🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter : 07
A sigh escaped Raiden’s lips. He had finally moved his mother to a new resting place, but now the grave was muddy again. It felt like nothing could be peaceful until everything was truly over.
‘If I’d buried her in a family tomb, she wouldn’t be getting rained on like this.’
But he had a reason not to do that.
‘She hated small, closed spaces. She would have said to leave her in the mountains instead.’
Raiden smiled a little without meaning to, but clenched his jaw tightly.
“Thinking about the past is only for today.”
Now, it was time for revenge.
A week passed. In that time, everything got worse. The estate manager was still missing, and rumors spread everywhere that the Evercline family was out of money.
Her father, John, who always talked about taking responsibility, now locked himself in a villa near the capital, angry that he had been kicked out of the mansion.
Anna was full of determination to do something, but as a young lady, there was nothing she could really do.
“I really don’t feel like this, Edward.”
Anna spoke stiffly as she walked up the main stairs of the Queen Eleanor Opera House. Edward, worried about her, had forced her to come out because he couldn’t stand seeing her so sad.
Lucy was excited and had dressed Anna up carefully. As a result, Anna looked so beautiful that everyone admired her.
“Are you trying to take away people’s chance to see a beautiful lady lost in thought?” Edward grinned, looking proud of her. She knew he was trying to cheer her up, but she just felt more annoyed.
But as soon as she stepped onto the second floor, she changed her mind.
‘I needed to meet him anyway.’
Today, she planned to tell Edward that Raiden had returned, so their fake engagement should end.
“Lady Evercline, Baron Raven. Please come in.”
An usher opened the door to the box seats owned by the Haimel family. Anna and Edward sat down in the velvet chairs. Edward took two glasses of champagne from the usher and handed one to Anna. She took a sip and put her glass down.
“Edward, I have something to say.”
Once the usher left and they were alone, Anna brought it up.
“What is it?” Edward asked happily. Anna looked at his bright face and chose her words carefully, but no matter how she said it, she would feel sorry—so she spoke directly.
“Raiden has come back.”
“…Ah.”
Edward’s smile faded and his face became blank. Anna, seeing his reaction, added,
“You must have heard too. He’s called Marquis Marcus now. I guess he turned out to be a distant relative and inherited the title.”
“…”
Edward thought quietly, then ran a hand over his mouth and muttered, “I… I didn’t realize…”
“What?” Anna tilted her head, but Edward quickly changed his face.
“It’s nothing. So, what are you going to do now?”
“…I don’t really know yet.”
Anna nervously rubbed her skirt with her fingers. She remembered how Raiden had promised to visit after meeting her at Somerset House. But it had been a whole week, and there was still no word from him.
Edward watched her face and asked carefully, “What did he say? Did he ask to marry you right away?”
Anna bit her lip and shook her head.
“No… he didn’t.”
“Hm.”
Edward scratched his eyebrow and looked worried.
“It’s not nice to say, but… a lot of time has passed. Maybe… he doesn’t feel the same as you do?”
Anna’s heart dropped. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know anything about Raiden except that he was now Marquis Marcus.
She was silent for a moment, then spoke at last.
“But… he did call me his bride.”
Edward started to say something, but closed his mouth again and just mumbled, “I see.” He looked like someone pretending to agree with a child just to be kind, which made Anna feel even worse.
To change the heavy mood, Edward looked around and pointed across the theater.
“Looks like it finally sold.”
“What did?”
Glad for a new subject, Anna quickly asked. Edward pointed.
“The box seats that used to belong to Baron Marvin. I heard they sold at the highest price ever. Looks like someone bought them.”
Anna turned her head and saw a well-dressed man sitting a woman in a fancy dress in the seat.
“Huh?”
A surprised sound came from Anna’s mouth. The man was Raiden.
Who is that woman? Anna stared at them, her face stiff. Raiden and the mysterious woman leaned close, talking quietly together. They looked so close that Anna couldn’t help squeezing the armrest of her chair.
“Hm.”
Edward glanced back and forth between Anna and the couple, looking amused. He whispered quietly,
“That lady is Amelia Masden, a famous actress. There are rumors she’s in a secret relationship with some nobleman.”
“…Secret relationship…”
Anna’s face turned pale. Just then, Raiden looked across at Anna. Their eyes met.
When the show ended, people stood up and cheered, but Anna got up slowly, her mind blank. The actress’s singing was supposed to be amazing, but Anna couldn’t remember any of it. Her head was full of thoughts about Raiden and Amelia Masden.
“Anna, are you okay?” Edward asked, worried. Anna forced a painted smile and nodded, but it was a lie. She wasn’t okay at all.
What’s the relationship between those two? She couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Raiden and the actress didn’t pay attention to the performance. They kept talking and laughing together. Each time, Anna’s heart burned with jealousy.
“Here, drink this. Your face is blue.”
Anna snatched the champagne Edward handed her and drank it all in one go. She wiped her mouth with her hand and sighed. Edward took her empty glass and supported her as she stood up.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
Anna didn’t answer, but glanced across the theater. Raiden and Amelia Masden’s box was empty—they had already left. Anna lowered her head and let Edward escort her down the stairs to the main hall.
Just then, they saw a crowd gathering outside the main entrance.
“What’s going on?”
Edward and Anna wondered and stepped outside. They saw reporters and theatergoers surrounding a couple. The pair, clinging to each other like passionate lovers, were Raiden and Amelia Masden.
“!”
Anna stopped walking. She stared at their backs, unable to move. Edward whispered in her ear,
“Anna, you don’t look well. Are you still up for going to the restaurant we reserved?”
“…Ah.”
Anna suddenly remembered their dinner plans. She wondered what to do and looked back at Raiden and Amelia. At that moment, Raiden turned and looked at Anna. Their eyes met. Then, Raiden leaned over and kissed the actress on the cheek.
“Wow!”
Cheers erupted all around them. Edward even whistled like an actor in a play. Anna shut her eyes tight.
“No… I don’t want to go today.”
Edward clicked his tongue but agreed.
“Yeah, I think that’s best. Come on, I’ll take you home.”
“Thank you,” Anna whispered honestly. She felt like she might throw up. All she had in her stomach was champagne, and she didn’t want to eat anything.
“…”
Edward glanced somewhere and then gently put his arm around Anna’s shoulders, hugging her close. He whispered sweetly,
“What? I’m your fiancé, remember?”
Anna snapped to attention at his words.
I have to tell Raiden that my engagement is fake… She had planned to tell him if he came to the house, but he never showed up. In truth, she’d been so busy with family matters and worrying about why he hadn’t come that she hadn’t sent a letter either.
Should I have told him sooner…?
Just then, Anna felt a strong, tingling gaze. She looked up in surprise and locked eyes with Raiden.
“!”
His cold eyes and blank, unreadable face were something she had never seen before. A chill ran down Anna’s back, and she unconsciously gripped Edward’s hand tighter.
Edward, surprised, raised his voice.
“You don’t look well, Anna. You look like you might faint any second!”
“…”
As he gently brushed her cheek with his hand, there was a loud ‘pop!’—a camera flash went off.
