Episode 2. The Fiancée-to-Be

‘Melosi Bailey…?’

Brienne’s heart dropped. As if possessed, she took the newspaper and began devouring the letters with her eyes. Reading the same article over and over. Again and again. But she still couldn’t believe it.

“Kaiden got engaged, what do you mean by that…? Brienne, it can’t be true, right? You said he never mentioned anything like that to you.”

“……”

“Hm? Brienne…!”

Olivia, who had come up beside her frozen daughter, shook her by the shoulder. Brienne stared at the final line of the article she had read countless times and barely managed to open her trembling lips.

“…Mother, please calm down. There must be some misunderstanding.”

Kaiden, who had rejected every single marriage proposal until now, got engaged after three years of dating?

And with Melosi Bailey, of all people?

It was so absurd, it wasn’t even funny.

This level of shock should have been laughable, but it all felt so unreal it was like a dream.

“A misunderstanding? Even after seeing the interview he gave himself? That bastard’s been playing with you this whole time. How can you still…!”

Shiloh, his face red with frustration, snatched the newspaper and crumpled it. The fact that Brienne Ford had a crush on Kaiden Bannon was already widely known among the nobility of Rontiano. Because of that one thing, the only men around her had been her father and her brother.

“Shiloh, calm down too, this is…”

Brienne bit her lip as if to deny that truth. But denying it wouldn’t make the article she had just read go away. What on earth was going on? Brienne couldn’t bring herself to accept the situation.

Wasn’t she just drinking tea with Kaiden in her room yesterday? For a grown noblewoman to invite a man into her room wasn’t a simple social gesture. And there was no way Kaiden didn’t know that.

She had thought he simply wasn’t ready yet…

But if this was really true?

“No… it must be a misunderstanding. It has to be. Kaiden wouldn’t do this without even saying a word to me.”

She tried to calm her breathing, but her voice trembled uncontrollably. She had never imagined a scenario like this.

“Ha, if you really believe that, then go confront him. Go and say something, anything!”

Unable to understand his sister’s reaction, Shiloh raised his voice. But Brienne stood still like a stone. Shiloh, looking angry, grabbed her arm tightly.

“Brienne, let’s go. I’ll go with you, so let’s go right now and…”

The moment Shiloh spoke, tears fell from Brienne’s light green eyes.

Startled, Shiloh quickly loosened his grip.

“Hey, are you… are you okay?”

But Brienne gave no response, no reaction—she just cried.

The pain was so overwhelming, as if her heart had been ripped apart by the years she had loved Kaiden, that she couldn’t even make a sound.

Just like Shiloh had said, she wanted to confront him, but with what right?

…What was someone like me supposed to be, anyway?

Now Kaiden’s actions—drawing clear lines every time things seemed to get closer—flashed before her eyes. Kaiden, who would always retreat the moment they seemed even a little closer.

Well, hadn’t he said from the beginning he would never date a friend?

He had never left room for hope. The one who misunderstood on her own was Brienne. That’s why, unlike her brother or mother, she couldn’t blame him so easily.

Brienne Ford was Kaiden Bannon’s long-time friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

“M-Mother, I just… for a moment…”

Her vision, blurred by tears, swayed.

The moment the thought struck her that her feelings must have been a burden to him, a wave of nausea followed. Brienne held her breath and clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Oh, Brienne!”

Olivia, startled, caught the swaying Brienne.

“Shiloh…! Go get Marie, quickly!”

***

From the day she first met Kaiden until now, Brienne Ford’s world had revolved around him and him alone.

Wherever Kaiden went, Brienne was always there. Whatever Kaiden liked, Brienne liked too. Her eyes always followed Kaiden, and her steps were always behind his.

Looking back, even though she knew she should have hidden her feelings, she couldn’t. Brienne was never good at hiding her emotions.

All the pretentious smiles and empty formalities. In high society, where honesty was often met with ridicule, Brienne always felt like she was wearing clothes that didn’t fit. Many approached her for her family name, but Brienne always found their false interest uncomfortable.

Why did everyone want to deceive others? The world she read about in books wasn’t like this.

Having been sickly as a child, Brienne spent most of her time indoors and wasn’t used to aristocratic speech. Eventually, she began isolating herself. The only one who consistently looked after her was Kaiden. Outside of her family, he was the only person she could rely on.

And when she found out her parents had also been childhood friends—

It was only natural that she started dreaming of a future with Kaiden. How wonderful it would be to marry him, just like her mother and father. The idea of being a couple who grew up together always made Brienne’s heart flutter.

