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chapter 69
Linette’s remark that her ideal type was a gentle man who was good at cooking quickly reached Rosemary.
“Honey, I also like a refined man who cooks well. So how on earth did I end up marrying you?”
“Because I’m handsome?”
Rosemary couldn’t argue with Cloud’s words and forced a smile. In truth, Cloud had proposed with his striking face front and center. She hadn’t even noticed the simple gold ring he slipped onto her hand, nodding only at the sight of his face—a naïve mistake she had made.
“Hmph! And he just had to be handsome, of all things.”
“On top of that, he’s got a great figure and a good family background…”
At that time, Cloud had been the perfect groom. There wasn’t a single flaw. Naturally, many women followed him around. Women who admired him as the Red Knight of the Imperial Palace would flock to the palace for parties, all vying for his attention while he worked.
So, when Cloud, smitten at first sight, proposed, Rosemary hastily accepted without a second thought, worried another woman might snatch him away.
As a result, her father back in a foreign country was left flabbergasted. Vivian opposed vehemently when she refused the marriage her family arranged. So they even fled to Sepia, where Cordelia was born—but she had no regrets.
“Anyway, it’s a problem that he’s just too perfect.”
“And it would be great if he could add one more skill—making dumplings. After all, I’ll be seeing my beautiful daughter-in-law soon.”
Rosemary thought of giving Linette a taste of what Vivian had put her through, but the moment she saw her, her resolve melted. She loved seeing her son adore his future wife so much—but she found herself loving Linette even more.
“By the way, what if our son keeps wandering around and Linette decides to break up with him?”
“Hmm? Then we just have to make sure that never happens again. I’ll let it slide this once. Next time he’s sent on a business trip, I’ll make sure to give him a piece of my mind at the palace.”
Even though it was work, sending her son on another business trip so soon after returning from the border was simply too much.
“I heard the princess has been making moves on our Lucy.”
“Ha! Princess Iris, you say? Well, I suppose the problem is that all the men in our family are just too remarkable. Must be the face they inherited from the grandfather who conquered the Empire with it.”
“That’s right, isn’t it? Hohoho. But our son decided from a young age he’d marry his little nightingale and build a nest. Whoever he is, his decisiveness is remarkable.”
“He is your son, after all. That decisiveness is admirable. I remember the lovely lady who, back then, took her leave immediately when he suddenly suggested moving to Sepia with all their savings.”
Recalling those days, Cloud and Rosemary exchanged smiles, leaning in for a tender kiss. The passion of their youth quietly reignited.
Meanwhile, they postponed the night’s intimacy and watched Vivian and Linette from the garden.
“Linette is definitely a blessing for our family.”
Vivian regained her vigor the moment Linette arrived.
“By the way, my dear, when you proposed to Linette, didn’t you say you’d let her keep her hands dry?”
“Ah! That’s right. While she’s here, I’ll make sure she avoids getting her hands wet—except when washing her face.”
Spoiled beyond belief, Linette ended up staying a week. She hardly lifted a finger, yet everything was handled. Whenever she spoke, it was done immediately. Even a sneeze prompted the family doctor to rush over in a sweat.
Though it was summer, she rested comfortably in a cool place, strolling with Vivian or chatting with Cloud and Rosemary. Her sweet week-long vacation soon came to an end.
“My little nightingale… when will you come back? Couldn’t you live here with us and just commute?”
“Vivian, that’s not possible. But I’ll visit two or three times a month.”
She almost exhausted herself trying to leave, as Vivian wouldn’t let her go. After planting a kiss on Vivian’s cheek and promising to return, she finally got free.
“Linette, me?”
As she mounted the carriage, Rosemary pointed to her own cheek. Linette hugged her and gave her a kiss. Rosemary, smiling contentedly, stopped Cloud from speaking and let Linette go.
“From tomorrow, I can go back to work without worry. With our son away, I can enjoy Linette’s freshly made coffee without guilt.”
❅
When Linette’s vacation ended, the café became busy again. She diligently took orders, listening to customers complain about missing her coffee.
“Taking a break and suddenly working must be tiring. Go take a walk with this one and rest a bit.”
As the rush eased, Linette handed Cheese to Angela. While fiddling with the leash, Angela wrapped her arms around Linette’s waist.
