Chapter 7
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
‘Leila! Open the door!’
It was the night after Rainier had visited. Hugo’s beastly voice pounded against my ears.
I didn’t want to hear that voice at all, so I buried my head under the pillow and turned my body away. Maybe because I was sleeping, it felt even more unbearable.
‘Leila!’
Bang!
Of course, the door was locked.
If he came as my sister’s guest, he should have left after staying a reasonable time.
Thankfully, the unpleasant racket didn’t last more than ten minutes. Soon, the knocking subsided, and his angry footsteps stomped down the hallway, shaking the floor.
Not opening the door was definitely the right call.
* * *
“Sonnet Bruce, the Viscount’s heir, will be visiting later today.”
“Mm, I know.”
When I woke up in the morning, my body ached terribly. I had been secretly throwing away my medicine, and Catherine still didn’t know.
Even though I stopped taking them, my body was still weak, so mornings were rough.
I really have to get closer to Rainier. That way, I can get blood and restore my health.
But for now, my sister’s interest mattered more than my health.
“Could you make me look healthy, like last time?”
“Yes, my lady.”
As she said that, Catherine’s expression briefly darkened before returning to normal.
Her hands, brushing my hair, were delicate. The sound of the brush running through my hair was soothing. Unlike Ella—who used to yank my hair like she was trying to rip it out—Catherine was gentle.
Her fingers moved skillfully, arranging my hair without irritating my scalp.
“I’ll apply some scented oil as well.”
“Mm. Do I smell like a patient?”
“You smell of freesia, my lady. It’s the new fragrance we added to the bath salts.”
“Good.”
Catherine seemed quite capable at her job. And I hated smelling like a patient.
‘You always smell like medicine.’
Hugo said many infamous things, but that wasn’t one of them.
My sister stole my men more than ten times—it wasn’t just Hugo. That line came from a man before Hugo.
Words that reminded me of death always pierced my heart like shards of glass. Being told I smelled like medicine—like someone who would die soon—was something I could never forget.
Death terrified me. But to delay it, handling this situation was more crucial than worrying about my body for now.
‘Being with you feels like being with a corpse. It’s exhausting.’
Maybe that’s why I became obsessed with scent. I didn’t have many luxuries, but perfume was essential—because of that trauma.
“Would you like your cheeks more pink or a deeper rose?”
“Which makes me look more… human?”
“Pardon?”
“Which one makes me look more like a living person?”
Catherine looked startled, but I hadn’t said anything wrong. I stared at her reflection in the mirror.
She quickly composed herself and replied, “Any shade will suit you beautifully, my lady. Even without makeup, you look perfectly alive.”
“Thank you, Catherine. You’re so kind.”
Maybe because Ella was so vicious, even empty compliments from Catherine felt good. I smiled, and she picked up a rosy-colored cream.
“Please close your eyes for a moment, my lady. It might get into your eyes.”
“Mm.”
When I opened them again, my face looked much livelier than yesterday. Confidence began to bloom.
“Let’s go.”
“The Viscount’s heir hasn’t arrived yet. There’s no need to go early.”
“No, Sonnet always says he had to wait for me. Today, I want to be the one waiting.”
“As you wish.”
I needed to make it look like I was interested in Sonnet—so that my sister, Sieber, would target him instead.
After finishing preparations, I headed to the parlor. My body felt weaker, so dizzy I had to grip the banister to steady myself. The dizziness was worse than I imagined.
“Ah…”
“Are you all right, my lady?”
That voice wasn’t Catherine’s. She was reaching out in panic, but the person who spoke was—
“Rainier? What brings you here?”
The servants’ quarters were usually far away, and only doctors had special outbuildings—since most doctors were minor nobles.
So why was Rainier here, in the main building? He was using the annex, wasn’t he? Officially, he was here as a doctor.
“The Countess ordered me to look after you, my lady. I came to check on you.”
“Oh, I see. But I need to go downstairs now.”
Rainier was coming up the stairs while I was going down.
