It was only in the evening that the sign hanging in front of the clothing store was flipped over. Afterward, the place Charlotte followed Theo to was his home where he lived with his family.

Charlotte was abruptly introduced to Theo’s family. The gentle Mrs. Evans and his cheerful siblings even introduced the belongings of the late Mr. Evans, which were placed on the shelf, without being asked.

There was nothing stranger than peering into the daily life of someone she had so strongly criticized.

Afterward, Charlotte had to confess to Theo in detail about what had happened at the mansion. Since Evans had originally wanted to hear about it, she continued the story, omitting certain incidents, such as the series of curses she had hurled at Vivian.

After telling everything up to how she was driven out by Edwin, Evans, who had been unable to close his jaw, sat slumped in the wooden chair and let out a long sigh, as if dumbfounded.

“So.”

The faint anger in his tone made her tense.

“You became a maid at the mansion, and your maid, that Mercian woman outside, plotted something and was caught by the duke, resulting in both of you being driven out? Is that right?”

“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t order it. Though Miss Eveline is an unwelcome presence to me, I wouldn’t do such a vile thing.”

Theo tilted his tired head back with a deep sigh. It seemed as if he had escaped the pressing reality, but even in the world behind his closed eyes, Vivian did not disappear.

He pondered deeply on what Vivian wanted, and what kind of person he should be for her. If he had been the right person for Vivian from the beginning, would he have had to hear this story from someone else’s lips?

Thinking of Vivian, who must have struggled in a place without a single ally, tears welled up in his eyes from the pain in his heart. His chest ached at the thought that it was none other than himself who had left Vivian to struggle alone.

“Anyway, thank you so much. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to stay here safely. I won’t cause any trouble.”

Theo returned to reality, straightened his head, and rubbed his eyes.

“So when are you going back?”

Theo asked in a low voice, his head bowed. Charlotte hesitated, unable to make any promises.

“You do want to go back, right?”

When his bloodshot eyes met hers, she pretended not to notice and deliberately turned her gaze away, feigning embarrassment.

“Where else would I have to go?”

“I want you to return to the mansion as soon as possible too. I don’t want to see our young lady and the duke alone together for even a single day.”

It was because of Evans, who made no attempt to hide his emotions, that Charlotte realized their situations were not so different.

What she had learned from loving Edwin for a long time was that revealing one’s feelings could actually become poison, a realization she had come to through the Baroness Baitness.

But Theo, perhaps because there was no one to point out such feelings to him, failed to hide his emotions towards Vivian.

Love. Vivian, you were being loved.

Charlotte gave a bitter smile.

“I’ll send a letter to the young lady. She’s not in a situation where she can’t read letters, right?”

“No. She can read letters.”

“Good. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back to the mansion, so you do your best to find a way to return as well. And postpone the marriage as much as possible.”

If only she could, why couldn’t she do it?

Charlotte doubted whether she could keep her promise to Theo, but she had no choice but to promise. Right now, she desperately needed Theo’s help.

***

It had been raining for several days. Perhaps because of that, even though the weather had cleared up yesterday and today, it wasn’t particularly hot. It would take more time for the earth, washed by the rain, to warm up again.

Since the rain started, encounters with Eveline had become noticeably more frequent.

The brazen Eveline tried her best to catch the eye, whether by wearing the dress that had been bought for her and barging into the room early in the morning with other servants to busily clean, or by opening the curtains, or even bringing breakfast herself.

Yes. That’s what I was hoping for when I said that, but I didn’t expect her to be this proactive. If I had known that the receipt would have such power, I wouldn’t have rolled her in the mud.

After finishing dinner with the woman who had appointed herself as his attendant, Edwin changed his destination to the library. Vivian, puzzled by Edwin not going to his room, followed him while walking at a distance.

The sound of their footsteps echoed through the quiet evening corridor.

Vivian stared blankly at Edwin’s broad back as he walked ahead.

