“Father? Did you say father?”

The sight she had seen earlier wouldn’t leave Alicia’s mind.

Not wanting to go anywhere near Earl Russell’s mansion, she returned straight to the Lancaster estate.

She barely ate dinner, just getting it over with, and went straight up to her room.

Being alone, she couldn’t stay still and paced around the room, which kept bringing back memories of that scene.

‘I need to focus on something else and stop thinking about it.’

So she sat at her desk.

As she was writing documents and moving her hand, the thought arose unconsciously and she unknowingly applied force, breaking the pen.

“Ah, really, nothing’s going right.”

Grumbling, Alicia took out a new pen and scribbled on the document.

“There was a woman? You said there wasn’t, that there was nothing like that. That there wouldn’t be in the future. You said that so confidently when we made the contract.”

Snap-.

Again she must have applied force, as the pen broke.

“Ah, why are pens these days so weak. I knew buying them in bulk was a bad idea.”

Grumbling, she started to take out another new pen but stopped. In this state, it was hopeless to try to work anyway.

Sighing, she tried to lie down on the desk but hit her head harder than expected, yet it didn’t hurt at all.

Rather, if it had hurt tremendously, she might have been able to forget that scene for a moment.

Lying face down, Alicia sighed.

“Let’s call it a day.”

She finally got up from the desk.

Since it had come to this anyway, not wanting to do anything, she lay down on the bed to try to sleep quickly.

Alone in the dark, quiet space, the situation from earlier came back even more vividly.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she turned over to the other side.

Though she had only seen her briefly, the image of that woman came back clearly.

She was a mature, subtly glamorous type of woman.

‘So that’s the type he likes.’

She recalled Eric’s words from before at the palace, that ‘fancy things like’ double roses didn’t suit him.

‘It’s not that they don’t suit me, I just don’t wear them. How would he know? He’s never even seen it.’

Grumbling, she turned back to the other side and forcefully closed her eyes.

‘The child looked quite grown. Just how long have they been meeting?’

‘Was there a reason they had to meet in secret?’

‘If she runs a cafe in that neighborhood, she’s probably not nobility. Then did the duke’s family oppose it because she’s a commoner?’

‘The duke’s family wanted Eric to marry so badly, yet they’ve been meeting in secret even with a child, so that must be it. Is that why they pushed Eric even more to get married? To try to end it somehow?’

‘Then did he accept my proposal thinking that if we break off the engagement later, Father and Mother would give up and accept it?’

‘Yes, that must be it.’

A perfect story with puzzle pieces fitting together was completed in Alicia’s mind.

‘Even so, he should have told me in advance.’

‘Even if it’s fake, shouldn’t I have known? So I could prepare too.’

‘Prepare… to break up with Eric.’

Suddenly feeling like she might cry, she squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.

‘Actually, it’s not really my business.’

After all, she’s just a fake fiancée and breaking off the engagement is the set course. She knows it doesn’t matter who he marries after that.

Still.

She lightly touched her fingers to her lips.

That kiss then felt like a sincere emotion rather than being swept up in the mood.

Is that feeling of focusing solely on ‘us’ something everyone feels when they kiss?

Is it that all men are like that, and she was the only one who misunderstood?

‘Jerk.’

Making a person have such expectations.

Making them believe they could take one more step forward.

“Aaargh!”

In the end, Alicia bolted upright in bed.

“This is so frustrating. I can’t sleep.”

She felt like crying, angry, and hurt all at once.

For the first time, she realized that several emotions could swirl together at once, and how painful that could be.

She felt like she needed to run to Eric right now and smack him upside the head to feel better.

“…I must be crazy.”

In the end, she didn’t sleep a wink.

As soon as morning broke, she came to the cafe at a time when it seemed like the door would open any minute.

Though she already knew the situation, she couldn’t stay still without confirming due to a tiny hope that perhaps she had misunderstood.

“They haven’t opened yet. I guess I came too early.”

‘This is actually better. You can just go back now, Alicia. What were you going to do if you met them?’

Though she tried to persuade herself like that inwardly, her feet wouldn’t move.

‘I need to meet and confirm. If I don’t confirm, I’ll keep suffering, right?’

‘But what if it’s really true?’

Suddenly she felt terrified.

‘Should I go back after all?’

As Alicia stood hesitating in front of the door, a voice came from behind her.

“Oh my, the door’s not open yet. What shall we do?”

Startled, Alicia turned around to see Eric’s woman smiling brightly at her.

After hesitating, Alicia finally opened her mouth.

“Ah, it seems that way. I was just about to leave.”

“Oh, that’s alright. I can open a bit early.”

“Pardon?”

“Come in. I’ll prepare as quickly as possible.”

“Uh-”

The woman unlocked the cafe door and ushered in the hesitating Alicia.

Seeing the carved name inside the cafe, Alicia murmured as she read it.

“Eugenie?”

“That’s my name. It’s also the cafe’s name. Please wait a moment.”