Getting close to him was important, but I also had to deal with Sonnet today.
Winning Rainier over would take time. But if I showed Sonnet some interest just a few times, my sister would pounce like a mad hunting dog.
“Where are you going?”
When those red eyes met mine, the answer slipped out of my mouth as if under compulsion.
“The parlor.”
He stared, and I met his gaze with a bright smile, so he wouldn’t doubt me. He flinched slightly, his expression stiffening.
“See you at dinner, Rain.”
I said cheerfully and descended, gripping the railing.
When I finally reached the parlor, my legs trembling, the sunlight was dazzling. Rays streamed through the windows, lighting the hallway.
“Leila.”
I turned at the familiar voice and saw Sonnet smiling in the sunlight. He looked radiant, like he was one with the bright light. If you only looked at his face, you’d think he was the protagonist.
But something was missing. That’s why he was just the second male lead. Of course, what he lacked wasn’t looks—it was character.
Judging from our last conversation, he seemed to be scheming with Hugo to get engaged to me.
I wondered why he was so desperate for an engagement.
“Sonnet, I was hoping to arrive before you today, but you beat me.”
“Leila, we agreed to drop formalities, remember?”
“Oh, right.”
His smile grew warmer as he reached out his hand. Thinking he wanted to hold mine, I took it first. His smile brightened, golden eyes sparkling.
Sonnet was like gold—the sunlight melting into his golden hair, his dazzling smile making his eyes shine brighter.
“How about we walk in the garden instead of sitting in the parlor?”
He didn’t seem to notice my poor condition. I could barely walk.
Seeing that, I knew he wasn’t sincere about me.
“Sure.”
Still, strolling with him was the perfect way to get my sister’s attention.
“Can I hold your hand?”
No.
“Escort me instead. I want to lean on you.”
He offered his arm, and I took it, leaning slightly. It was better than nothing—like a cane.
“You smell like freesia, Leila.”
“And you smell like… hmm… thyme?”
“You know your scents well.”
I did know perfumes. The thyme fragrance he wore was subtle and pleasant.
We walked very slowly. It took several minutes just to reach the door, and even longer to get outside.
Noticing my slow pace, he matched it.
No maids or servants were nearby—just a knight following ten steps behind.
So I spoke softly, “Sonnet, do you really want to be engaged to me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He gazed into my eyes before lowering his gaze.
“Because I want to marry someone I truly care about.”
He must’ve listened to Hugo’s advice too well.
If he had said this in my previous life, I would have married him without hesitation—maybe even skipped the engagement.
“When did you first see me?”
“At your debutante ball. You wore a butterfly-shaped hairpin then. And here—”
He paused, brushing my earlobe with his fingertips.
“You wore long, dangling earrings, matching your hairpiece.”
“Oh… right.”
That was when I was fifteen. Back then, my health wasn’t so bad—I danced, went boating, lived freely.
It was around then my stepmother started openly hating me, and the medicine increased. Eventually, I shut myself in my room.
The stronger the dosage, the faster the effect—collapsing suddenly, coughing blood. So I stopped attending social events.
“I’ve been waiting ever since.”
“For what?”
“For my chance.”
He really had studied hard—choosing words I once longed to hear.
“Hey!”
Before we reached the garden, a shout startled me.
“Leila!”
“Hugo?”
Hugo charged toward us like an enraged bear.
An uninvited guest, but thanks to being my sister’s lover, he waltzed in and out of our mansion with ease.
“What the hell did you say to Sieber?!”
“What?”
He stood before me, panting furiously, and I instinctively gripped Sonnet’s arm.
“What did you tell her that made her break up with me?!”
“What are you talking about?”
“You think pulling this stunt will make someone like you worth taking back?!”
Just when I was about to lure Sonnet in, my sister acted faster than expected.
“Sonnet! She’s using you! Leila’s pretending to like you just to cling to me!”
I didn’t need to hear any more of this nonsense.
“What did you tell her?!”
