Dear Ex-Fiancé, I Hope You Regret Everything - Chapter 33

Seeing Tiana happily stuffing her face with candy made the adults feel like having some too.

So, the Dostoevsky family and I were laughing with Tiana while sucking on candy. How many years had it been since I last ate candy?

But it was such a heartwarming scene.

(Iris looks unbearably cute licking that rabbit candy)

Iris tilted her head at my overflowing smile.

“I want some too.”

“Ah…”

I pulled Iris’s hand closer and licked the rabbit candy.

“Wh-What are you…?!”

“Mmm, sweet.”

Without hesitation, I kissed Iris, who had frozen with a bright red face, prompting whistles from my brothers-in-law.

“Please stop! In front of family!”

“Hmm? Our parents express affection normally in front of me.”

“This is Isac!”

“Good grief!” she said while covering her face. Her cuteness makes me feel like I could die from it. Ah, what a wonderful way to go that would be.

My chest feels tight. I want to hug her tightly and do something about these feelings right now.

“My! Haira is quite passionate!”

“Ahem!! Ahem!!”

In contrast to my mother-in-law, who seemed inspired by something, my father-in-law looked uncomfortable.

“I wonder what we would have been like if we were ten years younger?”

“Mother, age isn’t really an issue when it comes to expressing affection.”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince always has such stimulating and progressive ideas.”

“No, that’s something I could say about you, Lady Iris.”

“My, you’re truly fortunate, Iris. To have met such a wonderful person.”

After covering her face for a while, she peeked at me through her fingers and gave a small nod.

My father-in-law, who seemed to have realized something while unsure what to do with his finished candy stick, murmured, “Now that you mention it.”

“Iris, why was Tiana crying? Well, something seemed off, didn’t it?”

(I was curious about that too. Iris’s refreshing expression contrasted too sharply with Tiana crying violently.)

When a child cries, you’d normally soothe them or panic—something like that. Plus, why were the two of them outside the gate?

Thinking back, I recall several flower petals had fallen on the ground.

“It’s nothing important.”

“Really? Well, as long as Tiana’s mood has improved, that’s fine.”

(Those flowers…) The moment I traced back my memory, my thoughts spilled out.

“Rose… petals… had fallen, huh.”

Iris’s expression visibly darkened upon hearing my words. That’s when it clicked.

“…Iris. I hate to think it, but is Cain involved?”

Everyone present froze and looked at her as she bowed her head.

“…Yes. He told Tiana he’d give her candy if she brought me to him.”

“How awful!!”

My mother-in-law turned red and covered her mouth. Her hands trembled violently with anger.

My father-in-law clutched his chest and leaned against the table. Everyone rushed to him.

“Father! Your blood pressure will spike!”

“Huff… ugh… sorry, but let me rest. If I get angry now, I might collapse.”

“Dear, are you alright!? Lie down quickly!”

With that, my in-laws left.

The Dostoevsky family seemed accustomed to such situations, they were concerned but not panicked. However, this was my first time experiencing it, and I was shaken.

“Is he going to be alright?”

“Yes, Father has high blood pressure. He should calm down after lying down for a while.”

Amid the heavy silence, Tiana cheerfully hopped around. The eldest brother spoke without looking at Iris.

“What did Cain do to you?”

“Brother! There’s no need to ask like tha.

“Quiet, Shumek.”

At her brothers’ exchange, Iris pulled her chin up, standing tall and resolute as she declared firmly.

“He did nothing to me. He was just displeased by the contrast between my engagement to Lord Skyford and his expulsion. He wanted to propose to me again.”

“That’s ridiculous. The engagement was called off, wasn’t it!? Has that bastard Cain finally lost his mind?”

“…Lord Cain claims the engagement cancellation was solely Father’s decision and that he never agreed to it.”

“That bastard! After putting Iris through so much pain. I’ll punch him!”

“Brother!!” “Please stop!”

As her siblings pulled his arms and desperately tried to stop him, Iris moved only her lips and calmly soothed him.

“…Brother. I told him. I told him what I’ve always wanted to say to Lord Cain. I rejected him with my own words. That I never loved him. That our paths will never cross again in this life!”

My sisters and brothers-in-law slowly stood up from their tangled positions.

Then the eldest brother, who had been about to charge off in anger, scratched his head sheepishly before turning back to Iris.

“…Yeah. You’ve grown strong, little sister. …From now on, it’ll be Crown Prince Skyford who protects you. I overstepped.”

He sighed, straightened his disheveled clothes, and bowed before me.

“…Your Highness. My sister sometimes does surprising things like this. Most don’t lead to serious trouble, but on rare occasions, she bottles things up until she breaks. She might not seem fit to be the next queen. But it’s precisely because she’s my sister—badly hurt yet resilient, always looking forward that she’ll be widely loved. …Please, take good care of my sister.”

“Brother…”

Touched by my brother-in-law’s sincere words, I instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I will make your precious sister happy.”

My brother-in-law smiled faintly.

“Well, you can rely on this brother sometimes too.”

“Sigh…”

He fluttered his hand as he left the room, saying, “You two, be happy~!”

“Is your brother always like that?”

“Yes, he’s always like that. He seems like a joker, but he’s the most serious. More loving than anyone. …Well, sometimes even I can’t tell if he’s being serious or not.”

“You have a good brother.”

“Yes.”