Chapter 5
Not much was finalized in today’s meeting.
The main things decided were: the wedding would take place around the end of August, and it would be held at one of the Diatri family’s villas in the capital.
But that made sense—it was our first proper meeting, and most of the smaller details would be handled by staff, not us personally.
I turned my head and softly called to the ever-elegant Felix.
“Um, Duke?”
“Yes, Lady Diatri?”
“You can call me Flora, if you’d like.”
I smiled gently at Felix, who responded awkwardly to my call, and gave him permission to use my name.
His eyes shook slightly in surprise.
He opened his mouth to say something, but didn’t actually agree to use my name.
‘…Wait, did I just come on too strong again?’
I had assumed Felix’s personality was a bit gentler, so I tried being more friendly than usual. Maybe too friendly.
I did have a slightly impatient side to me.
Still, I really wanted to hear Felix call my name…
“I just thought… calling me ‘Lady Diatri’ feels too distant.”
I tried to casually explain myself and glanced over at Felix.
If he thought I was being too fast, I was ready to play it cool and say, “Then call me that once we’re closer.”
Right when I was about to speak—
“…Flora.”
Felix called my name softly, his ears slightly red.
“Thank you for allowing me to use your name,” he added, lowering his gaze and giving a shy smile.
…Am I dreaming?
I honestly wondered for a moment if I had died and gone to heaven.
One: Felix’s ears were red.
Two: He called my name—my name—softly and shyly.
Three: He smiled while doing it and said thank you.
Seriously, how could anyone stay calm?
“…You’re welcome.”
I barely managed to hold myself together and replied with a slightly trembling voice.
Thank goodness Flora’s face usually looked expressionless—this was one time I was glad.
If I hadn’t kept a straight face, Felix might’ve thought I was crazy.
“…Flora.”
Just then, my brother Kyle stepped in between me and Felix.
I narrowed my eyes.
“What?”
“Your expression didn’t look great. Do I need a reason to say my own sister’s name?”
I was speechless.
Kyle clearly didn’t like Felix—my future husband—and it showed.
“…If you don’t have a reason, can you please step aside? I was talking to the Duke.”
I politely asked Kyle to leave. He had interrupted the emotional moment where Felix had just called my name.
Felix looked a little uncomfortable watching the two of us argue.
“Then let’s talk together. We’ll be family soon, after all. Please feel free to speak with me, Your Grace.”
But Kyle, ever the overprotective big brother, didn’t back down easily. He even dragged Felix into the conversation.
‘Ugh, so annoying…’
I knew Kyle was only being protective because of all the bad rumors about Felix in the capital. Still, trying to control me like this was unpleasant.
Just when I was about to say something—
“Viscount. If this isn’t something urgent, could you step aside for a moment? As Flora said, we were in the middle of a conversation.”
Felix’s calm but firm voice cut in before mine.
When I turned to look, the shy Felix from earlier was gone. Now he had a cool and serious expression as he stared straight at Kyle.
‘Oh wow…’
I could only say “wow” in my head, overwhelmed with feelings I couldn’t explain.
Thankfully—or maybe not—Kyle didn’t ignore Felix. Looking stunned, he glanced between the two of us before finally turning and walking away with slumped shoulders.
I didn’t feel too sorry for him. He was trying to interrupt us.
He should’ve left when I asked nicely the first time.
“…I’m sorry about that. My brother’s not a bad person, but he’s a little old-fashioned. If he made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”
A little embarrassed, I tried to smooth things over. Also, I was still fluttering from seeing my favorite character standing up for me.
Felix just gave one of his soft smiles and shook his head slightly.
That gentle smile… my heart nearly exploded. How could anyone be that charming?
“I understand. I just… wanted to keep talking with you. So I may have been a bit too firm. But please don’t worry—it didn’t bother me.”
His words made my jaw drop—on the inside, at least.
He was being so sweet… It really hit me how lucky I was to meet Felix before the original story started.
If my facial muscles were any weaker, I probably would’ve just stood there with my mouth open.
