Chapter 9
“Aisha.”
“Ugh… mmm.”
“Aisha. Wake up and eat this.”
As she slowly lifted her heavy eyelids, she saw dark hair. With blurred vision, Aisha was about to call for Daniel when she caught sight of deep green eyes and blinked in confusion.
“Arthur?”
As her vision cleared a little, she saw her twin brother, Arthur. Since she didn’t expect to see him, Aisha squinted to confirm his face. Noticing the confusion on her face, Arthur spoke with a stiff expression.
“The older brothers went out for work. I stayed on purpose… What’s with that look like you don’t believe me?”
“You really hate being next to anyone.”
“Because it’s annoying.”
Aisha was about to ask then why he was here, but she coughed instead. Her throat, sore and swollen, made it painful. Arthur clicked his tongue and quickly handed her a cup of water. Aisha gulped down the water in one go and barely managed to stop coughing.
“Eat this, then take your medicine.”
Arthur handed her a tray with a bowl of soup. The slightly cooled soup had a rich aroma. As Aisha picked up the spoon, she noticed a bowl of water and a clean cloth on the bedside table.
“You changed the wet towel?”
“Daniel did it at dawn. I was only gone for a few hours.”
His voice was blunt, but Aisha smiled softly. While eating the soup, she spoke her thanks.
“Thank you.”
Arthur hesitated at her words. After a short pause, he looked at her and said,
“You haven’t told the others what happened either, right?”
The day after returning from the Lloyds’ estate, Aisha fell seriously ill. She had been weak since childhood, so the family was extremely worried. Especially since she had just met Ian, Daniel had even made a fuss about going to confront him.
“You told Father that you’re not thinking about getting engaged or married anytime soon… What did Ian say to you?”
Arthur had also guessed that her illness had something to do with Ian, even though nothing was said. Aisha stayed quiet for a moment before answering in a small voice.
“He said he won’t get engaged to me.”
“He said the Lloyds and Pardons are on different paths…”
There was more, but Aisha stopped there. Her throat tightened, and she couldn’t bring herself to say the rest. Arthur looked at her trembling shoulders and folded hands, then masked his face with calmness.
“Well… It’s not wrong. What he said isn’t wrong but still…”
“Did he really have to say it like that? They just did business with Father not long ago what different path?”
His tone was flat, but the slight tilt at the end of his words revealed sarcasm something Aisha didn’t miss. Arthur handed her back the spoon she had put down and asked,
“So? Are you giving up?”
“I don’t know.”
“He said he doesn’t want me, so I should give up but that’s hard. I think I need some time to think.”
Arthur frowned slightly, as if frustrated. But he soon nodded, regaining his usual blank expression.
“Yeah. Thinking about it isn’t a bad thing. No, actually, that’s a big step. You couldn’t even think straight whenever it came to Ian. Your head was so empty, like an acorn with nothing inside…”
“Arthur!”
Aisha shouted, trying to pounce on him, but Arthur quickly stood up. The tray rattled and the soup nearly spilled, so Aisha had no choice but to stop and glare at him.
“Enough. Just finish eating. I’ll get your medicine.”
Arthur didn’t even blink under Aisha’s sharp gaze as he walked toward the door. As soon as he turned his back, Aisha stuck her tongue out at him. But she knew well her brother was only trying to care for her. Her hand gripping the spoon already had a bit more strength than before.
Sophia walked with a lighter step than usual. Behind her, a maid held up a parasol and cautiously spoke, noticing her mistress’s bright mood.
“You seem to be in a good mood, Miss.”
“The weather’s lovely, don’t you think? Look how clear the sky is. No dust at all. It feels like everything unpleasant has been swept away.”
Normally, speaking to her first would have earned a scolding. Yet not speaking might have been criticized as boring. But today, the difficult lady seemed truly cheerful, even humming a tune she usually considered vulgar.
Relaxing a bit, the maid held the parasol more loosely and tilted her head, wondering what had happened to improve Sophia’s mood.
‘Nothing special happened lately… Is she just being moody again?’
Regardless of the maid’s curiosity, Sophia kept smiling as she strolled through the corridor. Knights and young noblemen who passed by blushed at the sight of her radiant face. As the younger sister of Marquess Lloyd, Sophia was also stunningly beautiful.
