There Is No Paradise Where I Ran Away To (14 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 37
Charlotte waited for Merian under the porch of the dress shop. More than ten minutes had passed since Merian went inside, yet there was no news at all. She debated whether to return to the shabby inn room where the drunk was staying.
Long ago, he had been the opponent she fought with over Edwin’s matter, and it was also true that he had tried to kill the person most precious to her.
Asking such a person for help with her safety was no different from falling into self-contradiction.
‘Still, he’s Ebelline’s friend. He probably isn’t that bad of a person.’
She stopped herself from reprimanding why she had tormented her if she evaluated Ebelline that way. Otherwise, the conversation would return to the starting point, only inflating worry and anxiety.
On top of that, Charlotte, utterly exhausted, reduced her worries by leaving it to Merian.
This should be enough, so let’s go back.
Knowing that Evans wouldn’t gladly accept her, she judged it better to back out before suffering more embarrassment. She knew she was upholding her pride even in such a situation, but there was no other choice.
“Miss!”
Just then. The bell of the dress shop rang, and an excited voice floated out. Merian joyfully waved her hand, beckoning her to come in.
Having just made up her mind, her steps hesitating to enter the dress shop. Then, Merian chased out and pushed Charlotte’s back, leading her to enter the dress shop of all places. As soon as that happened, facing Theo with wide-open eyes, she awkwardly and embarrassedly lowered her head.
“……Th, thank you.”
Even to Charlotte’s gentle greeting, Theo distanced himself without any response.
“He really has no manners, doesn’t he?”
When Merian whispered softly, she sharply glared and restrained her. The intimidated Merian stepped back, and Charlotte gathered courage to move her steps toward where he was headed. In the small room, the hand handling the dress with pins in his lips was more delicate and careful than when holding a gun.
Unable to fully enter, she stood at the doorway and with difficulty parted her lips.
“I know it’s more comfortable not to make requests like this if possible, and the same goes for Mr. Evans. So I’m sorry and thankful. Even though you probably don’t have good feelings toward me, for accepting this request.”
“What’s your name? Come to think of it, I don’t even know your name.”
The arrogant and haughty Theo spoke as if Charlotte were a mannequin wearing the dress, without even looking at her eyes.
“……Charlotte Windler.”
“I didn’t willingly open the door for you, so don’t misunderstand. It’s entirely because of Miss Ebelline. However, explain the whole story yourself. I need to know at least what happened to our miss.”
What a gratefully irritating person.
Watching Evans pinning the dress, she narrowed her eyes. Yet, as she escaped the crisis and her mind became at ease, the ill feelings toward Theo quickly vanished.
***
Vivian’s footsteps toward the library were more modest and elegant than ever. It was a self-defensive attitude that no one could treat carelessly. There was also a naive belief mixed in that the ingrained dignity would protect her.
Arriving at the library, Vivian looked around the densely packed bookshelves that could fill a ballroom and more.
Her father, who loved books, said it pained him that he couldn’t bring the books left in Preston when moving bases. Instead, hoping that his beloved daughter would have a home overflowing with reading material even after marrying and having children, he created this library.
Father probably didn’t know.
That the space for his beloved family would become a playground for the man who appeared to destroy that beloved family.
“You’re here?”
He, who had taken out a book and was reading, greeted her casually, as if making the incident at the lake feel like a dream. Rather, yesterday’s expression of looking down on her became vivid, causing her cheeks to flush red with shame.
“Why did you call me?”
Vivian avoided the blue eyes. She didn’t want to face them needlessly. She didn’t want to remain an obedient lady to him, whose suspected actions all pointed to one intention.
“You didn’t wear it?”
She didn’t want to raise her voice recklessly or show raw anger. But Edwin’s single question mercilessly shattered Vivian’s resolve.
The blatant blue eyes scanned Vivian’s body up and down. The situation was different from yesterday’s defenselessness. Vivian, now fortified as if wearing iron armor, had no intention of enduring the malice he showed.
“Be careful, Your Grace. How dare you insult a lady with such actions and words?”
His gaze, which had reached Vivian’s toes, quickly rose to meet the ash-gray eyes ignited with sparks.
“Mr. Shepherd made a grave mistake with me. If I meet Mr. Shepherd later, I’ll tell him all about your vulgar behavior. That you’re a very bad person who enjoys touching and looking at a lady’s body. Then Mr. Shepherd, who praised you, will change his attitude. And as more time passes, the people of Newway will all come to know the unforgivable things you did to me.”
Vivian’s voice drew curves. Hardly calming down, her pale skin flushed unevenly. Her small, round shoulders trembled defiantly, and she gripped her skirt so hard that nail marks seemed imaginable.
Edwin smirked and closed the book he was reading. The smile he showed provoked Vivian’s anger.
“You’re the same. You’re no different from the men who came to see the mansion right before the auction, with equally bad character. Do you think I, who steadfastly endured countless temptations and mockeries, would be different in front of Your Grace? If something like yesterday happens one more time, if you mock me like today……”
She backed away to avoid him approaching with the closed book. But her back pressed flat against the densely placed library bookshelves.
“If you mock me, what. What next.”