“Oh my, what are you doing? How scandalous.”
“L-Linette… thank you so much.”
“What are you saying all of a sudden?”
“I’m truly grateful. I’ll become an amazing person and repay you, Linette.”
Angela, who had bought new shoes with money Linette gave her, ran off holding Cheese without waiting for a reply. Linette chuckled softly.
“Repay me? Just grow. What you can give me now is to show me how you flourish.”
Though it was a hot summer, Linette drank her hot Sepiano coffee and welcomed Cordelia and Benjamin.
“You were at my family’s house for a week? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Cordelia, who immediately ordered coffee upon arriving, looked very upset. Only after Linette returned home did Rosemary send a letter with a triumphant smile. Seeing it, Cordelia clenched her fists and came rushing here.
“I lost track of time talking with Cordelia’s family there. But I couldn’t contact you because I didn’t know where you lived.”
“Ah, that explains it. My mother conspired with my father to bring Linette over. She only sent a letter after Linette had left.”
‘We spent our vacation with Linette at our house. My mother regained her strength and doesn’t want to let Linette go. Being with her is so delightful that I forgot to tell you immediately. What to do about this, hohoho.’
Remembering the letter from last night, Cordelia fumed. Had she known Linette went there, she would have taken Benjamin and gone herself, spending time with Linette on walks and talking. Not being able to do that made her angrier.
“I was treated so well and rested comfortably. Vivian treated me like a grandmother.”
“Excuse me? Vivian? Do you mean our grandmother?”
“Yes. She asked me to call her Vivi.”
Cordelia was stunned. Her grandmother, the proud and authoritative Vivian, had never approached anyone first. This must be a joke.
“She must really like Linette.”
Benjamin smiled at Cordelia’s disbelief.
“Now that it’s calm, let me show you some cute latte art. Cheer up.”
He presented 3D latte art with a dog and a cat plunging into the coffee. Cordelia immediately relaxed, forgetting her anger.
“Uh… which one should I choose? They’re all too cute!”
“Ria, you pick first.”
Benjamin gave Cordelia the first choice. Struggling, she muttered to Linette.
“This is all because of you, Linette. It’s so pretty and cute… wait, what’s that ring on your tiny, cute finger?”
A ring she hadn’t seen two years ago. She had told her younger brother how to propose but never imagined he would use such a shabby ring.
Hoping it wasn’t her brother, Cordelia cautiously asked.
“I was proposed to recently.”
“What? By whom?”
Cordelia leapt up, shocked. Surely not her brother, right? Linette awkwardly smiled.
“It’s a regular customer—a knight. Black hair, red eyes…”
Cordelia felt the world collapse. The wretched brother only asked how to propose. That he had done it with such a cheap ring made Cordelia want to apologize to Linette herself.
“I’m sorry, Linette. Really, I’m sorry. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
“Sorry? For what?”
“Just… I’m sorry for everything. I’ll apologize to that guy for his sister. Perhaps she wasn’t properly educated.”
Linette tilted her head, puzzled. Cordelia sighed softly. A simple gold ring when it should have been a diamond—she couldn’t even lift her head in embarrassment.
“Linette, if a man gave me such a ring, I’d have kicked him. Why did you accept it?”
“Because it was cute and he was trying to be my ideal type. That was admirable.”
“But still… Benjamin, who embarrassed me with his ridiculous proposal, didn’t even give a cheap ring like that.”
Cordelia worried that Linette, who she’d hoped would be her sister-in-law, might reject her brother for another man.
“He promised he’d give a ring with a gemstone later.”
“That’s then, this is now… sigh.”
Cordelia sighed, wishing she could replace the ring with something better. But Linette gently touched the ring, smiling, and spoke of its special meaning—the initials engraved on it.
“It’s okay. But I recently learned someone else also proposed with a similar ring.”
“What? Who would do such a thing and brag about it?”
“It was a regular customer you’d know, Cordelia.”
Cordelia didn’t know much about the café’s regulars. Linette smiled knowingly.
“It was your father and mother. They told me recently that Cloud proposed to Rosemary with a similar ring.”
Hearing this, Cordelia groaned and shook her head vigorously.
“To think it runs in the family. If it weren’t for that handsome face, he would have been immediately rejected. Such a shame.”
