How to Escape from My Possessive Fiancé - Chapter 52

It happened then.

‘Live, Ezekiel.’

‘I couldn’t understand it either. But you definitely gave up your life because of that person, right?’

As the memory of that dream returned, her head started to ache. Then the duke’s voice echoed in her mind.

‘But in the end, that insect lived, didn’t he? Oh dear. Sweet Sophia, it seems you believed those words again. So, did you die all alone for that child?’

It felt like she remembered something she wasn’t supposed to. Her breathing became tight, and her head started to throb as if it would split open.

“H-Haa…”

As Sophia gasped for breath and bent over, the man reached out and gently held her face. After making eye contact, he spoke softly.

“Breathe slowly. Inhale, exhale. Match my breathing. Can you do that?”

Tears welled up from the pain in her head, but the man’s green eyes were clearly visible. Sophia nodded and followed his breathing. Strangely, the pain began to ease. The pressure that had felt like it was choking her and the sudden throbbing headache slowly faded away.

As some life returned to her eyes, the man let out a sigh of relief. Sophia, blushing and coughing as if she had been strangled, didn’t know what to do.

‘What’s happening? Is this also a side effect of the poison? And what about those words? Was that part of the dream too? I’m sure that was the duke’s voice.’

“Are you feeling better now?”

The man interrupted her thoughts. Sophia blushed, embarrassed to have shown such a strange side of herself in front of someone she had only met twice.

“Well… um. My body’s been weak ever since ‘that incident’…”

She coughed and made an excuse. At the same time, she wondered if he knew what ‘that incident’ was. She was suspicious of the man, who looked at her with unreadable, naive eyes. Luckily, he seemed to know something about the poison, as he let out a quiet sigh.

“But didn’t the duke heal you? He would never let you suffer.”

He spoke as if he knew the duke well or rather, as if he knew the duke’s feelings toward Sophia. Her face turned red, and she frowned.

“You’re not even close to the duke. Why are you talking like that?”

Despite her sharp tone, the man responded politely.

“I don’t know him, but I know how he acts. And if you’re sick, I can’t help but worry.”

“You really don’t understand. You shouldn’t be worried about me. I’m engaged!”

“But you don’t love the duke, do you?”

‘What kind of man is this?!’

Sophia was so frustrated she gasped. This was the first time she’d met someone who so stubbornly insisted on an affair.

Just then, someone started calling for her near the palace.

“Lady Hilden? Lady Hilden, are you here?”

As soon as she heard the voice, Sophia pushed the man away and stood up, lowering her voice and speaking urgently.

“They’re looking for me. I have to go.”

“But…”

“It’s definitely the princess calling me. You must not tell anyone you saw me here. Promise, okay?”

Without even saying goodbye, Sophia hurried toward the palace.

“But your face is still red.”

The man mumbled as he watched her disappear.

If she was still the proud person he remembered, she wouldn’t want anyone to see her cry.

‘But that’s all in the past now.’

The man thought bitterly. This Sophia was different from the one he remembered in both face and personality. The Sophia he knew had truly died.

“But I found her again, so it’s not over.”

Still kneeling on one knee, he watched her go. He smiled slightly, thinking to himself that because he found her again, fate had begun to spin its relentless wheel once more.

Rather than an ending, it was now a new beginning.

—

“Where have you been all this time?”

As soon as Sophia returned, Angelina scolded her sharply. Then, seeing Sophia’s face, she frowned and asked in a disgusted tone.

“What? Did you cry?”

Embarrassed, Sophia wiped her face and tried to explain.

“No? Something just got in my eye.”

Still, it hurt to be treated with such scorn, just because she had cried or shown weakness. She bit her lip. Then Bienvendina, the maid standing next to Angelina, smiled coldly and spoke.

“Some other noble ladies were visiting the Empress’s palace earlier. Did you run into them?”

Sophia didn’t answer. She just dug her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. But Bienvendina didn’t stop. She continued calmly, like someone who had been waiting for this moment.

“Oh, and I heard your dear friend, Lady Sandel, was there too?”

“…”

“But crying over that is pretty shameless, isn’t it? Who do you think caused Lady Sandel’s downfall?”

Sophia glared at her in silence. Bienvendina shrugged and ignored the look.

“Why are you so late?”

When they entered the princess’s room, the princess was standing like a doll between boxes piled up to her waist, wrapped in fabrics. She was wearing a white petticoat and letting the designers work on her as she shouted at them not very intimidating.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“Now your free time is over. From now on, you’ll be running around until your feet burn. That man came early. He just met my father.”

“Does that mean the parade will be moved up?”

Angelina, already exhausted from the endless tasks, asked in shock. Yulicias shook her head gracefully.

“He asked to delay the parade, out of courtesy, but with someone as fickle as him, he might ask to move it up anytime. And Father is not a patient man.”

“At least half the work is done.”

“Half isn’t enough. The fabric from Simatra hasn’t even arrived yet.”

“And the gemstones from Herekos aren’t here either.”

Bienvendina sighed. Sophia didn’t know any of this. Then again, her legs had swollen and her feet blistered just from trying to get a refund on that stupid item.

“We need to finish ten dresses and three hunting outfits before the parade.”

“Hunting outfits?”

“Yes. There’s a rumor Father is planning a grand hunting competition. He’ll grant a wish to whoever beats ‘him.’”

It was obvious who “him” was the second prince who returned after beheading Behibalize. A hopeless match, anyone could see that. But Yulicias’s eyes burned with desire as she spoke. The maids exchanged worried glances.

‘Could the princess really be aiming for that?’

“Hilden.”

At that uneasy moment, the princess called Sophia. She forced a smile and looked up.

“Yes?”

“I heard you’re good with a bow? That you came first at the last Parahal?”

Parahal was a social event where noble ladies would shoot arrows at still targets for prizes. It had nothing in common with actual hunting.

“Well, it was just hitting a still target…”

Sophia said awkwardly. But the princess ignored her hesitation.

“My father said I could take one maid with me to the hunt. He said we can combine the number of animals we catch. So, starting today, practice hard enough to hit a moving animal.”

“I’m not even good at riding…”

Sophia pleaded. In family hunts, she always came in last. No matter how good she claimed to be at shooting, it didn’t matter. Felix would easily pass her and say,

‘What’s the point of being good at shooting if you can’t even get near the prey?’

That was true. Because of a childhood accident, Sophia was terrified of horses. Horse riding and fear didn’t mix.

And now, even for a favor from Yulicias, it didn’t seem possible to overcome that fear so suddenly.

Reading her thoughts, Yulicias spoke.

“If I win Father’s favor, I’ll arrange a meeting between you and Lady Sandel. Isn’t that why you’re here? I’m not asking for first place. Just get Father to notice you. Understand?”

Sophia went silent at her cold words. She had nothing to say. It was true she was here for Solid and it was true she’d do anything for him.

In the end, Sophia had no choice but to nod. Yulicias, rarely, smiled in satisfaction.

“I’ll book two hours at the hunting ground for you in the morning. You won’t have to wear these clothes then.”

Yulicias spoke arrogantly, as if granting a great favor. Sophia bowed her head and thanked her.

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