Chapter 2
I am not the biological daughter of Countess Peria.
I am the disgrace born between Count Ivelle and a maid, the shame of the family. I am nothing more than a troublesome child who will only sow discord within the family, even if I stay alive. A troublesome little being with no use. That was me, Loelle Ivelle.
However, my father, the Count, took me into the Ivelle family as soon as I was born.
“You will never be able to bear children. So, I plan to make this child, who at least carries my blood, my heir.”
Before I was born, Peria had several miscarriages. In fact, just before I was born, many doctors had told her that she would never be able to have a child.
And during this period, I was born as the result of an affair between the Count and my mother, the maid.
My father, who didn’t want to lose the family name to a distant relative, decided to raise me and threatened to divorce Peria if she didn’t accept me as her own daughter.
“If you can’t accept her, I’ll have no choice but to divorce you. The choice is yours.”
Peria repeated miscarriages were well-known in high society.
So, if Peria were to be abandoned by the Count, she would be in no position to remarry.
In the end, Peria accepted the Count’s proposal, and the illegitimate child, who was destined to die, was transformed into the Countess’s biological daughter.
“Still, I don’t think it was as hard back then…”
Even with his busy schedule, my father often came to see me, so Peria didn’t openly torment me.
But when I turned four, things began to change gradually with the birth of Briella.
“Briella… I think Briella is a good name for her.”
“It’s such a beautiful name, dear. It really suits my daughter. Look how pretty she is… It’s hard to believe she’s my own daughter.”
From that point, my father’s attention to me started to decrease.
When I turned eight, things changed drastically with the birth of my half-brother, Deon.
“I knew you could do it! Finally, a true heir has been born! My dear wife, ask for anything you wish. I’ll grant it!”
A boy with bloodline legitimacy, born of his own flesh and the same gender.
Naturally, the Count’s attention shifted entirely to Deon.
Because of that, both Briella and I were left behind.
The difference, though, was that Briella was his biological daughter, and I was not. This caused the gap between our situations to widen immeasurably after Deon’s birth.
Once I was out of my father’s favor, Peria started tormenting me, as if she had been waiting for the chance.
I was chased into the storage room, couldn’t join the family for meals when my father wasn’t around, and if I wandered the mansion, things would be thrown at me. These kinds of events never appeared in novels.
That was because I was just a side character.
So when I read novels, I often thought that Loelle, who acted as if Cassien was everything to her, seemed really foolish.
But after being reborn and experiencing everything firsthand, I understood why Loelle clung to Cassien like that.
“Who would have known that the life of a side character like Loelle would turn out like this?”
In a life like mine, who wouldn’t fall in love with a perfect man who seems to give everything?
Even I, who had decided to exit the original story from birth, once tried to change the story by winning Cassien heart.
But some things in this world just can’t be changed.
In this world, turning Cassien heart was one of those things.
Knock, knock.
The sound of a knock broke me from my thoughts.
“Yes, come in-.”
Before I could finish speaking, the door opened, and someone walked in naturally. I quickly stood up in surprise, seeing someone unexpected.
“Cassien, what are you doing here?”
Cassien walked over and gently sat me back on the sofa, smiling casually.
“Loelle. Did you sleep well?”
Without answering, I stared at Cassien hand, which was holding a bouquet of flowers.
It seemed that he had somehow realized I was upset yesterday, as he was trying to do something he had never done before.
“Ah, roses. You like these, don’t you? Aren’t they beautiful?”
‘He brought these just because they’re pretty…’
I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. We had never talked about flowers, and now he just bought some because I liked roses?
Maybe he confused me with some other woman who liked yellow roses?
I pushed the bouquet away, and Cassien looked flustered.
“What about our promise?”
“What promise?”
“You said you might not be able to meet because you had a sudden appointment.”
“Of course, I canceled it because our promise was more important.”
Even though the promise with me came first, the tone of his words, as if it were an inconvenience, was so ridiculous it was almost laughable.
I said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit early to be disappointed when we haven’t even known each other long?”
“What do you mean…?”
“Lady Verodica.”
When I said the name of the woman he was currently seeing, Cassien immediately shut his mouth.
Until now, I had never let him see my reactions or acknowledge anything I heard or saw regarding him.
Back then… the thought of deviating from the original story, of breaking up with Cassien, was scarier than dying.
But now, that wasn’t the case.
“You said you were going to the theater. Go ahead.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Loelle.”
His blatant disregard for my feelings only made me scowl, but Cassien maintained his calm tone.
“I’m not involved with Lady Verodica. Sure, we’ve talked a few times but that’s it. There’s nothing between her and me.”
Cassien gently took my hand.
I stared at our hands.
There was no engagement ring on either of our hands.
That was because I had taken mine off yesterday, and Cassien hadn’t worn his since our engagement ceremony.
“Loelle. It’s been four years since we got engaged. Do you really think I would meet someone else?”
“Cassien”
“Yeah, Loelle.”
“I don’t care who you meet anymore.”
“So, can you leave now?”
There were times when I desperately wished Cassien would make me feel better like this.
But after experiencing it myself, I realized it didn’t make me feel better. Instead, it made me feel worse. And…
“Pathetic.”
I started to think that it would have been better if I just ignored everything and pretended not to notice. I pulled my hand away from Cassien grasp firmly.
“I just want to rest… Cassien, please go. I’m asking you.”
I went straight to the bed, a place I rarely got the chance to lie down.
The soft texture of the blanket reminded me of Cassien touch from earlier, and my chest fluttered for a moment, but I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.
However, because Cassien was sitting at the edge of my bed, touching my hair, I couldn’t even lie still and close my eyes.
“Loelle. Please look at me.”
“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? What’s wrong? If I did something wrong, tell me, and I’ll apologize.”
“Are you really going to keep this up, Loelle?”
“Come on, sit up. We need to talk to fix things. When someone’s talking, at least look them in the eye, okay?”
I tried to ignore him. But something in his last words made my body automatically sit up.
What? Talk? Look him in the eye? Who was it that never even made eye contact during a conversation?
I stared at Cassien without saying a word.
“Loelle, exactly what are you angry about?”
“Does it even matter to you why I’m angry?”
Cassien shut his eyes and opened them again.
It was something he unconsciously did when he wanted to avoid dealing with something.
‘I know even your little habits…’
Yet, he only seems to understand when I tell him why I’m upset, and I find that…
“Why are you being so sharp? You don’t want to fight with me, right? So let’s just—”
“Why should I be the one to be nice?”
Cassien stopped in his tracks, looking startled.
Normally, I would have been more surprised by his reaction, but today, I just couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Don’t you remember? I said I wanted to break off the engagement! That means we’re over. So why are you doing this to me? Why are you treating me like this when we’re already broken up?”
“Loelle.”
“I have only one thing to say to you. We’re done.”
“So please leave my room now, Cassien.”
Since Peria didn’t come looking for me, it seemed that Cassien hadn’t told anyone that I had asked to break off the engagement.
‘Well, why would he? He could use the engagement as a shield to meet other women.’
Cassien reckless behavior was largely made possible by the engagement.
Our long-standing engagement gave the Marquis and his wife the illusion that their son, despite his infidelity, would eventually return to his proper place.
That belief was so strong that the Marquis and his wife had never taken any action against Cassien
In fact, the Marchioness even once said, “If you enjoy everything before marriage, you’ll treat your wife better during your married life. It’s not so bad, is it?”
‘He’ll probably keep living like this until he meets the female lead.’
Since it’s over with Cassien, it’s no longer my concern.
Or so I thought, until the next day, when Cassien once again appeared at the Ivelle estate.