The intimidation from his overwhelming size was even more powerful when standing close. Recalling what had happened by the lake not long ago, it seemed almost unbelievable that she had been able to return without incident from that enormous man.

It was purely out of greed that she had taken the bait of the duke’s suggestion to try her best using the receipt as leverage. She needed the repayment receipt with his signature on it.

The things she could do, and the things she could do in front of the duke. All Vivian could think of was this kind of role, but his reaction wasn’t too bad.

“Find some recommendable books related to real estate here.”

Edwin, loitering around the bookshelf, requested help from Vivian. Vivian’s face brightened upon receiving the task, and she approached to search the bookshelf.

Edwin, who had been focusing on selecting books, was distracted by the scent of flowers that suddenly came close. When he turned his eyes, there was Vivian, standing on her tiptoes and stretching her hand earnestly.

Putting aside the task of finding books, he leaned against the bookshelf and observed Vivian.

She would quickly skim through a book, then put it back in its place, or place books she found interesting on a shelf at about her eye level. Occasionally, when she discovered an intriguing book, she would focus and continue reading. When she nodded seriously, he almost burst out laughing inadvertently.

Vivian seemed to particularly like the book she had just picked up, leaning against the bookshelf and turning its pages. Despite the subject likely being uninteresting, her ash-gray eyes sparkled brightly.

“Do you clearly remember talking to me about books when you were young?”

On that day 14 years ago, the background of the girl who had chattered on about stories she had read in books revealed a bookworm-like aspect. So, it was impossible to resist without breaking Vivian’s concentration.

The moisture dried from her eyes where an unusual color had flickered. As her dejected eyes trembled like autumn reeds, Edwin laughed softly.

“I suddenly became curious. I wonder what kind of book it was that gave Miss Eveline such good advice back then. I’d like to read it.”

“I don’t remember that either…”

Vivian closed the book with a gloomy face and straightened up from her leaning position. Edwin approached and snatched the book from Vivian’s hands. Vivian’s eyes widened, and she desperately reached out. The intense reaction piqued his curiosity, and Edwin held the book high to prevent it from being taken back, checking its title.

‘Emily in Francis Estate’

It was a romance novel published a few years ago. It was a story compiled from tabloid articles into a book, and at one time, it was so wildly popular that it was hard to find women in the capital who hadn’t read this novel.

He looked down at Vivian, who had been engrossed in a novel about a woman falling in love with a wealthy lord, when he had told her to find books related to real estate. Her cheeks had turned rosy. Giving up on retrieving the book, Vivian hurriedly began to make excuses.

“I was just briefly looking at what it was about. The beginning seemed like content you might need, Duke. Really.”

“Is that so?”

Edwin grinned and didn’t return the book, instead ordering Vivian to bring a lamp. He tucked the novel under his arm and left the library. Vivian, following behind with the lamp, was completely focused on that book.

Where is he planning to go with that?

As they came out of the mansion, Vivian looked back anxiously. After passing through the maze garden, an unfamiliar path appeared. The well-paved road seemed to be newly constructed after the mansion’s owner had changed.

They passed by trees with red fruits hanging on both sides of the stone path and went deeper. Vivian’s instinct told her not to follow any further, but the sound of rippling water erased her sense of danger.

When she discovered a familiar scenic view after following Edwin again, she froze stiff.

She had mistakenly thought she was the only one who knew the way to the lake from the mansion. She hadn’t even considered that there might be a well-paved path.

The fact that she had been swimming here every night, perhaps everyone in the mansion had known all along. The thought made her head spin.

The arrogant assumption that just because no one had known when she lived with her parents, no one would know now, had tripped her up.

Edwin turned to look at the dazed Vivian with indifference. She swallowed dryly, her breath catching in her throat, and took heavy steps.

He sat down in a deep shade. Vivian, sitting down at a slight distance from Edwin, looked at the view of the lake visible from here.

