Back then… it was scarier to deviate from the original story, to break up with Cassien, than to die.
But not anymore.
“You were going to the theater, right? You should hurry.”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Roel.”
Cassien maintained his calm demeanor despite my obvious irritation.
“Lady Veronica and I aren’t involved in any way. Yes, we talked a few times… but that’s all. Any insinuation of something more between us is a misunderstanding.”
Soon Cassien gently took hold of my hand.
I stared at his hand.
There was no engagement ring on either my hand or Cassien’s.
I had removed my engagement ring yesterday, and Cassien hadn’t worn his since the engagement ceremony.
“Roel. We’ve been engaged for four years. Why would I go meet someone else… eh?”
“…Cassien.”
“Yes, Roel.”
“I don’t care who you meet anymore.”
“……”
“Could you please leave now?”
There was a time when I desperately hoped Cassien would cheer me up.
But having experienced it, I felt even dirtier and more miserable. And…
‘Pathetic.’
I almost preferred when I just ignored and covered up everything. I forcefully shook off Cassien’s hand.
“I want to rest… Cassien, please leave. I’m asking you.”
Then I headed straight for the bed, a place I rarely had the chance to lie down on.
The soft touch of the blanket felt like Cassien’s touch on my hand earlier, making my heart flutter momentarily, but I closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep.
However, Cassien’s fidgeting with my hair at the edge of the bed made it hard even to keep my eyes closed, let alone sleep.
“Roel. Look at me.”
“……”
“Why are you like this all of a sudden? What’s bothering you? You need to tell me what I did wrong to ask for forgiveness.”
“……”
“Are you really going to keep this up?”
“……”
“Come on, get up. We need to talk. At least look at me when I’m speaking.”
I intended to ignore him.
But his recent words made me sit up abruptly.
What? Have a conversation? Look in the eyes when spoken to? Who was the one who never even made eye contact during conversations?
I glared at Cassien without saying a word.
“…Roel, exactly why are you angry.”
“Does it even matter to you why I’m angry?”
At my words, Cassien closed his eyes tightly and then reopened them.
It was a habitual action Cassien did unconsciously whenever he was faced with an annoying situation.
‘I know even your trivial habits, but…’
That you have to ask why I am angry to understand… really…
“Why do you keep speaking so sharply? You don’t want to fight with me. So, let’s make things right…”
“Why should I speak nicely to you!”
Cassien seemed startled, his body stiffening.
Normally, I would have been more surprised at his reaction and kept quiet, watching for his cues, but today I couldn’t stop speaking.
“Don’t you remember? I said I wanted to break off the engagement! That means we are broken up. Then why are you doing this? Why are you acting like this after we’ve broken up!”
“……Roel.”
“The only thing I have to say to you is this: We are done.”
“……”
“So please, leave my room now, Cassien.”
Given that Feria hadn’t approached me, it seemed Cassien hadn’t told anyone that I wanted to break off the engagement.
‘Of course. Why would he give up the engagement that allowed him to meet different women under its shield?’
Cassien’s extravagant lifestyle was ironically made possible thanks to our engagement.
Our long-standing engagement gave the Ershian Duke and Duchess the belief that their wayward son would eventually settle down.
Such was their firm belief that they never took any action to address his behavior until now.
Furthermore, the Duchess had even said, ‘Enjoy everything before marriage, and you’ll treat your wife better during marriage. It’s not entirely a bad thing.’
‘He won’t change his ways until he meets the female lead, just living like he does now.’
Now that it’s over with Cassien, it’s none of my business.
That’s what I thought, until Cassien showed up again at the Ivel Count’s residence the next day.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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