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chapter 33
“I don’t care about what those people think. Right now, the most important thing is what you’ve done.”
“What I’ve done? You’ve been randomly grabbing people and saying weird things. What on earth have I done?”
“What do you mean, what you’ve done! You’re the one who caused this situation! I saw it clearly. You and the event committee members were wandering around the garden just now!”
Bianca’s eyebrows twitched.
“Hiding the crystal ball among the bushes instead of setting up fireworks—I didn’t notice?”
“You caused this whole mess with just that…?”
“Just that? Then why hasn’t the fireworks show started yet? You told everyone it would happen, didn’t you? Actually, the fireworks were a lie, and you made this situation just to put Lucia in an awkward position, didn’t you?”
Arista, unable to contain her anger, shouted, and Bianca’s words spread around.
“Now that I think about it… the sky is calm.”
“That’s right. They said there would be fireworks, but then suddenly we hear Lucia’s voice.”
People who had been silent until now began pointing out suspicious things, one by one.
Seeing public opinion starting to shift slightly, Bianca bit her lips.
“Hah, why are you blaming me for Lucia confessing to Herwin on her own? When did I ever tell Lucia to confess in front of everyone? Why are you targeting the wrong person!”
“Are you seriously saying that…!”
“Technically, it wasn’t a public confession.”
Arista’s outburst was interrupted as someone stepped in. Turning her head, she saw Herwin had entered alone.
The moment people saw him, they instinctively stepped back, clearing the way.
Everyone gazed at him with curiosity, but no one approached.
A faint red aura seemed to rise around Herwin’s arms.
“Herwin! Listen! Bianca is trying to mess with you and Lucia…!”
“Herwin! You’re not believing what that woman says, are you?”
Taking advantage of Arista’s weakened grip, Bianca shoved her aside and hurried toward Herwin.
Herwin looked down at Bianca with cold eyes.
The pressure on her shoulders made Bianca gulp.
“Me, making things difficult for you and Lucia? That doesn’t make sense. I’m your friend. Right?”
“……….”
“But still, Herwin, it’s a bit awkward. I didn’t expect Lucia to like you. To confess publicly in front of everyone… I was shocked too. If she’s going to confess, she should’ve done it where no one was watching…”
“You talk too much, Bianca Lawrence.”
“…Huh?”
Hearing her name come from his mouth, Bianca froze, her mouth agape in surprise.
“So you’ve been toying with Lucia all this time?”
“Toying…?”
Bianca staggered back, eyes trembling.
“You really thought I wouldn’t notice? You were the one who suddenly suggested we have my birthday party here at the mansion, and you guided me to the garden.”
“A suggestion?! I just passed along the message because the kids had already booked the mansion! And besides, you specifically said you wanted to go somewhere without people…!”
“But if you wanted a place without people, there were plenty of options besides this garden. And as if it were planned, Lucia was waiting for me there.”
“Lucia probably went there to avoid people just like you did!”
Herwin chuckled at Bianca’s frantic words.
“She’s the type who insists on attending class even when she’s sick. Do you think she’d recklessly enter a place marked ‘No Entry’?”
Indeed, Lucia would never have entered a restricted area. She was too disciplined to do such a thing.
As Bianca was caught off guard, Herwin lifted something from his left hand.
“And this.”
[And this.]
“It was hidden secretly next to the gazebo.”
[It was hidden secretly next to the gazebo.]
Herwin’s voice echoed through the hall, just like when Lucia confessed.
People realized his voice was transmitted through the crystal ball and gasped.
“If what Arista said is true… it looks like you orchestrated this entire situation.”
Despite his calm voice, Herwin’s left hand trembled as he gripped the crystal ball tightly.
Crack—!
The crystal ball cracked and shattered into pieces under his grip.
The red aura around his hand and the fragments flying everywhere made people step back one by one.
“If you thought I would let this slide, you’re mistaken.”
Bianca’s face turned pale under the murderous aura.
Herwin’s gaze, full of hostility, swept the surroundings.
“And this isn’t just about Bianca. I remember all those who mocked Lucia and me…”
People who had been chattering recklessly immediately swallowed their words.
“Brace yourselves.”
An oppressive silence engulfed the hall. Despite the many people, no one breathed.
Herwin scanned the crowd and spoke.
“Arista, Christine.”
“Uh, yes?”
“Go check on Lucia.”
Herwin’s cold voice softened slightly.
“She’s probably crying by now.”
