IAEOG~

Chapter 4

“I want to be alone. Don’t follow me.”

I didn’t want anyone to see me like this — sullen, hurt, and teetering on the edge of self-pity. I shot a sharp glare at the knight trailing me, then walked off with quick steps.

After wandering the main street for a bit, I found myself standing in front of a little café. Its cozy, cute exterior was exactly my type.

Yeah, I’m miserable right now. I deserve some sugar.

I stepped inside, scanned the tables, and ordered the same thing as the couple nearby — black tea and strawberry tart. The moment I took a bite—

“Oh, wow. This is insane. It’s so good.”

The words slipped out before I knew it, and the gloom that had weighed on me simply melted away.

Maybe coming out wasn’t such a bad idea after all. I suddenly wanted to try every flavor they had.

Should I buy a box to take home? I was in the middle of that sweet dilemma when—

“Lady Yvonne, what a surprise to see you.”

A woman I didn’t recognize greeted me politely.

She had golden hair and violet eyes—the same color as mine.

Just from that, I knew immediately who she was.

The woman Raphael adored so obsessively: Chloe Gerin, daughter of Baron Gerin.

“Yes, I didn’t expect to run into you here either.”

“When we met with Lord Raphael last time, you didn’t look well. I was worried. Have you been doing all right?”

She looked at me with gentle concern.

That last time—she must mean when I went on that date with Raphael. The day he’d frowned through the entire outing until he happened to spot Chloe. His whole face lit up then, his voice turning warm and sweet.

I’d felt a stab of jealousy. He’d snapped at me for it, and that night, the original Yvonne swallowed sleeping pills disguised as poison and never woke up again.
And that’s when I took her place.

“I’m doing fine. Thank you for worrying.”

Chloe Gerin wasn’t the one at fault.

Raphael was. He was the one who hurt her—me—us.

But maybe because she was my so-called rival, this encounter made my skin crawl. I wished she’d just go away already.

“That’s good to hear. But… are you here alone? What about Lord Raphael?”

“I just felt like being by myself today.”

Soon enough, the news of our broken engagement would spread through every salon in the empire.

I could’ve told her the truth, but my pride wouldn’t let me. I didn’t want her to be the first to know.

“I understand. Sometimes I just want to be alone too. I suppose we have that in common, don’t we?”

“Guess so.”

My tone came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. The last thing I needed was to get tangled up with another person—one man was already more than enough trouble.

“I wish we could talk more, but I came to pick up an order today. Would you grant me the honor of sharing tea next time?”

“Yes, if the time works out…”

Apparently, I’m a terrible sucker for pretty faces. How could I say no when a beautiful girl smiled at me like that? No wonder Raphael was so taken with her. Honestly, if I were a man, I might’ve fallen too.

“Then next time, you’ll have to tell me all about you and Lord Raphael. Until then.”

Just then, a maid with brown hair approached her, holding a tart box.

The maid gave me a polite nod, and Chloe turned to her.

“Let’s go, Anne.”

And with that, Chloe Gerin left the café.

My good mood vanished the moment she walked out the door.

All it took was one person—just one—to ruin my day.

Why did she have to bring up Raphael of all people? Does she like him?

Well, good for them. Congrats to the happy couple.

Sure, Raphael was the male lead I’d once written—my creation. But it was never romantic.

And more importantly, I dumped him.

So why did I feel like I was the one left behind?

“…Pathetic.”

The tart suddenly tasted bland. I didn’t even bother finishing it, let alone packing some to go. I just left the café. I’d gone out for a change of mood, and somehow, I felt worse.

I decided to walk it off. But nobles rarely walk anywhere, and after just a few blocks, my legs started to ache. The pain only deepened my bad mood.

Feeling melodramatic, I sat on a bench and looked up at the sky. I wasn’t crying because of Raphael—definitely not. My feet just hurt. That was all.

Then I realized I’d chosen the worst possible spot: a busy street where people kept glancing at me as they passed.

“This is… kind of embarrassing.”

I quickly ducked my head and wiped my tears away with the back of my hand—

—and suddenly, everything went dark.

“What the—?”

Something heavy had been draped over my head. I pushed it off and blinked down at it.

“…A coat?”

A black men’s coat.

I turned, just in time to see two men walking away. One with dark hair, one with brown. The dark-haired one wasn’t wearing a coat—so it had to be his.

“Excuse me!”