She returned the men’s spontaneous greetings with a smile, while secretly recalling the scene she had eavesdropped on a few days ago.
“For those reasons, I intend to keep my distance from you. So don’t come to me like this anymore or expect anything from me.”
It was in a small sitting room on the second floor. Napping in the room next door, which was connected by just one door slightly ajar, Sophia had unintentionally overheard a conversation between her brother Ian and Aisha. Every word had sounded so right. She couldn’t help but smile.
‘That arrogant pride of hers must’ve been crushed completely.’
Ian had rejected Aisha far more coldly than Sophia ever imagined. He not only refused the engagement, but also told Aisha not to be rude to his sister. All the frustration and resentment Sophia had bottled up suddenly vanished.
“Lady Aisha. Pfft.”
Mimicking how her brother had addressed Aisha, Sophia burst out laughing. The maid behind her looked startled but said nothing.
Passing through the corridor with her maid, Sophia stopped at the entrance to a rose-covered archway. A staff member greeted her with a deep bow.
“May I see your invitation?”
Sophia raised her hand slightly. The maid quickly pulled out an ornate invitation from her dress and handed it over. The staff checked it, then bowed deeply again, gesturing toward the entrance.
“Please go in.”
With her chin slightly raised, Sophia walked past the arch into a small garden enclosed by hedges. On the trimmed grass stood a marble fountain, surrounded by tea tables covered with snacks. Well-dressed noblewomen and young ladies sat in groups around them.
After glancing around, Sophia spotted her target and turned. One group, who had arrived earlier, noticed her and waved. Sophia looked over them, then walked over with an arrogant smile.
“Miss Sophia. It’s been a long time!”
“We’ve missed seeing you.”
The five girls stood up at once. A seat was made for Sophia at the center, and she naturally took it.
‘Why did I bother coming? They’re all so dull… Still, they’re better than those nobodies who only have titles.’
Behind her polite smile was subtle contempt. Sophia, daughter of the powerful Lloyd family, nodded slightly like a queen acknowledging her court.
“I’ve been absent for a while. I should have joined more often, but I got busy after my trip.”
“We heard! You went to Ribard under Haran, right? They say it’s warm all year there. Must’ve been wonderful.”
“Haran is a busy trade city, so Ribard was better than I thought. I was worried it might be too rural, but that wasn’t a problem at all.”
One girl mentioned the trip Sophia took with Ian to Ribard, and the others jumped into the conversation.
“Warm weather, peaceful beaches… Just imagining it feels relaxing.”
Their envious eyes made Sophia smile more as she played with her expensive sapphire ring from Ribard. The deep blue, flawless gem added to their admiration.
“Isn’t it a whole month by carriage just to get to Ribard?”
“They say you haven’t really relaxed unless you own a villa there. I’m so jealous. I begged my father, but he hates the sea.”
“Well, I heard owning a villa in Ribard now costs a fortune. Only the very rich can even dream of it.”
“I can’t go to Ribard, but I’m planning a trip to Davran in the west. Not everyone can even do that, so I should be grateful.”
Most of the talk was trivial, but there was subtle competition and jealousy beneath the words. Of course, none of it touched Sophia, sitting at the top of the group. As she sipped her tea and listened to them ramble on about Ribard, she tapped the table with her finger. The girls immediately fell silent and turned to her.
“More importantly, ladies. Could you tell me about the capital? It’s been less than a month since I returned, and I’m still adjusting.”
“Other than the charity party you attended, Miss Sophia, there haven’t been any major events or parties. It’s been boring.”
The girl beside her sighed in disappointment, but the mention of the charity party made Sophia’s eyes gleam for a moment.
Why hadn’t she thought of it before? The girls around her weren’t from great houses, but they were excellent gossips. Good news should be shared. Forgetting her earlier regret about coming, Sophia began plotting, her eyes shining with subtle malice. Matching her sapphire ring, she opened a blue fan, hiding her lips as only her eyes showed.
“Oh… come to think of it, there was a charity party. It was quite delightful, just as the theme intended. I even made a lovely new friend—Loretta Fideloy.”
