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chapter 36
Yes, it’s extremely dangerous. Not for me, but for him. If he gets caught when no one is around, I’ll tear him apart.
I gritted my teeth, thinking of Fernando, who was testing the limits of my patience. How could I even show my face here now? Even if I tried to act calm in front of him, it wouldn’t be enough.
“If he has any sense at all, he probably won’t come tomorrow.”
Of course, if he had any sense, he wouldn’t have done what he did with Esther in the first place.
“What if he does come again?”
“I’ll deal with it then. I can’t call the guards just because my fiancé shows up here.”
It seemed like there was no choice but to handle it personally.
“During the two years I’ve been coming here, some men have tried flirting with Miss Lynette, but he seems the worst.”
Many men had asked Lynette out. She was beautiful, slim, and above all, the young owner of a successful shop. Cloud had seen all sorts of men—from ordinary people to knights and even nobles—flock to her asking for a date.
Every time someone asked her out, Lynette refused, saying she was busy or tired. If they persisted, Cloud would clear his throat sharply, and they would back off immediately. They flinched just by being looked at once. If she was expressionless, she seemed cold but not scary enough to make them leave immediately.
“If he has any brains, he won’t come tomorrow. The problem is, I don’t think he has any. Forget about him and enjoy your coffee.”
Lynette smiled lightly, turned, and tidied the area where Fernando had been, as if he had never been there at all.
“Why on earth did I ever like a man like that….”
She had always been forced to cling to Fernando, who annoyed her constantly. She would look at him with a ‘he’s mine, stay away’ glare. Thinking back, there were countless times she wanted to grab him by the collar and toss him around.
He was nothing special. Just a slightly handsome man. As the second son, he wouldn’t inherit the family. Even after marrying in her past life, Fernando earned money helping Kenneth’s business, not his parents.
When Fernando took on the Pruna Count family’s affairs, her father-in-law, Count Phyllis, felt relieved. Their family wasn’t wealthy enough to build a house for Fernando and his wife. Kenneth bought Lynette a spacious estate and even transferred the ownership of some hot spring land. Thinking about this suddenly made Lynette annoyed.
A family with nothing had held her too tightly. They summoned her for every family event and demanded all sorts of preparations. They even openly asked for money to prepare for parties.
Reflecting on it, Fernando had been too weak, and remembering how he acted arrogant just because she followed him around made her laugh.
“That family really was something. Yet because I liked him first, they looked down on me.”
She was glad she had broken up with him early along with Esther; otherwise, she’d still be bowing her head at Count Phyllis’ house.
“Wait, did he approach me because his family was struggling? Was this around the time Count Phyllis’ business failed?”
She remembered that a few years ago, Count Phyllis had started a business with another noble. He had suggested Kenneth join, but her father had refused outright, thinking it unprofitable. Still, Phyllis went ahead without listening, and two years after marriage, the business collapsed. Phyllis then sought Kenneth’s help, who provided a loan with a slow repayment plan. That was the past, though; she couldn’t now seek help from the Pruna family. The matter had ended in a messy, muddy mess.
“If he’s trying to get close to me because of that, I’ll really give him what’s coming.”
Lynette, once formidable herself, could easily handle Fernando. Fire Egg Fry, Fire Egg Fry—she could manage him with ease.
“No, no… he wouldn’t go that far. Surely he has some conscience.”
She hoped he had at least a little conscience—but expecting that from Fernando had been her mistake, as she would realize the next day.
It was raining lightly, and there were no customers. Lynette let Angela leave early. There was no point in keeping staff around when there was nothing to do. After Angela left, Lynette stayed behind, preparing coffee while three others brought the kettle. Everything was fine… until a problem arose.
She was eating a garlic baguette when someone entered. She quickly stood up.
“Ha, why do you keep sneaking in here?”
It was Fernando. Lynette realized it had been a mistake to expect any conscience from him.
“I… the coffee is just too good… there’s no other café like this in the country.”
“You’d risk your life for a cup of coffee, huh? Try dying by my hands today!”
With the shop empty, she grabbed a broom, intending to chase him out. But even after all that, Fernando didn’t leave.
“You’ve got some scheme, don’t you? Last time you blamed me for the engagement breakup and got beaten by our cousin, right?”
“That… that was just drunken nonsense. I’m just here for the coffee.”
“You expect me to believe that? Coffee, huh? Really?”
He had actually cheated with Esther while disguised as a normal man. She would have been less bitter if it had been another woman.
“I regret it too. I regret it like crazy.”
Lynette snorted at Fernando’s dramatic words. If he had any ounce of reason, he wouldn’t have done what he did with Esther. But they had both consented, so she realized Esther was just as much at fault.
“Go drink tea at your blazing villa, then. Don’t linger here.”
“I can’t face myself there.”
“So that’s why you came here? Impressive. Anyway, I don’t want to talk to you anymore. Leave.”
She threatened him with the broom, but Fernando stepped closer instead.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“What do you want to do with that?”
“If you don’t, let’s start over.”
Lynette laughed at his audacity.
“You’re crazy. How can you ask to start over after cheating with Esther?”
“Esther was just physical. My heart was always yours.”
“Do you think my father and brother would allow that? You’re impossible. Just get beaten.”
When words failed, she hit him with the broom. He blocked, but she hit other parts, relentlessly. Even so, she didn’t feel satisfied—only more disgusted. He could have run, but he stayed, daring her.
“Fernando, just forgive me once.”
“Am I crazy? I’ll never forgive you for that. Once is never enough.”
Once becomes twice, twice becomes three times. Each time he was caught, he would plead and then stand tall again, inevitably seeking another woman.
“If you do that again, I’ll castrate you!”
“Get lost, don’t need that anyway.”
Hitting him repeatedly now had the effect she wanted. In the past, this might have tired her, but now she was stronger from training Angelo. He groaned as he tried to block.
“You’re not even handsome! Get lost, you trash!”
“Fernando, please… I’m reborn now. Really.”
“Then die here, and I’ll let you be reborn again!”
She attacked mercilessly, but he still wouldn’t fall.
“Let’s reconcile. Father will be happy, and all the bad rumors will disappear.”
“Do you even know who spread those rumors? And Father would be happy? Because I’m rich? Stop talking nonsense.”
Her father, Count Phyllis, always blamed her rather than acknowledging his mistakes. She never wanted to see him again.
“No, our family doesn’t choose daughters-in-law based on money.”
“Don’t act like that! You weren’t even rich enough to care about my dowry. Now suddenly you want it?”
“I….”
Kenneth had made Lynette’s dowry higher than normal to protect her status. That money could have rescued a struggling business. Fernando was speechless.
“Sadly, I used that money to buy the shop and other things.”
“Your father wanted my dowry? Both rich and stupid.”
“L-Lynette, please don’t insult my father. And I do still have feelings for you. So let’s marry.”
He even took out a ring. Lynette laughed.
“Get lost. You’re not my type, and I have a boyfriend.”
“Don’t lie. There was no man around you.”
“My boyfriend is away on a business trip. That’s why you don’t see him. Now leave.”
Before she could call the guards, the bell rang, and the door opened. A familiar, tall man entered, looked at Lynette and Fernando, and slightly tilted his head.
Seeing Fernando seemingly proposing, Lynette immediately clung to the man and said,
“You’ve never met him, right? He’s my boyfriend. So disappear from my sight.”
