CH 10

“Is the tea up to your taste? It’s tea made with a flower called Parna, which only grows in the east.”

Using the tea as a subject, they exchanged a few words.

Vanessa smiled and thanked her, and Adeline stared blankly at the smile for a moment.

‘She’s really pretty.’

Vanessa, who was a little shy and expressed her joy, had a bright and beautiful face.

Her flushed cheeks, her pink lips, even her warm, light-brown eyes; there was nothing that wasn’t beautiful.

‘Why is the Grand Duke being like this towards me and leaving such a pretty woman? My head wouldn’t hurt like this if he had met Vanessa according to how it was supposed to be.’

Looking at Vanessa, who anyone could see was the heroine, she felt frustrated.

She thought that if Kael had danced with Vanessa as prescribed, things wouldn’t have gotten this much twisted.

“Lady Tien.”

Vanessa quietly put down her teacup and called out to Adeline.

“Will you please forgive the mistake I made on the day of Lady Delphine’s debutante?”

Tears were pouring down from her big, light-brown eyes.

Adeline was surprised and gave Vanessa her handkerchief.

“I must have been out of my mind that day, Lady Tien. I don’t know why I did that either.”

“It’s all right, Lady Felix. I don’t have anything in my mind about that day. Really, not even the slightest.”

It was Adeline who regretted why she hadn’t thought about it before when she heard Vanessa’s lie that she was threatening Kael and trying to force him to marry her.

She was confused about why Vanessa, who was an angel in the original work, was doing this, but she had no negative emotions towards her.

“Does Lady Tien love His Grace? You don’t love him, do you?”

An unexpected question was asked at an unexpected time.

“I can tell. Because the way His Grace looks at Lady Tien and the way Lady Tien looks at His Grace has a different warmth.”

“Lady Felix…”

“Lady Tien. In fact, I have been admiring His Grace, Grand Duke Inver for a long time.”

Vanessa patted the area around her eyes with the handkerchief, and Adeline looked at her slightly surprised.

In the original work, Kael and Vanessa had no point of contact until the ball.

That moment of falling in love at first sight was the beginning of their whole relationship.

‘At this point, I don’t know what to do to follow the original… If it goes on like this, it’s going to go wrong again. Did it become a completely new story?’

She started their conversation in the hope that it would be a clue to change this frustrating situation, but she felt like the ball of yarn in her mind was just getting more and more twisted.

“If Lady Tien isn’t in love with His Grace, if what’s happening between the two of you is a marriage mixed with a contract and not love,”

“…”

“Hand that position over to me, Lady Tien. I love His Grace, and I need his love.”

Adeline thought busily.

If Vanessa was so proactive towards Kael, there was a very high chance that the two of them would succeed again.

Kael’s eyes shone as he said he would make Adeline his wife, but nothing had been decided yet.

‘Wouldn’t things go back to how they were supposed to be if Vanessa attacked the Grand Duke while I was dragging my feet?’

The end of this tireless possession, and her escape.

That was the most important goal Adeline was trying to achieve.

In order to achieve the goal, it was best that the content flowed as Adeline knew it. It was make it or break it.

The number of variables that she didn’t know when, where, and what was going to happen were too much of a risk.

The only way Adeline knew was to try to kill Vanessa, who was in love, and lose her life to Kael.

She had to go that route as much as she could.

‘I didn’t have to try to die differently. This is the only way.’

In fact, Adeline tried to end her own life when she thought she couldn’t stand this possession.

‘And there’s something… I just feel like I have to die at the hands of the Grand Duke. After connecting Kael and Vanessa.’

It was hard to explain, but she really felt that way.

The strange feeling that Kael and Vanessa had to get together at all costs, and that she should die at Kael’s hands.

“Lady Tien? Can’t you do me that favor?”

As Adeline, who was lost in thought, said nothing, Vanessa shed a tear and held Adeline’s hand tightly again.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Lady Felix. I thought of something else for a moment…”

Adeline got back to her senses and looked at Vanessa.

