One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 71

Getting the documents from the city guard turned out to be easier than expected. Rather than showing any reluctance, the guards actually seemed relieved almost happy to hand off such a troublesome case.

Asking detailed questions and taking notes like a proper investigator wasn’t bad either. But this? This was something else entirely.

“Of all people…”

Aileen let out a long sigh she couldn’t hold back.

Her fellow knights had joked about how lucky she was to skip training, how exciting it must be to finally go on a mission. Now, she wanted nothing more than to drag them out and make them pay for every single word.

Maybe she should just go back and return later.

Not because she was scared—but because the whole situation was just exhausting. And just as she began to retreat—

“Lady Aileen Revart.”

Ah. So it really happened.

Aileen dragged a hand across her face, fatigue washing over her.

“It’s been a while. Are you here to buy some perfume?”

A smooth, honeyed voice sealed her fate.

If someone was lingering in front of a perfume shop, what other reason could there be? The subtle sarcasm in “to buy perfume, of all things” was undeniable.

Aileen, deciding she’d rather face her head-on, turned toward the voice.

“There’s only one reason someone like me would come all the way here, Lady Judith of House Hessiden.”

The weariness in her expression was already gone. In its place was a calm, easy smile—a mask of civility firmly in place.

Aileen had come alone today to gather intel on the shop.

She didn’t care much for jewels or perfumes, true, but compared to Carlisle—who was practically infamous for caring about nothing but swords—she was the better choice. If he showed up in a perfume boutique, it would raise immediate suspicion.

Besides, this entire operation was likely set up by the Marquess of Hessiden. If Carlisle made a move himself, he’d be exposed instantly.

That’s why Aileen had come on her own—and of all people, she had to run into Judith.

There was a flicker of tension in Judith’s lips.

Aileen’s calm expression was far too composed—unnerving, even. Shouldn’t she be stiff and guarded upon seeing her?

Judith had thought Aileen’s indifference to her provocations last time had been a fluke. But now she wasn’t so sure.

She quickly rearranged her face, her lips curving into a graceful smile like a blade wrapped in silk.

“You turned away so suddenly, I thought there must’ve been another reason.”

Ding. The door behind Judith opened, and she turned to look.

It was the other noble ladies who had been shopping with her—they had followed her out upon seeing her leave.

“Isn’t that Lady Aileen Revart?”

“It’s been a while, Lady Revart.”

These girls, clearly acting as Judith’s loyal shadows, greeted Aileen with overly bright voices.

Aileen recognized the setup all too well.

Memories of that unpleasant banquet surfaced—of those who had dared to act superior, trying to lecture her just because she was from House Revart.

She looked over them quietly. These weren’t the same girls from that day.

Only then did Aileen nod and respond to their greetings.

“It’s nice to see you.”

Her tone was clipped. There was no reason to act overly friendly.

The brief, almost haughty greeting made their smiles falter for just a second—but they quickly covered it up with practiced poise. Judith, too, smiled sweetly as if nothing had happened.

She put on an even warmer expression than before and extended a friendly offer to Aileen. Whatever she had originally meant to say was clearly forgotten now.

“If you’re here for perfume, why not browse with us, Lady Revart?”

It was almost amusing how predictable this was. Aileen responded with a faint, composed smile.

“No, I won’t be long. Please, don’t mind me. Take your time and enjoy yourselves.”

Aileen’s goal today was simple: to observe the store staff, learn how they operated, and get a feel for the layout and sales process.

The hallucination symptoms caused by the perfume were becoming more serious, and although it hadn’t been announced publicly, word was quietly spreading that the Emperor had dispatched her and Carlisle to investigate the case.

Some might think she had come here today because she suspected the perfume—but it was just as likely they’d assume she was here to purchase a fashionable gift for someone. That ambiguity worked in her favor.

It gave her an excuse to browse the store casually while collecting information.

But the moment she ran into Judith—the daughter of the likely mastermind behind this entire scheme—her plan became impossible to execute.

If she lingered too long or asked too many pointed questions, Judith would become suspicious. And if Judith reported anything back to the Marquess of Hessiden, it could compromise the entire mission.

In short, there was no longer any reason to stay.

But Judith was persistent.

“If you leave now, you’ll put me in an awkward position, Lady Revart. I’d feel terrible letting someone of your standing shop alone.”

“She’s right. The Lady of House Hessiden personally invited you. Why not join us, Lady Revart?”

“It’ll be more enjoyable if we browse together.”

