"Duke Johann Leopold and Olivia Blanchett's Shocking Divorce, Where is the Former Duchess?"
The two people's wedding photo, which decorated the front page of the newspaper with a grand headline, pushed aside the profligate Crown Prince's private life and dominated the tabloid press every day.
It was Duke Leopold's divorce from Blanchett's illegitimate child, who had once been embroiled in scandalous rumors, so it was only natural that the Litten social world was turned upside down.
"So, this is where you were hiding."
The noble ladies were shocked to see Olivia sitting like a painting in the spring sunshine.
"Indeed. I never thought I would see the Duchess in a place like this..."
"Duchess, what Duchess? You should call her Miss Blanchett now."
Carol narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice. The lady's face flushed at her rebuke.
"It seems she got a good deal, as the rumors said. To think she would be at the Lancelot Hotel without knowing her place."
The noble ladies covered their mouths and clicked their tongues in agreement with Carol's words.
"By the way, what's going on in Litten?"
"The Rose Ball is coming up soon. I guess she's trying to change her fate."
May in the Kingdom of Brit was the season of the Litten Flower Festival. Among them, the Rose Ball at the Lancelot Hotel was the most famous after the royal ball.
On the other hand, May in the Kingdom of Rondos was a month of mourning because Queen Katrina's husband passed away in May.
Large-scale balls and social gatherings were restrained. For socialites who were itching with boredom, the festival in Brit across the sea was a kind of escape.
"I heard she extorted billions in alimony, so she's extravagantly enjoying herself in a place like this. Otherwise, how could an illegitimate child and a divorcee afford the Lancelot Hotel? She doesn't know her place. Don't you think?"
Envious eyes glanced at Olivia and approached. Anne was the first to notice it.
Anne grabbed Olivia's arm.
"Miss. Would you like to go out to the garden today? This hotel is famous for its beautiful rose garden. The weather is nice for a walk, too."
Words poured out quickly.
Olivia tilted her head and looked thoughtful.
"If you're still tired, you can go back to your room."
Anne was anxious. But Olivia, who didn't know what was going on, was just relaxed.
Meanwhile, a flock of peacocks, gorgeously decorated, held their heads high and approached.
It was unclear whether they were being guided to their seats by the staff or coming here, so Anne was burning inside.
Even though the Miss had changed, if she faced a situation where her mind collapsed again, she might return to her old self.
"Miss?"
Olivia was deep in thought.
The brochure stated that Lancelot Hotel boasted a paradise of roses, including 'Princess de Alencia,' dedicated to the late Queen Alencia of Brit, Double Delight, and Iceberg, names that were unfamiliar to her.
She would probably never come to such a luxurious hotel again.
"Let's go to the garden."
Olivia smiled brightly and replied.
The two stood up and turned towards the terrace that opened directly into the garden.
It was when Anne, with an uncharacteristically quick movement, led Olivia and was about to cross the threshold of the terrace.
"Miss Blanchett."
Olivia's name echoed through the piano melody.
Anne's heart sank. She wanted to pretend she didn't hear and run away with the Miss, but Olivia slowly turned around.
It was as if winter had come to the cafeteria filled with transparent spring sunshine.
The cold, frozen air felt like it would shatter. Anne was afraid that the peaceful days in Litten would end.
"So, you are Miss Blanchett. Nice to meet you. I'm Elaine."
The woman approached and greeted her with a graceful smile. The noble ladies with her were also present.
"...Hello."
Olivia rummaged through her memories and greeted her a beat late. It was an unfamiliar face.
The woman's attitude was impeccably polite, but she seemed clumsy at hiding the contempt in her eyes. Or maybe she didn't feel the need to.
Olivia caught such things like a ghost. It was a gaze she had received since birth, and she was trained in it.
People who hid their contempt and approached with a smile usually wanted something from Olivia. And the end was never good. Not even once.
"Are Miss Elaine and I acquainted? I don't seem to remember."
"We haven't been formally introduced. I've seen you at parties a few times."
"Ah."
Olivia let out a short exclamation with a soft smile.
In a place where a dirty illegitimate child conceived through adultery was ostracized, all she could do was go out to the terrace alone and drink.
When she got moderately drunk and felt better, she could become a little less sensitive to the suffocating gazes.
She had to borrow the power of champagne only up to that point.
It would have been nice if that were the case. Olivia's problem was that she couldn't control herself, and it always led to unsightly accidents.
To think they saw such an animalistic side of her. Several times, too.
It wasn't that she didn't understand the woman's eyes.
"I heard your lawyer did a great job when you got divorced?"
"......"
"I heard the amount you received in alimony exceeded the amount Queen Consort Anne Boleyn received when she divorced. Is that true?"
"I heard she even asked for Cres Island?"
"How can she be so shameless? Well, if she knew shame, she wouldn't have seduced the Duke in such a vulgar way and demanded marriage in return."
Because they pretended to be ladies but gave up being ladies in this situation and deliberately spoke loudly, all eyes in the cafeteria were on Olivia.
Under the mocking gazes, the corners of the women's lips rose blatantly.
She could have explained that they were just unconfirmed facts that the media had recklessly spread.
But would they believe her? The truth didn't seem that important to them.
It was a trivial amusement in their boring daily lives, enough for them to fabricate and criticize Olivia Blanchett in order to humiliate her.
Hiding their base desire to step on a woman who had taken the position of Duchess, which didn't suit her, adorned herself with dresses and jewelry more expensive than theirs, and gained an advantage in society thanks to her husband.
