Chapter 3
“What do you mean by that, Sonet?”
Hugo replied arrogantly, his tone dripping with disdain.
Technically, the young marquis held a higher rank than Hugo, the eldest son of an earl. But in this case, Hugo was simply being rude without a care, so no one could really say anything.
Maybe the two of them had some kind of secret understanding—that would explain his attitude.
Besides, Count Ronald was immensely wealthy. Perhaps the Bruce family even owed them money. If that was the case, Hugo’s behavior made sense.
Still, there was a strict wall of status between them.
“I meant what I said. I asked if you were always this rude.”
It was strange that Sonet was taking my side.
Our engagement hadn’t been confirmed yet. In my previous life, I refused to get engaged to him because I was being tossed around by Hugo, which resulted in never being engaged.
‘Hugo, if this keeps up, I might really get engaged to someone else. Please…’
Back then, I believed Hugo would come back to me. That’s why I said I wouldn’t get engaged.
Unlike now, when I believe he wouldn’t even show up at my funeral.
“You hardly know Lady Aviere. So how can you say such things?”
“Don’t know her? Me, not know Layla?”
Hugo scoffed at his words and was about to speak further.
“Enough.”
Whatever came out of his mouth next would only make me feel worse. So I deliberately cut him off.
“Let’s not argue during a meal.”
I smiled as I said it, but Hugo openly sneered at me. My sister, Siever, finally seemed to snap out of it and tapped Hugo’s arm on the table, trying to calm him down.
“Why wouldn’t I know Layla? How many times did she cling to me saying she loved me?”
Patience, when stretched too far, turns into oil.
In my previous life, I was the oil. But not this time.
“Oh, that reminds me. I heard one of the ships run by your trading company sank, causing a huge loss. Is that why you’re so sensitive now?”
“What? How do you…?!”
How do I know? Soon, everyone will. In my previous life, I felt so sorry for him struggling with money that I even handed over part of my dowry—only to be completely ignored.
“I just heard it somewhere. If you’re marrying my sister, you’ll need money, but things are going to be tough for a few years, won’t they?”
“You…!”
“Oh no…”
Hugo lost his mind when he was angry. So I had to add something quickly.
“Sis, you knew about this, right?”
“What? Oh… y-yeah.”
She probably didn’t know.
Hugo didn’t want this out. What he bragged about when he chose her was his wealth.
If she found out that his once-proud finances were now in shambles, Siever might change her mind.
My sister always wanted what I had. But once she got it and it became useless, she quickly threw it away. That’s why, in my past life, I kept going back and forth with Hugo.
When she lost interest in him, he came back to me. Then, when she regained interest, he went back to her.
Hugo knew how to use that.
“Still, Sis, I’m so jealous. Even after going through all that, he still came here for your birthday.”
I said this as if I truly admired her, lowering my gaze.
Sonet’s golden eyes were fixed on me with an intensity I could feel. I had to try hard not to look straight at him.
“How big was the loss?”
At Sonet’s question, Hugo, who had been glaring at me with clenched fists, turned his attention to him.
“Why? You planning to help?”
“Yes. If you apologize to Lady Layla for your rude words.”
“Do you even know how much it is?”
“If it’s about the Idon Trading Company, I have a rough idea. I’ll lend you the entire amount.”
This was strange. Sonet had no reason to get involved, yet he was. And we weren’t even engaged.
Plus, he didn’t look like someone who would lend such a huge amount easily. They weren’t even in a debtor-creditor relationship—how could Hugo treat him so rudely?
“Ha! Fine. Sorry, okay? I’ve committed a terrible sin!”
“Apologize properly, Lord Ronald.”
Sonet spoke low and cold, and Hugo scowled, letting out a sharp breath.
Such an easy condition for that much money! If it were me, I’d apologize ten times over. That’s why I couldn’t allow Hugo to apologize and take the money.
“Hugo can’t do that, Lord Bruce.”
I lowered my gaze after saying that. This would make it even harder for him to apologize.
Hugo was extremely proud. If you set the stage for him to bow his pride, it became unbearable for him. That’s why it was harder for him to apologize now.
Like how apologizing immediately after a mistake is easy, but after time passes, it gets harder.
“What did I do wrong? Wasn’t it the young marquis who wanted to know more about Layla?”
“I wanted to know her better, not hear insulting words.”
“How is that an insult? Layla and I dated before. And every time, she bullied Siever. She deserves this much insult.”
“Lord Ronald!”
Sonet slammed his hand on the table in anger and stood up.
“I’ll take my leave. I hope we never meet again, Lord Ronald.”
“Ah, w-wait a moment!”
The first to react was my sister.
“Today is my birthday… Why are you fighting?”
She looked at Sonet with teary eyes like the most pitiful person in the world. Sonet hesitated, lips parting as if regretting his outburst.
“That was an unpleasant conversation for both sides. Right?”
When she said that, Hugo sighed. And so did Sonet Bruce.
“So let’s just forget what happened. Okay?”
Her effort was laughable, but a good idea came to mind, so I joined in.
“She’s right. This isn’t the kind of talk we should be having on your birthday, Sis. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, Layla.”
“I feel like I shouldn’t have come. Like I’m intruding.”
“No, I asked you to come.”
Right. You begged me—because you wanted to show me how close you are to Hugo.
“Lord Bruce, please don’t leave. Stay with us.”
Sonet sighed and sat back down.
The awkward meal continued.
I was quite satisfied. It was my sister’s birthday, and I’d exposed Hugo’s impending bankruptcy.
As the uncomfortable dinner drew to an end, I waited for the grand finale I had planned.
Dessert arrived: chocolate parfait.
My sister’s favorite.
I couldn’t eat cold things well. They gave me headaches, and being frail, I couldn’t eat much anyway.
If I ate it, my carefully bright pink lips would fade back to their natural pale color. Though they were already smudged from eating, it still bothered me.
Sonet had been watching me closely since earlier.
I didn’t remember him as a particularly good person. In the original story, he was the regretful second male lead.
At the end of the original, he got engaged to me. In my previous life, I refused that.
In the original, when he got engaged to me, the man my sister truly loved was Sonet.
But Sonet was a noble to the bone, so he kept ignoring his feelings for Siever, who came from a commoner background. Only after she fell in love with Rainier, who became emperor, did he realize his feelings—making him the regretful second lead.
Not just regret—he clung desperately to her. I hated him for it, but also pitied him when I read it.
So I skimmed his parts. Sonet was the ultimate frustrating regret male lead.
Thinking about it, he and my sister could never end up together. And even if they did, they’d never be happy.
Sonet’s obsession with bloodlines came from nearly losing his place to an illegitimate son in childhood. There were poisoning attempts, staged accidents, even assassins.
So it was impossible for him to love a commoner-born noble smoothly.
Even if they ended up together, he’d never let go of that part of himself.
“This is delicious.”
“Is it? Would you like mine too?”
He smiled at me, and I smiled back.
My sister always wanted what I had. If I said I wanted Sonet, she’d want him too.
“Yes, I’d like that.”
He pushed his untouched parfait toward me. As I accepted it, I looked up shyly and then glanced at my sister.
Her eyes gleamed strangely, like a predator spotting prey.
“Lord Bruce.”
“Please, call me Sonet.”
“Okay, Sonet. Could you escort me to my room later? I have a bit of trouble walking alone.”
“Of course.”
He smiled with his beautiful golden eyes curved in delight.
At that moment—
“The second dessert has arrived.”
Ella appeared.
Ready to completely ruin my sister’s birthday.
