How to Escape from My Possessive Fiancé - Chapter 63

Sophia was shocked when she heard that the duke had disobeyed the emperor’s command. She let her guard down, and Yulicias didn’t miss the chance—she suddenly threw the door open. Sophia, who had been leaning against the door, fell back and landed on her butt.

“Your Highness!”

Sophia shouted, then quickly turned around in surprise. But there was no one in the room. Not even a trace of someone having been there. Yulicias, as if she couldn’t believe it, stormed into the room and began tearing things apart.

“No way. They said the duke came this way for sure.”

Yulicias mumbled as she opened all the closets and drawers in Sophia’s room, checking everything. She began tossing items onto the floor, as if she were looking for a mouse instead of a duke. Then she walked up to Sophia, who was sitting there blankly, and grabbed her shoulders.

“You’re hiding him, aren’t you? You met with the duke, right? What did he say, huh?”

“That’s enough. You should leave now, Your Highness.”

Angelina couldn’t stand watching the princess lose her dignity in front of the servants anymore. She helped Yulicias up and took her away. Yulicias looked like she wanted to slap Sophia across the face, glaring at her fiercely, but in the end, she leaned on Angelina and walked out. Still, she didn’t forget to step hard on Sophia’s hand on her way out.

“Ah!”

Sophia held her hand where she had been stepped on. Normally, the maids might have ignored it, but now they quickly came to help her up, asking if she was okay. It seemed they thought the princess had gone too far this time.

“If you sit in the next room, we’ll clean this up right away.”

The maids said that as they started cleaning the mess in Sophia’s room. Sophia nodded and sat down on the sofa as they led her. Before she knew it, she was holding a warm cup of tea and had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

Seeing her dazed expression, the maids mumbled to each other, “The princess must have gone crazy,” and tried to comfort her. But the reason Sophia looked dazed wasn’t because of the princess.

‘How could he just disappear like that?’

It was because she couldn’t understand how the duke had vanished so suddenly. No one had seen him, and he was gone the moment the door opened. Could what she saw really not have been a dream?

‘Didn’t he say it? That the line between dreams and reality gets blurry?’

She remembered what the duke said. But he had mentioned that would happen if she didn’t take the medicine. Sophia had been taking it regularly since then. And everything had felt so real. She shook her head, trying to calm her nerves. No, that couldn’t be. It couldn’t have been a dream. Sophia had to tell herself that many times.

—

She heard about what the duke had done at the victory ball the next day. That was the day she was supposed to meet her family. As soon as Countess and Felix saw her, they ran over and hugged her.

“Are you okay?”

Sophia was happy to see them after a long time, but also felt awkward from all their worry, so her body stiffened. Her family frowned and asked as if she hadn’t heard the news yet.

“Did Her Highness say anything to you at the palace?”

“Yes, we thought she definitely would.”

“What happened?”

The Countess, with a face full of joy she couldn’t hide, opened her fan and lightly waved it as she spoke.

“Yesterday, the princess asked the duke for a dance, and he rejected her.”

She then covered her rising smile with the fan and whispered,

“Even when the emperor himself stepped in and asked him to dance just once, he still said no. Imagine how hurt the princess’s pride must be. After the duke left, she couldn’t stand it and left shortly after. Why were you sick on such an important day? Are you feeling better now?”

Sophia was still trying to process all the information when she turned to Felix, who was drinking tea.

“Is that true? Did the duke really disobey the emperor’s order?”

“Yeah. The emperor asked him to dance, and he just said no and left.”

“No way. Is he really crazy?”

Sophia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She should’ve known when he barged into the princess’s palace so recklessly. She thought he was acting strange, but it turned out he had already crossed the line.

“So what did the emperor do? Was he furious?”

“Nope. He looked like he understood. He even laughed, saying the duke must really dislike his daughter. The only one angry was the princess.”

“He understood?”

“Yeah. Surprisingly.”

