Chapter: 07
Because of the memories of being ignored by Patrick Bennett countless times over the years, Eugenia Norton would feel sick to her stomach whenever she merely caught sight of Patrick Bennett’s face from a distance.
How could he not even know I existed when I approached him so often?
Their relationship had never been mutual, not even once. No, it was hardly even a relationship to begin with.
Whenever she reminded herself that it had been nothing more than a one-sided crush on her part from the very beginning, Lady Norton would often be overcome by intense anger and resentment.
There had even been times when she watched Patrick Bennett from afar and cursed him, wishing that he would just go to hell.
And yet, today, the moment Lady Norton saw Patrick Bennett again after several years, her heart began pounding uncontrollably.
It was because Patrick Bennett was simply too handsome to hate. He looked far more impressive than he had a few years ago, and his indifferent attitude, still completely unconcerned with the attention of those around him, kept stirring up her feelings.
And as she quietly observed him…
Patrick Bennett was a man who was equally indifferent to everyone. Once Lady Norton realized that his cold and aloof nature was not directed solely at her, she suddenly began to see endless possibilities in their relationship.
Maybe things would be different this time.
Once she began running around that wheel of hope, she started seeing his face differently. Good heavens, look at that magnificent hair. Why was his nose so handsome? Why were his eyebrows so long? His fingers were long and slender, and his hands were large too…
An overwhelming desire set her heart ablaze. When Patrick reluctantly took a bite of the scone his mother offered him with a sullen expression, he looked so alluring that Lady Norton nearly fainted.
Good heavens…
“Daughter, listen carefully. While we are looking around the garden, I will go farther inside first. You pretend that you suddenly have a headache and stagger. No matter how cold a man may be, an aristocratic man must be a gentleman. He won’t be able to simply leave you there.”
Both mother and daughter knew that it was such a childish act that even a little child would find it ridiculous. But what did it matter if the act was obvious? Even if other people pointed fingers at her, all that mattered was that she could win Patrick Bennett.
Thus, although she normally hated gardens that smelled of soil and disgusting crawling insects, today she diligently followed behind her mother, pretending to examine the flowers and leaves.
Hoping that he would turn his head toward her even just once, she nervously lingered around him the entire time, waiting for an opportunity.
“Lord, isn’t this flower beautiful? I love gardening very much as well.”
However, every time she desperately tried to start a conversation with him, Patrick merely gave her indifferent replies, as though he had completely forgotten that she even existed.
“Oh, yes. It’s lovely.”
“There are some orchids my mother likes in the inner garden. They’re very rare…”
“I see.”
After this pattern repeated several times, Lady Norton eventually became convinced that this cold and ill-mannered man might not even know her name.
“My lord?”
It was the same even now.
Patrick Bennett’s eyes, which had remained expressionless the entire time, suddenly seemed to come alive. Then, all of a sudden, he left the gravel path and approached the stone wall in the corner.
What’s over there?
Curious about what had caught Patrick’s attention, Lady Norton followed closely behind him.
What is he looking at so intently?
The spot he carefully traced with his fingertips was completely covered in lush green moss. Patrick picked up a small twig and even scraped away the moss little by little, examining it closely.
Ugh…
Lady Norton was completely deflated. What was so fascinating about some ordinary moss? There were precious plants everywhere, yet he was wasting his time looking at something like that…
The problem was that this was exactly the time she had agreed upon with her mother for their plan. The Countess of Norton, who had already gone some distance ahead to give them privacy, peeked her head out from between the enormous leaves and waved her hand frantically.
‘Hurry up and fall! Put your hand on your head! Stagger!’
But that man isn’t even looking at me…
Lady Norton hesitated, but when she heard the laughter of women coming from the opposite entrance of the greenhouse, she became anxious.
What should I do?
She had to hurry and stagger to the ground before those women reached them, but Patrick was absorbed in scraping moss from the wall, making it impossible for her to find the right moment.
“I, I…”
Awkwardly approaching Patrick from behind, Lady Norton pretended to stagger and placed one hand against her forehead.
“I… I feel dizzy… It’s so hot, isn’t it?”
The indifferent man, who was merely staring at his own palm, gave her no answer.
Even she thought the situation was rather embarrassing, but Lady Norton nevertheless did her best to let her arms and legs go limp, staggering around as though she were standing on a rocking boat.
“Ahh… I’m dizzy… My body…”
Surely he’ll turn around at least once?
Even as she staggered, wobbling her knees, twisting her joints, and slightly rolling her eyes upward, the man showed no reaction.
If anyone saw her, they would surely think she was a madwoman. Lady Norton became increasingly desperate to escape the situation.
“My lord, my head hurts…”
Just as she continued making meaningless groans, Patrick finally turned halfway around.
Now!
Lady Norton abandoned the last shred of her dignity and relaxed her entire body.
Patrick Bennett was a gentleman. Surely he wouldn’t let a lady collapse on the ground…
But as her body tilted and fell, what Lady Norton saw was his broad back.
Just as always, this time too…
Patrick Bennett hadn’t even known that she was there. Her presence had been that insignificant…
That… bastard…
Lady Norton’s limp body landed awkwardly on the green metal wheelbarrow the gardener had left behind. At least she hadn’t fallen directly onto the ground, she thought, relieved.
Just then, other faces suddenly popped up above Lady Norton’s head.
“Lady Norton! Are you all right?”
“Oh my goodness!”
Hearing the women’s frantic voices, Lady Norton squeezed her eyes shut. However, the most humiliating moment of Eugenia Norton’s life came next.
The man who had never once spared her a glance was now looking down at her with raised eyebrows.
“Lady Norton. Are you all right?”
Do I look all right right now? You idiot?
She wanted to shout that at the top of her lungs, but the proud Eugenia Norton clenched her teeth and forced a smile.
“I-I’m fine. I just felt a little dizzy.”
“You fell onto a pile of compost. You should get up quickly.”
Compost?
Lady Norton’s face went pale as she realized what the dark-colored soil in the wheelbarrow she was sitting on actually was. Then she noticed the earthy smell.
The absurdity and humiliation of it all, combined with how much she hated that crazy man, tangled together until she let out a hollow laugh.
“This is so annoying.”
She laughed helplessly, almost as though she were crying, when the Countess of Norton realized that her daughter’s plan had failed and approached with a frown.
“Oh my, dear. What happened?”
The Countess covered her nose and wrinkled her face. Eugenia, her face flushed bright red, huffed angrily as she brushed off her skirt.
“The smell! Ugh! Dear, what is this?”
Patrick Bennett had already disappeared far ahead, and the women who had pretended to be concerned about her had also left, hurrying after Patrick Bennett.
“Why did you come up with such a stupid plan? It’s so childish! This is so embarrassing!”
Overcome with humiliation, Eugenia Norton flushed red and huffed furiously.
“Patrick Bennett is a crazy bastard. I’d rather live alone than marry that lunatic. I don’t know who will end up being that man’s partner in the future, but he’s such a nutcase that he’d drive even a perfectly sane woman to her grave!”
After showering her mother with resentment, Lady Norton examined her dress, now marked with dark stains, and suddenly became overwhelmed with emotion, wiping away her tears.
I will never approach that crazy man again.
But I will keep my eyes wide open and watch carefully to see which woman ends up becoming that man’s partner.
And when that happens, I’ll see whether he ignores her like this too.
Grinding her teeth in resentment, she vowed to wait and see.
