Chapter 18

[Three. Choice (1)]

“Ver, do you know what this is?”

In the pot was a small flower which had a slight sweet scent. Not much interested in flowers, he shook his head.

“It’s a Jasmine.”

“It smells good.”

“The scent isn’t the only nice thing about it. I really like the meaning of these flowers.”

Sitting side by side while looking at each other, she made a face as if telling him to quickly ask about the flower’s meaning. As she made this expression, Ver thought she was quite cute.

“What do they mean?”

Then, with a gratified look, Ver looked at her lovingly. At any given moment, she always looked so pretty.

“You are mine.”

How could he not find her lovely, when, looking straight into his eyes, she proudly professed these words?

Prillance watched as the two looked at each other, eyes dripping with honey. They did not notice her existence.

Suddenly, the scene changed. The flower garden where the flowers were in full bloom was still empty. There, Ver was planting something diligently. His clothes were filled with dirt and he perspired profusely. Nevertheless, he wiped his sweat with the back of his hand and did everything by himself until it was finished.

After all the work, she saw his face smiling brightly.

At the same time, the flowers blossomed in full bloom. Unlike the astonished Prillance, Ver’s face held a lonely smile.

It was the smile she saw a few days ago.

On the day she visited him after finishing her conversation with her father. His lips murmured a word, but the sound did not reach her. Nevertheless, Prillance knew.

‘Cecia.’

Then he turned to Prillance. As she faced him, no facial expression could be seen on his face. But there was a slight crease on his forehead.

“I……”

It resembled the look on his face she had seen at the end of their last encounter. She tried to say something but didn’t have time to do so.

As she reached out to him, suddenly her surroundings changed. She was now in a classroom.

Her motives surrounded her. Like that day.

“It’s filthy, that heart.”

Hyun Woo’s girlfriend was laughing at her. No, everyone around was laughing at her.

“No, it’s not like that……”

All of them, they didn’t listen. Soon they turned their backs on her. She saw Hyun Woo, laughing with her girlfriend, celebrating.

Finally, Prillance woke up.

After a long while, she had a dream. No, rather it was a nightmare about those times when she firmly bottled up her emotions. When she blinked, she felt water around her eyes.

“I must have cried in my sleep.”

Prillance’s awkward laughed echoed in the empty room. But soon, the laughter dissipated from her lips. Today, she had no reason to go outside so she lay back in bed again.

She was in a constant state of reflection and regret. It had been like this for days.

There had always been a fixed line for her. And whenever she crossed that invisible line, everyone pointed their fingers. So for her, it was hard to take even one step forward. She had to inch forward little by little, gauging how much more steps she was allowed.

The actions she took for Ver hurt him. Regardless of her intentions, she would never be able to understand his heart. To think that she had tried to satisfy her desire to be with him under such circumstances.

She crossed the line again.

So what else could she do without crossing that line?

“I heard you didn’t eat today either.”

It was a voice filled with reprimands. However, Prillance was unaware of the worries contained in his words. For the past few days, Jack had stayed by her side until he saw her finish her meals. Prillance ate a spoonful of soup and looked at Jack.

“Should I warm this up for you?”

At her sudden glance, Jack touched the bowl and inquired. Prillance shook her head. Jack’s attentive behaviour almost drew tears in her eyes.

She was never meant to be with Ver anyway. She knew this and yet…

She had thought she could simply solve the problem. The thoughts she had put off for a while overtook her mind.

The Marquis of Weiand – she initially thought he was a cold father. But eventually she found though he was clumsy, he cared for his family in his own way.

Would she be able to expose all his sins once she learns about what she had not seen in the novel? Could she do it and not get hurt?

“I hope you get better soon.”

When Prillance suddenly lowered her head, Jack, thinking she was crying, stroked his daughter’s head. Only after putting aside the soup bowl and tucking Prillance in bed did he leave the room.

She cried, blaming herself for her foolishness.

Once out of Prillance’s room, Jack sighed loudly. He could easily guess the reason she had been unwell for the past few days.

‘If not Duke Tonz, it would be Viscount Grant.’

He didn’t know which of them it was that caused his daughter to be sick like this, but from his point of view, he wouldn’t like it either way.