Sophia stuck out her tongue in disbelief. For the emperor to understand the duke who disobeyed his command at the victory ball—just how much power did the duke hold?

“So, you don’t believe your mother, and you had to confirm it with Felix?”

Sophia hugged the Countess, who spoke in a sulky voice.

“I’m sorry. It’s just so shocking.”

The Countess pushed her daughter away and looked at her with her usual strict face.

“Now, tell me the truth. Were you really sick yesterday?”

“Huh?”

“Exactly. You look fine now.”

Even Felix crossed his arms with a suspicious look. Sophia looked at them, then awkwardly coughed.

“Of course… See, I’m coughing.”

“That cough has no effort.”

“Where’s Father?”

Trying to change the subject, Sophia asked. Felix shrugged and replied.

“He’s busy with meetings. The nobles are trying to get a piece of Forester’s land, and the emperor is still thinking about what to do with it. They’re also discussing what to do about the war with Anghelman.”

“Can’t you see she’s trying to change the subject? And yet you go along and explain everything so nicely!”

The Countess cried out in frustration. Felix then laughed awkwardly, realizing it late.

“But she should know what’s going on too.”

“She should know better than anyone. She lives in the palace.”

While the Countess grumbled, Felix turned serious.

“Anyway, are you really okay?”

“Of course.”

Sophia nodded and answered naturally. But even she couldn’t fool the Countess’s sharp eyes.

“‘Of course,’ she says… Do you know there are nasty rumors going around? Rumors that the princess is bullying you. I didn’t believe them before because I didn’t think my daughter would be treated that way, but after seeing the princess’s behavior yesterday and yours today, I’m really starting to wonder. Is it true that she’s been mistreating you?”

“No.”

Sophia shook her head strongly. But that was her mistake. If it truly wasn’t true, she should have looked shocked or laughed it off. Her reaction only made the Countess more certain.

“This won’t do. I’ll ask the duke to get you out of that maid job.”

The Countess snapped her fan closed and said firmly. Sophia quickly grabbed her mother’s hand and shook her head.

“No way. You can’t do that. The princess just made her debut in society. We can’t do this now.”

“That doesn’t matter. A proper royal should treat their maids well. If they mistreat their servants and still expect loyalty, that’s just greed.”

“Mother.”

“I never should’ve let you become a maid. Just from the rumors, people will treat you badly. At the very least, I’ll ask the duke to give a warning.”

Of course, that warning would be through the duke. Did she really think the duke’s words could solve everything?

But thinking about how the duke ignored the emperor’s order and faced no consequences, maybe he really was someone who could control everything with just his words.

‘Still, no.’

Sophia had asked the duke to bring her to the capital. She couldn’t now ask him to send her back. She pleaded with the Countess.

“Please don’t. At least wait until the hunting competition. If I do well, the emperor said he’d grant my wish.”

“But even if you do well, wouldn’t the princess’s wish come true instead of yours?”

The Countess, who already knew Sophia would be joining the hunting competition, cooled her anger and said with disapproval.

“Speaking of the hunting competition… I have a bad feeling. Something might happen. The princess’s eyes looked dangerous yesterday. Who knows what she’ll do out of anger? This won’t do. I’ll speak to the duke…”

“Why do you keep bringing up the duke?”

Sophia snapped without meaning to. The Countess opened her eyes wide, shocked by Sophia’s rudeness.

Sophia lowered her shoulders and looked down.

“I’m sorry. I was just frustrated. Besides, I really have to join the hunting competition. If I impress the emperor, the princess promised she’d let me meet Solid.”

“Solid again. I’m tired of hearing that name.”

The Countess sighed in frustration. But she knew well how important Solid was to Sophia. She had even seen Sophia choking him with her own eyes. In the end, the Countess could only let out a sigh of resignation.

“Then, once the princess grants your wish, you’ll grant mine. You’ll quit this maid nonsense as soon as possible.”

“Of course, Mother.”

Sophia answered in a gentle voice.

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