Chapter – 02
Cedric, who had been looking at Elizabeth with pity, immediately noticed Rafine’s presence and spoke as if scolding her.
“Just what have you been doing until now? Your sister is this sick.”
“……”
His words fell like sharp blades right in front of her.
From the way he spoke, it was easy to realize that he didn’t even know today was Rafine’s birthday.
If it had been before, she would have asked him why he had forgotten her birthday and come here instead.
But now Rafine knew that such words were useless.
The emotions that once burned fiercely inside her had, over time, turned black like cold ashes.
Looking at the situation with a heart that had completely cooled, she could clearly see how foolishly she had clung to him.
Rafine slowly lifted the corners of her lips and smiled.
“Did your work end early?”
“His Majesty let me leave early. I heard Elizabeth collapsed, so I rushed here.”
The current Emperor had grown up outside the palace because he did not get along with the former emperor. He had lived under constant threats of assassination before finally defeating all his enemies and standing at the very top.
Because enemies were everywhere, he usually hid his face behind a mask. Very few people actually knew what the Emperor looked like.
Cedric was one of the few who worked close enough to him to know his face.
Normally he was often kept busy by the Emperor, but today it seemed he had been released earlier than usual.
It would have been nice if he had come to celebrate her birthday.
“Is that so?”
Rafine replied in a resigned tone.
He didn’t know where his fiancée was or what she was doing, yet he somehow always knew about Elizabeth’s condition immediately.
When she thought about it, their relationship was truly strange.
But she had been too blinded by her desire for his affection to notice before.
Now that she thought about it, even after their engagement, Cedric had always talked only about Elizabeth.
“Elizabeth has a fever? I know a very skilled doctor.”
“You’re so healthy… Elizabeth is truly pitiful.”
“How is Elizabeth doing today?”
Endless talk about Elizabeth.
Why had she only realized it now?
Rafine stared at him quietly.
Seeing her gaze, Cedric frowned as if he thought she was looking for something to criticize.
But contrary to his expectation, Rafine simply spoke calmly.
“Alright. Rest comfortably before you leave.”
For a moment Cedric’s face twisted strangely.
He wasn’t the only one surprised.
The Marquis, who had been about to scold her further, also looked at the two of them with confusion.
Cedric quickly pushed aside the question that had appeared in his mind and asked,
“Beth is sick. Shouldn’t you stay and check on your sister a bit more before leaving?”
Rafine stopped walking at once.
‘Beth?’
Cedric had never once called Rafine by a sweet nickname.
Yet he naturally called Elizabeth “Beth,” a name usually used only by family or someone very close.
What exactly was the relationship between those two?
A dry laugh escaped Rafine.
Cedric didn’t even seem aware that he was calling Elizabeth by a nickname.
How ridiculous.
Rafine turned a cold gaze toward them.
“I’m tired. I’ll be leaving now.”
“You’re leaving when your sister is sick?!”
This time her father, the Marquis Robru, stepped in.
“I said I’m tired.”
Rafine frowned slightly as she spoke.
The Marquis opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Usually when he shouted angrily, Rafine would quickly apologize.
But today she was completely different.
“My lord, I’ll talk to her.”
Cedric stepped forward again, as if believing she would listen to him.
“Shall we talk for a moment?”
He walked toward her.
Rafine let out a small scoff.
“I have nothing to talk about.”
“Let’s talk in your room.”
Just as Rafine was about to say it wasn’t necessary—
“Mm…”
The timing was strangely perfect.
Elizabeth, who had been unconscious, stirred and slowly opened her eyes.
Everyone’s attention, which had been focused on Rafine, instantly turned to Elizabeth.
“Oh, Beth!”
The Marquis, who had just been scolding Rafine, hurried to the bedside.
His fierce expression melted instantly when he looked at Elizabeth.
How could the way he treated two daughters be so different?
Rafine smiled bitterly.
“Elizabeth!”
This time Cedric hurried to the bed with a bright face.
His expression toward Elizabeth was completely different from how he treated Rafine, and it made her stomach turn.
Rafine simply turned around and walked out of Elizabeth’s bedroom.
Cedric seemed to have already forgotten that he was the one who suggested talking first.
She closed the door behind her with a soft thud.
