To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 63

Helen, who had approached, sparkled even in the dimly lit lounge, darker than the banquet hall. Her hair was decorated with strands of pearls and feathers, and her tightly cinched dress, in a deep rose color, was striking even from afar.

“Won’t you greet me?”

When Aisha simply looked at her quietly, Helen opened her fan with a playful voice. But the slightly upturned corners of her mouth, barely hidden behind the fan, made it clear to Aisha that she was being mocked.

“I’m glad to see you too. But I don’t think now is the best time to talk with you, Miss Helen. I’m sorry, but could we speak another time?”

Aisha stood up and spoke with minimal politeness in a firm tone. Seeing her expressionless face, practically asking her to leave, Helen frowned a little. But she quickly smiled again and snapped her fan shut with a loud sound.

“You’re not what you seem. Or maybe you are, after all?”

“……”

“My dear friend Sophia told me. That you only act weak and delicate in front of men like Ian, pretending to be a fragile flower. I’m not criticizing you, though. Most noble ladies are like that.”

Helen’s face was full of arrogance, as if to say she wasn’t like “those women.” Aisha looked at her with disbelief—Helen had insulted her and lumped all noblewomen together in a condescending way. But Helen, unfazed by Aisha’s reaction, even squinted her eyes with amusement and continued.

“May I give you some advice? That outdated method doesn’t work very well. You might fool a few simple men, but the good ones secretly laugh at that kind of act.”

“……”

“Well, maybe that’s just your limit. You seem like the typical noble lady raised doing embroidery. What else can anyone expect?”

“Miss Helen. Have you ever thought that what you’re saying might be insulting?”

Aisha finally spoke, unable to listen any longer. Helen, as if waiting for a reaction, exaggerated a shocked expression.

“Insulting? How could you say that? I’m only saying this because I want the best for you…”

Knowing Helen was doing this on purpose, Aisha didn’t bother listening to the rest and sat back down. Feeling ignored, Helen spoke in a slightly sharper tone.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“……”

“Are you ignoring me just because I gave a bit of advice? Unbelievable.”

Seeing that Helen wasn’t going to back off easily, Aisha let out a small sigh. After a brief pause, still not looking Helen’s way, she said calmly:

“There are two kinds of people who can’t be considerate. Those who are too foolish to understand others, and those who are simply mean. I don’t fit into either category.”

Helen, expecting Aisha to cry or get emotional, narrowed her eyes as Aisha remained calm and even mocked her. Biting her lip, Helen scoffed inwardly.

A mere merchant’s daughter dares to have pride just because she’s now technically a noble?

Raising her chin even higher, Helen scanned Aisha’s profile. Then something occurred to her, and she began to sneer.

“You’re the last person who should talk. You’re actually the most inconsiderate one.”

Aisha slowly turned her head. Helen met her gaze directly and smiled like a crescent moon.

“Your one-sided love for Ian is famous. Even someone like me, who’s only recently arrived in the Empire, knows. Sophia told me too. You clung to Ian for years, even though he didn’t want you. That’s inconsiderate.”

“……”

“As a fellow woman, aren’t you embarrassed? I could never act like that. Poor Ian. He ended up engaged just because of your selfish feelings.”

Helen’s mocking tone as she mentioned the engagement made Aisha’s hand tremble slightly. But before Helen noticed, Aisha calmly hid her hand in the lace of her sleeve and replied coldly:

“Miss Helen. I’d prefer you not speak my fiancé’s name so casually. Ian never gave you permission to do so. Saying it in front of his fiancée is very rude.”

A crack appeared on Helen’s composed face. How could this fake fiancée know whether Ian gave permission or not? The thought of Ian denying her in front of Aisha was unbearable. Finally, Helen dropped her mask and muttered in a low voice.

“I tried to be nice, thinking you were delicate… But how dare the daughter of a nobody merchant speak like that to someone of imperial blood?”

From Helen’s words, Aisha understood how Helen saw her—and herself. With a quiet sigh, Aisha lowered her head slightly, exhausted.