“Alright, Lady Felix. As much as you want.”

“R-Really? Are you serious, Lady Tien?”

“Yes. I’m serious.”

All Vanessa had to do was take Kael’s heart back. For Adeline, it was something to welcome with open arms.

‘That’s right. If Vanessa takes action actively, something might happen.’

Since it was a process that started to go wrong anyway, she had to put everything aside and focus only on the results.

Adeline decided to take advantage of Vanessa.

“The relationship between me and the Grand Duke is not as great as the rumors conveyed. The marriage talks didn’t officially come to an end.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Of course, strangely enough, Kael strongly wanted it, but that was his situation.

As it was now, if Adeline pushed Kael away and Vanessa was able to get his attention, there was a good chance of success.

“Lady Felix. In return for that, your role is important.”

Adeline called Vanessa with a pretty resolute expression and voice.

“Grand Duke Inver is not interested in women who show their liking to him.”

“… What?”

“You have to pretend as much as possible that you are not interested in His Grace. Like a haughty person who doesn’t want anything.”

Vanessa’s face hardened gradually as she listened.

“I know it sounds weird. But you have to believe my words, Lady Felix.”

It was true that she wasn’t lying.

He was obsessed with Adeline because he had to get a bride who would not love him.

Someone who blushed easily like Vanessa and showed their emotions was an unconditional failure.

“So, while trying to get His Grace’s attention, you shouldn’t…”

“You’re too much, Lady Tien.”

“… What?”

She was going to continue with the explanation very seriously, but all of a sudden, Vanessa’s big eyes filled with tears again.

Thick tears flowed down her cheeks.

“I’d rather you be honest. You don’t intend to give His Grace to me!”

“Ah, that’s not it, I really…”

“I’m more hurt by the fact that you’re treating me like this. Was it also a lie when you said you didn’t care about my mistakes that day?”

“Lady Felix. What I’m saying…”

“I’m sure you’re keeping them in your mind. That’s why you’re trying to insult me like this.”

Bewildered, Adeline opened her mouth slightly and hardened.

Adeline expected that Vanessa wouldn’t take her words to not pay attention to Kael very well, but she did not expect her to react this angrily.

“You don’t have to say anything. Forget it, Lady Tien.”

“Lady Felix!”

Without even wiping her tears, Vanessa got up from her seat and walked out of the room with quick steps.

Adeline also immediately followed Vanessa out.

‘You have to listen to people until the end!’

She thought that at best she would have a card in her hand, but the card was running away as if to make fun of her momentary relief.

“Lady Felix!”

As she hurried down the stairs, Vanessa, who seemed to be going out of the mansion, was standing there blankly.

Adeline immediately followed Vanessa’s gaze, feeling an unusual atmosphere.

Noma, the butler, was being handed a basket full of white flowers, and Theresa was smiling brightly in front of him.

‘… Doesn’t he work for the Grand Duke?’

When she looked closely at the face of the person who seemed to have brought the flowers, his face was familiar. It was none other than Zion.

“Oh my, Adeline. Grand Duke Inver has sent you flowers. They’re Iums. He brought you this precious thing.”

Ium was one of the few flowers that could bloom in the desolate north, so it was a very valuable flower.

Since Zion brought precious flowers and not just ordinary seeds, the message Kael was trying to convey was very clear.

‘Wait a moment, at this rate…’

Just the fact that he sent her flowers was a headache, but on top of that, Vanessa was there.

In addition, she had run out after hearing that she had to control her attention in order to win Kael’s heart.

She didn’t have to imagine what Vanessa was thinking right now.

“Lady Fel…”

“I’m not feeling well, so I’ll be leaving first. Forgive me for my rudeness, Marchioness Tien.”

Vanessa said goodbye to Theresa with a hurtful expression, then left the mansion and headed for the carriage.

She didn’t give Adeline a glance.

Somewhat startled, Theresa looked at Adeline, and when their gazes met, Adeline just sighed deeply.

The situation was getting more and more twisted.