Since Charles and I sit diagonally apart, I assume that I would not be held in his arms.
But the moment I close my eyes tightly, thinking that I would bang my head on the chair on the other side—
"Are you alright?"
"!"
Thanks to his strong grip on my shoulders, I neither fall down on my knees with my head stuck against the opposite seat nor roll into it.
I might be fortunate, but I end up being in his arms.
"..."
My posture is awkward and uncomfortable.
"I'm alright."
I pretend to be okay as much as I can and push his hand away.
However, I cannot hide the heat that gradually rises from the nape of my neck and dyes the tips of my ears.
Of all things...
What's with all that fussing from the carriage?
I'm embarrassed.
Do not raise your hand and bring it to your face as if you are coughing at the rush of shame.
"Is that cooling?"
I remember what he previously said and lean my body back.
It's not like I'm sweating anyway. It's just the heat rising from deep inside, Plus, I don't even have a fan.
This feeling of heat doesn't seem to cool off easily unless there's ice.
"Huh, it's hot."
"That's why your face is red?"
I sneak a peek at him, who has a mischievous smile that seems to know everything,
"You don't need to thank me for catching you."
Charles, who once again self praises himself, bows his head slightly as if saying, 'Your welcome.'
"Yes. Thank you."
Does he enjoy seeing me messing up in front of him?
Without asking him directly, I turn my head and look out of the window.
Unfamiliar landscapes appear in my vision, along with a gentle breeze.
Even the appearance of buildings and people are completely different from Lapel.
Since the carriage can't move as quickly because of the people passing by, I fixate my eyes on the busy road.
"That's the imperial palace."
Charles points toward the tall white spire outside the window.
Clearly, it differs from the dark and dreary Lapel Castle.
The white imperial palace shines even brighter in the sunlight.
"Wow."
I look between Charles and the beautiful buildings that don't pale in comparison to what I'd seen in Seoul.
"It's very pretty."
"They said it was built and dedicated to the imperial family by the first Duke of Diago."
"..."
"Originally, this was not the capital of Erst. Strictly speaking, this was Diago's estate."
"Oh."
It's the first time I heard it.
Was there anything like this in the novel?
To be honest, I can't remember. No, if it's something this important, of course, it should be memorable—
I don't think I'd ever seen anything like that in the novel.
"I'm hearing about this for the first time."
"You heard about shunjang but not about the history of Duke Diago?"
"Yeah, because it was so shocking."
"Well, that's understandable."
Charles nods his head as if he understood, staring at the distant spire, then shifts his gaze to me.
"So, what are you going to buy today?"
He asks as if he wishes to change the mood so I respond with a glance around the noisy surroundings.
"I just want to take a look."
My heart races fast at the thought of seeing a new world. Even though I answer it as if it isn't a big deal, my eyes light up when I look outside my window.
"We've arrived."
The carriage door opens after the driver announces that we have arrived at our destination.
.
.
"Sister."
"..."
"Sister."
"You're noisy, Evangeline."
Marissa has been sitting in her salon since morning, putting up with Evangeline's whining complaint the whole time.
"You're the only one I can trust now."
Marissa turns away from Evangeline's pitiful act using her eyes and sniffling.
"Didn't I definitely tell you to stay still and come back without doing anything?"
"But—!"
"..."
"I couldn't help it."
Marissa frowns at Evangeline, who's about to say something but looks away instead.
"What couldn't be helped?"
"..."
"Though you ignored my warning, you did say that you have a good reason for it, Evangeline Diago."
Her shoulders droop when Marissa calls her name as she chews on her words.
"You know how surprised I was to hear that she was an illegitimate child? Of course, I thought he wouldn't know—"
"Then you should have talked to Charles directly."
"Then, it—"
"You must have thought that Charles would let it pass quietly instead of excluding her as a member of the family, and you didn't like that."
Evangeline reluctantly nods, biting her lip as if to make it bleed at Marissa's admonition to stay quiet.
What's the use of trying to deceive her now?
"I'm sorry."
"How did you try to justify that? Did you check?"
"It was Catherine!"
"You can't think for yourself, Evangeline?"
It's a biting remark.
Her cold words cut like a knife, and frankly, the desire to get up and leave this place arises.
However, after being abandoned by Charles, the former duchess does not meet with her either.
In this situation, Marissa is the only place left that she can depend on.
