When You Started to Regret - Chapter 40

Fernando and Vanessa had finally reached the same conclusion words alone wouldn’t be enough to persuade Elaine. For now, they seemed to accept her relationship with Dominic. Even as Dominic began visiting the Aiola estate more frequently, neither of them intervened. They acted as though he didn’t exist, and once he left, it was as if nothing had ever happened.

For a while, it felt like the calm before the storm too quiet, too still.

“Something’s off. There’s no way those two are just letting this go. You know that too, don’t you, Dominic? How terrifying Lady Vanessa can be.”

Surprisingly, it was Bella who seemed most unsettled by the eerie calm.

“Oh, I know,” Dominic replied. “Vanessa’s as self-centered and ruthless as they come.”

“And just to be clear, Elaine isn’t much different. She’s arrogant, self-absorbed, and oblivious to the misery of others. A pure and ruthless little lady.”

The moment Elaine’s name left Bella’s mouth, something flickered in Dominic’s black eyes—something strange and sharp.

“Are you talking about Elaine?”

“Yes, that arrogant little Aiola heiress! Just the other day, there was this incident—some seamstress made a tiny mistake with her dress…”

Seeing his curiosity piqued, Bella grew flustered and poured out every petty complaint she could recall.

“She was absolutely vicious. Even we, who know her well, felt bad for the poor assistant.”

“I can believe that. She’s always been like a queen—regal and untouchable.”

Oddly, though Bella was trying to poison his heart, Dominic found himself more drawn to Elaine whenever someone criticized her.

“A queen?” Bella scoffed. “Do you seriously think that, Dominic? Don’t you remember what girls like her are capable of? You, of all people, should know how cruel the privileged can be…”

“Wait.”

Her words were cut off abruptly when Dominic suddenly stood up, his body alert.

He’d heard it—the sound of her footsteps. Light, eager, familiar.

“Elaine’s coming. Get out.”

He shoved Bella aside, not bothering to soften the blow. She looked stunned but didn’t argue. Silently, she slipped out through the back entrance.

“Dominic!”

Elaine burst through the drawing room door and beamed at the sight of him. She rushed into his arms, standing on tiptoe to place a quick kiss on his lips. Dominic pulled her close, brushing her hair back with a tender smile.

From her hiding spot, Bella watched with a tight, nervous gaze before slipping away. A sour, crawling sense of dread clawed at her chest.

Dominic had never looked at anyone like that before.
Not even Vanessa—not during those early days when he’d loved her with foolish, youthful sincerity.

In fact, now that she thought of it…

Did he ever really love Vanessa at all?

That question alone made her chest clench.

“No. That can’t be true.”

Even as she left the corridor and climbed the stairs, the sticky, uncomfortable feeling wouldn’t leave her.

He couldn’t possibly love Elaine—not when he knows what happened to Liliana. Not when he watched his sister die because of them. That would be… impossible…

But the doubt kept creeping in.

It wasn’t long before she found herself walking past Vanessa’s bedroom, where the door stood slightly ajar.

“If I must become the kind of head who trades his sister for power… then so be it.”

It was Fernando’s voice—his words cold and sharp.

“Just as you said, I’ll proceed with the engagement between Elaine and Crown Prince Turner. The Queen has already given her approval.”

“Elaine Aiola… engaged to Turner?”

The voice that followed was quiet, but icy—it froze the air in place.

The next day, Bella went to Dominic’s estate and relayed everything she’d overheard. But Dominic’s response wasn’t what she expected.

“There’s no way. You’ve misunderstood something.”
“You saw how madly that stupid Aiola girl’s fallen for me, didn’t you?”

“Elaine’s opinion probably won’t matter in this.”

“Elaine would never go along with it.”

“Fernando and Vanessa will push forward no matter what. The Queen’s approval means this is serious.”

“…But Elaine…”

“You naïve fool,” Bella said softly, her eyes filled with something closer to pity than bitterness.

“You’ve seen it before, haven’t you? How Lady Vanessa used you.”

“Even if Elaine’s love is real right now… how long do you think it will last?”

Her voice dropped to a murmur.

“These people… they don’t see you as anything more than entertainment. Just a fleeting amusement.”

“Shut your mouth, Bella.”

