Chapter 41 of the side story. I need you
2023.01.03.
Mari glanced sideways at Sianna, who was looking out the window.
The scenery outside the window was a clear summer with lush greenery, but Siana’s expression had a shadowy corner like winter.
Mary’s heart became depressed at the gloomy appearance of the young lady who was as beautiful as spring.
“miss. Are you okay?”
“huh? what?”
“Oh no…”
Not wanting to upset Sianna’s heart, Marie chose to keep her mouth shut.
On that day when the rain was pouring down hard, Siana definitely changed after learning the secret of her lover.
He handles his usual schedule well and eats well, but somehow it seemed empty.
In fact, it was painful to watch even more as it contrasted with the bright side of Sianna when she met the knight who was the emperor.
‘The young lady must be working hard too.’
When Mari glanced at Shiana, she smiled lightly and raised her head.
“If you want to stay in the capital, you can stay, Marie.”
“No, lady. I have to go too.”
“You didn’t look at me because you wanted to say you wanted to stay, did you?”
“miss! What the hell are you looking at me for!”
Seeing Marie jumping up and down, Shiana thought about it.
He came up to the capital to attend the emperor’s birthday banquet, but in the end, he couldn’t attend any party.
Belatedly, invitations to various families’ parties arrived, but she did not want to go.
So I decided to tell my father and go back to the Gardenia estate.
‘A place with no memories with Evan.’
okay. It was an escape.
If he stayed here, even the smallest things always flowed into his thoughts about Evan.
Like one summer night in this bedroom when I was so excited to fall asleep on the day I came back from a date with him.
Even if you go back to the territory, things won’t get better right away. But it will become less and less frequent and one day you will stop thinking about him.
‘That’s enough.’
really?
Someone kept asking questions in her mind, but Sianna turned her back.
It was already burdensome just to pretend that nothing was wrong.
Just then, the attendant knocked on Siana’s bedroom door.
“miss. Lady Donovan has sent you a letter.”
“A Pacifica…?”
My heart was beating anxiously. Sianna carefully unfolded the letter.
***
It was my first visit since the day I left after making a one-sided promise not to betray you.
Ciana, very nervous, sat facing Pacifica. The first to get lucky was Pacifica.
“Your face is very damaged.”
“I guess it’s because I couldn’t sleep last night.”
“You look deeply troubled.”
“…yes.”
Silence fell between the two of them. Siana stared at the surface of the tea water.
It was unbearably awkward, but I didn’t know what to say.
‘The story is already over…’
I thought it was concluded that I would not see Esteban anymore. Is there anything more to say about him?
The moment Cianna glanced up, her eyes met Pacifica, who had been watching her all along.
“Siana.”
“…yes!”
“I called because I have something I want to show you.”
Pacifica pushed one of the paper envelopes on the table in front of Cyana.
“What is this?”
“You will know when you see it.”
Siana’s heart was strangely agitated. With nervous hands, she opened the envelope and took out the papers.
it was a contract.
I wasn’t sure if he really meant to see this, so when I looked at Pacifica again, she nodded in silence.
Shiana slowly handed over the contract and took in the contents.
“…!”
The contract contained unbelievable information.
A contract that begins with the content that A and B will continue their marital relationship according to their mutual interests.
Below that, each of the provisions to be followed were written at length.
Esteban guarantees Pacifica’s safety and freedom of action.
Pacifica gives birth to an heir to Esteban.
Shiana, who had been reading the contract, which had a lot of details written on it, looked up.
“This is…”
“It is a prenuptial agreement between Your Majesty and me.”
“A prenuptial agreement.”
Esteban and Pasifika’s marriage was known to be an arranged marriage made with the promise of the former emperor and Duke Donovan.
I thought that Siana was also like that…
“His Majesty the Emperor and my father never made a promise to marry. These are all false rumors spread to deceive the eye.”
“….”
“The national marriage with His Majesty means that it was a contractual marriage to satisfy each other’s interests.”
Still, Pacifica’s demeanor was calm and plain. She added a word as she took care of the contract that Shiana had put down helplessly.
“It is an emotionless transaction. So, whatever you choose, it has nothing to do with me.”
Shiana thought that her deliberately harsh words were also extremely warm and considerate.
She silently bowed her head, deep in thought.
‘Is Pacifica really good?’
No matter how entangled in the contract, the two people lived as a couple. Moreover, the two of them also had a child.
Shiana had neither the courage nor the intention to step into that position.
“I hope you make a choice that will make you happy.”
At Pacifica’s last words, Cyana laughed out of habit.
***
Purreung-.
I heard a horse gurgling. Shiana, who had been lost in thought, was startled as if waking up from sleep.
‘that’s right. It was the day I went to the manor.’
Today was the day Shiana left for the territory.
The Marquis of Gardenia was carefully checking the preparations for going to the manor.
“The road in the middle is rough, so don’t forget to drive carefully.”
“Okay, Master. Hold on tight.”
“If you’re tired, take a rest in a nearby village right away.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Seeing the Marquis of Gardenia, who was only worried about herself today, Siana smiled as if she was embarrassed.
The coachman seemed accustomed to answering the Marquis’s concerns in detail.
After roughly feigning concern and nagging, the Marquis of Gardenia knocked on the window of the wagon in which Cyana was riding.
“I’m sorry, Siana. I wanted to go down with you.”
“Are you very busy with work?”
“no no. It was because the atmosphere of the fortress was unusual. I can’t be away for a long time.”