Even though Marissa looks cold hearted, she's still giving a little bit of support to Evangeline.
However—
"Do some thinking, Evangeline."
For now, that seems far-fetched.
Do I really have no choice but to go to her and beg for forgiveness?
Just thinking about the terrible scene, she feels like she's going to vomit, so she lifts her head.
"I'm sorry, Sister, but what else could I have done in that situation?"
"..."
There's no answer other than to completely bend over and rely on nearby warmth.
"The only person I could count on was Catherine. Brother didn't even listen to me because he fell in love with that woman, yes, the duchess."
As Evangeline calmly confides, she can feel Marissa's gaze, which has been cold this whole time, gradually becoming relieved.
Evangeline bites down on her dry lips in between the silence.
"Catherine said she heard it herself. In the first place, I just invited my acquaintances and told them not to humiliate her in front of him, but Catherine—"
"Stop it, it's unpleasant to keep mentioning the names of people who aren't even members of our family."
Inhaling a deep breath, Marissa puts her head back.
"Sister."
Evangeline clings to her arm.
"Tell our mother one more time. It wasn't my fault. I was really deceived."
Though Marissa isn't deceived by Evangeline's sly words, she allows herself to pretend that she is.
Such a pathetic thing.
Marisa clicks her tongue and looks at Evangeline.
"..."
However, even with Marissa's pity gaze, Evangeline holds onto her arms tighter and more desperately and cutely rubs her face against her as she hangs on.
"Sister."
However,
"If you want to be forgiven, go to the duchess and beg for it."
As if she does not understand Evangeline's desperation at all, Marissa comes up with an unexpected answer.
"Huh?"
Evangeline loosens her grip on Marissa and swallows, like a woman whose fingertips have lost their strength.
However, Marisa does not blink despite Evangeline's reaction, and instead, she grabs her hand and tilts her head to meet Evangeline's eyes.
"Go and beg until the duchess forgives you, and then you can go back to the house."
"What—?"
Evangeline, startled as if this is like a bolt of lightning out of the blue, stares up at her with her eyes wide open.
"Sister?"
"That's what mother meant."
Seeing Evangeline's confused gaze, Marissa explains why she should apologize to Abella.
"Apologize to the duchess and ask her if she would forgive you so you can go back to the house. Otherwise, Mother said that your property will be frozen if you go back to the mansion."
"..."
"Oh, she said that she would like you to hold a banquet to show that nothing happened between the two of you."
Afterward, Marissa puts her hand on Evangeline's cheek.
"!"
Evangeline flings away the cool touch on her heated cheeks.
Seeing this, Marisa smiles and gets up.
"The choice is yours."
Evangeline doesn't know if that's really an option.
While listening to Marissa's words, she feels an emptiness, as if she has been left alone in the world.
Is this really the only way?
She looks up in a daze with a devastated heart.
"Is Evangeline here?"
Marquis Gerald Perrett, who smiles widely through the gap of the open door, comes in unannounced.
"My Lord."
Evangeline gets up from her seat, wiping the tears from her eyes, and flashes a small smile.
"You're here."
"Oh my, Evangeline. You had a big incident this time."
"..."
As soon as he enters, Gerald takes off his gloves and throws them roughly on the sofa, and then kisses Marissa lightly on the cheek before turning her way.
"Is that why you got in trouble?"
"What do you mean?"
She shakes her head because he's not Marissa, but as if he has grasped the situation, Gerald lightly caresses Marissa's cheek.
"Marie, my darling, don't be too harsh on Evangeline. At that age, not everyone has rationality."
"But—"
"How upset are you at her?"
"My Lord."
Evangeline cries at the appearance of someone taking her side.
"Why don't we let it go for a change?"
Gerald looks at Marisa and says sweetly.
"But, Gerald—"
Marisa shakes her head, as if to dissuade Gerald, who gently places his hand on hers and softly caresses it. He then looks at Evangeline as if it's going to be okay.
"Today, I'll be your cash cow."
He grins, and then kisses Marissa lightly on the cheek, and takes her by the hand.
"I have something to show you, so let's go."
.
.
.
.
T/N: I gotta say, for an antagonist, Marissa doesn't seem bad, like at all. At least she understands Charles the most so I'm sure she's revving up for something. Her husband seems sketchy af though...
Merry Christmas everyone!