Chapter 69
The day after the party, Lucia woke up to the dazzling morning sunlight.
“Ahem!”
Even without looking in the mirror, she could feel that her eyes were swollen, and her throat was dry and scratchy, her voice hoarse.
It seemed to be the aftereffect of the tears she had shed yesterday.
Her body felt like a mess, but having released her emotions in one go brought a certain sense of relief.
“My goodness, miss! Your eyes are terribly swollen!”
Sein, who happened to be entering the room, was shocked to see Lucia sitting drowsily on the bed.
Lucia gave an awkward smile in response.
“Is it that bad?”
“Yes, I think anyone who sees you will be very surprised.”
“Then that won’t do.”
Knowing that her parents would have a fit if they saw her like this, Lucia used a wet towel to reduce the swelling around her eyes.
“Did something happen yesterday?”
When she had arrived at the mansion yesterday, her eyes were already red and swollen. But at the time, she hadn’t asked, seeing that she didn’t look particularly happy.
Lucia, rubbing her eyes with the cold towel, tilted her head.
“No, nothing really.”
The tone of her answer made Sein a little taken aback.
“Really?”
“Yeah. We… Bern and I just honestly shared our thoughts with each other. Honestly, it feels refreshing!”
Lucia put down the towel and smiled brightly. The faint clouds that had lingered on her face recently had completely vanished.
“That’s a relief. I was worried something might have happened to you, miss.”
“Oh, nothing like that.”
“But before you went to the party yesterday, you did raise your voice at the young master for a moment, didn’t you?”
Indeed, Lucas and Bern had briefly argued, mentioning Bern’s ex.
Maybe it went well because of my brother’s involvement.
Lucia only had a vague idea of what had happened between Bern and Celine, not that they were engaged.
“Where is my brother now?”
“As usual, he went out to work.”
“Is that so?”
Lucia stood up, thinking she would apologize when Lucas arrived.
The past few days had been packed with appointments, leaving her no time to rest. But with all the events finished as of yesterday, she could finally take a break.
After living such a busy life, suddenly having time to relax felt awkward.
Restlessly pacing around the rooms, she realized there was nothing to do, so she went out onto the terrace and gazed absentmindedly at the sunny weather.
“…It’s getting hot now.”
Since entering summer, the sunlight had felt particularly harsh.
Hiding in the shadows, she stared blankly at the clear sky, touching her lips.
Although the person she kissed yesterday had been Bern, for that brief moment with her eyes closed, she had felt as if it were Herwin.
Even if waking from that delusion back to reality was like hell, she couldn’t deny that, in that moment, it had been blissfully wonderful.
Lucia quickly wiped the smile from her face as she thought of Herwin.
“This feels… pathetic…”
Imagining someone who didn’t return her feelings alone felt miserable.
But it wasn’t as painful as she had imagined.
Perhaps time really is the cure.
Even though she didn’t want to admit it, as time passed, she felt herself gradually letting go of her lingering attachment to Herwin.
Whenever she thought of him, it always felt as if an invisible line existed between them.
In the past, she had desperately tried to cross that line to approach him, but now she merely stopped and watched him from afar, never to reach him.
She was no longer just letting go of Herwin intellectually; she was also slowly doing so emotionally.
She no longer felt awkward imagining a future without Herwin.
Lost in thought, Lucia noticed people gathered outside.
Julian was preparing tea time in the garden with the maids.
Looking at her mother, Lucia suddenly realized that her parents had also had an arranged marriage.
I wonder if Mother and Father were awkward with each other at first?
Even if they were inseparable now, their relationship had not started that way.
They now seemed very happy, and their love and care for each other were evident.
Could I be like that too?
Lucia would probably become formally engaged to Bern soon. If so, she would eventually marry him, and she wondered if she could live happily like her parents.
Seeking answers, she got up and approached them.
“Oh, Lucia. It’s rare to see you at home at this hour.”
Julian greeted her warmly as she approached.
“I’ve been so busy going back and forth that I haven’t had a chance to be at the mansion. If it’s alright, may I join you?”
“Of course, why not?”
Julian moved aside and handed her an extra teacup.
“The weather is wonderful today.”
“Yes, it seems especially nice for early summer.”
“I don’t like the heat, but a bright summer sky is truly lovely. Perhaps later we could call the Marquis Casper and go out together?”