Eugenie showed Alicia to a seat before going inside to brew coffee.

Left alone, Alicia looked around the cafe interior as the aroma of coffee began to spread through the shop.

‘It smells good.’

As Alicia sat blankly thinking that, Eugenie brought out the coffee.

“Did you wait long? Please, have some.”

“Thank you. It smells wonderful.”

Alicia smiled awkwardly and took a sip of coffee.

‘It tastes annoyingly good. The two of them must have drunk this together.’

Thinking that made her feel choked up.

Watching Alicia, Eugenie kindly offered a dessert.

“Would you like to try this too? They say it’s good to eat something sweet when you’re tired.”

“Pardon?”

“You look quite tired.”

She was a kind and friendly woman.

Wondering if she had acted like this with Eric too, Alicia suddenly felt choked up again.

So that’s why people pull hair, she thought vaguely as she stared blankly at the plate of desserts before taking one and putting it in her mouth.

“It’s delicious. The coffee too. You’re very skilled.”

“Oh my, I’m so glad you say that. Actually, I haven’t been running the cafe for long, so I was worried.”

“Is that so?”

“It was hard at first since it’s my first time, but I think I’m lucky. I have someone helping me.”

“Someone helping?”

Wondering if she meant Eric, Alicia was about to ask when the bell on the cafe door rang.

“Mom!”

“Son, you’re here?”

The child she had seen before came running in and hugged Eugenie. Following him was a woman who looked to be the child’s grandmother.

“Hey, the weather’s nice outside today. We could put some tables out. Oh my, there was a customer? I should have spoken more quietly.”

The grandmother lowered her voice, looking apologetic.

But Alicia hadn’t heard any of that conversation.

She was just gripping her coffee cup tightly with both hands, staring intently at the child looking back at her.

‘Does he resemble him? Is there any resemblance to Eric?’

Alicia must have stared too intensely, as the child averted his gaze and hid behind Eugenie.

“It’s okay. Don’t be shy, you should say hello.”

“Hello.”

As the child greeted in a small voice, Alicia came to her senses and smiled awkwardly.

“Hello. What’s your name?”

“It’s Toby.”

At Alicia’s smile, Toby shyly hid behind Eugenie again and peeked out, so Eugenie answered for him.

“Hello, Toby. I’m Alicia.”

Feeling bad for staring, Alicia tried her best to smile kindly.

“Your child is very cute. Ah, then your husband?”

“The child’s father is a knigh-”

“!”

Alicia’s heart sank before Eugenie could even finish speaking.

Her hands trembled unknowingly, so Alicia gripped the coffee cup tightly and tried to take a sip.

Just then, the door opened and a man entered carrying lots of things.

“Hello-. Where should I put these?”

“Daddy!”

“Pffft!”

Alicia, who had almost spat out her coffee, looked up in surprise as Toby cheerfully waved to the man who had entered.

“What’s with this kid again. I told you not to call just anyone daddy.”

“Hnnng.”

The grandmother scolded Toby.

“Cough cough. Daddy?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Eugenie waved her hands, looking troubled.

“The child’s father died before he was born. So he calls any adult man ‘daddy’.”

‘So he’s not Eric’s son. He’s not. Thank goodness… No, that’s not right.’

Alicia blinked, then put a hand to her chest in relief before suddenly sitting up straight in surprise.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

“It’s alright. It happened a long time ago.”

Eugenie smiled nonchalantly and waved her hand.

Beside her, the grandmother was soothing Toby, who was whining about wanting to go out and play.

“Well, we should get going. The child is whining too much and will interfere with business.”

“Will you? You’re going home, right?”

“Yes. Come on, let’s go with grandma.”

The grandmother picked up the whining Toby and hurriedly walked away.

As Toby, who had been watching Alicia, made eye contact with her, he smiled brightly and waved.

Alicia smiled back in response and waved as well.

Eugenie, who had been watching Alicia, tilted her head and asked:

“You said your name was Alicia earlier, right?”

“Yes? Yes.”

“Ah! Do you perhaps know Earl Russell?”

Eugenie suddenly asked as if she had thought of something.

Slightly surprised, Alicia reluctantly nodded.

“Oh my, then are you perhaps Lady Alicia Lancaster?”

“You know me?”

“Of course. I’ve heard a lot about you from the Earl. His fiancée.”

“Ah-”

“My goodness, I’ve been so rude to you, my lady. I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t think that at all.”

Eugenie smiled, seeming relieved at Alicia’s unnoble-like behavior.

Somehow, from the moment she first saw Alicia, she had felt there was something different about her aura.

But since noble young ladies rarely come to places like this alone, she had thoughtlessly assumed she wasn’t one.

“I heard about you from the Earl and was really curious, and now I get to meet you like this, my lady.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I thought you’d be a taciturn person, but he spoke so happily about you that I was quite surprised.”

“Is that so?”

Feeling her face heating up for some reason, Alicia cupped her cheeks as Eugenie smiled brightly.