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Chapter 07
“Up until now she’s always been so arrogant, but now she’s watching my every expression. I felt so relieved!”
Ena vented her frustration about Clara using rather coarse language. She had long since abandoned any sense of noble decorum.
“Dul supposedly invited Kaiden Verder to the wedding?”
“Mother, that’s—”
“Good, Chloe. Go there and flatten those two shameless people’s arrogance. And if you happen to remarry while you’re at it, even better.”
Ena was already talking about Chloe and Kaiden’s future.
The wedding venue, the honeymoon mansion, how many children they would have…
Chloe should have stopped her. She should have clarified that none of that was true. But seeing how happy her mother was, the words wouldn’t come easily. And truthfully, Chloe herself had long wanted to humble the infuriating Melvin and Dul.
But I have to say it.
From here on, she would no longer be involved with Kaiden Verder.
“Mother, actually—”
Just as Chloe finally gathered the courage to speak—
“Miss Chloe, a carriage has arrived for you.”
“A carriage?”
Confusion crossed Chloe’s face. No one was expected.
“Um… judging by the emblem, it appears to be from House Verder.”
“What?”
“And they said they’ve come to escort you…”
Chloe didn’t even wait for the rest of the sentence and sprinted out of the study.
Outside, a sleek black carriage drawn by two powerful horses stood in front of the estate. The eagle crest engraved on the side was unmistakably that of House Verder.
“Why…?”
As Chloe staggered back, the carriage door clicked open.
A long, elegant leg stepped out, followed by Kaiden, dressed in a dark formal suit.
“Ah…”
Gasps rose from the surrounding servants. With his black hair neatly slicked back and a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, Kaiden looked breathtakingly refined.
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed politely—perfect aristocratic etiquette.
“I apologize for coming without notice. I had urgent matters to discuss and took the liberty of visiting.”
“I told you before. I have nothing more to say to you.”
Not only Kaiden, but also the servants watching curiously, all made Chloe feel suffocated. She was exhausted and wanted him gone immediately.
But, as always, things did not go the way she wanted.
“Chloe, how can you leave a guest standing outside? Hurry and bring him in.”
“…He’s not a guest. He’ll leave soon, so don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t be like that. A man who came all this way deserves some courtesy.”
“Mother, it’s not like that.”
To Ena, it looked like a lovers’ quarrel.
“That won’t do. If he came all the way here, you should show sincerity.”
“….”
Chloe was speechless as her mother continued cheerfully. No matter how many times she denied it, Ena didn’t seem to hear a word.
I’m going insane.
Servants surrounded them with interest. Her mother was visibly excited. And—
“….”
Even Clara, her mother’s sworn enemy, was watching from the second-floor window.
“Ha… fine. Let’s move somewhere else to talk.”
“Good decision.”
In the end, Chloe had no choice but to accept Kaiden’s escort and get into the carriage.
* * *
Kaiden brought her to a quiet café on the outskirts of the capital. It catered to high-ranking nobles, making it both luxurious and private.
“First, I’ll return the dress.”
“It’s fine. You’re quite stubborn, Chloe.”
“It’s not stubbornness. I just don’t want anything to do with you.”
She placed the box containing the dress on the table, clearly irritated.
“So, why did you come to my estate?”
Chloe had assumed he came to apologize. Anyone with common sense would feel at least some remorse for dragging her into something as absurd as marriage.
But she had forgotten something important.
Kaiden Verder was not a man of common sense.
“I came to make a formal proposal.”
“A… proposal?”
“Yes. Marriage.”
“Pff—!”
Chloe spat out her tea in shock. The unfortunate target was Kaiden sitting opposite her.
Chloe quickly grabbed napkins and shoved them toward him.
“S-sorry!”
“It’s fine.”
Even as he said that, Kaiden’s eye twitched slightly.
“So why would you suddenly say something like that? Marriage? You can’t just say something ridiculous like that out of nowhere.”
He spoke as casually as if suggesting dinner.
Kaiden wiped his face with a napkin.
“I understand I didn’t explain properly last time. I also didn’t consider your position. So this time, I came prepared with a proper explanation before formally proposing.”
“So… marriage?”
“Yes.”
“…Ha.”
Chloe rubbed her forehead as Kaiden nodded firmly.
She had been angry not just because he failed to explain. It was the fact that he treated marriage like a tool, and ignored her circumstances after her previous failed marriage.
“That’s not the issue here.”
“You weren’t angry because I didn’t explain properly?”
“That too—but more importantly, you inserted me into your situation without respecting my circumstances or will.”
“I see.”
Kaiden casually crumpled the wet napkin and placed it aside.
“So this time, I came fully prepared to respect your circumstances and your will. With a proper explanation included.”
“….”
Where exactly did this go wrong?
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. It was difficult to argue with a man like him.
“You’ll find this isn’t a bad proposal. It benefits both of us.”
“…Fine. Let’s hear how ‘proper’ your explanation is.”
She gave up thinking. She would just listen.
Kaiden began.
“I have two half-brothers. Normally, as the legitimate heir, I should inherit the title—but as you know, neither of them intends to yield easily.”
“I know.”
In House Verder, the former Duchess had been childless for five years after marriage. The Duke, impatient for an heir, took a second wife—now a forbidden practice. Fortunately, it was abolished after she gave birth to a son.
The second wife became favored by the Duke, and the original Duchess, after more than a decade of effort, finally gave birth to Kaiden.
But the second wife later bore another son, and the power struggle within the family only intensified.
Kaiden had to fight for his position as heir, despite being legitimate. The ten-year head start of his half-brothers made it difficult to overcome their factional power.
And the Duke himself enjoyed watching the succession battle like entertainment.
This was all something Chloe already knew.
“I’ve always had things taken from me. I never thought even my bride would be taken.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Yes. Exactly.”
Kaiden set down his teacup with a sharp click.
“My former fiancée is marrying my elder brother. At the same hotel where we met.”
Chloe’s eyes widened, trembling with disbelief.
She knew aristocratic life wasn’t beautiful—but she hadn’t expected another dysfunctional family that rivaled her own.