Lucia froze briefly when Bern’s name came up and put down her teacup.
“Shall we do that, then?”
Julian’s eyes widened in surprise. He expected her to refuse, saying it was inappropriate before they were engaged, but she readily agreed.
“Whatever’s gotten into you? I thought you’d naturally say no.”
“Well, he’s the one I’ll be engaged to anyway. Spending time with family isn’t a bad thing.”
“Hmm…”
Julian studied his daughter quietly. She had been awkward about the engagement at first, but now she seemed quite accustomed to it.
“Something must have happened with the marquis. I’m glad to see your heart opening a bit.”
Lucia smiled faintly.
“Yes, that’s right. After honestly sharing our thoughts, it feels a little easier.”
Sipping her tea, she looked at Julian.
“Mother, may I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“You and Father were also in an arranged marriage, weren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“You probably didn’t love each other at first. How did you continue your marriage?”
“Love, huh…”
Julian recalled the past and smiled gently at Lucia.
“Now that I think about it, I never told you or Lucas about our first meeting.”
Lucia realized she had never actually heard her parents’ story.
“Both of us were married through a family-arranged match. Did you know? At the time, your father had someone he loved.”
“What?!”
It was the first time she had heard this. Her father, who had always been gentle only toward her mother… had loved someone else?
“Strictly speaking, it was his unrequited love. I won’t tell you who it was.”
Lucia was curious to know, but Julian spared her from the details out of consideration.
“I remember what he said when we first met.”
‘I’m sorry, but I will never love you. My heart belongs to someone else.’
Young Johan had bowed and said this to Julian when they met for the arranged marriage.
“Could it be that Father said that?”
“Ha ha ha! Isn’t it funny even thinking about it now?”
Even though it could have been hurtful, Julian laughed.
“I was just reluctantly going to the meeting because of my parents, and suddenly he talks about love. At first, I was stunned, then I found it ridiculous.”
‘Do as you please. I didn’t come here hoping for your love.’
It was a candid conversation that had taken place in less than five minutes.
“Your father’s face at that moment was priceless. He probably never imagined I’d say that. I didn’t care who he loved.”
“…Really?”
“Of course. It was my parents’ decision anyway; what did my feelings matter? Just marry and live like everyone else.”
“But now, Father is completely devoted to Mother.”
Julian smiled at the comment.
“Yes, now it’s like that. But we weren’t perfect from the start either.”
Their early days had consisted of mechanical dates and formal conversations without genuine feelings.
But Johan, perhaps finding that more comfortable, gradually opened his heart to Julian.
“On the day of our engagement, the woman he had loved appeared.”
‘You said you liked me, and now you’re engaged to another?’
Lucia shivered at the thought.
“It was absurd. She didn’t really love him but didn’t want to let him go. She tried every trick she could think of.”
“And then?”
“I turned everything upside down.”
Seeing Johan falter, Julian appeared before them.
‘Do you not realize how rude your behavior is?’
‘…This is not your place to interfere.’
‘Stop pretending to be noble. You also already have a spouse. Your husband would be delighted to know this.’
“Wait! That woman… she was already married?”
Lucia interrupted in shock.
“Yes. Married for quite some time. He said she married someone she loved.”
“Then why… to Father?”
“Why? She didn’t want him, but she didn’t want to give him to someone else either. Apparently, she had never accepted his love.”
Lucia couldn’t help but feel angry, empathizing either with Julian or Johan.
Julia continued.
Eventually, the woman left, unable to resist Julian’s persistence, leaving only Julian and Johan.
Before Johan could finish speaking, Julian slapped him sharply.
‘You do realize your behavior is extremely rude, don’t you?’
‘…’
‘I don’t care if you love her or someone else. But you promised me before, didn’t you? That even if you couldn’t give your heart, you’d behave properly as a partner. So behave. Being obsessed with love is no excuse for cheating.’
‘…I’m sorry. I will not let this happen again.’
Julian had expected a furious reaction, but Johan’s apology caught her off guard.
“To be honest, I thought he’d call off the engagement. But instead, he changed his mind, stopped being swayed by that woman, and treated me well.”
“I see…”
“Well, since he treated me well, my heart gradually followed. Then you and Lucas were born.”
Lucia couldn’t imagine her parents had such a tumultuous past.
Though slightly different in circumstances, she felt a connection to her current situation.
