Chapter 34
#34
The charity ball and Maria's Debutante were over, and days like the calm before a storm continued.
To outward appearances, I probably seemed to be enjoying the waves, sailing a yacht on a quiet sea.
Organizing the checks that came in at the charity ball, writing thank-you notes to them, and looking into architectural designers and builders might be busy, but it would just look peaceful.
But in reality, impatience was slowly gnawing away at me inside.
I was anxious because I couldn't figure out what Maria's strange expression meant when I last saw her.
Was hatred for me sprouting inside her?
Did she think I had deceived her?
Had she already completely forgotten the good things I had done for her?
"Haa..."
I tried to shake off my worries about Maria with a sigh, but it didn't work.
The moment I forgot about Maria, even for a brief moment, another worry dug into my head.
"Ricardo..."
I still think it was definitely the words I had to say to him, and that it was right to do so, but Ricardo's last appearance was still circling in my head.
He hadn't been able to assure himself of his love for me first, but when I concluded that we didn't love each other, he looked hurt.
As if I had betrayed him.
"Haa..."
As if it had become a habit, I sighed.
And like a habit, I opened the drawer.
It was a drawer where I kept things that were meaningful to me.
I saw a few letters, a box containing dried flower petals I had received when I was very young, and trinkets that were not much but precious to me.
And in between, there was a red candy.
I still couldn't throw away the cheap candy that I wouldn't even eat.
I knew this was a half-hearted attachment. So I knew I had to throw it away.
But I couldn't.
"I'll throw it away."
With no one listening, I muttered like an excuse.
"I'll throw it away a little later."
Without even knowing when that little bit would be.
Knock knock.
At the sudden knock, I hurriedly closed the drawer.
Panya opened the door and then looked at the painting on the wall elegantly, as if nothing had happened.
"What is it?"
"You have a visitor, Young lady."
"A visitor?"
Since there were no scheduled visitors today, I asked Panya back instead.
"Yes. The Young lady of the Marquis of Wensbury has come to see you."
"The Marquis of Wensbury..."
"The one who made her Debutante at the mansion last time."
It wasn't that I didn't know who it was.
There was only one Young lady of the Marquis of Wensbury, and I knew it was Maria even if Panya didn't say so.
However, the reason I muttered like that was because I was a little surprised and embarrassed.
'I thought it was the calm before the storm, but it was really right in front of me.'
Maybe it wasn't a storm, but a surprise attack. To come without even contacting me like this.
"Is she in the drawing-room?"
"Yes, Miss."
"I'll get ready and go down. And bring some refreshments to the drawing-room."
"Yes, Miss."
After Panya left, what I prepared was my state of mind.
When I closed my eyes, I saw a raging storm in the dark vision.
A strong wind pushed me, and angry waves crashed over me.
But I will not fall, definitely.
"Have you been waiting long?"
"...No."
When I sat in front of Maria and spoke as if nothing had happened, she answered a beat late.
I was a little nervous at Maria's expression, which seemed like nothing was wrong, but also seemed like something was wrong.
"I came to return what I borrowed before."
Maria turned her body and rustled a little, then took out a familiar jewelry box.
It was my emerald earrings, necklace, and ring set that I had lent her for her Debutante.
"You could have sent someone, but Maria came all the way here in person."
"Yes. Because I have something to tell you."
When I spoke in a way that implied that she must have something to say since she came all the way here, Maria nodded as if she had been waiting.
"Bianca."
Maria's expression, calling my name quietly, was slightly tense. And I was also slightly nervous hearing her call my name.
I still couldn't read Maria's expression.
I was a little afraid of what would come out of her slightly opened mouth.
That's right. Bianca Crofort was afraid.
I was worried that Maria had decided to take Ricardo from me as the book said, and that she had come to declare war.
What did the book say?
"Break up with Ricardo. You don't deserve him."
It definitely said that. Would those words really come out of Maria's slightly opened mouth?
It wasn't Maria, who always smiled gently or had a shy expression.
It was a slightly stiff expression and eyes that seemed to have made a firm decision.
"Ricardo..."
Ricardo's name flowed from Maria's red lips.
