C5 Part1

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Because they told her it was a ceremony, she had no choice but to participate. However, when she realized it was nearly the same recreation of the first time she met JaeHoon, her heart wasn’t in it at all. If it were up to her, she would have returned to her seat, but because all the ladies were participating, she couldn’t be the only one who stepped out.

“I think holding this kind of ceremony is a first.”

The maiden next to MoonWon spoke in a friendly tone. MoonWon had been a bit on edge, but when she heard the woman’s voice, she felt herself relaxing a little bit. The maiden was beautiful, and her skin was so fair that it reminded MoonWon of the snow in winter.

Although Consort Yu was a great beauty, this lady’s beauty was also something to be reckoned with.

“I haven’t been inside the Palace in a while, so I didn’t even know that this was a first.”

“Most of the ladies here are older than me. It’s my first time meeting you, Miss.”

This lady believed that since they were of the same age, MoonWon wasn’t married either. However, even though MoonWon was married, it still felt awkward.

Still, she needed to clarify and smooth out any misunderstandings. MoonWon lowered her head towards the maiden.

“Since I got married this year, I think you should call me ‘my Lady’ instead of ‘Miss’.”

When the lady heard this, her eyes narrowed. Was it just a feeling? For some reason, MoonWon felt as if this beautiful, shy maiden was suddenly displeased with her.

Wondering if she was correct, MoonWon began to focus on her. However, in the next instant, the lady quickly changed the mood and smiled at her.

“Do you happen to be the wife of the Chief Commander? I heard you were the daughter of the previous attendant…”

“My name is Ju MoonWon. And your name would be…”

“Han SoHee. The duke is my father.”

“I see.”

MoonWon nodded her head. The short conversation came to a close, and the ceremony was finished. As soon as it was done, a eunuch approached her. He told her that Heon had found a separate place for them, so MoonWon didn’t suspect anything and followed.

Expecting to see Heon, she never imagined she’d be meeting JaeHoon instead.

The only thought in her head was that she needed to go back, but she couldn’t just turn around in JaeHoon’s presence.

“Have you been well?”

In the past, whenever she met with him, she hadn’t thought anything of it. However, now that she was married to Heon, meeting JaeHoon in private wasn’t proper at all.

Even if MoonWon didn't mean anything to Heon and wasn’t really acknowledged as his wife, what wasn’t right was never right.

“Now that I am married, meeting with Your Highness in private is not proper. Especially not inside the Palace where there are eyes everywhere. I will be taking my leave now.”

“Have you been well?”

JaeHoon asked hastily as if to keep MoonWon here. For some reason, his eyes looked fearful as they gazed at her.

“I have been well.”

“You aren’t well, are you?”

MoonWon’s eyes widened. She finally realized why Heon had seemed so uncomfortable when they first arrived at the inn. She now understood why they had moved from the inn to a residence.

“Were you watching me?”

“If you were doing well, I wouldn’t have met with you privately like this. I would have wished for your happiness and tried to forget you. However, that’s not true, is it? I wonder if he treats you the same way he treats Consort Yu.”

“Your Highness.”

“Tell me your true feelings now. That you regret it. That you’re having a difficult time! If you tell me the true feelings you hide deep within your heart, I will help you.”

When he was done speaking, JaeHoon held out his hand as if he were asking her to come with him.

Even though he told her he’d fulfill her wishes, MoonWon felt that the answer had already been decided.

If this had occurred before her family had collapsed, she would have gotten married to JaeHoon and relied on him. Rather than the cold and stiff Heon, JaeHoon would have been a lot more considerate towards her.

However…

“My marriage was one that came with conditions, but I have no regrets. While my relationship with my husband may not be smooth, we haven’t been married very long. Because I don’t know him very well, we are bound to clash. That’s all.”

“MoonWon!”

“My engagement to you has already become null and void. Don’t you know this already, Your Highness?”

Although her memories with JaeHoon were all in the past, she didn’t want to deny or disregard them.

They could have gotten married. Seeing how everything turned out, it looked like they were not fated to be together.

“It may still be a bit difficult, but I want to try and live happily. So please let me go now, Your Highness.”

As she spoke in a firm tone, MoonWon smiled. After her family had collapsed, this smile had disappeared. But now, she was smiling at him just like she used to. JaeHoon wavered once again.

Is this how everything would end?

“In the past, you smiled at me very often, Your Highness. Please let go of all the heavy baggage in your heart and laugh like you used to. You look a lot better when you’re smiling, Your Highness.”

Even though he looked like he was on the verge of tears, JaeHoon forced his lips into a smile.

If it was something MoonWon wanted, he would do it no matter what. Even if it ripped him apart and trampled him to death, he’d endure it all.

Did he truly have to give up on her?

