To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 98

He had expected to be exposed one day, but when the moment finally came, Ian’s heart sank. He tried to think of what to do next, drawing out all the businesses and political ties targeting Count Parden.

‘Since it’s come to this, maybe I should just’

Ian was considering whether to openly pressure Count Parden now that his tail had been stepped on. Just then, Aisha’s voice cut through his messy thoughts.

“Ian.”

Aisha appeared before him, smiling brightly so different from the day before. Her cheerful voice and happy face were just a vision, but the moment he saw and heard it, Ian paused.

‘This is strange.’

Though his mind was still tangled, the chill in his fingertips helped him think clearly again. He caught onto something he had nearly missed while being overwhelmed by the fear of being caught.

‘Ungrateful bastard.’

He recalled Edward’s meaningful words along with his expression. If Edward had known Ian’s purpose was revenge, would someone as cautious as him have shown such open hostility?

‘No, that’s not likely. It makes more sense that he figured out the business plans and felt betrayed’

Ian judged that Edward, and even Count Parden, probably hadn’t fully realized his goal was revenge. Besides, even if Count Parden had known, it was strange for him to kill Wilkins.

‘He’s the one who gave him gold and sent him abroad. Why would he kill him now?’

Sure, as the Duke had suggested, maybe he panicked, thinking an old crime might be exposed. But even so, too many things didn’t add up.

How did the Count even know Wilkins was being brought back to the Empire? And if he did know, why didn’t he take care of it sooner? Why wait until he entered the capital?

Of course, maybe it all just coincidentally happened that way. Who knows how likely that is?

‘Don’t jump to conclusions. I’ll figure out how much the Count knows based on what he does next.’

Ian remembered that the Duke hadn’t answered his question about why he had been attacked. His doubts began to shift direction.

‘He’s the most untrustworthy one of all.’

Ian muttered to himself as he looked again at Wilkins’ cold body in the underground chamber. Nearby, the Duke let out a sigh just loud enough for only himself to hear.

The carriage moved down the road. From the window, Duke Levantus watched Ian’s carriage leaving his mansion. Clicking his tongue in disapproval, he muttered,

“Tsk. It’s ruined.”

The man with dark brown hair standing behind him noticed the Duke’s foul mood and stiffened nervously. But the Duke, still watching the carriage, didn’t care and spoke again.

“Leak bits of what the Marquis did to Count Parden.”

“Pardon? But”

The man hesitated as if to protest, but the Duke ignored him and continued, eyes fixed on the distant carriage.

“It’s a shame to waste over two years of effort, but the beast I raised is baring its teeth at its master instead of biting the prey. Worse, if things go wrong, it might even side with the prey and attack its master.”

“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll provoke both the beast and the prey to make them fight. Then, at the very least, they won’t come for me. And if I’m lucky”

The carriage finally shrank into a dot. Once it was no longer visible, the Duke narrowed his eyes and murmured,

“I might be able to take them both down when they’re completely weakened.”

The Emperor allowed an audience with the Astar delegation much sooner than expected. Thanks to that, Iskan, who had been staying at the Parden estate, left for the palace after just three days.

For Aisha, who had been hiding in her room ever since receiving that shocking proposal, it was a huge relief. She let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding when she heard he was leaving.

‘He’s still an important guest of the family I should at least see him off.’

On the day of his departure, Aisha came out of her room after much thought. Iskan, who had been looking around for her, lit up with a big smile when he saw her and ran straight to her.

“It’s such a shame I have to leave already.”

“But don’t worry too much. We’ll see each other again soon. And next time, I hope!”

“I hope you’ll change your mind and give me a good answer.”

Iskan’s friendly smile was as charming as his looks. But to Aisha, the way he subtly brought up the proposal again was just burdensome.

“Your Highness.”

Edward, having heard everything from Aisha, stepped in between them. Daniel also sensed something was off in Iskan’s eyes and quickly pulled Aisha back behind him.

Just as Iskan craned his neck to see Aisha between her brothers, Count Parden, who had been quietly watching, cleared his throat and spoke.

