Chapter 24 of “The Male Lead is Obsessed with Proposing”, titled “19. Oh, You Foolish One”:
However, as expected, Senelia’s prediction was completely wrong.
“…You’d rather get angry with me, Selly.”
Benelucia straightened up and took a step away from Senelia.
Her assumption had been wrong.
She was taken aback.
Senelia struggled to hide her emotions and forced a calm expression.
“Why would I be angry with you, Your Highness?”
For the past eight years, Senelia had stayed by Benelucia’s side, proving that no one could be a better match for him.
She was certain of that one fact.
Benelucia must have known it too—that’s why he proposed to her.
So why was he reacting like this? Senelia was genuinely confused.
“…Do you think the way you’ve been acting all this time is normal?”
Benelucia sighed, then barely managed to suppress it.
His face looked like he was holding something back, and that irritated Senelia.
She had endured so much in front of him, time and again.
So what could he possibly have to be so upset about?
“I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Still, Senelia had to remain harmless in front of Benelucia.
She mustn’t become a bothersome presence, like his previous lovers.
So once again, she pressed herself down.
In the end, the one who couldn’t hold back and revealed his true feelings first—was Benelucia.
“The scandal… it was a misunderstanding at first.”
Benelucia spoke with his brows deeply furrowed.
“But the second and third ones… I caused them on purpose.”
At that moment, Senelia involuntarily flinched. On purpose. That word—no, the misery of those days—pierced her like a sharp needle.
“I wanted you to react somehow.”
As Benelucia spoke, Senelia’s body stiffened.
But he didn’t notice. For eight years, her expressions had become frozen, uniform.
That’s why it didn’t show on the outside.
Only Senelia’s heart, which she thought had long scattered and vanished, was crumbling again—completely.
It was truly astonishing. She’d been breaking for eight years, and yet she still had pieces left to break.
Senelia wished this would finally be her bottom.
But the fall showed no end, and she kept being thrown to the ground.
And every time… it hurt so much.
“Are you not even going to ask me why I did it this time?”
Benelucia questioned her as if cornering her.
She wanted to run away. She didn’t want to hear the reason.
It was just a hunch.
That she wouldn’t be able to endure whatever he said next.
But the arrogant man opened his mouth anyway, saying what he pleased.
“I wanted to know if you loved me.”
If he were to make an excuse, that would be the limit of Benelucia.
Born into nobility and never having been unloved for even a moment—how could he ever understand someone like Senelia?
“Why? What would you even do with that knowledge?”
Senelia knew that too.
But still, sharp words came flying out of her mouth.
Only then did a faint look of relief appear on Benelucia’s face.
Seeing that twisted her insides even further.
He had deliberately provoked her to get a reaction.
For the first time, a mocking smile appeared on her lips toward Benelucia.
“And this is what you call love?”
Senelia once again firmly denied Benelucia’s love.
She knew how he loved Lucalina.
So how could this possibly be called love?
“That man is trying to take even my love now.”
Senelia’s twisted heart whispered to itself.
The arrogant man, who had everything, couldn’t stand not having her heart—and now he wanted even that.
But that wasn’t love.
It was nothing but greed, wanting to possess everything.
“You wanted me to act like I didn’t know. You didn’t want me to be troublesome.”
Senelia couldn’t keep her mouth shut. If she didn’t spit out these thorns now, they would tear her apart from the inside.
“Selly, I think you’ve misunderstood something. I never told you to—”
“No. You just found it convenient.”
Senelia cut off Benelucia mid-sentence.
“That’s why you kept me by your side for so long, isn’t it?”
Words didn’t need to be spoken out loud to be understood.
Benelucia’s aide, Arante, disliked Senelia.
He didn’t welcome the daughter of a lowly viscount as his master’s partner.
So Arante would often bring up Lucalina’s news in front of Senelia—clearly for her to hear.
All Senelia could do was pretend not to hear, pretend not to know, pretend not to care.
At first, Benelucia would stop Arante. But when Senelia showed no reaction, he eventually stopped caring.
In fact… he looked comfortable.
Senelia didn’t demand, like other women, why he was interested in someone else when he had her.
“Selly, I…”
Benelucia finally shut his mouth.
He regretted the words he had impulsively blurted out.
To be clear, it wasn’t because she was convenient.
He simply wanted to shake the calm-looking Senelia.
And because of such a pathetic reason, he did something he never should have done.
He felt it was unfair that he alone was agonizing over her reactions.
He wanted to see her bare emotions—even if it meant tearing her open.
So he hurt her.
But when her face twisted in pain, he realized far too late that it wasn’t what he truly wanted.
He blamed his foolishness, but there was no way to take back what had already been said.
Every time he stood in front of Senelia, Benelucia became impulsive and stupid. Even knowing that, he couldn’t control himself.
“I don’t know why you’re suddenly so curious about whether I love you or not… but I’ll give you an answer.”
Senelia continued, her voice twisted and trembling.
A cold sneer hung on her lips.
Truly, Benelucia Afron was a selfish man. How shameless, to expect love from her.
And all because of some pitiful desire—like a child, upset over not getting everything.
“Your Highness, I have never once broken a promise I made to you.”
Senelia had matched everything to him for eight years. That such loyalty was repaid with this—was nothing but despair.
The arrogant man tested her in the worst way possible. And still, she couldn’t escape him.
Her sneer might have been aimed at herself. She hated how powerless she was. It was pathetic.
But Senelia couldn’t be like Benelucia, Lucalina, or Clifta.
And today, that truth stung more than ever.
Not everyone needed to be extraordinary to be happy. Most people find joy in ordinary things.
Senelia just wanted that kind of simple happiness.
But why had she come this far? It was unbearably unfair.
“And that won’t change going forward.”
It was a declaration. The promise she made to Benelucia on the night they first spent together—would always be upheld.
“I love you. I will never say those words again. So if you need me… please come find me.”
Their relationship had never started with love. She had confessed, yes—but he kept her because he needed her.
So now, after all this time, to speak of love—it didn’t fit between them.
“But if… if Your Highness says you need love as well…”
Senelia’s red eyes stared straight at Benelucia. She wanted to hurt him.
Even if she didn’t know how much damage she could cause—she still hoped it would sting, even a little.
“Then I will give that to you too, as promised.”
She had promised to be someone he needed. So if he needed love, she would offer it too. But not from her heart—only as a part of that promise.
Understanding that, Benelucia’s expression turned to stone.
“Let me ask one more time, Selly. Do you no longer love me?”
Benelucia gripped her arm tightly. Before he knew it, he looked as though he were begging her.
“That question is meaningless, Your Highness. Because the word ‘love’ cannot exist between us.”
Senelia’s response was unwavering.
Just as Benelucia had been unshaken when she once confessed her love to him.
Benelucia pressed his lips tightly together. Still, he couldn’t take his eyes off her—as if searching for something—his gaze roamed her face.
Senelia didn’t say yes or no.
Even now, her mind reminded her that she needed to act neither too easy nor too difficult for him.
If Benelucia desired her love, she would use even that to remain by his side.
And her intention hit the mark perfectly…
Because now, Benelucia couldn’t give her up so easily.
