“Damn it!”

Unable to contain his anger, Edward slammed his fist against the carriage wall.

The pain from his fist didn’t even register at the moment.

“That crazy wench! How dare she pull such a stunt!”

The wedding was ruined.

No, saying it was ruined wasn’t enough. It had exploded spectacularly, leaving not even dust behind.

The guests left with dumbfounded expressions, and the Duchess was carried out on a stretcher.

The wedding venue was left in ruins, as if a swarm of locusts had swept through.

“What if the Duke becomes enraged over this? No, he must have already!”

Lucas had rushed out a step too late, but the two were already nowhere to be found.

Lucas, who had his bride stolen, trembled with his face flushed red to the point where his original skin color couldn’t be seen, then vanished without a trace.

No one had seen him since.

He must have been furious to the tips of his hair after such public humiliation.

It wouldn’t be strange if he withdrew his patronage and reclaimed his investments.

‘The opera is right around the corner!’

He absolutely had to prevent any disruption to the opera. That would be tantamount to losing the chance to perform at the Founding Festival.

Above all, there was an even more bewildering issue.

“Just who the hell is Duke Heigenberg!”

Edward shouted, striking the wall again.

Even more incomprehensible than Ariana’s sudden change was the Duke’s existence.

“Since when did that lunatic know the Duke?!”

The Duke’s eyes were genuinely delighted as he stole Ariana away.

And those meaningful words.

Those brazen and blatant confessions, as if he had longed for Ariana for a long time.

The shock of hearing that still made him feel like fainting even now.

‘Why did it have to be the Duke?’

The Duke and Ariana lived in different worlds.

Ariana, who spent most of her time locked up in her room, had no occasion to meet someone like the Duke.

The Duke’s sudden appearance was bizarre, given the complete lack of connection between the two.

‘Or perhaps…’

Edward held his breath at the sudden thought that crossed his mind.

‘…Could she have regained her memories?’

No, that couldn’t be.

There’s no way she could suddenly recall events from over a decade ago.

Dispelling the far-fetched assumption, Edward turned to Elena.

“Elena! Don’t you know anything?!”

“I don’t know… I don’t know.”

Elena mumbled blankly, like someone who had lost their senses.

Bringing her ragged fingernails, chewed to bits, to her lips, she stammered.

“Something’s wrong. Sister… There’s no way someone like her could be involved with the Duke…”

Edward looked at her pathetically. Seeing her in that state, he realized he needed to pull himself together.

“Damn it, just denying reality won’t change anything! We need to come up with a plan.”

Ariana needed to be brought back. Somehow, they had to make her grovel before Lucas.

But for now, that was a secondary issue.

‘The opera is in just three days!’

That was the most pressing concern at the moment.

If they messed that up, they wouldn’t be able to showcase at the Founding Festival either.

It would mean missing the perfect opportunity to display the musical prowess of the Lopez Opera House in front of royalty and foreign monarchs.

He couldn’t stand to watch the rosy future that had seemed within reach just moments ago turn to ashes.

Rubbing his face dry and trying to organize his chaotic thoughts, Edward turned to Elena.

“Elena, you need to pull yourself together too!”

The pink dress that had been radiant until earlier in the day was now wrinkled all over, and her face, which had been meticulously cared for over the past few days, was a mess with smeared makeup.

“Tsk, is this how a soprano who’s supposed to be on stage in just three days should look?”

“On stage? …How can we think about performing when our family is in this state?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

Edward glared at his sister in irritation for saying such a stupid thing.

Yes. The performance must be a success. No, it will be.

‘The preparations are perfect.’

Even yesterday’s rehearsal had been flawless.

The performance wouldn’t be affected at all without Ariana.

The only worry was whether the distinguished guests would cancel their tickets due to today’s scandal.

‘We just need to somehow resolve this within three days.’

By now, the carriage had arrived at the Count’s residence.

As he got out of the carriage, Edward gritted his teeth.

“And you, Ariana. Just you wait until I get my hands on you.”

He would make her go through with the wedding somehow, even if he had to beat her into submission or tie her up in a wedding dress.

“My Lord, you’ve returned−”

“Get lost!”

Edward kicked away the servant who tried to open the door and barged in himself.

