TWLSV~10

“He came to my mother’s funeral and comforted me.”

Seeing the expression on Hesty’s face, Elisia quietly gathered the barley grains scattered across the desk and returned them to the tray.

Looking at her face, she wouldn’t believe me even if I told her a hundred times.

People in love were like those wearing earplugs. No matter what you said, they never truly listened. More often than not, even sincere advice sounded like an insult to them. The fact that Hesty wasn’t already yelling at her for talking nonsense was fortunate enough.

“If you don’t believe me, why don’t you meet him yourself?”

“Theodore?”

“Yes. Fortune readings aren’t always right. Take this opportunity to visit the man you like and show off your new bangs while you’re at it.”

Elisia reached out and gently brushed Hesty’s bangs aside.

She sincerely hoped her reading was wrong.

But it probably wasn’t.

Clutching her racing heart, Hesty headed to the salon.

Today was the first time in a long while that she would be meeting her friends.

Since Duchess Diana’s murder, Hesty had rarely attended social gatherings. However, her close friend Julia was hosting a small gathering, and she had decided to go.

Julia was also close friends with Layla. If Layla attended, Hesty planned to ask her to help arrange a meeting with Theodore.

“Hesty! It’s been forever!”

The moment Hesty entered the room, Julia rushed over and wrapped her in a tight hug.

“Have you been doing well? Hmm? You seem even prettier than before!”

“Oh my, you’re right. Hesty, are you dating someone?”

“You look positively radiant.”

As her friends all chimed in with compliments about her appearance, Hesty shyly fiddled with her fingers.

It was all thanks to Elisia.

“Miss, this lipstick suits you.”

“Oh, right. What dress are you planning to wear? I’ll choose one for you.”

When Elisia heard that Hesty was going to see her friends after such a long time, she had bustled in and out of Hesty’s room since early morning.

Since she had already cut Hesty’s bangs, she insisted on making her look as beautiful as possible before sending her out.

Only after achieving a result she found satisfactory did Elisia finally let her leave.

I ended up arriving a little late because of that… but at least everyone says I look pretty.

Sitting beside Julia, Hesty chatted with her friends.

Although she had been absent from society for quite some time and couldn’t contribute much to discussions about the latest rumors and trends, she still enjoyed herself immensely.

I shouldn’t have locked myself in my room all this time.

Then suddenly—

“Oh right, Hesty. How’s that woman these days?”

“That woman?”

“Elisia, of course!”

At gatherings like this, nothing was more entertaining than gossiping about someone else.

Once Julia opened the topic, the other girls eagerly joined in and began talking about Elisia.

They were simply trying to make their long-absent friend feel included.

Since Hesty wasn’t contributing much to the conversations, they assumed criticizing Elisia—the woman Hesty supposedly hated—would liven the atmosphere.

After all, that was how things usually went.

“Has she been quiet at home lately? Hopefully she’s not causing trouble again.”

“Hesty, the story about you tripping her was absolutely hilarious. With her height, she must have fallen so awkwardly. Ah, I wish I’d seen it!”

“Ah…”

Normally, Hesty would have laughed and clapped along.

But for some reason, she no longer felt like insulting Elisia.

She was wearing makeup Elisia had chosen, sporting bangs Elisia had cut, and dressed in a gown Elisia had selected.

After receiving compliments all day because of those things, criticizing Elisia now felt strangely uncomfortable.

“She’s just… living quietly.”

Hesty’s slow response immediately dampened the atmosphere.

Her friends exchanged confused glances.

Their expressions practically screamed:

“What’s gotten into Hesty?”

“Oh, right. Layla. How is Theodore doing these days?”

At Theodore’s name, Hesty immediately looked up.

Since when did Julia become close to Theodore?

As far as she knew, the two had never been particularly acquainted.

In fact, Julia and Layla had only become friends because Claudia—another member of their gathering—had introduced them.

They were actually among the newest additions to the group.

So when did she start calling him “older brother”…?

A strange feeling crept over Hesty as she listened to Julia ask about Theodore.

“Same as always. He studies at home most of the time. Ah, though he occasionally goes out to see friends.”

“What about the letter I sent?”

“Oh, that. He asked me to tell you it was all a misunderstanding. He said he never meant it that way.”

Layla laughed.

“I hate to say it myself, but my brother is pretty handsome, isn’t he? Noble ladies keep misunderstanding his intentions and throwing themselves at him.”

“I knew it! It was all a misunderstanding!”

Once again, Hesty found herself left out of the conversation.

She couldn’t understand what Julia and Layla were talking about.

Why was Julia saying she had misunderstood Theodore?

And why was Layla reassuring her?

Something felt wrong.

“Girls, what are you talking about? What happened with Theodore?”

“Oh, right! Hesty, I should have told you first!”

Julia cupped her cheeks with both hands and twisted shyly in her seat.

Then she announced, blushing:

“I’m dating Theodore.”

“…What?”

Dating?

What did that mean?

For a moment, Hesty wondered if she had heard wrong.

“When I say dating, I mean…”

“We’re officially together!”

“Eeeee! I’m blushing just hearing it!”

At Julia’s declaration, the girls sitting around the table erupted into delighted squeals.

“You know Camellia, right, Hesty? Turns out she’s such a sly little fox.”

Julia huffed.

“I caught her clinging to Theodore when they weren’t even involved. Theodore was only trying to help her stand, but she completely misunderstood!”

A high-pitched ringing filled Hesty’s ears.

A sly little fox…

Hearing those words, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Then what about all the letters we exchanged?

Why did he hold my hand?

And the kiss…?

Theodore had always insisted that their relationship remain secret.

He claimed that his friends from theological studies would tease him.

He said he didn’t care if people gossiped about his own name, but he absolutely couldn’t stand hearing Hesty’s name dragged through rumors.

Because of that, Hesty had never told Julia—or even Layla, Theodore’s own sister—that she and Theodore shared a special relationship.

True, Theodore had never explicitly said,

“We’re dating.”

But ordinary friends didn’t exchange over thirty letters.

Ordinary friends didn’t hold hands.

Ordinary friends certainly didn’t kiss.

Hesty had believed those things alone were enough of an answer.

“Brother specifically told me to make sure nobody misunderstood,” Layla said warmly while holding Julia’s hand.

Her golden eyes, identical to Theodore’s, glowed sweetly like honey.

Hesty couldn’t bear to look at them.

She turned away.

“Since when?”

Instead, she asked Julia.

“Since when have you been together?”

Julia took a bite of a cookie and smiled brightly.

“We started exchanging letters last year, and we’ve been dating for six months!”

Then she added apologetically,

“Sorry, Hesty. I wanted to tell you too, but you never came to any social gatherings…”

Six months.

Six months?

Hesty clenched her trembling hands into fists.

Just one month ago, she had still been exchanging affectionate letters with Theodore.

His replies had gradually become shorter.

He took longer and longer to respond.

But she had accepted his explanation that he was simply busy.

So this is what he was busy with.

Dating Julia.

“I… I should go.”

“What? Already?”

“Sorry. I have a headache…”

Hesty hurriedly rose from her seat and left the salon.

If she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to say a single word.

Listening silently to Julia’s love story felt worse than plunging her face into a river.

“That man is seeing two women at once.”

She never imagined the other woman would be her own best friend.

Hesty’s world turned gray.

Staggering down the corridor, she suddenly collided with a servant carrying a stack of dishes.

Crash!

The precariously balanced plates toppled over her.

Food and sauce splattered everywhere, staining the light green dress Elisia had carefully chosen for her.

Several plates struck the floor and shattered into countless pieces with sharp, explosive cracks.