“If Lady Flora felt uncomfortable because I wasn’t friendly with her brother, then I apologize for that too.”
…What?!
Did the ground just flip upside down?
‘How is there an angel walking on this earth?’
I liked cold and distant Felix from the original story, but this kind and warm Felix—especially one being sweet to me—was a thousand times better.
“No, not at all. My brother was being rude.”
I glanced at Kyle, who was off in the distance now, talking to Father, the assistant, and Dante with a scowl.
Even though I didn’t like his interruption earlier, I decided to let it go. After all, thanks to him, I got to see Felix’s kind and angelic side.
“Ahem. Well then, let’s end the meeting here for today.”
My father finally announced the meeting was over.
The other four left the room first, while Felix and I walked a little behind them.
Actually, Felix slowed down to match my pace.
“Duke.”
“Yes, Lady Flora?”
“…Would you happen to have time next week?”
I hesitated slightly before asking, after hearing him call my name so kindly again.
“From now on, I’m free anytime.”
From now on.
That phrase came from the man who had just finished a long war.
He must’ve remembered my father’s earlier comment.
That comment really wasn’t necessary!
“Please don’t mind what my father said earlier. I know you didn’t mean to stay away.”
I smiled awkwardly and picked up my pace beside him.
* * *
“Safe travels, Duke.”
Felix and Dante mounted their horses.
Felix gave me a slight nod before leaving. It was a cute, polite gesture that made me happy for a second…
But then:
“Ha…”
As the sound of the horses’ hooves faded into the distance, I let out a deep sigh.
All the happiness I’d felt from being near Felix disappeared like a rock sinking into the earth’s core.
“…I’ll go upstairs now.”
“Flo—”
“Ahem, yes, go ahead.”
Before Kyle could say anything, Father stopped him, and I gave them a quick bow before heading up the lobby stairs.
The walk from the front door to my room felt annoyingly long.
When I finally reached my room, I threw the door open and slammed it shut behind me.
I walked straight to the fancy bed and flopped face-down onto the soft blankets.
There was a reason I felt so drained.
“Stupid evil Flora…”
I muttered angrily into the pillows, cursing the original Flora.
Just minutes after seeing Felix, all my suspicions had turned into certainty.
‘…I knew it.’
In the original story, Felix never smiled sweetly or acted shy in front of any woman—except the female lead.
He even hated being around women so much that when he first met the heroine, he was cold and distant.
Calling another woman by name with a smile? Impossible.
But earlier, Felix… had smiled and softly said my name. Flora Diatri’s name.
He was still quiet and serious, but he didn’t seem to dislike me at all. In fact, he was kind.
What else could that mean?
“It must mean that it was who made him cold in the first place…”
Honestly, if I had to live with someone like the original Flora for years, I’d probably develop a fear of women too.
That’s why strong and responsible Felix eventually handed her divorce papers.
Her behavior was so outrageous that even the court sided with Felix unanimously.
That kind of verdict almost never happened.
Of course, now that I was Flora, there was no way I’d act like that. Not in a million years.
But really—what was wrong with the original Flora? Why did she act so horribly?
‘I’ll never understand…’
Even though none of that would happen now, I still needed time to calm down after thinking of Felix’s past in the original story.
“…Ha. Fine. I’ll make you the happiest angel in the world, I promise…”
I mumbled sleepily.
I had pretended to be fine while I was with Felix, but meeting my favorite character in person was so mentally exhausting.
Not even a master of poker faces could handle it easily.
‘A nap will help…’
After I wake up, I’ll send Felix a letter asking if he wants to have a meal together in a few days…
With that slow thought, I rolled over and crawled under the covers.
I knew I should change my clothes, but I was too tired to care.
‘Why am I so sleepy all of a sudden…?’
Yes, I had been emotionally drained from meeting Felix, but even I found it strange how sleepy I suddenly felt.
It was like I had taken sleeping pills or something.
Soon, I couldn’t fight the sleep anymore, and my eyes closed almost instantly.
