My Secret Flower - Episode 26

For some reason, I feel like I’m being disliked. By a woman I’ve never met before, and a blood relative of my man, no less. Her eyes were like those of a woman looking at someone who stole her man.

They said she was very attached to Ash. If Ash also gave her some affection, she might resent me for suddenly making him leave her.

This is truly a difficult situation.

“Ash, did I do something wrong?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll apologize on her behalf. She’s been spoiled rotten. And this child can’t speak.”

“Can’t speak?”

“She lost her voice in an accident.”

The girl pursed her lips tightly, wrinkling them, and glared at Ash. Ash just smiled awkwardly, as if feeling sorry for his younger sister, and stroked her hair.

At that touch, the girl’s stiff expression melted away. Then, like a small, cute animal, she buried her face in Ash’s arms.

I could feel how much she relied on him. She had such a wistful look, her eyebrows drooping, sending a blind gaze, and that appearance was just like a small dog loyal to its owner.

‘She can’t speak. Is that why Ash cherishes her more? It’s always the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.’

Her clothes and face, disguised as a boy, were a little grimy, proving that she hadn’t been able to wash properly for a long time. She wouldn’t have been able to communicate with people. If she had missed Pavilion, she would have gone back to her own home, but it would have taken a great deal of determination to embark on that dangerous journey to meet her departed brother.

I want to get close to her, but is there any way?

“Lishua, I’m really sorry, but could I borrow the bathroom? I think Rainy needs to wash up a bit.”

“Her name is Rainy?”

“It’s ‘Rainyd.’ I’ll send her back with Pavilion today, so you don’t have to worry anymore.”

He calls Pavilion by his name, but his sister by a nickname. Anyone would think Rainyd was his real sister.

Pavilion’s expression, watching the scene from the doorway, was quite a sight. The second child stuck between three siblings always has a lot to lose. I have a feeling that Pavilion might be bullying Rainyd, and Ash might be mediating, which could have brought Rainyd and Ash closer together.

“No, Ash. Please comfort Rainyd so she doesn’t get hurt, and it’s okay for her to stay here until she feels better. Forcibly separating from family can be a very big shock to her.”

“…Is that so? Thank you for understanding with such generosity, Lishua. I’ll make sure to educate her thoroughly so she doesn’t cause any trouble.”

Ash wasn’t so happy about his siblings’ unannounced visit. He looked down at Rainyd, who was holding onto his sleeve tightly, not wanting to let go, and seemed to sigh silently.

But anyway, blood is thicker than water. Forcibly separating them wouldn’t make either of them feel good.

Especially since Rainyd is fifteen, which is a very emotionally sensitive age. If I pushed her away, her emotional wounds might be even greater. Then she’ll hate me even more. I don’t want to be hated by his blood relative, of all people. And I want to get close to Rainyd if possible.

A few days later, when I was rescheduling my plans to coincide with my mother’s memorial day, I received a letter from my father. He said that he had to take care of things that had been neglected for a long time, so he wouldn’t be able to return for a while. He asked me to send him a letter anytime if something happened that I couldn’t handle on my own.

He also asked me to tell my mother that he was sorry that he couldn’t spend her first memorial day with her.

“The kingdom must be very busy. He always tried to take care of Mother’s memorial day, no matter what.”

Ash took the letter from me, quickly scanned the contents, nodded, and neatly folded it before handing it back to me.

“Then how about we go to the capital together after holding the Countess’s memorial service?”

“The capital… Around that time, the postponed meeting will be held, and I have to get permission from Father for our marriage, so I have to go.”

“I’ve been waiting for those words. I’ll make preparations in advance, so let’s leave right after it’s over.”

As always, he showers me with affection, kissing me until his lips are worn out. Recently, since Rainyd came, the time we spend alone together has decreased significantly. Especially since Rainyd stays in Ash’s room and doesn’t let him go all night, I’ve ended up living like a lonely spinster.

Thanks to that, I’ve had more time to develop a close friendship with Evelyn.

“More than anything, I’m worried because Rainyd keeps crying. It seems like she’s not ready to let you go, Ash.”

“She’s been saying she’s going to marry me since she was a child. I raised her like a daughter instead of my father, so that’s probably why, but I didn’t expect her to be so stubborn even now.”