It was ridiculous to stand up to such an opponent.
The matters related to alimony were Yohan's will. Even so, there was no way they would believe her. They wanted Olivia Blanchett to be humiliated.
Then she decided to be a little stronger.
"I didn't know my husband owned an island. If I had known, I would have asked for it. What a pity."
Olivia smiled as if she was truly disappointed.
"If you ever need a competent lawyer, please contact me. I'll introduce you. You never know what might happen."
"Oh, what kind of bad luck is that..."
"I realized after the divorce that what's important in life isn't a husband, but money."
An elegant coldness flowed from Olivia's smile.
She didn't want to show them the appearance they were expecting. She held an even more confident smile on her lips, as if to clearly show them that the Olivia Blanchett they knew no longer existed.
The women were flustered and opened their mouths wide.
Did she go crazy after the divorce!
The Olivia they had always seen at the banquet hall was always shrinking her shoulders and cowering due to her humiliating birth, unable to say a word and sticking to the wall.
No matter how much she wore the shell of Duchess Leopold, the woman was treated as an invisible person in society.
The lips of the noble ladies, who had been humiliated by such a lowly and insignificant thing, twitched palely.
"That necklace is very pretty."
Olivia said, looking at Elaine's necklace, which had been bothering her all along, as she was about to turn around.
"It suits you well."
At the sudden compliment, the noble ladies' gazes turned to Elaine's neck.
It was a dazzling pink diamond necklace that reflected light. It was also Elaine's pride, a commemorative gift she had received from her husband on their seventh wedding anniversary.
"You have an eye for things."
Considering your position.
Elaine lifted her chin and straightened her neck, speaking haughtily.
"But if you care about your dignity, you shouldn't wear imitations. It makes you look fake too."
Leaving behind the woman whose face was turning red, Olivia went out to the garden through the terrace with Anne.
Amidst the dizzying scent of early blooming red roses, the noble ladies' exclamations could be heard.
The two entered the rose garden and walked quietly along the promenade. The fragrant scent of roses with thick buds brushed the tip of her nose.
Anne glanced at the Miss, who was walking with a neat step.
Seeing the Miss stepping on the clear sunlight that fell on the flagstone, Anne realized. The Miss, who had become a stranger, would no longer hide in the darkness.
"I didn't know you remembered."
Anne said, adjusting the blouse ribbon that had been ruffled by the wind.
"Huh? Remember what?"
"...That necklace."
"Ah!"
Silence fell between the swaying spring breeze. The two walked silently, reminiscing about the same day.
One day, the late Duchess's belongings disappeared, causing a commotion in Greathill.
Less than ten minutes after the search began, the necklace was found in Anne's room as if by magic.
'I, I didn't do it. I can swear to God. Please believe me.'
It was a clear frame-up, but no one believed Anne's words. Not even the Miss.
"I'm sorry, Anne. For making you go through that."
"No, Miss. I'm not saying this to hear those words. I just, back then..."
Anne stopped. She couldn't bring herself to say the words that had risen to her throat.
She should have told her not to trust Diane Brooke, she should have warned her to be careful, but Anne didn't. The Miss's secretary was daring to harbor wicked feelings for the Duke.
'You should be grateful for the Duke's mercy. If you dare to speak carelessly again, it won't be you who will be in trouble, but your Miss. Do you understand?'
"Back then, what?"
"...No. It's nothing. Miss."
Anne decided to keep her mouth shut. She was afraid that the relationship with the Miss, which Diane Brooke had alienated and created, would be strained again. It wasn't a good story to hear, and it was all in the past now.
"Let's go that way, Miss."
The garden, which she had fled to, had a sophisticated atmosphere befitting a downtown hotel. Whoever the hotel owner was, they were clearly a very romantic person.
Roses were in full bloom everywhere. In the center, a huge fountain spewed cool streams of water, and around it, patterns intricately embroidered with boxwood were exotic.
Warm sunlight shone down on Olivia and Anne as they walked along the promenade.
As they walked silently, the embroidered flower bed ended and a well-groomed hedge path appeared. The path between the hedges led to the tennis court.
As they got closer, they could hear rough breathing and shouts of "Wow!"
Two gentlemen were playing a game on the grass court. The sight of them swinging their rackets in white dress shirts and flannel pants was eye-catching even from afar.
Olivia stopped and watched them.
Her eyes were drawn to the tall man. His agile yet flexible movements as he chased the ball, combined with his black hair shining in the sunlight, made him look like a graceful beast.
The man, catching his breath, tossed the ball up. Olivia tilted her head, following the green ball. Han Ji-an's summer unfolded above the dazzling blue sky.
The summer sun that tanned his face with him under the guise of tennis, the sound of cicadas crying as if their breath would be cut off, were vivid.
Senior.
Why did she fall for him with such painful passion?
She liked him so much that calluses formed on the palms of her hands holding the racket, and blisters formed on the soles of her feet. The man didn't know about her desperate struggle.
Even so, all those moments were enjoyable.
To him, she was just the granddaughter of the housekeeper who took care of his family. To Ji-an, it was first love.
As if breaking her reverie, the racket received the ball at an incredible speed with a short roar. At that moment, the spectators burst into cheers. The young ladies clapped and cheered.
The crowd surrounding the tennis court was applauding the winner of the game.
"He's so cool!"
"I wish he would look at me just once."
The ladies whispered shyly, unable to take their eyes off the man. The man, with sweat dripping from his well-groomed hair, crossed the court with a relaxed gait.
His winner-like gait was arrogant, like the monarch of all things.