…Worse than Sophia.

Even after hearing such cruel words, Aisha remained calm, which oddly made Helen feel embarrassed. She briefly considered grabbing Aisha by the hair, but clenched her jaw and shook her head.

Getting angry at her would only make me look bad.

Helen took a breath and fixed her expression instantly. With a crooked smile, she pulled something out from her dress and thrust it in front of Aisha.

This is…

For the first time, Aisha’s expression changed as her eyes focused on the small object Helen held out. Helen, catching that reaction, spoke triumphantly.

“Pretty, isn’t it? I’m sure the rumors are already spreading outside.”

What Helen offered was a small locket necklace. It was already open, and inside, Aisha clearly saw a delicate painting of blue eyes.

Ian.

Recognizing the man with blue eyes inside the locket, Aisha’s face darkened with anger for the first time. A locket with someone’s eye inside was something only lovers or married couples shared. Sometimes it was used in affairs, but for someone like Helen to give such a locket—one bearing the eye of Aisha’s fiancé—to his fiancée was unheard of.

The conversation Aisha had overheard on the terrace came back to her. She glared at Helen and spoke in a cold voice.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing with someone else’s fiancé? Have you no shame? What would people say about your behavior?”

“It’s fine. All those people out there can do is gossip behind my back. They’ll say things like, ‘A bastard daughter chasing after a man who already has a fiancée? How disgraceful. Just like her mother.’ But I’m sure some people will say the opposite too.”

Helen answered without a care, ignoring Aisha’s attempt to call out her shameful behavior.

It’s nothing new. Only losers bark like that.

Helen had long dismissed such talk about herself and her mother as mere jealousy. No matter what anyone said, she believed they had succeeded.

“Aisha. I like Ian.”

Helen declared boldly to the now-stiff Aisha. Aisha pressed her lips together tightly at her shameless confession.

“Ian is amazing, isn’t he? Young, handsome, heir to a noble house, and smart. It’s rare to find a man like that. Any woman would want him.”

“……”

“Sure, I want Ian for who he is, but more than that, I just can’t stand the idea of someone like you having him. It’s annoying, honestly.”

As Aisha’s face slowly turned pale, Helen felt a surge of victory and thrill. Watching people like Aisha—who looked down on her and her mother—make faces like that was her greatest joy.

“Could you leave now? I don’t want to speak with you any longer.”

Aisha turned her head away sharply and pointed toward the exit. If she stayed any longer, she might end up tearing out Helen’s red hair or slapping her. But Helen misread Aisha’s action. Thinking Aisha was trying to act high and mighty, she spread her fan again and laughed coldly.

“Of course. People like you always do that. When they lose an argument, they act all noble and refuse to continue.”

“……”

“You probably think that’s the classy thing to do. Fine. But if you lose him—your fiancé or even your future husband—don’t come crying and screaming. I hate drama…”

Helen fanned herself provocatively but suddenly paused. She had noticed something. Narrowing her eyes, she looked again to confirm what she saw, then smirked inwardly.

These girls who act all innocent…

Helen had spotted a faint mark—clearly a bite—just barely visible beneath Aisha’s dress. Normally, it would have been hidden, but Aisha’s rapid breathing had caused her dress to shift just slightly, revealing it.

Looks like it hasn’t been long since they slept together. Girls like her usually try to hide this stuff out of embarrassment… especially ones as naive as her.

Helen’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. She had found Aisha’s weak spot—and immediately plotted how to use it most painfully.

“Oh, should I feel sorry now?”

Helen stared openly at Aisha’s chest. Aisha, sensing her gaze, looked down with nervous eyes. Helen, catching that, spoke with firm confidence, lacing her words with venom.

“A merchant’s daughter who’s already lost her purity won’t find a good match. Don’t you think?”

Aisha’s eyes widened slightly. She instinctively curled her shoulders, like a child caught in a lie. Seeing that, Helen didn’t hesitate to speak her final lie.

“You don’t really think you’re special just because you were the one in bed with Ian, right?”

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