While the Duke’s kindness and affection were welcomed, if it was for the purpose of a proposal, she must stop it now.
Because I must become the Crown Princess.
If I stand proudly next to Leopold, my family will look at me as well.
The hand touching the necklace stiffened. A heavy weight settled in one corner of her heart. The assumption that she would no longer see the Duke was more disappointing than she thought.
Before they got any closer, Olivia carefully opened her lips.
“Your Grace. There is something I must tell you.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about the ring you mentioned earlier.”
“Do you finally want it?”
The Duke, who had been lounging, sat up straight. His loosely relaxed red eyes sparkled sweetly.
“You’re very late, but since you want it, I’ll think about it again.”
Contrary to his stern words, his action was swift. Watching the Duke pull out the ring case, Olivia hurriedly spoke.
“It’s not about that, but about how kind you are.”
At her determined gaze, Olivia’s voice became quieter.
“You don’t have to be kind because of the proposal.”
The Duke’s face turned strange. He seemed about to say something, his lips twitching.
I know. How wrong my actions are right now. Surely the Duke will be at a loss, too. Being so kind.
Olivia’s deflated shoulders drooped. Simultaneously, a calm voice was heard.
“Am I being kind to you?”
The man asked sincerely. Olivia nodded.
“Yes. You’ve been too kind to me.”
Olivia had never tasted such generous affection.
Embarrassing praises. Tender gazes. Caring gestures. Gentle words. Even gifts.
She was truly grateful.
The Duke’s face momentarily twisted as he met Olivia’s thankful gaze, then he smiled as before. Olivia somehow thought that the Duke seemed wounded.
“……Then I intend to treat you even better, Miss.”
“……Why?”
“I have been approaching as gently as possible, suppressing the desire to treat you better.”
It was a warm word like the spring sun. Unbelievably enough that I dare to taste such warmth.
The Duke laughed faintly.
“So don’t tell me not to treat you well. You understand?”
Olivia’s mouth was dry. After a while, Olivia nodded her head. The Duke smiled faintly.
Before they knew it, the carriage had arrived at the front gate. The Duke, who got out of the carriage, winked at Olivia. There was one more jewelry box placed there, unknown when. Before the surprised Olivia could speak, the Duke spoke first.
“That’s for my younger sister. I want to look good for my precious younger sister too.”
The Duke, grinning, set off the carriage. The gate opened and the carriage carrying Olivia crossed the garden. Olivia looked out the window at the Duke.
The Duke’s smiling face was clear as he receded.
[This is the time separator]Upon entering the mansion, Olivia opened the box that the Duke had left. A pink diamond necklace. It was the same as the one I’m wearing.
Somehow my heart was thrilled. It really seemed like a perfect day. I received flowers from the children and received this gift as well.
“Sally.”
Olivia called Sally, who was sent to the mansion first. But Sally was nowhere to be seen.
On one side, the maids were gathered together. It was in front of Esella’s room.
With worried faces, the maids noticed Olivia.
“Miss Esella is looking for you.”
“Esella’s back?”
There were still three days left before she was due, what happened? Although I had a bad feeling, Olivia shook her head.
What could go wrong? She would have played happily at the Haelquin Duke’s house.
When Olivia entered Esella’s room, she was a little surprised.
The room was dark, even though it was evening, and the lights were not turned on. Esella was seen sitting on the bed among the spreading twilight.
Feeling her presence, Esella faced the door. Her face, hidden by her hair, was not visible. Olivia, about to call Esella, stopped in an uneasy sensation.
It was a feeling I had felt when I first entered my father’s reception room.
“Sister.”
When the metalmixed voice was heard, Olivia approached Esella, placing the box she was holding on the table.
“What’s wrong?”
That was a weeping voice. A voice drained of all life.
Olivia clenched her fist. Who dares to make an angel like Esella cry? It could never happen.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Sister, because of you……”
Slowly, Esella turned her head. At that moment, Olivia stopped in her tracks. The eyes of Esella, who was always immersed in happiness, had dimmed.
“Our mother is dead?”
Olivia’s heart dropped at the trembling voice that faced her.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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