To the southeast, the dock and the moored ferry boat were visible. If Edwin had always been here, he would have had a clear, unobstructed view of her emerging from the bushes in the west, and of her standing on the dock undressing.

On the side of the tree, there was a blunt, thick branch artificially inserted, where Edwin hung the lamp he had taken from Vivian’s hand. Then he opened the book he had finally snatched from Vivian.

“Um… Duke.”

She wanted confirmation. She hoped it wasn’t the worst situation she had imagined, that during the time from the end of spring to the peak of summer, this was only Edwin’s second visit.

Edwin, who was turning the cover, looked at Vivian as she moistened her dried lips.

“I didn’t know there was a path from the maze garden to the lake. There wasn’t a path before… when did you make the path?”

Edwin smiled casually and pointed to the first page. That smile made her anticipate that her hopes had been dashed. She bit the inside of her cheek hard and regretted her reckless and foolish behavior of the past days.

“It was not long after I came here. Abernethy told me there was a lake, so I had a path made. It’s a pity you didn’t know. I should have told you in advance. Then you wouldn’t have had to push through the undergrowth like a wild animal.”

Vivian trembled as if having a seizure. Among the numerous ways she had been treated, this time she was being treated like an animal, causing her face to flush hot.

She wanted to throw away all dignity and prestige, to thrash about wildly and vent her anger. She wanted to rebuke Edwin, asking how he could do such a thing, and to return the same insult. But fearing she would only look foolish, Vivian forced a smile, pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“It won’t happen again in the future.”

“Because you know there’s a path now.”

“No. Because I won’t be coming here alone anymore.”

Her resolute voice was filled with anger. When Edwin turned to look at Vivian, she whipped her head away. Edwin also didn’t persist and withdrew his gaze.

“No one but me has seen you. I was always alone when I came here.”

She tried not to reveal the anger within her, but his nonchalant attitude was astonishing. Secretly peeping at a lady’s body and saying it’s fine because he was the only one who saw? Today, she was determined not to let this slide, and opened her mouth.

“Duke, you always put me in difficult situations, don’t you? How am I supposed to live with this kind of shame? You told me not to die, but now you’re pushing me towards death. It would have been better for my life if I had just died that day.”

Along with Vivian’s intense resentment, Edwin’s book closed.

“Are you ashamed because I saw you?”

“…Wouldn’t I be?”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask? Showing my body to anyone would be shameful.”

“But it’s me, not someone else.”

His answer was so outrageous that she lost her words and couldn’t retort immediately.

“It wouldn’t be okay with other people. Neither you showing yourself nor them seeing you. But it’s okay with me. You can show yourself to me, and I can see you. It’s all okay.”

It was a brazenness as if claiming ownership over her body. Even if he held the position of life and death, he needed to correct this great misunderstanding that he could also possess a living body. Otherwise, it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

“I don’t belong to you, Duke.”

He opened the book again, and despite her solemn and reproachful tone, he only let out a heartless laugh.

“Just because I owe you a debt, Duke, just because I’m supposed to die by your hand, doesn’t mean you can do as you please with my body. So you’re not allowed to look at me either.”

“No. You’re mine.”

His blue eyes reading the text were calm. It was questionable whether he was aware of what he was saying, as he seemed to be focusing on the book.

“If you didn’t like that, you shouldn’t have let me live and go free.”

The ash-gray eyes wavered in the lake breeze. A sudden chill came over her in this summer. The shiver down her spine was due to that heartless smile.

“Are you finally starting to regret it?”

The deepening summer night felt a bit resentful. She should have regretted that day’s events, as the man claiming her as his own suggested.

So if she could turn back time, she shouldn’t have saved and let go of that pitiful young boy, but should have reported him instead.

But I. Still, I.

If she could turn back time, she would make the same choice and still didn’t regret that decision. Shamelessly, she still wanted to save the Sayer of that time who was now brazenly claiming her body as his own.