Chapter 130
“Even if it means I can’t see my mother again, I suppose I’m just reminiscing about the past in the greenhouse she left behind.”
Felix finished his explanation calmly.
Seeing him trying so hard to act unaffected, Eila felt even more sorrow for him.
She, too, had once heard the rumors that the duchess fell ill and passed away after her son went missing.
But at the time, she was still a child and had no particular connection to the Argenta family, so it hadn’t resonated deeply with her.
Yet hearing the story directly from Felix made her chest tighten painfully.
‘He finally found his parents, only to learn his mother had already passed away… If only I had remembered the plot a bit sooner.’
Just like how she had managed to return him to his family earlier than in the original, maybe—just maybe—she could’ve saved the duchess.
Knowing her son was safe might have given the duchess a reason to keep going.
Eila’s expression darkened with regret. Seeing this, Felix smiled gently instead.
“But everything turned out well in the end. I might have lived my whole life never knowing who my real family was, but I’ve found them—thanks to you.”
“…”
“It’s okay. I’m happy now. And it’s all because of you, Eila.”
Eila pressed her lips together and quietly nodded.
She didn’t want to cry in front of Felix, not when he was saying he was fine—saying he was happy.
Looking back, Felix had always been this strong and unwavering.
Even though he’d spent his life being cast aside by everyone, he had somehow remained composed.
Perhaps he had been pretending to be fine, silently enduring the pain so he wouldn’t break.
That thought made him seem even more precious in her eyes. She wanted to embrace that fragile part of him and comfort him.
She didn’t want to leave him alone anymore.
And those feelings didn’t stem from pity or a sense of responsibility—they came from a genuine affection for him.
At that moment, Eila made up her mind about the thing she had hesitated over for so long.
Like the duke said, life is short, and time cannot be turned back. So to avoid regret, she wanted to be honest about her feelings.
“You’re amazing, really. I’ve always had the status of a noble lady, yet I was constantly shrinking under people’s gazes…”
At her sincere words, Felix’s eyes quivered ever so slightly.
“But you, Felix, you’ve always been so confident. Maybe… maybe I started drawing courage from you back then, too.”
“Eila…”
“Even when people scorned you, you never backed down. You walked your path silently, believing it was right. I always thought you were incredible for that.”
“…”
“It was the same when I was going through tough times. Even when others pointed fingers at me, you stayed by my side and tried to help me.”
It was the first time she’d ever received such unconditional support from someone.
For the first time, she realized—through Felix—that someone needed her not as Eila Blanche, but as Eila, the person.
Now it was her turn to finally give the answer she’d been holding back for so long.
Eila slowly parted her lips.
“So… I like you too.”
Felix’s eyes widened, his pale green irises sparkling more beautifully than ever.
He couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his lips as he slowly reached out—and without a hint of hesitation, pulled Eila into his arms.
In his embrace, Eila quietly caught her breath.
At last, she felt like she had found where she truly belonged.
* * *
“You may go in now.”
A maid with a blank expression appeared before Count Armand, who was nervously stroking his mustache.
She was one of Empress Eliza’s closest attendants.
As the count flinched and rose from his seat, the maid silently led him to the reception room.
“Please wait inside.”
Though her response was brief and cold, Count Armand made no complaint. He carefully sat on the sofa inside the room.
Just sitting still brought cold sweat to his brow, and he desperately wanted a cigar.
But thinking of what lay ahead, he forced himself to calm down.
After a while, the door opened, and the empress entered.
When she fixed her gaze directly on him, the count instinctively swallowed dryly.
Though the empress was publicly known to be kind and gentle, Count Armand knew better than anyone that beneath that mask was a sharp and dangerous nature.
Trying to suppress his nerves, the count carefully placed the gold bar case he had prepared on the table.
‘That was close. I’m really lucky I managed to sell that land in time to repay the investment.’
Not long ago, he had expanded multiple branches of Sharon Atelier with investment from the Empress’s family, the Marquisate of Rotang.
But unexpectedly, Floré Cosmetics had risen rapidly, catching him off guard. Some locations, unable to recover investment costs, had shut down.
As the repayment deadline approached, the count had hastily sold land in the Farun region to gather the funds.
“You still dared to show your face, Count?”
“Y-Your Majesty…”
“I’ve heard rumors. That Sharon Atelier’s finances aren’t looking so good. So how did you manage to prepare this money?”
Her suspicious gaze landed on the box on the table. Just that single glance made him feel as though she could read his every thought.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I truly didn’t expect a competitor to appear so suddenly…”
The count licked his lips, trying to explain further, but the empress cut him off coldly.
“Contrary to what you said before, not only have you failed to turn a profit, but it seems you can’t even repay the principal. What are you planning to do about the rest of the funds invested from the Marquisate?”
Suppressing his fear, the count met her eyes head-on. Now was not the time to appear weak in front of her.
“Please don’t worry. While some branches have closed, the remaining stores will soon turn a profit. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Oh? And how? Do you have a concrete plan?”
“I… I can’t reveal specifics due to trade secrets, but if we completely destroy our competitor… I believe everything will be resolved.”
“Hmm.”
The empress tapped the armrest with her finger in silence.
The pause dragged on, and the count continued to sweat in silence.
Finally, she broke the tense air.
“But tell me, Count—if you’re so sure profits are coming, why did you sell your land in Farun?”
Caught off guard, the count blinked rapidly, stammering. He hadn’t expected the empress to know about the land sale.
“Th-That’s…”
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
“Speak. Has the situation really gotten that bad?”
He bit his lip and wiped his sweat with a handkerchief before answering in a slightly steadier voice.
“There were just some temporary funding issues. The business itself isn’t affected. I’ve already shut down the high-deficit branches.”
If the Marquisate withdrew their investment now, it would mean complete ruin.
To avoid that, he emphasized the potential and stability of his business with all his might.
“So please don’t worry. We’ll soon be back on track. In fact, we’re preparing to launch a new product with lower production costs and higher margins.”
He added, lowering his head, unable to meet her gaze:
“Please just wait until the new product launches.”
The room grew heavier and colder.
After another long silence, the empress finally spoke.
“We’ll see how it goes. But remember—if the results fall short again, you’ll bear the consequences.”
As soon as she finished, the count let out a breath of relief.
‘I have to drag out whoever’s behind Floré Cosmetics. If this keeps up, it really will be the end.’
If he couldn’t turn the situation around, he would lose not only her trust—but possibly his life.
‘If that happens, I’ll lose everything.’
The assets from the Marquisate of Rotang were meant to support Darian’s eventual ascension to the throne. That’s why the empress had invested in the first place.
If even a fraction of that money was lost, she would never forgive him.
‘For Prince Darian’s sake… she’s someone who wouldn’t hesitate to do anything.’
His clenched fists trembled helplessly in fear.
End of Chapter 130