“Ahem. Your Highness, it’s time to go.”

Even his aide Imir came forward with an expression urging haste. Iskan, though reluctant, turned toward Aisha, still behind Edward, and spoke again.

“Aisha. Please don’t forget the dance we promised.”

This time, it wasn’t a playful voice, but a polite and formal tone. Aisha was briefly puzzled, then remembered she had promised to dance with him at the welcome banquet before dinner.

She hesitated, but then stepped forward and nodded. She didn’t want to face someone who proposed to make her his seventh wife but since it was part of a family affair, she figured it would be fine.

Iskan smiled brightly at her nod and boarded the carriage. Count Parden, worried the crown prince might say something unnecessary to his daughter, hurried the coachman to get moving.

The carriage passed through the front gate faster than usual. As it disappeared behind a cloud of dust, the three Parden siblings who had come to see him off turned back toward the house.

“What is with that prince? Is he insane?”

As soon as they stepped into the house, Daniel cursed over and over about Iskan. Having just learned everything from Edward, he was furious to hear the prince had proposed to his sister when he already had six wives.

“He has six wives and he proposes to you? What kind of freaks do you attract?”

After ranting about Iskan, Daniel turned to Aisha and scoffed. Aisha instantly understood who one of those “freaks” referred to, and her face darkened. Edward’s face hardened too.

“Daniel.”

Edward called his younger brother with a firm voice. Daniel flinched at his older brother’s expression but soon snapped back, annoyed.

“What? What did I do? I mean, it’s this damn family’s fault for still keeping ties with that bastard.”

Ever since seeing Ian and Helen together, Daniel thought their mother and Edward agreed with him and that they’d help Aisha break off the engagement. But strangely, they had gone silent, and Aisha hadn’t said anything about Ian either.

Now, with everyone else staying quiet, Daniel felt like the whole family was avoiding the issue and it was eating him up inside.

“Daniel!”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’ll go. A troublemaker like me should just disappear, right?”

With exaggerated movements, Daniel shrugged and walked off. Edward glared at him again but didn’t say more he could guess how his brother felt.

‘I can’t explain it either’

Edward watched his younger brother’s back with a troubled expression. Of course, he also wanted Aisha to break off the engagement. But after finding out about Ian’s schemes and the mysterious issues connected to him, Edward couldn’t speak so easily anymore.

‘Mother, Aisha isn’t the same as before. Besides, we know now what Ian did behind the scenes. He’s an ungrateful bastard! We don’t need to think twice. We have to tell Aisha everything he did and make her cut ties. No matter what Father says, we need to push for a breakup—now!’

‘Just wait a little longer. It’ll all be settled this month.’

‘Wait—? Are there things you haven’t told me besides the business?’

‘I can’t tell you yet. But even once it’s resolved, the outcome for Aisha will be the same. Your father may still want to give Ian a chance but that won’t happen. I won’t allow it.’

Marissa’s voice was full of anger. But Edward clearly saw the bitterness in her eyes more than rage. That’s why he couldn’t press her further.

“Don’t let it get to you.”

“Okay.”

Holding back a growing headache, Edward looked at Aisha. She too was watching Daniel’s back as he walked away and nodded slightly before moving on.

“Miss Aisha”

As the siblings crossed the first-floor hall toward the stairs, a maid approached hesitantly and handed Aisha a letter.

Seeing the clear seal of the Marquis Lloyd family, Aisha frowned slightly, but didn’t reject it. She took the letter, broke the seal, and read the contents on the spot.

The letter was long, but most of it was filled with greetings and pointless chatter. The real reason came at the end.

“This upcoming banquet is very important, and many people will be attending. I remember what you said before but I’d like to ask you to let me be your partner, just this once as your fiancé.”

Reading Ian’s careful request to attend the welcome banquet for the Astar delegation as her partner, Aisha let out a small, bitter laugh.

Sure, it was a reasonable request from a fiancé. But things were different now. Just a few days ago, she had shouted at him, saying she didn’t even want to see him again. And now he was using the banquet as an excuse to write to her?

Aisha’s mood sank like a stone.

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