I thought his father was a really bad person. I don’t know how well he played the role of a father to his children, but he not only brought a bastard child he had outside home but also made his son Ash take care of the childcare?

“Most daughters say they’re going to marry their fathers when they grow up. I never did, but my mother teased me that my two older sisters did.”

“Why didn’t you do that to the Count?”

“I don’t know? Maybe it’s because I grew up watching my sisters, so I matured early. And I’ve never been interested in marriage or dating from the beginning.”

“Why?”

“I could see the reasons why they approached me. Curiosity or power. I like getting to know each other slowly. Like we did.”

Before I met him, I had never met someone who moved my heart so much. I honestly didn’t believe in the saying that everyone has a soulmate. I just thought that meeting my person in this wide world was too difficult a task.

But now I believe in that destiny. Because I’ve met my eternal companion like this.

“I believe that Rainyd will definitely find a good partner too. If you’re really worried, how about keeping her until she becomes an adult? It doesn’t seem like Pavilion can take care of her as well as you do.”

“I can’t do that. I’m going to get rid of both of them as soon as possible. They’re unexpected troublemakers.”

He must be impatient too, after spending a night that was no different from a hot furnace. It’s also a very disappointing situation because I can’t seize the rare opportunity since I’m on my period right now.

“By the way, is your stomach okay? Are you in pain?”

“It’s okay. I just feel a little, like my stomach is tight, but there’s no pain.”

“You don’t usually have pain?”

“Fortunately. My oldest sister used to be bedridden for days when she started her period. I was very scared when I saw that, but my second sister and I were fine except for feeling a little heavy.”

“I was going to stroke your stomach if you were in pain, but that’s a little disappointing.”

I glared at him, who was grinning slyly and subtly placing his palm on my stomach, but I couldn’t help but laugh. He doesn’t look like he’d make jokes like this, so his actions are even cuter.

I want to push him onto the bed right away, but it’s a pity that I can’t. So I just soothed him with a light kiss and a hug to share each other’s warmth. Just being in his arms like this made the simmering dissatisfaction disappear as if it had never existed.

That pleasant time alone didn’t last long. It was because Rainyd, who had silently appeared in front of the door of the study where we were having a sweet time, made eye contact with me.

“Rai, Rainyd?”

My heart sank because I happened to be the first to spot her. I didn’t even hear her coming in. Her eyes, staring at me blankly like a ghost, are still full of wariness.

Ash, who belatedly noticed Rainyd’s visit, carefully moved away from me and narrowed his brow. He was very dissatisfied with being disturbed during the short time we had alone, and his expression was full of annoyance.

“What about Pavilion? Why are you here alone? And I warned you not to wander around the Count’s private area without permission.”

Rainyd didn’t even blink at Ash’s calm, stern voice, which even Pavilion was a little afraid of. She seemed to have a very strong belief that he couldn’t do anything to her even if he got angry like that.

‘By the way, my childhood dress suits her quite well.’

I managed to get back the gold coin pouch that was stolen by the thief, but she didn’t have anything else on her. The shabby clothes she was wearing were all she had. So I hurriedly prepared my dress for her, and it doesn’t look awkward at all.

Ash was originally a high-ranking nobleman. Seeing Rainyd, I can really feel that.

Rainyd, still maintaining an unreadable expression, strode towards us. I was worried that she might do something to me, but she grabbed Ash’s arm with both hands and pulled him out.

“Say it. Why? What’s wrong, again?”

Ash, who is always polite, is also very strict when it comes to his siblings. Once, when I heard that Ash was at the training grounds early in the morning, I went to see him, and Ash and Pavilion were sparring. It was so fierce that I couldn’t even get close, so I just watched from a distance.

It was a relief to confirm that Pavilion wasn’t someone who would easily lose, even though he was being pushed back a bit. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to leave that spot because I was so anxious.

Anyway, Ash, who couldn’t bring himself to use force on Rainyd, was dragged away by Rainyd. Then Rainyd herself came back inside and slammed the door shut!

I naturally thought they would both leave together. I didn’t expect to be left alone with Rainyd in the study, so I became nervous for no reason.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Support My Secret Flower