as a tool to rebel against his father.

But it seems that was her unfounded suspicion. To have such a dejected expression like a scolded child.

“If that’s not the case, I’m sorry, Mr. Knox. My words were too harsh.”

“It’s alright.”

Evan smiled refreshingly with his usual face right away. He wasn’t the kind of man to lack consideration to the point of making a lady apologize.

Gazing at her with eyes full of passion, Evan spoke as if with a faint sigh.

“It seems Miss Somerset doesn’t remember.”

“Remember… what?”

Jacqueline furrowed her brow as she cupped the teacup with both hands. As if trying to guess what past she couldn’t remember. The warmth of the coffee slowly heated her palms.

Meanwhile, Evan’s eyes, wandering through the past, took on a languid light.

“When we first danced.”

“I remember.”

As if to say “Oh, that,” Jacqueline nodded readily. Her eyes too were retracing some moment in the past.

It was the banquet announcing their engagement. Jacqueline and Evan, meeting for the first time that day, danced together in front of everyone watching.

One day, a year after entering boarding school, she had to be unilaterally informed of her engagement by her father.

It wasn’t anything special. Most young ladies found out about their engagements in a similar fashion.

Jacqueline was very curious about what kind of person Evan Knox, said to be her fiancé, was. So she searched the entire boarding school to see if there were any young ladies who knew him.

Despite meeting him after gathering information about Evan, the first meeting was still nerve-wracking. The fussing maids made it even more so.

Standing somewhere between boy and young man, Evan was polite and gentle as rumored. That was her first impression.

“We were both awkward. It was my first time dancing with a man other than my father. So I was quite scared. Afraid I might step on Mr. Knox’s feet in front of so many people watching.”

“I know. You said the same thing back then too.”

Evan gently pulled at the corners of his mouth, as if that day’s events were as vivid as if they had happened just yesterday. Jacqueline looked at him with puzzled eyes.

“Did I?”

Suddenly, she thought that many people seemed to remember their first meeting with her. Just as Samantha vividly remembered her first meeting with her.

Perhaps memories are relative. A moment that is very impressive to someone may not be so to someone else.

In that sense, the first meeting with Lord Preston was quite impressive.

Evan, who had briefly shown a disappointed expression at her response, soon put on a kind smile.

“I thought it was amazing. The courage to honestly express your fears, that is.”

“… Is that so?”

Jacqueline lowered her gaze slightly with an embarrassed expression. Evan persistently tried to meet her eyes.

As if his throat was dry, he moistened his lips with his tongue and slowly opened his mouth.

“That day.”

Jacqueline raised her head that had been lowered. At the same time, she met his wavering eyes. The expression gradually disappeared from her face.

“I fell in love at first sight. With you, Miss Somerset.”

“!”

At last, Jacqueline’s eyes widened. For a while, she couldn’t say anything and just stared at Evan’s face.

She learned for the first time. Jacqueline had thought that he too considered their engagement as a natural duty of the nobility.

“Ah.”

So she unconsciously let out a dumbfounded sound. Evan, seemingly embarrassed, avoided her gaze and only continued after taking a sip of coffee.

“You were shining dazzlingly as you said those words.”

“Mr. Knox, I……”

Jacqueline tried to say something, but Evan was a little faster. He stroked his nape and let out a dry laugh, “Haha.”

“Confessing one’s inner thoughts, it takes more courage than expected. That’s probably why you looked so dazzling that day.”

Sure enough, the skin under his eyes was slightly flushed. Jacqueline could only stare blankly at him without saying anything.

The kindness that couldn’t be returned pressed down on her like a huge boulder. Just as Jacqueline was barely supporting the heavy guilt, Evan spoke with a rather determined expression.

“I know that your situation isn’t good. I can help……”

“No, Mr. Knox.”

Jacqueline, who had been dazed until just now, shook her head hurriedly. And she looked at him with strong eyes.

“I appreciate your feelings, but I can take care of my own affairs. I’ve relied on others so much that there’s surprisingly little I can do on my own. So now I want to try doing it alone. I’m not sure if it will work out well though.”

At her polite rejection, Evan burst into a refreshing laugh without showing any disappointment. A deeper affection settled in his sparkling eyes.

“I knew you would say that.”

Pause.

A puzzled look settled on Jacqueline’s face. Evan added, with eyes shining as clear as a summer sky.

“I have no intention of pressuring Miss Somerset. Nor do I intend to burden you with one-sided feelings. However, from now on, I will constantly express my heart. This time, I would like it if we could get engaged not by my father’s will, but by our own wills.”

“Mr. Knox.”

Jacqueline could say nothing but his name. She was perplexed about how to reject the feelings that were coming at her so straightforwardly.

Suddenly, her heart stirred. It shook her and passed by like a cool breeze on an early summer afternoon.

Jacqueline knew how much comfort unconditional affection could bring. The temptation to lean on Evan’s kindness began to raise its head stealthily.

It would probably be a much more comfortable life than now. Both economically and physically. Evan would make a kind husband, and the family they would build would be as stable as a deeply rooted tree.

“I’ll approach slowly, so don’t worry.”

“……”

Jacqueline looked at him with unfamiliar eyes, as if looking at a stranger.

Once, she thought he was weak. She also thought he would never go against his father’s will for his entire life. That was her first impression of him when she first saw him at the engagement party.

Even after several more meetings, that first impression didn’t change. Count Knox was quite hot-tempered, and Evan couldn’t properly stand up to him.

But the Evan Knox in front of her had quite a bit of backbone. It was so unexpected that Jacqueline blinked and stared at him blankly.

Had three years of time made him change like this?

Just as Jacqueline had changed dramatically over the past few years, had Evan also reached a new turning point?

“Oh.”

As if he had just remembered something, Evan turned his gaze to her. Jacqueline looked at him with thoughtful eyes.

“I mentioned that I started a publishing company, didn’t I?”

“Yes. You did. I remember.”

Despite making a puzzled expression at the sudden change of topic, Jacqueline nodded diligently. She was being unintentionally drawn along by him, but she wasn’t aware of that fact.

“There’s a publication we’re planning, and after meeting Miss Somerset at this recent gathering, I thought you would be perfect for it.”