But her feet didn’t move right away.
From inside the room came Elizabeth’s cheerful laughter and the excited voices of the two men.
“Ah! Brother! It hurts if you pinch my cheeks like that!”
“That’s because you’re cute.”
“Let’s see… Our Beth mustn’t get sick.”
“Ha…”
Leaning her back against the door, Rafine let out a sigh.
When was the last time she had felt warmth from her family?
Ever since she became old enough to understand things, she had never once lived comfortably.
The Marquis always told her she had to be a perfect example for her sick younger sister. He set strict standards for Rafine, and whenever she made even the smallest mistake, he would scold her harshly.
He had not been pleased even when she became engaged to Cedric.
Even though he knew how much she liked Cedric, he had openly said that Elizabeth should have been the one to marry a man like Cedric.
And whenever Rafine argued with Cedric because he neglected his fiancée, the Marquis always blamed her.
“What man could endure your obsession?”
He believed Rafine was too obsessed with Cedric.
Now that she thought about it, everything felt strange.
Back in her room, Rafine thought about the people around her one by one.
Elizabeth always acted spoiled and received all the family’s attention, taking Rafine’s sacrifices for granted.
The Marquis was the same. No matter how hard Rafine tried, he ignored her and spoke harshly without hesitation.
Cedric, who had promised to spend the future with her, did not stand by her side either. Instead, he called her concern “obsession” and treated it like a nuisance.
Because of the foolish emotion called love, she had failed to see all of this.
While desperately seeking the love of her family and fiancé, she had missed so many things.
She should have let go of her lingering feelings long ago.
Knock, knock.
Just as Rafine finished organizing her thoughts, someone knocked on the door.
Before she even told them to come in, the door slowly opened.
It was Cedric.
Without even checking what she was doing, he spoke immediately.
“Come eat. Everyone is waiting in the dining room.”
Rafine replied coldly.
“I don’t have an appetite. Please eat without me.”
But Cedric stepped further into the room.
“Even sick Elizabeth went to the dining room to eat. You should at least come and pretend to sit.”
Rafine let out a small laugh before accepting.
“Alright then.”
She had something to say anyway. It might as well be said in front of everyone.
Thinking there was no reason to delay her decision any longer, she stood up.
Seeing her strangely obedient attitude, Cedric smiled for once.
“It feels nice when you behave so obediently.”
“……”
His words were not even worth responding to.
Rafine quietly followed him out.
Thinking about breaking the engagement made her feel as if she had finally been freed from all the old emotions that had bound her.
The sight of him walking ahead without even looking at her no longer bothered her.
In the past she would have begged him to look at her or speak kindly to her.
Cedric was somewhat surprised by her silence, but he felt satisfied.
He had no idea what she was about to say.
Soon they arrived at the dining room.
Since Elizabeth had come out of her bedroom for the first time in a while, the dining room was bustling.
The light from the grand chandelier shone down on the luxurious dishes spread across the table.
It seemed everyone had completely forgotten that today was Rafine’s birthday.
As they sat down, Cedric said something unbelievable.
“Doesn’t it feel like someone’s birthday?”
“Haha! Elizabeth is moving around this healthily today. You could call it a birthday.”
The Marquis burst out laughing.
How amusing they all were.
Rafine quietly took her seat.
The atmosphere of this place, where it felt like she didn’t exist at all, was so familiar that it made her nauseous.
She picked up her fork.
“Come to think of it, Elizabeth’s birthday is soon, isn’t it? Since spring is coming, we should hold a garden party in the garden.”
Cedric eagerly brought up Elizabeth’s birthday, which was still three months away.
Meanwhile, the person whose birthday it actually was sat forgotten right here.
At last Rafine placed her fork down with a clear sound.
The people who had been laughing turned to look at her.
“A birthday… That sounds nice.”
Rafine spoke without emotion.
“Oh, right. There’s something I want to say.”
Without even taking a breath, she continued the words she had been planning to say all along.
“Cedric, let’s break off our engagement.”
In an instant, the dining table fell silent.
Cedric froze for a moment, clearly not understanding the situation, before speaking.
“Why would you say something like that at the dinner table?”
Rafine let out a small laugh and asked,
“Then you must know today is my birthday if you’re saying that, right?”
