CHAPTER~25
The Small Flowerpot
The next morning, on her way down to the dining room.
Yvonne quietly glanced toward Duchess Isabella’s room.
Her door was firmly shut, the same as always.
Yvonne let out a small sigh as she looked at it.
“I hope… the Madam doesn’t suffer too much because of me.”
Gaining confidence from her negotiation with Cedric Glaston the night before, Yvonne had gone to see Duchess Isabella.
It had been a rather impulsive decision.
She didn’t dare hope the Duchess would forgive her or understand her.
She only wished that as long as she stayed in this mansion, the Duchess wouldn’t be in pain because of her.
She wanted to tell her that she had no intention of taking Yvonne’s rightful place, and that she didn’t have to force herself to accept her as a daughter.
‘But… was that really the right thing to do?’
No matter the reason, approaching the woman whose daughter’s place she had taken—wasn’t that a form of deceit?
Just as she finished eating in her anxious state, Cindy approached with news.
“My lady, Lady Lopez has arrived to see you.”
Yvonne suddenly remembered—it had been quite some time since Nadia had last visited the mansion.
‘Now that I think about it… she came on the day of the disturbance with the Duchess.’
The maids had told her Nadia watched the commotion from afar before quietly returning home.
Nadia wouldn’t suspect her identity because of that incident alone, but Yvonne planned to explain the situation lightly for the Duchess’s sake.
However, she had not gotten a chance to speak with Nadia again.
Since Yvonne couldn’t leave the mansion, Nadia usually visited her—but after that day, she hadn’t come at all.
‘Does she have progress with Sir Cedric?’
After all, Nadia’s goal in visiting had never been friendship.
It was to create contact with Cedric Glaston.
Yvonne stopped her thoughts as she recalled the scene of Nadia and Cedric at the opera house.
It was none of her business.
Leaving her worries behind, Yvonne entered the drawing room.
Nadia, drinking tea, smiled brightly.
“How have you been? Nothing troubling happened, right?”
“Thanks to you. Welcome, Nadia.”
As Yvonne sat, Nadia handed her something.
“I came just to give you this today.”
It was an invitation to a banquet.
“There’s a banquet at my house next week.”
“His Grace has already replied that he’ll attend, but since you’re my friend, I wanted to invite you personally.”
Nadia took a sip of her tea, then asked suddenly:
“By the way… how are things with Sir Derrick Glaston?”
“You two fought last time, didn’t you? Did you make up?”
Yvonne paused mid-sip.
To Nadia, what happened at the opera house seemed to be nothing more than a ‘fight.’
“I know you were flustered that day, but don’t worry about it too much.”
“It’s not like he did that with another woman.”
“You’re engaged, after all. Things like that happen.”
“……”
“He must’ve been so embarrassed. He likes you so much he probably rushed things.”
Yvonne stared silently at Nadia, who defended Derrick Glaston without hesitation.
Maybe she was right.
Maybe things like that were no big deal between engaged couples.
But even if that were true—
If she were Nadia, she would never defend him in front of her friend.
Not that it angered her.
Nadia approached her for Cedric Glaston, and she accepted Nadia only to play the role of ‘Yvonne.’
There was nothing to be upset about.
But she didn’t want to hear any more.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I’ll take care of my own matters.”
Yvonne smiled, but her words drew a clear line.
Nadia’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if she sensed it.
“Are you upset because I didn’t understand how you felt?”
“I really do want you two to work out.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Yvonne nodded gently, and only then did Nadia lift her teacup again.
The two talked about various social affairs as usual.
Yvonne kept listening in case Nadia brought up her relationship with Cedric Glaston—but Nadia didn’t say a word about him.
After discussing even the upcoming World Expo, their teacups were finally empty.
“It’s already this late.”
“I should get going.”
Nadia stood.
“Yvonne, you must come to the banquet.”
Her repeated insistence sounded oddly meaningful, but Yvonne nodded anyway.
