To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 78

Edward, who knew everything, felt a sting in his heart. He gently patted Aisha’s head and asked,

“It’s one thing at the banquet but Aisha, what about Ian? How is he outside of events like this?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Does he treat you well outside of these kinds of places?”

Aisha quickly nodded at her brother’s question. Then, she looked far off at Ian and spoke.

“Yeah. He treats me well. He even said sorry for being busy.”

‘We’re meeting too often. Work is getting busier, so it’ll be hard to see each other for a while.’

The words Ian said a few days ago echoed in her ears. Aisha tried to calm her disappointment, telling herself Ian said it out of concern for her.

“An excuse Still, now that he got the position he wanted, he’ll probably bring up the engagement soon.”

Edward muttered, frowning at his sister’s expression. Hearing something she didn’t know, Aisha looked up at her brother and asked,

“What do you mean?”

“You probably didn’t know, but Ian told Father. He said he’d think about the engagement after joining the Central Nobles Council and getting settled.”

“Really?”

The disappointment she had barely held back disappeared in an instant. Seeing the light return to his sister’s face, Edward gave a bitter smile and lightly pinched her cheek.

“You’re that happy?”

Aisha didn’t answer, but her wide smile said it all. Edward let go of her cheek as she pulled back and spoke.

“Well, as long as you’re happy. What more could I want?”

Ian’s face didn’t look good as he entered the drawing room. He sat on the couch by the window and spoke bluntly when he saw Aisha’s round eyes on him.

“You waited?”

“Yeah…”

Reading Ian’s mood, Aisha nodded with a quiet, weak expression. Ian let out a loud sigh, flopped onto the seat across from her, and looked out the window without meeting her eyes.

‘The roads must be frozen by now…’

Heavy snow was falling outside. Inside the marquis’ house, servants were taking turns clearing the snow, but things were different beyond the estate. Ian stared at the falling snow and unconsciously retraced the path Aisha must have taken. His brows furrowed as irritation rose within him.

“Ian?”

Aisha looked at him with concern as his face tensed up in silence. She started to rise, ready to act, but shrank back into her seat at Ian’s sharp glare.

“Is something wrong? Are you sick?”

“You”

Ian wanted to shout at Aisha, who kept looking at him with those same eyes. It had been a year and a half of cold behavior from him, yet her gaze never changed. It was exhausting.

He clenched his teeth and glared at her. But even as she shrank back at his hostile stare, Aisha didn’t show any hatred.

“Never mind.”

He relaxed his clenched jaw in defeat. But when the anger faded, irritation returned. Her timid looks in front of him, yet the fact that she kept coming to him anyway even just sitting there everything annoyed him. Ian swallowed the urge to storm out and called out to her in a cold voice.

“Aisha.”

Aisha gave a small smile in response. Her worried but hopeful look annoyed him even more. Ian let out a dry laugh, then turned serious and stared at her.

“Good timing. Since you’re here, tell your uncle for me. About the engagement. It’s still a bit too early.”

“What?”

“I’m still really busy. I don’t have time to think about that. So let him know. Got it?”

With a stiff face, Ian said what he wanted without even asking why Aisha came. He could clearly see the shock and sadness spread across her face. Seeing that gave him a strange mix of satisfaction and discomfort. Not wanting to face her anymore, Ian stood up abruptly.

“Well, I’ll be going now. Like I said, I’m busy. You understand, right?”

As he turned, he heard Aisha also standing behind him. But that was it. Aisha didn’t try to stop him.

Clack.

Ian opened the door with a hand full of frustration. Beyond the hallway windows was a world of white. As he stepped out, he paused. The first thought he’d had when he entered the room suddenly came back to him.

He slightly turned his head and spoke to Aisha.

“The roads are slippery, so wait until the snow stops before you leave.”

The carriage leaving Marquis Lloyd’s estate moved more slowly than usual. It hadn’t even reached the main gate yet. Watching it, Ian asked himself again,

‘Why?’

Two years and a few months. Ian had already let go of most of his feelings toward the Parden family. At first, he searched for proof, telling himself it couldn’t be true. But now, suspicion had turned into certainty.

