“I didn’t know the second child of Ibel had such a filthy mouth. Seems like you’ve given up on any semblance of dignity.”

“What, what did you say?”

“Roel, let’s go.”

Cassien didn’t let go of my hand, dragging me along with him. He only released me in a secluded corner of the garden, but immediately grabbed my forearm tightly, making it impossible for me to move.

“This…!”

“Roel. That’s your name, isn’t it?”

I hadn’t noticed before, but Cassien’s face looked quite battered. His eyes were red with bloodshot veins, and he seemed to have lost weight.

His haggard appearance startled me, but…

Cassien and I were officially annulled now.

‘I have no reason to care.’

I spoke as coldly as I could.

“Why are you here?”

“…….”

“Leave, Cassien. This is no longer a place where you can come as you please.”

He stared at me blankly for a moment before finally speaking.

“You said you’d wait…”

“I never told you to wait.”

“…Roel.”

“I don’t know what you were expecting, but my feelings haven’t changed.”

“…….”

“We’re annulled. It’s really over between us.”

Shock swept over Cassien’s stiff face.

It wasn’t entirely pleasant, considering he was someone I once imagined a future with.

But… that was all.

Maybe my feelings for Cassien had been resolving for a long time.

“I… I was wrong.”

“…Cassien, how many times do I have to tell you. We’re over.”

“I’ve reflected a lot.”

Tears fell from Cassien’s eyes.

“I mean it. I… I’ve really reflected a lot. Roel….”

I was disconcerted by his tears. Cassien only cried in front of Iris, and even in the novel, this was something that happened much later.

Sensing my disconcertion, Cassien stepped closer and knelt down.

“I was wrong… I won’t do the things you hate anymore. What should I do? How can I make you treat me like before…?”

“…….”
“I can do anything for you, Roel. I mean it… I’ll do anything. Really, I can do everything. So please, don’t leave me like this, I beg you….”

Cassien’s face quickly became wet from the tears that began as a single drop. His desperate grip on my hand grew tighter, trembling with force.

My mind was in turmoil.

Cassien’s behavior, acting as if he had ever loved me, was disconcerting. And there was a faint sense of pity, mixed with resentment and sadness…

A whirlwind of emotions engulfed me.

Among them, what troubled me most was the fact that I had been momentarily shaken.

“Roel… please don’t do this… I’ll do better from now on.”

“…….”

“I can explain everything, Roel. I’ll make it all clear to you, I promise… Don’t go. Please, don’t leave….”

What could he possibly explain?

About the times he was with other women while being with me? Or the way he tormented me with his ambiguous attitudes? Or that he never said he loved me? Always postponing our annulment? Blatantly showing up with traces of other women?

None of these were actions one would do to someone they loved.

And now he’s trying to hold me back with excuses that I won’t even buy.

It’s not even funny.

‘To think I was even momentarily swayed by such a person.’

Cassien’s hand, which was slowly creeping up, was now entwined between my fingers. Desperately holding my hand, he looked up at me with eyes reddened with emotion.

“Trust me, Roel… please….”

“Let go of me.”

“I can’t let you go. Don’t leave… don’t leave, Roel!”

Although my relationship with Cassien was challenging, I had never felt such hatred towards him until this moment.

I pulled my hand back with all my might, stepping backward. But suddenly, my back hit something that stopped me from moving further.

“Who gives you the right to decide whether to let go or not of someone else’s betrothed?”