~Chapter 89~
After a few days, when I reopened the counseling shop, it was packed with old clients and new people wanting to make appointments.
I had prepared myself, thinking I would have to deal with the jealousy and envy of all the ladies who once liked Richard.
I had counseled many girls who liked Richard, but now I was his fiancée…
But my guess was completely wrong.
“Congratulations, Miss Amelie!”
“You two really look good together! How is life in the imperial city?”
Even the girls who used to like Richard gave me true congratulations, not jealousy.
I had matched some of them with other people instead of Richard, but I never imagined so many people would congratulate me.
The number of clients at the counseling shop kept growing.
It felt like being engaged made me some kind of love expert, and people lined up with all sorts of relationship problems.
“Miss Amelie, people keep congratulating you all day!”
Karen smiled as she set down a hot cup of tea in front of me.
It was only my second day back, but so many clients wanted appointments that I barely had time to drink tea.
“I know. I think I’ve received enough congratulations for a whole lifetime.”
I picked up the cup awkwardly.
It felt strange to get so many congratulations for a contract engagement.
I wondered what people would say if we broke up later.
Would things get even crazier then?
I started to worry a little.
While I was talking with Karen, it was soon time for the next appointment.
Just then, the door of the counseling shop opened.
A young man with silver hair, looking very nervous, walked in. It was Lawrence, the young son of a marquis.
He looked ordinary, just like his common name, but his stiff posture showed he was very serious.
“Hello, Miss Amelie.”
This was his second visit, but he still came in stiffly and bowed.
“Welcome. Do you feel a bit more relaxed today?”
I watched his eyes shake with worry as he looked around and asked.
On his first visit, he hesitated and couldn’t say anything at all.
Making people comfortable is the most basic part of counseling, so I had to ask.
“Ah, yes. Thanks to you, I feel a little better, Miss Amelie.”
“If you drink the tea Karen brought, you’ll feel even more relaxed.”
Right after I finished speaking, Karen came over with a tray.
She set the cup in front of Lawrence and poured tea slowly.
A gentle chamomile scent filled the shop.
Chamomile tea is famous for calming nerves.
I had prepared it specially for Lawrence, who was always so tense.
“The smell… it’s really nice.”
Lawrence took a sip and breathed in the scent, looking amazed.
His stiff shoulders relaxed naturally.
“So, would you like to tell me your problem?”
“Ah, yes.”
Lawrence gulped and opened his mouth.
“About two years ago, I met a friend at a social book club. Before that, we saw each other at balls and parties, but we never really talked. I always wondered how I could get closer. But thanks to that friend being so friendly, we started talking more and more.”
Once he made up his mind to speak, he kept talking calmly, without hesitation.
“She has a really bright personality and treated me so comfortably… Before I knew it, I started to like her.”
Lawrence’s face turned red as he spoke.
Judging from how he noticed her even before the book club, it seemed like he’d liked her for a long time, maybe without realizing it.
“What do you usually talk about with her?”
“We talk a lot about books. Whenever we meet, we choose the library as the meeting place.”
“Do you talk about anything besides books?”
“I want to, but I’m not good at conversation…”
Lawrence’s shoulders dropped.
Oh dear. He really had no confidence.
“That’s normal sometimes. You said you usually meet at the library—who suggests meeting up?”
“Usually, she asks me to meet.”
“Is it just the two of you?”
“Yes, most of the time it’s just the two of us.”
“Aha.”
Wait, so she always asks him to meet, just the two of them?
That’s a definite sign she likes him too.
“In that case, next time you should be the one to invite her out. But don’t go to the library—try a café, or maybe a busy place where you can do something fun. Even going to see a play or opera is good.”
“Someplace besides the library… I see. I just thought she liked books, so the library was the best place to meet.”
“It’s good to care about her interests. But it’s hard to talk a lot in a library, right? And if she likes books, I’m sure she’d also be interested in plays or opera.”
After hearing my advice, Lawrence looked relieved.
“You’re right. Even though we talked, it always felt like something was missing. I only thought about our common interest in books, so I never tried anything else. Thank you, Miss Amelie.”
“I’m glad if it helped.”
I smiled in the warm atmosphere.
My life had changed a lot since the engagement, but listening to other people’s worries and helping them made me feel a bit peaceful again.
But just then—
“~?!-!”
There was a commotion outside the shop.
I stood up and looked out the window.
A man was struggling as the palace guards who’d been watching the area caught him.
It was a face I knew well.
“Wudian Montorre…”
My heart sank.
I told Lawrence to wait and went outside.
“What’s going on?”
“He kept shouting your name and causing a disturbance,” one of the guards answered calmly.
Wudian, his arms and neck tightly held, looked at me and yelled:
“Amelie! How could you… How could you get engaged to another man and leave me?!”
If someone heard this, they’d think I’d cheated on him.
I let out a sigh.
His face looked like he was a victim, which was honestly disgusting.
“Who do you think you are, Wudian Montorre? Why do you say that to me?”
“We promised each other when we were kids! You saw the proof too! My feelings have always been true. I love you, Amelie! If I don’t have you, I’ll die!”
Was he trying to act in a cheap drama now?
“Really? Then go die.”
My cold answer made Wudian’s eyes shake.
“Ah, you’re probably going to die anyway. Didn’t you borrow a ton of money for gambling? That’s why you tried to get engaged to me.”
“H-how did you…”
“And you have a nasty temper. You beat up the marquis’ third son a few days ago and almost went to trial. Richard told me himself. He said that’s the real you.”
“Hahaha! So he told you everything? Hey, Amelie Garnet. How did someone like you seduce a prince, huh? Did you use your ugly body to tempt him?”
His dirty words made my head go cold.
I picked up a bucket sitting next to me.
“Your mouth is filthy. It needs a wash.”
I dumped the cold water over Wudian’s head.
He cursed and struggled, but the guards held him tight.
“Amelie Garnet! You damned girl!”
“Get out of my life, you leech.”
As he was dragged away by the guards, I showed him my middle finger.
I shook out the last drops from the bucket, throwing away both my memories and the dirty feelings about Wudian Montorre.
