Chapter 48
After safely purchasing clothes, we wandered through the market buying the things we needed.
Groceries, the children’s almost-depleted school supplies, other materials, and so on. We even thought about buying firewood, but gave up when Hoyeon insisted he would chop it himself.
By the time we came out of the stationery shop, Hoyeon’s hands were heavily burdened.
Since I couldn’t help carry things while looking after the children, I spoke with an apologetic face.
“Sorry, isn’t it too heavy?”
“Not heavy at all.”
Hoyeon easily lifted both arms as if it were nothing.
I remembered how he had once picked me up and leapt across rooftops, and thought maybe this much really was nothing to him.
When we returned to the orphanage after shopping, lunchtime had already passed. Since I needed to prepare the children’s meal, I hurried toward the front gate.
And then it happened.
From behind the wall, a small figure jumped out in front of me.
I opened my eyes wide in shock at the familiar sight.
“You are…”
Pure, dazzling golden hair and bright sky-blue eyes.
‘Said?’
The boy was none other than Said Price, the First Prince.
But why on earth was Said here!
Too flustered to find words, I froze—then Said’s next words turned me to stone.
“Marry me, Ciela!”
As I stood speechless, Said flashed a confident smile.
“As you instructed, I leaked information about Director Ciela of the orphanage to His Highness, and just now, His Highness secretly headed there.”
The Emperor sipped from his teacup as he listened to his attendant’s report.
After gauging the Emperor’s expression, the attendant cautiously spoke again.
“But, I’m worried. Is it really safe for His Highness Said to approach an orphanage director with ties to Duke Crayman? What if harm comes to him…”
“I’ve set shadows to watch him. He will be fine.”
The Emperor drank leisurely, a warm tone spreading through his voice.
“Said will become a very good set of eyes.”
I was left speechless by Said suddenly appearing and demanding marriage. When I didn’t reply, he urged me.
“Ciela, why aren’t you answering? I said let’s get married!”
“Hey! Who the heck are you?”
At that moment, Cloen and the children came up from the carriage. Said’s gaze shifted to Cloen.
“How dare you address me as ‘hey’? Such insolence!”
“Insolence, my foot! Who do you think you are, making moves on our director?”
“Cloen, ‘making moves’ is a bad expression.”
“But Ren, you heard him! You heard what he just said!”
“You just called me ‘punk,’ didn’t you?”
“Yeah! Who else here would I be talking to?”
“Unbelievable! You need to be punished to learn respect!”
“What are you even saying, talking all weird like that.”
Cloen scoffed, and Said, unable to hold back his temper, lunged.
Chaos broke out before my eyes, and I shouted.
“Stop!”
At my cry, the bickering children froze. I snapped my head toward Said. He flinched.
Subtly placing the children behind me, I asked,
“First—why on earth are you here, Said?”
For a moment, I wondered if I should keep speaking informally to a prince. But since the children were watching, I continued that way.
Especially because Jack’s eyes were on me.
“T-to see you, Ciela…!”
“How did you know I was here?”
“That’s…”
Said dropped his head and fidgeted with his hands, murmuring softly,
“Because I wanted to see you again…”
Which meant he’d had me investigated.
I let out a heavy sigh, a headache coming on. Behind me, Cloen fumed, urging me to kick him out.
Hearing my sigh, Said’s shoulders stiffened.
The irony of a prince watching my reaction wasn’t lost on me, but I had no energy to think on it.
‘I never thought he’d actually follow me here.’
Had I known it would come to this, I would never have spoken to him that day.
I glanced back. Jack was restraining Cloen, who was ready to jump out, and looking straight at me.
‘It’s not good for him to face Said.’
I turned to Said again and spoke sternly.
“Wandering around alone is dangerous. Go back. What if someone notices you?”
“I slipped out through a secret passage only I know. No one will find out. And if I’m going back, then you must come with me…!”
Smack.
Just as Said reached for my arm in desperation, Jack coldly knocked his hand away.
Both Said and I stared in surprise at his sudden move.
Jack muttered in an icy voice,
“Don’t touch her.”
“You are…”
“Don’t lay a hand on her. She’s our guardian.”
Said’s blue eyes and Jack’s brown eyes clashed.
And once again, I found myself stuck between them, feeling like I could cry.
Said stared in shock at Jack, who had suddenly appeared to stop him. Then he looked down at his own hand that had been brushed away. Jack’s gaze toward him was sharp enough to freeze the air.
The atmosphere turned frigid, and no one dared to speak. Even Cloen watched Jack nervously.
Jack’s reaction was clearly unlike his usual self.
‘What on earth is happening?’
My head throbbed, and I pressed my forehead. Rodi came to hold my hand with a worried look.
“Director, are you okay?”
I forced a bright smile, guilty for worrying the children.
“Yes, I’m fine. I made you worry for nothing.”
Smiling, I looked at Said. Meeting my eyes, his shoulders shrank.
“Hoyeon, could you take the children inside first?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”
At my words, Hoyeon nodded and gathered the children.
One by one, the worried children went inside, until only Said, Jack, and I remained.
I looked at Jack, but he wasn’t looking at me.
He was staring only at Said. His brown eyes had sunk deep, unreadable.
“Jack.”
When I called, he finally looked at me.
‘He might have realized Said is royalty.’
Jack was smart. When I addressed Said by name, he might have pieced it together.
Suppressing my confusion, I said to him,
“You should go in too.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry.”
At my firm tone, Jack hesitated, then reluctantly turned to go. Just before stepping inside, he asked me,
“You’ll come in soon, right?”
I answered right away.
“Of course.”
Only then did Jack relax and head inside.
With even Jack gone, only Said and I were left.
When our eyes met, Said’s shoulders shrank again.
“Your Highness Prince Said.”
His eyes widened at the title. Did he really think I wouldn’t know who he was?
But his reaction was unexpected.
“Ciela, why are you calling me that? Call me by my name, like before… treat me comfortably…”
Though he pleaded, I shook my head. Despair clouded his face.
‘I feel sorry for Said…’
But I couldn’t afford to be gentle.
‘I have children to protect.’
Especially for Jack, royalty was poison. I knew that better than anyone. Since Said had come here himself, I couldn’t treat him kindly.
My voice grew firmer.
“I won’t ask why you came here. As for your talk of marriage… I’ll pretend I never heard it. So please go back.”
At my cold words, tears welled in Said’s blue eyes. He lowered his head.
I couldn’t bear to face him and turned my gaze away.
“I thought Ciela would be glad to see me… I thought, like before, you’d listen to me if I could just meet you… Was it only my delusion?”
His tearful voice shook me, but I turned away decisively.
“Go back. Don’t ever come here like this again.”
“Ciela…”
His pleading voice reached me, but I walked straight into the orphanage.
Behind the door, the sound of a child crying echoed.
‘My heart feels heavy.’
Leaning against the door, I let out a deep sigh. Hoyeon came to me with a worried face.
“All the children have gone upstairs. I’ve also put away all the supplies.”
“Thank you. That must’ve been tough on your own… You worked hard.”
“Will that boy be all right?”
At his question, I nodded slightly.
“There’s no helping it.”
‘My children come first.’
With a faint smile, I stepped deeper inside the orphanage.
But Said’s sobbing outside clung to my steps until the very end.
