59 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
And to others, they looked like a very loving couple.
Susan, who was watching them with jealous eyes, turned to Christine, who was standing next to her.
“Christine, where is your fiancé?”
“Over there.”
A man was standing in the direction Christine pointed.
The man with short, green hair was staring intently at the Duke's fiancée.
Christine's expression darkened with jealousy.
“Christine, I’m telling you this as your friend. Wouldn’t you feel better if you took off the mask of that wicked woman who is deceiving His Grace the Duke?”
Susan gently took Christine's hand as if she were genuinely concerned for her.
Christine took Susan's hand with a touched expression.
She had given the ladies a tremendous amount of jewelry just to be part of this gathering. Yet they often ignored her. Until the Duke's fiancée appeared.
Now she felt like she was standing shoulder to shoulder with them.
“I think so.”
Meanwhile, Amanda, who was standing behind them, smirked with a glass of champagne in her hand.
She could clearly see what Susan was planning.
The Western social circle was divided into men who followed Susan and men who followed her.
It looked like Susan was going to be taken care of this time, so she was just going to watch.
You have to know who to mess with.
This is why women shouldn't fall in love.
Susan was blinded by love and couldn't read the Duke's attitude.
Just now, the Duke had let his fiancée rest in a space away from people to be considerate of her distress.
Above all, from the Duke's attitude at the dress shop, she felt that he would cover for whatever his fiancée did.
Susan was trying to use Christine to mess with such a person. She was just going to watch Susan fall apart.
“I hope Christine is happy.”
“Yes. I have to find my own happiness. I will make that woman who flirted with my fiancé apologize.”
Christine said as if she had been brainwashed.
Susan smiled encouragingly and handed Christine a glass full of wine.
Christine blinked in surprise as she accepted the wine glass.
“This is……”
“You might need it.”
Susan smiled brightly and squeezed Christine's hand holding the wine glass tightly.
Christine nodded slightly and headed straight for the Duke's fiancée with the wine glass in her hand.
\ \ \
After the Duke left, Marin tried to keep a smile on her face, not knowing who might be watching her from somewhere.
I'm hungry. I want to take off my shoes.
She glanced at the food table right next to her.
Mountains of colorful chocolates. Cakes of various shapes. Canapés with cheese and cherries on crispy crackers. Salad with sweet whipped cream and roasted cherry tomatoes on cool cucumbers. Refreshing fruit in finger-sized cups.
Marin secretly swallowed as she stole glances at the food. All she had eaten since morning was water.
Should I just eat one? Would they criticize the Duke's fiancée for eating something like this?
Most of the noble women who came to the party didn't eat anything. At most, they wet their lips with wine or champagne.
Especially young noble women were ashamed to open their mouths and eat something at a party. They thought it would be a disaster if they wanted to go to the bathroom.
Marin tried to ignore the table, but the food shimmered in her green eyes.
Think of the Duke's face. None of the other ladies are eating.
Growl. Her stomach was also rumbling because she kept thinking about whether to eat or not.
Marin looked down at her stomach with pitiful eyes and made up her mind.
Okay. Let's just eat one.
Marin crept up to the table, hid her arms behind her back, and picked up a small chocolate.
Back in her place, Marin covered her mouth with a fan and quickly put the chocolate in her mouth.
The rich, dark chocolate with its full flavor melted instantly. They said they brought a famous patissier from the capital for the party.
It was so delicious that her eyes widened.
The problem was that after eating one, she had more appetite.
I don't know.
Just as she was about to stick to the table with the intention of eating in earnest, someone called her from behind.
“Marin, you look very beautiful today.”
At someone's sarcastic words, Marin gritted her teeth to avoid frowning as much as possible.
Hearing the voice she wanted to forget again made her lose her appetite.
She never wanted to hear this voice again.
Marin took a deep breath without showing it and slowly turned around.
Short green hair. Eyes that were slit long to the side. Brown eyes full of greed. Thin lips.
Geobium Norman.
A cold, snake-like gaze swept across her face.
“You……”
Marin's expression hardened.
She was dumbfounded. How could this person appear in front of her so brazenly?
“It's been a while, Marin. I am now Norman Viscount. My father passed on the title to me.”
Geobium stared at her intently and introduced himself proudly.
Marin clenched the fan in her hand tightly. Otherwise, she felt like she would hit that face.
It seemed that the Duke's words that she was a fighter were true.
“No.”
Marin said coldly in a low voice.
“What do you mean?”
“It's not 'it's been a while,' it's 'I should kneel down and beg for forgiveness.'”
“Ha, what?”
Geobium twisted his lips savagely.
“If you're not going to apologize, I have nothing more to say to you.”
Just as she was about to leave, Geobium blocked her way.
Her body stiffened for a moment as he took a step closer.
Geobium, noticing her reaction, sneered with a cruel glint in his eyes.
“You're doing so well as His Grace the Duke's fiancée. For a beggar?”
Marin stared at him with emotionless eyes. As he said, there was a time when she was like that.
\ \ \
As soon as her father died in a carriage accident, dozens of debt collection notices were sent to her house.
After failing in a ship investment, he had made another unreasonable investment to cover the investment.
To pay off her father's debts, she sold all her assets. And moved to a cabin. She had no money, so she had to do whatever she could.
Marin went to the Norman Viscount's house to ask for a job from the Norman Viscount, who was a close friend of her father. She could see a more splendid and larger detached house being built next to the main house.
They invested in the same ship, but her father went bankrupt, and the Norman Viscount's house became richer.
The Norman Viscount offered her a job as a tutor for his youngest daughter, Catherine, who was seven years old, saying that he would look after her difficult situation.
Marin accepted with a very grateful heart.
She went to the Viscount's house five days a week.
As she was walking through the garden to return home after class, Geobium called her.
“Lady Schwentz.”
“Hello, Norman Heir.”
Marin stood in her place and looked at Geobium approaching.
She had occasionally encountered him when her father was alive, but she had never had a proper conversation with him.
“Take this.”
Geobium held out a picnic basket.
“What is this?”
“It's food. Catherine said that you haven't been eating well lately?”
“……”
Marin's face turned red. She lowered her head silently.
She felt more ashamed to hear about her situation from a noble heir of a similar age.
“Here, take it. Just because your family is poor doesn't mean you should skip meals.”
Geobium took her hand and handed her the picnic basket.
Marin stared blankly at the picnic basket in her hand. A delicious scent came from inside.
She should tell him not to pity her, that she doesn't need this.
Marin bit her lower lip tightly.
She thought of Loanna, who was lying in bed with a pale complexion without even being able to eat a bowl of soup.
“……Thank you. Norman Heir.”
Marin slowly parted her lips and bowed her head.
“Don't mention it between us. And now call me by my name.”
As he said that, he patted her on the shoulder as if to encourage her, and his hand lingered on her shoulder for quite a while.
Marin didn't want to call him by his name, but she couldn't refuse the offer because she was in a position to receive help.
“Yes. Geobium.”