I shouted after them, too tired to actually chase. The dark-haired man turned slightly, met my eyes for a moment… then turned back and walked away without a word.

“Really? You’re just leaving?”

In seconds, he was nothing more than a black dot in the crowd.

“What the hell.”

I looked down at the coat again. It was way too big for me.

Why would he give it to me?

After a moment of thought, I arrived at a rather insulting conclusion.

“Did he think I was… a beggar?”

I almost tossed it in the trash, then paused.
If he changed his mind, he might come back for it.

I set it carefully on top of the bin instead and headed for my carriage.

At least the tears had stopped. That was something.

Episode 44

(Excerpt)

While her maid Anne tended to her bath, Chloe Gerin hummed cheerfully.

“My lady, you seem in high spirits. You’ve been smiling ever since we left the tart shop.”

“Of course I am. I didn’t expect to run into her there.”

“Lady Yvonne?”

“That’s right.”

Chloe’s bright smile didn’t match the situation at all. Anne found it strange but hid her confusion with a forced grin.

“What did you think?”

“About what, my lady?”

“Her face. When we talked.”

“She didn’t seem happy. Looked like she could cry at any moment.”

Chloe laughed—loud and unrestrained, the kind of laugh her father always scolded her for.

Anne blinked. What could possibly be so funny about that?

“She really did, didn’t she? The second I mentioned Lord Raphael, her expression crumbled. Looks like something finally happened between them.”

“Maybe they fought?”

“She just recovered after fainting not long ago. If they fought already, then it must be his fault. Serves him right.”

Chloe’s tone was far too delighted for someone supposedly scolding a man she cared about. She knew Raphael’s feelings leaned her way.

Anne wondered if maybe—just maybe—her mistress had feelings for him too. But she kept the thought to herself.

“It was worth going out today. Imagine, bumping into Lady Yvonne of all people.”

Anne realized something then: her mistress was unusually invested in their relationship.
If Yvonne and Raphael broke up, it would only benefit the Gerin family.

After all, the son of a count courting a baron’s daughter could only mean opportunity.

“Anne, careful—you’re about to snap my arm.”

“S-sorry, my lady!”

Anne hurriedly released her grip, forcing herself to focus on her duties instead of her thoughts.

Theo hadn’t felt this good in a long time.
So many people were rallying behind him that he could probably execute his plan within a few months. He walked home with a spring in his step—until something made him stop dead.

“Why’d you stop, sir?” asked Mael, the aide beside him.

Theo was staring ahead, eyes fixed on something—or someone.

Following his gaze, Mael spotted a woman sitting on a bench, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Do you know her?”

“Of course not.”

“Then… love at first sight?”

“Absolutely not.”

Theo had only been in the Feronando Empire for a week. He didn’t know a soul here. So why did her face feel familiar?

“Come on, sir. I’m tired.”

“You’ve gotten cheeky since we arrived, Mael.”

“Misunderstanding, sir. I’ve always been perfectly devoted to you.”

Mael tugged his sleeve, but Theo didn’t move. Maybe it was because she was crying. Or maybe because her face tugged at something half-remembered.

In the end, he let Mael pull him forward. The woman was right on their path home.

When she noticed people staring, she ducked her head, shoulders trembling.

Theo hesitated, then reached up and shrugged off his coat.

“Father, please… send me back. I want to live with Mother again.”

“Enough tears. Forget your mother. And never cry in front of others. Weakness makes you a target.”

He knew that feeling.

That’s why he placed his coat over her head. So she could cry without shame—like the nights he’d hidden under his blanket, crying where no one could see.

“Excuse me!”

He turned briefly at her voice, gave the smallest nod, and kept walking.

A silent don’t worry about it. She didn’t see.

“Thanks to your generosity, we’ll get home faster,” Mael grumbled. “But… why put your coat on her head, sir?”

Theo frowned. “So she could cry comfortably. Why? Got a problem with that?”

“Most people would’ve handed her a handkerchief. That might’ve been… less awkward.”

Mael’s look of pity made Theo’s ears turn bright red.

“Whatever. It’s not like I’ll ever see her again.”

He tried to sound nonchalant, but the redness crept all the way down his neck.

Mael chuckled quietly as Theo strode off in embarrassed haste.

[Comments]
→ What’s with that girl liking the male lead? Anyone else getting bad vibes?

→ Okay but… is Theo hot or what?

→ Can we PLEASE get to the part where the jerk ex regrets everything? I need my sweet revenge payoff already.