– “Marquis Lloyd’s wife caught in a scandal. Who is the other person?”

– “Transfer of all Lloyd family businesses.”

– “Prestigious Marquis Lloyd couple dies in a carriage accident. Many suspicious points found.”

– “Ownership transfer of the Levant Mine, formerly owned by Marquis Lloyd.”

Scandals between Count Parden and his mother. Many secrets that had been hidden. The mounting evidence. Ian didn’t have clear proof yet, but everything pointed to one thing: the person most responsible for his parents’ deaths was Count Parden.

‘Still not enough?’

Duke Levantus, who had helped him collect evidence, asked if he didn’t have enough certainty by now. Ian agreed to some extent. But even though he was sure, he still delayed the conclusion because of one reason:

‘There’s still no clear proof. It’s all just speculation.’

Ian knew he was making excuses. But he didn’t want to do it. No he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t label Count Parden as his enemy.

“Ian, no matter what happens, I’ll protect you and your sister.”

“Ian, treat my little sister well.”

“Ian, how’s the Academy?”

Ian told himself his hesitation came from emotional ties. Growing up with the Parden family, he had built a bond with them. But even after he’d let go of those feelings, revenge still felt wrong. The real problem was that whenever he pictured revenge, someone’s face would appear, and then he’d feel guilty.

‘Ian.’

Sky-blue eyes that always looked at him. Depending on the light, they looked grey or like a bright blue sky. Those eyes were the problem. Watching the carriage pass through the gate, Ian sighed and took a cigar box from his pocket.

After smoking for over a year, the cigars now tasted sweet. He opened the window to let out the thick smoke. Aisha’s carriage was slowly disappearing beyond the gate. Watching it fade into the haze, Ian muttered,

“Aisha, I’m so sick of you.”

He was talking to himself. He kept repeating that he didn’t love Aisha anymore, that he didn’t want to care about her, that she was nothing but annoying.

Ian repeated those words until he finished the cigar. It took a while to smoke it all, and by the end, he almost believed it.

But as the ashes blew away and the window shut, his feelings returned like nothing had happened. Frowning, Ian slumped onto the couch and leaned his head back with his eyes closed.

‘If I just don’t see her’

The thought suddenly came to him. Maybe he should leave. Since joining the Central Nobles Council, things had calmed down a bit, and there was a business trip to the south he needed to take.

‘And they found someone, too.’

That morning, he’d heard the investigator handling his parents’ case had been found in the south. Ian opened his eyes wide and lowered the hand that had been resting over them.

‘Clear my head. Find proof. Not a bad plan.’

He looked at the empire map on the wall and did the math. It would take about a month by carriage to reach the southern city. One month there, one month back, two months to stay four months total.

‘Ian. Now we can be together.’

But just then, Aisha’s voice echoed in his mind again. She had said that to him after graduating from the academy, arms around him. Feeling resistance rise in his heart, Ian thought again.

‘Let’s make it half a year. Not a bad idea. I’ll check on the southern estate too while I’m there.’

Four months quickly became six. Ian stood up and called loudly toward the door.

“Hey! Anyone there?”

A servant waiting outside quickly entered. Ian told him to fetch James, then sat back on the couch.

“You called, sir?”

James came in right away. Ian pointed at the map before he could even straighten up.

“I’m planning a trip to the south. Check everything we’ll need.”

‘Ian didn’t tell you? We’re heading to Rivad, under southern Haran. Just thinking I won’t have to see your face for six months makes me so happy.’

Aisha heard about Ian’s trip only much later, through Sophia. Shocked to learn he was leaving in just two days, she rushed to the Lloyd estate without even sending a letter.

When she arrived, it was clear the news was true. White cloths were being draped over the furniture, signaling a long absence. Ignoring the worried look of the maid, Aisha ran upstairs to find Ian.

“While I’m gone, lock up the east annex completely”

“Ian!”

Ian was in the second-floor hall with James. As soon as Aisha saw him, she called his name and ran to him. Ian’s face turned stiff the moment he saw her. But unlike usual, Aisha didn’t pause to read his expression.

“Ian! You’re really leaving the capital for six months? Is that true? Why didn’t you tell me?”

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