Their smiles looked sincere—but Aileen could see the practiced polish in every expression.

It reminded her too much of the past. She felt a strange déjà vu.

The only difference this time was that they were being perfectly polite.

Aileen turned them down again—politely, but firmly. Still, the three remained persistent. No, more accurately, they were just blindly following their ringleader, Judith.

Just as she began wondering how she might slip away, Judith shifted tactics and spoke again.

“I suppose having too many people around is uncomfortable. Why don’t I go in ahead and start browsing? I didn’t mean to make things awkward just because I happened to spot you, Lady Revart.”

“Oh no, not at all. You didn’t cause any trouble. Lady Hessiden was simply being kind.”

“Yes, we’ll just head inside and look around. Take your time, the two of you.”

Hah. Aileen barely held in a scoff. This is exactly why she hated the polite games of high society.

Before she could respond, the two noble ladies had already slipped into the store.

“Looks like it’s just the two of us again, Lady Revart.”

“Does House Hessiden not teach its daughters that forcing someone after a clear refusal is incredibly rude, Lady Hessiden?”

“My father always said knowing when and where is all that matters.”

Judith’s soft smile vanished, replaced by a twisted smirk.

“I thought it’d be nice to look together. This shop’s perfume is so popular these days that most people can’t even get their hands on it. I’ve never had that problem, so I didn’t quite get the hype—until I saw that even someone like you came all the way here.”

A subtle boast, masked as casual conversation. Judith was flaunting the fact that she could buy the perfume whenever she pleased—unlike Aileen, who had come here out of necessity.

The offer to “browse together” was less an invitation and more a veiled power play. If Aileen was searching for a particular scent, Judith was making it clear she could get it easily, without effort.

Whether it was meant to mock her pride or entice her into using the perfume and suffering its effects, Aileen couldn’t tell—and didn’t care.

“I believe a gift is only meaningful when you prepare it with your own effort, Lady Hessiden.”

Her refusal was swift and sharp. Judith only smiled, quickly shifting the topic.

“I hope you find the right one. By the way… you really held back a long time at the Order, didn’t you, Lady Revart?”

The sudden change in subject made Aileen’s brow twitch faintly.

“You turned away from the typical path of a noblewoman to walk a different road. I honestly thought you became a knight simply because you wanted to.”

“What are you implying?”

“I heard you were assigned a mission… alone with our Carlisle.”

Aileen’s fists clenched tightly. That woman—

She could’ve tolerated the mention of Carlisle. Her old, faded love didn’t matter anymore.

But knighthood—that was different. That was her dream, the future she had fought to reclaim. And now Judith, driven by her petty jealousy, dared to mock even that?

A cold, black anger surged through Aileen, swallowing her whole.

The color drained from Judith’s face. She had unknowingly stirred the raw force of a knight’s fury—unfiltered and overwhelming.

Aileen smiled, almost cheerfully. As if she’d just heard a ridiculous joke.

“Lady Judith Hessiden. You’ve already gotten exactly what you wanted—so why do you still seem so anxious?”

“Anxious? Please.”

“If anything, I’m grateful that you were kind enough to take out the trash I didn’t know I needed to throw away.”

“…”

“And thanks to the little fire you started, I’ve realized what I truly want—and I’m walking the path I was meant to take.”

A cold smile flickered across Aileen’s lips. Judith unconsciously stepped back.

“People who steal what belongs to others always live in fear. But I don’t understand it—why torment someone who’s already lost everything?”

Aileen’s chilling gaze dropped briefly to Judith’s rounded belly.

Judith instinctively wrapped her arms around her stomach in a protective gesture. It wasn’t something she thought about—it just happened.

“I’m not interested in trash collection. If you’ve got energy to waste on me, might I suggest finding a friend who enjoys reusing things, Lady Hessiden?”

Or perhaps find some other garbage to pick through. You do seem to like secondhand goods.

Aileen’s lips curved into a razor-sharp smile as she drove the final nail in.

Judith’s face turned crimson—then redder still, until it looked like it might burst. She glared daggers at Aileen before turning sharply and storming off.

She was already frustrated that Carlisle wasn’t falling for her as easily as she’d hoped. Hearing this from Aileen—who now looked even more composed than before—pushed her over the edge.

Judith’s companions, who had been peeking through the shop windows, scrambled out after her.

Aileen waited until they were completely gone before slowly stepping into the store.

With the unwanted guests gone, she could finally look around in peace.

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