Living like that, she came to believe that it wouldn’t be long before marriage talks would begin between her family and the Bannon dukedom.

But.

Today, Brienne’s dream had completely shattered.

‘How… could this happen?’

With her face buried in a washbasin, Brienne lifted her head and wiped her mouth. Her golden hair clung messily to her flushed face.

Her stomach, now emptied, burned as if scorched.

If only letting go of her feelings could be as simple. She resented how stubbornly persistent her heart was, just like the hair stuck to her cheek.

Would this wretched one-sided love ever come to an end?

She felt betrayed by Kaiden’s lie, but at the same time, she felt sorry. Just how much of a burden must she have been? How hard must it have been for him to bring it up…

For him to say nothing about the engagement until now.

At this point, she didn’t care about Shiloh’s welcome party; she just wanted to shut herself away somewhere. The thought of how she had clung to Kaiden for the past three years while he was dating Melosi without her knowing filled her with shame.

At that thought, Brienne’s cheeks grew damp. The tears she had barely held back spilled over again. She couldn’t cry anymore.

If she cried any more, it would truly be pathetic.

“Miss, are you alright…?”

Marie, who had been staying by her side, asked with a worried expression. Brienne shook her head faintly with a weak smile.

“…No, still not feeling well. I feel bad for Shiloh.”

She had been like this for over two hours already. The welcome party must have started long ago. Marie hugged Brienne with a heartbroken look.

“Please don’t say you’re sorry… The master, the madam, and the young master too, they’re all only worried about you. So don’t think about anything else and just rest for today. I’ll explain everything to Madam.”

“…Can I really do that?”

At that feeble question, Marie nodded. Brienne looked so fragile, like glass about to shatter.

“Of course. Everyone cares for you so much. Come, let’s go to your room.”

As she held out her hand, Brienne slowly got up, swaying. Marie supported her and carefully guided her up the stairs.

Each time the door to the banquet hall opened, the loud voices of the guests spilled out.

Lady Ford. Young Duke Bannon.

And… Lady Bailey.

‘Our poor young lady…’

She hoped the young miss wouldn’t be hurt by the things people were saying. Marie lowered her gaze, her eyes now damp, and sighed quietly.

The young lady’s wretched one-sided love was coming to an end. Kaiden Bannon was the absolute worst kind of bastard.

***

“The whole world is talking about your engagement. Brienne Ford must be crying quite a bit, huh?”

A man with dazzling silver hair, as if woven from thread, lifted his teacup with a light laugh. Kaiden, sitting across from him, frowned slightly.

“There are still a few hours left before your welcome party starts. You came running to me the moment you got back, and the first thing you talk about is my engagement? What’s your angle?”

“What angle? I really just came to see your face. I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of expression my dear friend would have after giving an interview about an engagement he doesn’t even want.”

“…Hereis Belif.”

“Well, at least you’re not sobbing like before. That was entertaining in its own way, but this is better.”

“Enough with the jokes. I’m not in the mood.”

“What, did I say anything wrong? What about Lady Ford?”

Hereis shrugged lightly, as if he meant no harm. Kaiden let out a sigh, as though nursing a headache.

“Brienne is… just a friend, after all.”

“Ah, ‘friend’?”

Hereis let out a quiet laugh and exaggerated the word. His tone, unusually sharp for him, somehow sounded angry. There was no way Kaiden didn’t notice the clear shift. After all, he and Hereis Belif had grown up together like brothers.

Kaiden, who had been staring down at the tea leaves, finally looked up at Hereis.

“…Yeah, a friend like us.”

“Hmm? Doesn’t seem like she sees it that way.”

As if waiting for their eyes to meet, Hereis whispered teasingly, drawing out the rhythm.

“Lady Ford likes you.”

That radiant smile of his was almost divine. If one judged him by looks alone, he fit the nickname people gave him—an angel too pure to harbor a shred of malice.

Kaiden involuntarily furrowed his brow. Unwanted attention always felt unpleasant. Every word out of the mouth of the guy who had barged in and started poking around was irritating.

“Even if that’s true, what does it have to do with you?”

Hadn’t it all been resolved without issue?

He believed he had done his best and had no reason to be criticized like this. Every time Brienne took a step closer, he had stepped two paces back.

“What does it have to do with me?”

Wearing a mischievous smile, Hereis tapped his finger on the table. Then, with silky ease, the words slipped from his lips.

“If you still have lingering feelings for my fiancée-to-be, that would be a problem.”