You And I Live In Different Worlds (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
“You must be deeply hurt.”
Edric’s voice reached straight into her chest.
It was a moment that should have made her heart race, yet for some reason, she felt calmer today than she had anticipated.
Perhaps it was because the grief of realizing her own situation weighed so heavily on her.
“I could show him what happens to those who dare deceive you and our family. Just say the word.”
Edric said.
“No, don’t.”
“…….”
“I don’t want to be entangled with him anymore.”
‘Besides, I never truly wanted to marry him out of affection—I’ll just consider this karma.’
She kept those words locked inside.
Edric’s heartbeat flowed into her ears.
Thump, thump, thump—.
How could it be so steady, even as their bodies touched?
Hearing that calm, unwavering rhythm—proof of just how little she could unsettle him—Melie felt an even deeper bitterness.
“Alright.”
Edric patted Melie’s back gently as he spoke.
“If that’s what you want, I won’t do anything. But you, too, should try to forget this unpleasant matter quickly.”
Melie nodded against his chest.
“And……”
Edric pressed his cheek softly against the crown of Melie’s head and continued.
“Keep living here from now on. Understand?”
His lips curved upward smoothly, certain of her answer even before she gave it.
[This is the timeline separator]Just as he had expected.
True to his nature as a merchant who’d stop at nothing for profit, Blair swiftly took the bait.
Through a trusted aide, Edric had subtly hinted to the Herington earldom that Blair was greatly dissatisfied with the recent floral supply agreement between their house and Blair’s trading firm.
He even added that, though Blair had reluctantly accepted the terms for Melie’s sake, she frankly wasn’t stunning enough to justify such a disadvantageous deal.
For Earl Herington—whose family trading vessel had sunk just weeks prior, pushing his promissory notes dangerously close to default—the offer was undeniably tempting.
After all, he himself was involved in the floral trade and had a daughter even lovelier than Melie Enwood.
The fact that Blair belonged to the merchant class gave him pause—but he had other daughters. Sacrificing his eldest wouldn’t be too great a loss, not if it saved him from bankruptcy.
Earl Herington immediately penned a letter.
He proposed selling a new tulip cultivar at ten gold per bloom, offering an exceptionally generous seven percent commission. Compared to the Felton ducal house’s deal—thirty gold per bloom with a five percent commission—it was nothing short of revolutionary.
And on top of that, he offered his beautiful eldest daughter in marriage. How could Blair not consider it?
The letter arrived precisely at the moment Blair took Melie to his residence.
When Edric learned that Blair—renowned for his impatience—had sent Melie home without even pressing her for an answer to his proposal, he knew his plan had succeeded.
Blair had been charmed by Melie’s modesty and obedience, but his innate merchant instincts were far too strong to choose her for those qualities alone.
Marrying Melie would grant him only the satisfaction of claiming a woman he liked, whereas marrying Claire Herington would bring him both wealth and the prestige of becoming the son-in-law of a respected earldom.
He was far too pragmatic to sacrifice tangible gain for something as intangible as satisfaction.
When Edric soon received word that Blair had decided to become engaged to Earl Herington’s daughter, he couldn’t hide his scorn.
‘What a fool.’
With just a little more insight, he might have foreseen the ever-growing extravagance of the Herington heiress—fueled by calculation—and the immense financial ruin it would eventually bring.
But he simply couldn’t see it.
In any case, it was fortunate.
He had successfully freed Melie from such a man. He had prevented his dear friend from being dragged into an unhappy life.
It pained him that Melie had been hurt in the process—but perhaps it would serve as a valuable lesson.
She had always tended to believe that everyone was as kind as she was, approaching others with pure intentions and no ulterior motives.
Now, she needed to understand.
Just how cunning people could be. How someone who clings to you desperately today as if their life depended on it could discard you cleanly tomorrow as though you never mattered—and move on to someone else.
And so, Melie would finally come to realize that the only person she could truly trust and rely on was none other than Edric Felton.
“Keep living here. Understand?”
“…….”
“I’ll introduce you to someone far better than that man.”
Edric pulled away slightly to look quietly into Melie’s eyes.
Reflected clearly in her clear, transparent brown irises was his own face—confident of her agreement. Of course she would agree; she had no other choice but him.
“No.”
“…….”
“I plan to go south with the Dowager Duchess as soon as your wedding is over.”
[This is the timeline separator]It wasn’t a sudden decision.
Ever since hearing news of Edric’s engagement, this choice had lingered steadily in her mind.
But before she could even voice her resolve, Sir Blair appeared—and it seemed the Dowager Duchess wanted her to marry that man, too. Melie herself had even resolved to wed, hoping it would help her let go of her lingering feelings for Edric.
The outcome… had been devastating.
