Chapter 2

* * *

Raoul sighed deeply as he looked down at Thérèse, who was being examined by her doctor.

The doctor, having finished the examination, spoke with a reassuring expression.

“It seems that due to stress, her shoulders and neck tightened up momentarily, leading to fainting. She should be fine with some rest.”

“...I see.”

Thérèse had a straightforward personality.

When she was angry, she showed it, and when she was happy, she laughed. She was honest and direct, so she had never known stress.

“Was the engagement break such a shock?”

Raoul sighed deeply again.

In fact, the engagement break was mostly Thérèse's fault.

Although her fiancé, the young lord, was not of the same social standing as the viscount's family, Thérèse had treated him like a slave.

The young lord, who was to be her future son-in-law, had shown signs of stress-induced alopecia and earnestly requested the engagement be broken.

‘How embarrassing it must have been...’

Raoul, furious with Thérèse, immediately proceeded with the engagement break, even offering compensation to the viscount's family.

Thérèse, whose pride was her only asset, could not bear the scandal of being a jilted noblewoman in society.

So, it was carried out, and as expected, Thérèse drank heavily that day and lashed out at me.

“Haa.”

But the tears were truly unexpected.

Thérèse was a child who would do anything to get what she wanted, spewing venom and curses, but she had never shed a single tear.

I thought she was so cruel.

She was so harsh and vicious, making life miserable for her wife and young brother, which made her even more despicable.

I thought all affection for her had long since faded.

“Tsk.”

Raoul gazed at Thérèse's tear-stained face and shook his head.

Before leaving the room, he instructed a servant.

“Tell Thérèse that the ban on going out has been lifted when she wakes up.”

“Yes, sir.”