Arista, staring blankly at Herwin, noticed blood dripping from his left hand amid the red aura.
Even though she knew she had to treat his hand, she couldn’t ignore the pleading look in his eyes.
“Got it, leave her to me.”
“Ah, understood!”
Arista passed by Herwin with a firm expression. Christine, with a confused look, glared at the frozen Bianca before finally following Arista.
“Ugh… Lucia, you stupid fool…!”
Lucia had fled to a filthy, unreachable storage room, crying silently.
Her carefully done makeup was ruined by tears.
She couldn’t stop crying.
At first, she was confused by the sudden situation. But before she could even understand what was happening, she realized it was all planned by one person whose eyes had met hers.
Bianca. She had been smiling at her, as if she had been waiting for this moment.
It was horrifying to realize that her closest friend had orchestrated all of this.
Lucia hated herself for believing Bianca’s words of support without doubt.
She could endure that Bianca wasn’t really her friend, that she had betrayed her.
But knowing that Herwin had ended up in a difficult situation because of her was unbearable.
She needed to go back and fix the situation herself, but her body wouldn’t move.
Biting her lower lip, she pounded her immobile legs.
“Move! Please, just move! Why won’t you listen to me too!”
Her silent cries echoed faintly. As her vision blurred again, Lucia buried her face in her knees.
“Lucia!”
Then, a familiar voice called out. She looked up to see two silhouettes through her blurred vision.
“Lucia, are you okay?”
“Why are you here alone like this?”
“Christine, Arista…”
Lucia, who usually brightened everyone’s day with her smile, had never looked so broken.
Seeing the deep despair on her face, both of them bit their lower lips.
Christine held Lucia silently, restraining her emotions.
Arista knelt in front of her, gently wiping her tear-streaked cheek.
“It’s okay, Lucia. We’re here with you.”
Lucia felt a lump in her throat. Seeing Arista reminded her of how she had fallen for Bianca’s trick and humiliated herself.
“I’m sorry…”
Tears fell again from her eyes.
“I’m really sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry…”
Christine and Arista held her tightly.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. So don’t apologize.”
“Lucia, don’t cry…”
“I’m sorry… ugh, ugh…!”
Repeating her apologies, Lucia cried violently, clinging to Arista’s neck.
Before her cries faded, a loud firework exploded, lighting the sky with beautiful bursts.
Why was she crying?
Was it because her feelings were mocked by so many? Because of her betrayal by Bianca? Guilt toward Arista? Or regret for causing Herwin trouble?
Lucia didn’t even know herself.
Everyone had been excited for Herwin’s birthday party, but it ended poorly.
Herwin’s cold threat silenced the ridicule toward Lucia, but the events spread through the entire school.
Although it became known that Bianca and the party committee had orchestrated the scheme, people focused more on the fact that Lucia had long liked Herwin.
Whenever people saw Lucia, they whispered among themselves, and their chatter grew when she was near Herwin.
Yet Herwin seemed unaffected. On Monday after the party, he greeted everyone as usual, acting as if nothing had happened.
Other friends followed suit, avoiding mentioning the events of the day, treating her as if nothing had happened.
While grateful for their consideration, Lucia was uneasy.
She wondered if it was truly okay to act as if nothing happened and was consumed by anxiety, unable to sleep.
One day, she overheard some students talking to Herwin.
“Is it true that Agnes has liked you since she was eight?”
“I heard she confessed multiple times too?”
“If she’s liked you that long, shouldn’t you have accepted by now?”
“Yeah, Agnes would be a good girlfriend. Think carefully, Herwin.”
They were discussing the party. As the conversation leaned toward her needing to be accepted, Herwin finally spoke.
“That’s not my heart, that’s what you want.”
“But it’s been a long time… and multiple confessions.”
“So you’re saying because Lucia has liked me for a long time and confessed multiple times, I have to ‘accept’ it? That’s ridiculous.”
“Why… why are you angry?”
The boys hesitated, sensing something was off.
“If I accepted Lucia’s confession just because of your words, wouldn’t that be deception? I’d be dating her without feeling it, swayed by others.”
“Wait, saying it like that…”
“Don’t speak recklessly about things you can’t take responsibility for. And Lucia is not someone you can mock freely. Try mocking her in front of me again, and you won’t get away with it.”
Hearing this, Lucia cried harder.
She wasn’t crying because he hadn’t accepted her feelings.
It was the opposite.
He had seen her clearly, more than anyone else.