The moment I heard that, my heart started beating fast. My hand, which I had placed on my lap, trembled uncontrollably, so I clenched my fist tightly.
Was what was coming finally here?
Would Maria burn her animosity towards me and...
"I sincerely congratulate you on your engagement."
Congratulating me... Huh?
Maria's shoulders slumped slightly as she let out a small sigh. As if she was relieved now.
"Was my pronunciation okay just now?"
Maria drank the tea in front of her in gulps, as if she had just finished a long speech.
It was fortunate that the tea had cooled down because I was taking my time, otherwise Maria's palate would have already been burned.
"'Sincerely' was even more terrible. The tutor said that if I pronounced it that way, it would sound like I was sincerely mocking. So I practiced all day yesterday."
So, was the tense look from earlier all because she was worried about whether her pronunciation was okay?
"Your pronunciation was excellent."
When I praised Maria with a smile, she smiled shyly. Just like usual.
"The engagement was a long time ago, but receiving congratulations now... is very refreshing."
"I didn't know. But now that I know, I wanted to congratulate you."
Maria smiled very brightly, and I, who was only thinking about what to say if she told me to break up with Ricardo, drank tea to buy time.
While pretending to savor the tea, I examined Maria, wondering if this was a trap, but when our eyes met, Maria just smiled.
She didn't look like someone with a determined mind to steal someone else's fiancé.
"Actually, I was very embarrassed at first. That Bianca didn't tell me such important things. And I was a little sad."
"Really?"
"Yes. But when I went home and thought about it, Bianca was right."
Maria's hand was fiddling with the teacup as if she was making a slightly embarrassed confession.
"I didn't think that Ricardo, or Lord Wincaiser, would have someone. I didn't even think about the fact that nobles usually get married or engaged at a young age, even though I heard it from the etiquette teacher."
When I nodded slightly, Maria continued.
"As Bianca said, I wasn't curious about that fact. And if I had known that he had a fiancée, I wouldn't have even received an escort because it would be rude to his lady."
Maria, who I thought would declare that she would steal someone else's fiancé like in the book, was saying that she would have refused even an escort if he was someone else's fiancé.
It was such a common-sense thing to say, but for me, who knew the progress of the book, this situation felt rather abnormal.
"I'm satisfied with the fact that I received his escort and danced with him for the first time. I wouldn't have had such luck if Bianca hadn't been considerate."
"Are you really satisfied with that?"
"Yes. I think it will be a very good memory."
Maria nodded as if she was really satisfied. And she gave a shy, slightly mournful smile.
Like a teenager who has finally realized that first love doesn't come true.
"You did that to make such a memory for me, right? You recognized that I was interested in Ricardo."
It was half right and half wrong.
"Usually, they would be upset if someone showed such interest in their fiancé, but Bianca didn't show any signs of that. Rather, she asked Ricardo to escort me, and I'm really grateful."
"Aren't you resentful of me?"
"Resentful?"
As if it was a truly unexpected word, Maria looked at me with wide eyes.
"If it wasn't for me, Maria and Ricardo..."
"Oh my, Bianca!"
I still couldn't shake off my suspicion and tried to probe Maria slightly.
But before I could finish my sentence, Maria raised her voice and interrupted me.
"Don't say that! How well do you two match!"
It was my turn to be speechless.
It was a story I had heard from countless people for the past 10 years, but I never imagined I would hear that story from Maria.
"And if I had to, had to, had to say it, Bianca is a little more of a waste."
What?
I couldn't have imagined hearing such words even more?
"I'm... more of a waste?"
I almost stuttered for a moment.
"Yes. Of course, Ricardo is also very handsome and a wonderful person, but..."
Maria fiddled with the teacup and glanced at my face.
"Through this incident, I realized even more that Bianca is a very generous and considerate person."
Then she blushed shyly.
It was a familiar expression. That is, when Maria was talking about Ricardo.
"I like Bianca better."
Maria said with a shy expression, but in a firm tone.
It was as if I could believe that she would barge into Wincaiser Mansion and declare that she would steal your fiancé from Ricardo.