“If, if you mock me, I will……”
Their shoe tips collided. She looked up at the man overwhelmingly taller than her. Even to the unfamiliar venomous evaluation, he showed no sign of agitation. Rather, startled by the extending arm, she tightly closed her eyes and shrank, deciding the loser of this fight.
But the feared event did not occur. At the shallow vibration resonating from her back against the bookshelf, Vivian opened her closed eyes.
“Well, think about that slowly. But you need to answer my question.”
Rolling her eyes to check, there was no book in his hand, and somehow a wide space had formed between their bodies.
“Why didn’t you wear the clothes I sent.”
Her bewildered eyes trembled finely. The heat that had boiled to the point of dizziness rapidly cooled upon meeting cold air.
“Didn’t you need clothes that maintain proper dignity without standing out? If a lady wears such dirty clothes that even maids wouldn’t wear, it’s perfect to become a target for the beasts in the auction house.”
“……”
“Would Evans’s clothes be different? Well. That would make you my target instead.”
“Ah……”
Exhausted, she couldn’t make any retort. Around the time she slowly organized her thoughts and realized that today’s misunderstanding wasn’t embarrassing, so there was no need for slight apology or guilt about it.
“So, for the sake of my goodwill, could you please not tell Mr. Shepherd?”
Vivian’s face burned hotly. As he flashed a playful smile, the flustered Vivian couldn’t hide her heated cheeks and was in trouble.
Uh, um, ah, she substituted short sighs for an answer. Leaving a soft laugh, Edwin turned, took out another book, and chin-gestured for her to follow.
Throughout following him, Vivian was immersed in regret.
Why on earth did she bring up Mr. Shepherd? There were many sharp words to reprimand Edwin’s bad behavior, yet she summoned the ineffective Mr. Shepherd to attack Edwin.
Arriving at the study, the two sat facing each other across the desk. Naturally, Vivian recalled the unforgettable event. The moment she first encountered him. The cold spring day she signed the promissory note.
“How’s your body. Ah. I mean. Asking about the pain from hard labor.”
Eyes she couldn’t bear to meet sharpened and stabbed the arrogant Edwin.
Meanwhile, thick raindrops fiercely fell to the ground. As raindrops splashed in through the open door, a servant closed it. And Edwin dismissed the servants so only the two remained.
The sound of rain hitting the glass window was light and fresh like fluttering butterfly wings. In that quiet noise, Vivian examined the arrogant man’s appearance.
Due to the tilted head, the already sharp nose bridge cast a deep shadow, making his impression colder. Under dense eyelashes, ice-like eyes sparkled even in the gray air. The clean, flawless impression pursuing perfection was generally dry and cold.
“Last evening, Sophie soothed it a lot, so it’s much better.”
Slowly nodding, he took out a checkbook from the desk drawer and picked up a fountain pen. Around the time curiosity arose about what he was scribbling, he pushed what he wrote toward Vivian. Naturally, her gaze first read the amount of 3,000 mori. Her brow slightly furrowed, and she slowly crammed the content into her mind.
“It’s a receipt stating that 3,000 mori has been repaid. Regarding the amount Miss Ebelline owes me.”
Vivian’s eyes widened, and without maintaining composure, she abruptly picked up the check—no, the receipt—in front of her and read it more closely.
It was certain.
It was a receipt with Edwin’s signature stating that the huge sum of 3,000 mori had been repaid. Vivian looked at Edwin with unbelieving eyes.
“After receiving the last weekly pay, settlement wasn’t done. Including that amount, it’s compensation for the trouble and mental damage my servants caused Miss Ebelline.”
“B, but this is too……”
3,000 mori would reduce the debt by one-tenth, an amount that would require receiving weekly pay over a hundred times to repay. Vivian repeatedly blinked her eyelids and lips, alternating between the receipt and Edwin.
She even carefully checked the back of the receipt, wondering if it was another childish prank.
“Is it……really?”
Vivian’s defenses hit rock bottom. The woman who had been angrily sharp evaporated, leaving only the woman joyfully sparkling in her place. To the extent that she felt the illusion of hearing her heart pounding excitedly, Vivian couldn’t hide her thrill.
Edwin was equally satisfied with the more generous reaction than expected.
“Miss Ebelline. A signature is a scary thing. The moment you embed your name, you can’t be free from all legal responsibilities. My signature being in there means that.”
Receiving a firm answer, Vivian’s face visibly brightened. Unable to hide the overwhelming emotion, her gaze lingered on Edwin’s name embedded in the receipt until it wore out.
“And in the future, I’ll write receipts with my signature for Miss Ebelline.”
She looked at Edwin with a face full of fighting spirit, as if she could do anything. It felt unpleasantly like degenerating into a materialist, but it didn’t matter.
Because right now, in her life, nothing took priority over repaying the debt.
“So do what you can. In front of my eyes, where I can see. Then I’ll buy Miss Ebelline’s efforts. With my name written on the receipt.”
The elegant smile filling his face wasn’t calculating. Reading such sincerity in a businessman was meaningless, but Vivian decided to just believe.
As long as it wasn’t a path leading to the death of the spirit, she could endure any physical pain.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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