Since Cedric Glaston already agreed to attend, she had no choice.
She accompanied Nadia out of the drawing room.
They ran into Duchess Isabella just as they reached the center of the mansion.
While Nadia brightened at the sight of the Duchess, Yvonne froze.
Nadia had already seen the Duchess lose control once.
If the same thing happened again, suspicion might truly arise.
And perhaps that was what Duchess Isabella wanted.
The Duchess stared directly at Yvonne, as if deciding what to do with her.
Yvonne tensed as their eyes met.
Then Isabella took a step.
But that was all.
She simply passed by Yvonne and Nadia, heading up the stairs.
No hitting, no harsh words.
Yvonne blinked in disbelief as she watched her leave.
The Duchess did not look back.
***
Since the day Nadia visited, Yvonne encountered Duchess Isabella a few more times.
But each time, the Duchess only looked at her quietly before turning away.
And today was the same.
Yvonne was heading down the stairs to leave for the Glaston mansion when she met Duchess Isabella coming up.
The air grew heavy—not only between Yvonne and the Duchess but also between the attending maid and Cindy.
But once again, the tension dissolved pointlessly.
The Duchess simply gazed at Yvonne and walked past.
Yvonne was now certain.
Duchess Isabella had accepted her proposal.
A slow smile spread across Yvonne’s lips as she watched the Duchess walk away.
“I’ll be back.”
She omitted the title.
The Duchess wasn’t her mother, and she wasn’t truly Yvonne Leroy.
Although the Duchess paused for a brief moment, she soon continued walking.
That alone was enough for Yvonne.
If it meant easing the woman’s heart even a little.
Yvonne descended the stairs and rode the carriage.
The sunlight brushing her nose felt unusually gentle today.
Enjoying the spring breeze and warm sun, Yvonne’s gaze stopped when she spotted a small flower shop.
The little pots arranged in front reminded her of the withered plant in Duchess Isabella’s room.
She knocked on the carriage door.
“Could you stop for a moment?”
Yvonne got out and examined the pots carefully.
They were all flowers she recognized.
‘I don’t know if she’ll like it…’
She didn’t think she could ever replace the real Yvonne.
But as the daughter who worried for her mother, she wanted to convey the feelings that the real Yvonne—watching from the heavens—would have had.
After choosing a pot with that thought, the shop owner came out.
Yvonne paid and turned to leave.
Then another person came to mind—someone she wanted to thank.
She stopped the shop owner.
“Actually, I’d like to buy one more flowerpot.”
“Could you deliver it for me?”
Her eyes sparkled like fresh petals.
***
There was a luncheon at the palace.
It was to discuss details for the upcoming World Expo.
The King expressed great satisfaction with Cedric Glaston’s support of the Royal Hospital and asked him to act as Harrington’s representative at this grand event.
Representing Harrington meant he had to pay attention to diplomacy as well.
Perhaps the King made this decision with the ongoing civil war in the Rox Kingdom and the unstable global situation in mind.
It was a troublesome task.
But the benefits far outweighed the inconvenience, so Cedric Glaston accepted willingly.
After finishing the luncheon, he returned to work and found something on his desk.
His brows furrowed.
“…A flowerpot?”
In his cold, lifeless office filled only with inanimate objects, the small plant radiated green life.
It was strangely out of place.
Blan, who followed him in, explained.
“It was sent to you, sir.”
“By whom?”
“The news boy—no, the news girl.”
“She said it was to thank you.”
Cedric Glaston looked at the plant with a hint of surprise and poked it with his finger.
It looked like it would crumble at a touch, but it stood firm against him.
Just like the woman who sent it.
A gift so much like her.
Cedric let out a small laugh.
“Take care of it.”
“It’s a new member now.”
“Me?!”
“Should I do it, then?”
Amid Blan’s grumbling, a bell chimed.
Cedric lifted his gaze from the green leaves.
Three o’clock.
It was the time the woman would be at the Glaston mansion, taking her lessons as the future bride.