As he turned his head, looking for another target to vent his anger on, Edward suddenly froze.

“Welcome home, Brother.”

Ariana was sitting in the middle of the lobby.

In an elegant and calm posture, as if having a tea time.

“You, you…”

After a moment of stunned silence, Edward finally pointed his finger.

Ariana slowly stood up from where Edward’s trembling finger was pointing.

“You’re late.”

She then approached the servant who had fallen from Edward’s kick and extended her hand.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah, Miss…”

“You, you damn girl!”

Edward, who had come to his senses a beat late, strode towards Ariana.

“What the hell did you do today?! Do you know how much trouble I went through because you suddenly ran off like that? And now you have the nerve to brazenly come back home… Wait a minute.”

Finally noticing something, Edward’s eyes widened.

“What are you doing right now?”

The servants were bustling about.

Some carrying dressing tables, some carrying instruments, some carrying clothes.

“Ah, please be extra careful with that.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Ariana calmly pointed at the violin, and the servants nodded.

“Ariana Lopez!”

A roar of anger shook the mansion.

“I asked you what you’re doing right now!”

“I’m packing my things.”

“And why on earth are you doing that?!”

“To leave home, of course.”

Edward glared at the nonchalant voice that spoke as if stating the obvious.

“What did you say?!”

“Why are you so surprised? Wasn’t today supposed to be the day I left home anyway?”

Despite turning the house upside down claiming to be packing, Ariana’s voice was remarkably calm.

“You, you really…”

Edward gritted his teeth and grabbed Ariana by the collar.

“You’re really going to that man?”

“Yes.”

Even with her collar grabbed, not a ripple crossed Ariana’s expression.

Fire blazed in Edward’s eyes.

Slap.

With a sound like a horsewhip cracking, Ariana’s face turned sideways.

“Eek! M-Miss!”

Sophie screamed and rushed to support Ariana.

Edward kicked Sophie away again and grabbed Ariana’s collar.

“You damn bitch… You’ve gone crazy just to smear mud on the family’s future, haven’t you? Say it again. What are you going to do?”

Ariana calmly looked at her brother’s face that had suddenly come close to hers.

It was truly frightening.

This face that looked just like their father’s.

When Edward got angry like this, it was as if their deceased father had come back to life drunk, making her body tremble.

“Oh my, what should we do! Brother, please calm down! Sister, what are you doing? Hurry up and apologize!”

Elena cried out pitifully, stomping her feet.

Though she was making a big fuss, her attitude clearly showed she had no real intention of stopping the situation.

Looking around at her family members, Ariana couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“You’re laughing?!”

Just as Edward raised his hand again, thud.

Edward’s body suddenly lurched forward.

“Urgh…!”

Shocked by the direct hit to his shin, Edward couldn’t continue speaking.

Looking at Edward bowing before her for the first time, Ariana quietly thought.

‘I see. It really is quite effective.’

When she was young, there were stories her grandfather had told her, saying that even a woman should know how to protect herself.

“The shin! No matter what, you should always kick a man in the shin rather than the center.”

“Sigh, Father, really. There’s nothing you won’t say to a child.”

Recalling the conversation between her grandfather and mother, Ariana smiled faintly.

Seeing this, Edward growled while clutching his shin.

“You, you dare… What do you think you’re doing…”

“Self-defense.”

“You, you crazy bitch…?!”

“I won’t marry Lucas.”

“Ha!”

Edward laughed sharply and rolled up both his sleeves.

“Alright, let’s see who dies first today.”

After the death of the previous Count Lopez, the task of disciplining his two younger sisters also fell to Edward.

He was confident in at least one thing.

Wielding the cane to crush his sisters’ personalities so they wouldn’t even think of defying him.

“Wilhelm, bring me the cane.”

“Master.”

“Now!”

He hadn’t particularly laid hands on Ariana since she became an adult, but now he saw that was a mistake.

He should have regularly and periodically instilled fear into that weak soul.

It seemed the effectiveness of the last beating had worn off.

“…”

But it was strange.

Ariana, who should have been trembling at the mere mention of the cane, was looking at Edward calmly with eyes like a still lake.

“Aren’t you curious?”

“What?”

“The reason why I suddenly decided to break off the engagement with Lucas.”