At those words, Shiana’s expression hardened for a moment, but the Marquis, who was looking elsewhere, couldn’t see her face.
“…How is the atmosphere in the imperial castle?”
“His Majesty’s heart is very uncomfortable. You’ve been sharper lately. It’s not the mood to get permission to be absent at all.”
“Your Majesty?”
“okay. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like you’re not getting enough sleep. He said he skipped meals.”
“…fool.”
The Marquis of Gardenia looked back at her daughter, doubting her ears.
“What did you say?”
“it’s nothing.”
“okay. Let’s leave now.”
It was when the Marquis of Gardenia, who reached into the carriage window and stroked Cyana’s head, was walking towards the coachman.
“miss?!”
Didn’t Cianna suddenly get off the wagon and head somewhere?
Surprised, the Marquis of Gardenia grabbed Cyana, but she carefully removed her hand.
“Wait a minute, Father!”
“baby!”
Cyana ran with the Marquis of Gardenia on her back. I ran and ran so much that I couldn’t breathe.
Still didn’t stop.
After exiting the main gate of the mansion, I ran without hesitation along the fence surrounding the mansion.
It was when he reached the wall with the hole where he first encountered Esteban.
“…!”
Like a lie, the man appeared before her eyes. Hurrying to stop the dark horse… Evan.
“…Siana!”
In an instant, tears welled up in Sianna’s eyes.
‘I couldn’t forget it.’
He worked hard to erase the traces.
But I couldn’t.
Rather, it would have become a deep imprint rather than replaying it in my head.
A man who was more emaciated than Evan in his memories was in front of him.
Esteban was also surprised by the sudden appearance of Siana.
After hearing that Pacifica and Cyana had met, Esteban listened to Gustav’s advice to give Siana some time and waited in silence.
While suppressing the desire to invade the mansion of the Marquis of Gardenia at any moment.
But the price of waiting was the miserable feeling of being abandoned.
“your majesty. Lady Gardenia is leaving for the manor today.”
Hearing the report from Gustav, who hastily rushed over, he left the imperial castle and rode his horse like a madman.
I was already insane.
He gritted his teeth and glared at his piercing eyes. Luminous possessiveness and obsession took precedence.
I waited unlike myself. It may not have been like that in the first place.
It will prevent you from running away.
He thought that if Cyana had already left, he would chase after her, block her way, and bring her back.
However, Esteban had never assumed that Cyana would appear in front of him.
Esteban jumped off the horse and stood in front of the woman he had been longing for.
‘Could it be my dream?’
Esteban raised his hand to touch Siana’s cheek and hurriedly withdrew it.
If this was really a dream, I was afraid that if I touched her, this bitterly sweet dream would wake up.
Siana was struggling to catch her breath with tears running down her face.
Seeing the crying Siana in his eyes felt like his heart was being torn to pieces.
“Why are you crying?”
“Hey…”
“Why are you crying? As you left me.”
He spat out the words as if he was resentful, but actually, Shiana was not resentful at all.
Because what you should hate is your sheer double-headed self.
It was only when he faced the tear-stained amber eyes that Esteban realized that this situation was real.
“Siana.”
Esteban’s hands gripped Siana’s shoulders.
“Siana.”
It was really Siana. She was right in front of him.
Each time, he said while calculating how to make Shiana happy. But now I couldn’t think of anything like that.
“I don’t care if I get pointed at as trash. Even after all that, I…”
Their eyes met.
“I need you.”
Esteban confessed his sincerity while looking up at his face with a surprised expression.
“Siana. Jim loves you… madly.”
No, maybe I’ve already gone crazy.
“love you.”
“…”
“…I love you.”
Esteban kept whispering his love.
I can’t dare to say I love you. If I wished that much, I might really run away from Shiana.
Hearing that heartbreaking confession, Sianna looked up at Esteban’s teary-eyed face.
‘Why is your face so damaged?’
I thought it would be okay because I was always a laid-back person. So, we wished each other goodbye and were going to leave.
However, after hearing the words of the Marquis of Gardenia that His Majesty’s condition was not serious, she could not leave at all.
Concerned…
Siana stared at the man’s hand, who was looking at her pitifully. If you hold this hand, there is no turning back now.
This guilt will never be relieved.
Shiana though.
“Evan.”
“…Siana.”
“I want to be with you too.”
She decided to take this big hand.
“…I love you, Evan.”
Because I couldn’t hold back this feeling any longer.
“thank you. Thank you, Sianna…”
Esteban kissed Cyanna’s tear-stained cheek incessantly.
The pieces of the two people’s hearts that were out of sync were finally put together.
***
And there was someone watching the scene.
“…what is this?”
The Marquis of Gardenia, who had followed to find Sianna, who had suddenly run out, was struck by lightning.
I doubted my eyes for a moment at that figure that I couldn’t even open my eyes and see. But it was an undeniable fact.
‘My daughter…with that stupid emperor?’
At that moment, the strange sense of incongruity felt at the emperor’s birthday party revived.
“Isn’t Cyana bothering you?”
“yes?”
The reaction of Pacifica Donovan, who asked back as if he did not know what he was talking about.
“I can’t see your daughter-in-law.”
And even the strange attitude of the emperor who was curious about Siana’s whereabouts even though he had no one to know.
At last, the question was resolved.
The Marquis of Gardenia widened her eyes.
“no way!”
The Marquis of Gardenia’s angry voice resounded.
It was the moment when another adversity unfolded in front of Esteban, who had finally returned Siana’s heart.