“I get it. You want to believe she’s different. If I were you, I’d want to believe it too. But you need to wake up. That oh-so-noble Aiola girl—”

Dominic’s glare sliced through her words.

He didn’t say another word.
But the silence that followed was far more dangerous than any outburst.

“For the love of God, just shut up!”

Dominic exploded, sweeping everything off his desk in a violent crash. Several items clattered loudly to the floor. But Bella didn’t flinch—not even a little. In truth, this was what she wanted: to pull out the fury he kept buried inside.

“If you won’t take my word for it, then go see for yourself. Goodbye, Dominic.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked out—cool, composed, leaving chaos in her wake.

Dominic, however, remained still for a long while, unable to do anything. Not even to keep his promise to Elaine that day. Only later, dragging his weary body through the palace, did he arrive—drawn not by duty, but by desperation. The air of the royal court was already buzzing, thick with the thrill of a new rumor.

“Makes sense. It’s about time His Highness took a bride.”

“And who else could it be?”

“I heard Lord Aiola had a private audience with Her Majesty yesterday…”

Listening to the whispers, Dominic clenched both fists until his knuckles blanched. As he walked the long hallway, he suddenly spotted Queen Clemencia approaching from the opposite end. Instinctively, he stopped and bowed.

“I didn’t summon you today, Lord Cheshire,” the Queen said, her voice cool and stately as ever. She paused in front of him and reached out, gently lifting his chin.

Dominic had to force himself not to flinch as her hand touched his face. He didn’t want her to see the expression twisting inside him.

“I came… to confirm something,” he managed to say.

“And? Have you confirmed it?”

He didn’t answer.

“It tires me to meddle in the private lives of others,” she said softly. “But if it concerns my son… that changes things.”

Clemencia had always been known for her fierce maternal devotion, particularly to her late son Edmund.

“I’ll introduce you to a lovely young lady,” she added. “In the Queen’s name, of course. You’re a valued servant of the crown—you deserve the best.”

“An honor, Your Majesty… but no, thank you.”

Dominic barely forced a smile, aware of the tension in his jaw. The Queen studied him with narrowed eyes, as if trying to read between his words. Then, just as gracefully, she moved on, her attendants trailing behind her like silk shadows.

Dominic remained frozen in place until the last of the royal entourage had passed.

“Elaine… Aiola…”

His rage churned again—this time aimed at the girl who had once looked up at him with such bright affection. Now wasn’t the time to be angry, he knew that. He needed to secure her heart more firmly than ever. But knowing it didn’t help. He couldn’t stop the fury boiling in his chest.

And that fury finally erupted when he returned home… and found her waiting for him in the drawing room.

“Dominic, are you okay? I heard you weren’t feeling well, so I came—”

He couldn’t believe it.

The palace was already flooded with talk of her engagement to the prince, and yet she stood here, wearing a face of innocent concern, as if she knew nothing.

“Do you really not know… or are you just pretending?”

“Dominic…?”

“I wonder sometimes,” he said coldly, “if maybe all of this has been a game to you. If loving a low-born man like me was just… entertaining. A bit of fun. A plaything to pass the time.”

The chill in his voice made Elaine hesitate mid-step.

“What’s going on? Why are you saying these things?”

“I heard you’re going to marry someone else.”

He said it with the warmth of a blade drawn across skin—sharp, unforgiving.

“W-what…?”

Elaine stared at him, eyes wide, blinking as if she couldn’t comprehend the words. Her face—so naive, so utterly genuine—was almost enough to shake his conviction.

Almost.

“So you didn’t know,” he sneered. “That’s your excuse? You always hide behind that wide-eyed look, like you’re some helpless little girl. Are you really that innocent, Elaine? Or are you just that good at lying?”

“Wait, Dominic—where did you hear that? I… I didn’t know anything about this—”

“The palace is full of it. Everyone’s whispering your name and his. So in the end, I was just a momentary diversion for the illustrious Lady Aiola. Something to discard when it no longer amused you.”

“That’s not true!”

She lunged for him, grabbing onto the hem of his coat, eyes brimming with panic.

“Something’s wrong. There’s been a misunderstanding—please, just listen. I didn’t hear anything about an engagement—”

But Dominic pulled away. Her small, desperate hands dropped back to her sides.

“Go home, Elaine. Talk to your oh-so-perfect brother. You clearly have more in common with him than with someone like me.”

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