‘Using someone else just to forget another person—no wonder I deserved this punishment.’
Melie reflected deeply. She no longer wished to use marriage as a crutch for her life.
In a world where a woman couldn’t easily stand on her own, she now saw only one path forward.
Just as her mother once served as the Dowager Duchess’s handmaiden, she too would choose to stay by her side, caring for her and living under her roof.
The Dowager Duchess clearly liked her—enjoyed the tea she brewed, cherished their conversations, and loved their walks together. Melie was certain she wouldn’t be a burden.
And while living together, she wanted to finally do something she’d longed to do.
Call her “Mother.”
Eda Felton had long urged Melie to address her as such, but Melie had refused, unwilling to claim that title out of selfish desire.
She knew becoming a true daughter was impossible—but she would care for Eda like one.
This was how she would slowly repay the kindness of being taken in when she had nowhere else to go.
Just as a fragile sense of peace began to settle over her new path,
“Melie.”
Edric’s low voice pulled her gaze upward.
“I didn’t want to say this, but……”
“……?”
“My mother doesn’t actually want to live with you.”
Melie’s expression turned bewildered.
What on earth was he talking about?
“What do you mean?”
“Sigh……”
He looked at her with pitying eyes, as if gazing at a child naive to the ways of the world.
“Why do you think my mother kept pushing you to marry? To get you away from me.”
The shocking words drew an incredulous laugh from Melie.
“That… that can’t be. Why would the Dowager Duchess… she’s always treated me like her own daughter…”
“It was all an act.”
“…….”
“Think about it. If she truly saw you as a daughter, why has she never brought you to any formal gatherings? Why was the opera your first time ever going out with her? Did she really take you there just for some mother-daughter outing?”
“…….”
“If that were true, she would’ve exchanged only brief greetings with Blair and spent the rest of the evening alone with you. She would’ve proudly introduced you to every high noble you met as her cherished daughter—her own flesh and blood.”
Melie’s wide eyes slowly returned to their usual size.
She was beginning to understand.
‘I plan to marry you off before I return to the duchy, Melie.’
‘What does age matter? The bigger the age gap, the more doted on you’ll be.’
‘Your future is set—smooth sailing from here on.’
‘Don’t wait—let’s pick a date right away.’
Perhaps she’d sensed it all along.
It wasn’t kindness. It was closer to the anxious impatience of someone desperate to dispose of a bothersome object they couldn’t get rid of. Every overly eager action Eda Felton had taken regarding Melie’s marriage was proof of that.
Melie suddenly wondered.
Since when had it started? Could it have been from the very beginning?
‘So you’re Melie. I’m Auntie Eda. Jasmine and I were the closest of friends. Let’s get along well. Think of this as your home and make yourself comfortable.’
After her mother’s passing, had those words of comfort truly been sincere?
‘From now on, call me Mother. I’ll be your mother in Jasmine’s place.’
Could even that have been a lie? Even that……
Melie looked up at Edric with pleading eyes.
“It’s not all false, is it? Please tell me some of it was real.”
“…….”
Edric didn’t deny it. He simply gazed at her with sorrowful eyes, leaving the rest for her to decide.
Melie’s vision blurred. Clear tears began to gather beneath her eyes.
‘I never wanted it to come to this.’
Seeing tears from someone who rarely cried pierced Edric’s heart.
But she needed to understand the truth. She had to face reality. She had to realize that in this world full of pretense, he was the only one she could truly lean on.
Edric’s hand gently gripped Melie’s shoulder. Her slender frame trembled faintly in his grasp, as fragile as if it might break with just a little pressure.
“You understand, Melie.”
“…….”
“I’ll take care of you until your wedding day. So come live with me and Rosalyn. She wants that, too.”
Edric looked directly into Melie’s eyes, his voice filled with quiet entreaty.
Melie gazed back through cloudy eyes, then slowly lowered her head.
A tear dropped straight to the floor, leaving a small wet pattern on the paving stones.
For her, this day had been unbearably cruel.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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Chapter Comments (86)
Inline Comments (86)
‘It’s because the tea at your house tastes awful.’
Haha! I liked Edric’s thinking. If only he had said it right to her face. But he is noble and does not speak badly in front of a person.
It was infuriating. To be lectured by his fiancée’s paramour—he truly was in a r
I don’t know how people survive in a society where being untruthful is the norm. I might go insane 🙃
He’d once tasted shockingly bad tea at Rosalyn’s home, and afterward had ordered
It’s so peculiar of him to boast about Melie’s tea to guests
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I feel sorry for Millie; living in an environment that doesn’t suit you is incredibly harsh.
His mother is going to explode 😂😂😂 Please don’t mess this up 🙏🏼
I just can’t wait when the regret arc starts