MoonWon smiled back at him. Suddenly, she felt a presence and turned around. Her bright smile faltered and grew stiff.

“H-Husband.”

Even though she hadn’t committed a crime, her heart sank. Heon’s disheveled appearance and his piercing eyes made her catch her breath.

She was merely trying to use this opportunity to cleanly end things with JaeHoon.

However, it didn’t bode well that she had been caught by Heon.

“Husband, let me explain. This is… Ah!”

Heon approached MoonWon and grabbed her wrist. His grasp was so tight that she could barely feel any blood circulate to her hand. It hurt, but MoonWon did not ask him to let go.

Heon glared at JaeHoon as if he were ready to kill him this instant. Instead, he grabbed MoonWon and walked in the opposite direction.

Heon was usually a very fast walker, but he was even faster today.

With her wrist in his grasp, MoonWon followed him as she tried to catch her breath.

“H-Husband! Just a bit…!”

Rather than saying she was following him, it would be more accurate to say that he was dragging her away. A few eunuchs and court ladies tried to diffuse the situation, but they were unable to approach due to Heon’s fierce aura and ended up running away.

She couldn’t let him drag her out like this. She put her all into stopping Heon and finally managed to shake off his grasp.

“Why are you being like this?”

“The Palace is full of eyes, and you have the gall to ask me that?”

“I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“A married woman smiling with the man who used to be her betrothed isn’t wrong?”

MoonWon didn’t have anything to say to that.

It’s not that she hadn’t thought of that, but how could she, the wife of a mere commander, act willfully towards the Crown Prince? MoonWon believed that she did her best to keep her distance with JaeHoon given her situation.

It was definitely a situation that could cause Heon to misunderstand. After calming down, MoonWon spoke up.

“Let me tell you what we spoke about. Once you hear what was said, your anger will fade.”

“I’m heading back.”

“What?”

MoonWon’s eyes widened. However, Heon’s heart had already hardened at this point.

He no longer wanted to concern himself over JaeHoon, Consort Yu, or MoonWon. He had suffered everything he could have suffered in this situation.

“I’ll tell Junghwan to prepare for our departure.”

After saying what he wanted to say, Heon turned around.

Despite her eyes growing damp with tears, MoonWon’s clenched fist began to tremble. Watching his back as he led the way, MoonWon no longer cared whether he ignored her after this.

“Why are you so unwilling to listen to me at all?”

When he heard this, Heon’s brow twitched. However, MoonWon wasn’t finished.

“I merely told him to let go of the baggage in his heart and live comfortably. Now that I am married, I told him he should just forget about me. That’s all I said.”

She merely told herself everything was fine, but she was still hurt and upset that she was being dismissed by Heon. Even though it wasn't easy to approach such a cold man like him, she still wished that she was a good woman in Heon’s eyes.

“Do you hate me that much?”

He easily misunderstood her just because she had a conversation with JaeHoon. He was so worried about what others might have seen and didn’t place any trust in her.

She’d be thankful to see any chance or possibility to grow closer to him. She thought they were growing a little closer, but in the end, MoonWon’s reality was cruel.

“Am I...! Am I that untrustworthy?”

She was the one who had clung onto him in order to save her family, but she still felt that he was a good man.

Even though it was difficult to approach him, she felt like she saw a glimpse of warmth inside the coldness. She thought he was a man who she could live her life with.

“I’m really doing my best.”

The tears that were clinging to the edge of her eyes began rolling down her cheek.

The anger that had boiled over began to cool. Back then, Heon had only thought about taking her away from JaeHoon.

JaeHoon was the problem. Heon never thought that MoonWon had deliberately gone to meet him. As MoonWon tried to swallow her tears, Heon tried to stretch out his hand to her.

However, before it could reach her, it stopped in midair.

‘Mm.’

It was barely there, but he could sense someone’s presence. There was only one person in the Palace who would watch over him like this. Heon grimaced.

Manipulating a situation and testing those involved was something Consort Yu did best. If he let his emotions waver at any moment, Consort Yu’s focus wouldn’t turn to Heon. It would land on MoonWon. He couldn’t idly watch MoonWon suffer under the Consort’s hands.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re doing your best. What can’t be will never be.”

He mustn’t show any weakness to anyone. Especially not Consort Yu.

He had almost completed his goal. He couldn’t let his preparations all go to waste just because he couldn’t control his emotions.

Even as he watched MoonWon lower her eyes to the ground, Heon needed to do what must be done.

“If this is what you call ‘doing your best’, then do more. If you think your efforts until now are worth being acknowledged, then you’re wrong.”

After saying these words, Heon turned around and left. Once Heon disappeared, MoonWon felt as if the air around her had turned cold.

Her best wasn’t good enough? She couldn’t see straight as a deep sense of frustration pushed down on her heart.