#05. The Wedding (4)
Count Tula’s words sounded convincing at first.
Pavel Volkov’s bad reputation was already well-known, and since Count Tula spoke smoothly, it was easy to nod along while listening.
But Sasha couldn’t bring herself to believe him.
To be exact, she doubted the intention behind those words.
Count Tula had deliberately come to her right before the ceremony started and deliberately told her that Pavel didn’t want to marry her.
He even said Pavel had gone as far as starving himself to avoid the marriage, which made it sound like Pavel might be faking his illness just to embarrass her.
Once that thought came to mind, it was only natural to feel resentment toward Pavel—just like Olga did.
‘Did Count Tula really not expect this reaction?’
No. There’s no way he didn’t.
Count Tula called it a slip of the tongue when he brought up Pavel, but Sasha knew it wasn’t.
That wasn’t a mistake. It was intentional.
You only slip once when it’s a real mistake—not repeat it so clearly and purposefully.
‘But why?’
Sasha looked at Olga quietly.
Since hearing that Pavel didn’t want to marry Sasha, Olga’s face had been burning red with anger.
If Sasha were just a normal noble girl without memories of a past life…
And if she didn’t notice the intent behind Count Tula’s words and just believed what she heard…
Then she would have ended up with the same bad impression of Pavel as Olga did.
So, if this was all part of Count Tula’s plan…
‘Does he want to drive a wedge between me and Pavel on purpose?’
Sasha rested her chin on her hand and stared into space, deep in thought.
Her cute face wrinkled slightly as she replayed her conversation with Count Tula over and over.
“This is troublesome.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“…Nothing. Just thinking it’s gotten more annoying than expected.”
Before meeting Count Tula, Sasha didn’t take this marriage seriously.
She thought of it lightly, like just playing house with a young husband.
‘But if my guess is right…’
This marriage might be hiding something more complicated.
Tsk.
Sasha clicked her tongue and sighed again.
***
Pavel Volkov and Alexandra Arban’s wedding began.
The orchestra’s grand music filled the hall, but the guest seats were buzzing with noise.
“What on earth is going on?”
Most of the guests couldn’t hide their confusion.
They had only just been told, right before the ceremony started, that the groom wouldn’t be attending.
“A wedding without the groom? What kind of nonsense is this?”
“I guess the rumors were true. The Volkov heir really is a spoiled brat.”
“Poor bride. What a shame.”
Though they pretended to feel sorry, their lips curled into amused smiles.
They couldn’t hide how entertained they were by the unusual spectacle.
This wedding had already been the talk of the town.
And with rumors that the bride was bought with money because the groom had too many problems, half the gossip sounded believable.
Now, the groom wasn’t even attending.
It was like throwing gasoline on a roaring fire.
It was clear that high society would be buzzing about this wedding for weeks.
“The bride will now enter!”
As the soft melody played, all sorts of stares—pity, mockery, curiosity—turned to the bride walking down the aisle.
Her long silver hair, softly flowing like waves, was neatly styled.
On top of her head sat a dazzling tiara encrusted with diamonds, passed down in the Volkov family for generations.
Her white wedding dress was just as glamorous.
The bodice was decorated with complex patterns in silver-thread lace, and the skirt flowed down in full volume.
With so much sparkle from head to toe, a bride could easily get overshadowed.
But Sasha didn’t.
Her bright golden eyes, high nose, and small red lips made her face shine even more.
With glittering diamond earrings and an elegant pearl necklace, she looked like the perfect bride—one that left no room for disagreement.
Even those who pitied her moments ago now gasped in awe.
“She’s beautiful! The rumors were true—she looks like an angel.”
“How unfortunate. That such a beautiful young lady is stuck in such a disappointing marriage…”
“Well, not completely unfortunate. I heard Count Volkov paid a fortune to the Arban family. That’s not a bad deal.”
“Still, to have a wedding without the groom… no amount of money would make that worth it.”
While the guests whispered and speculated, Sasha reached the altar.
She stood alone in front of the officiant, without her groom.
Just as the strange, groomless wedding was about to begin—
“Let go of me!”
A sudden commotion erupted at the entrance.
“I said I’ll walk in on my own! Why are you stopping me?”
The sharp voice cut through the air, silencing the music.
“I said LET GO, you bastards!”
The crude language made the guests widen their eyes.
Everyone turned toward the noise.
Even the officiant paused mid-sentence and looked toward the entrance, freezing the ceremony completely.
‘What’s going on?’
From under her veil, Sasha’s eyes rolled as she glanced toward the source of the disturbance.
There, two guards were holding back a young boy.
He looked much younger than Sasha and was clearly furious.
Struggling to free his arms, he shouted loudly:
“Let go if you want to live!”
His youthful voice echoed through the hall, loud enough that Sasha heard every word clearly.
That’s when she realized: the person ruining the wedding… was her groom.
***
“Cough, cough!”
Rough coughing echoed through the hall.
It was so harsh, Sasha wondered how he wasn’t spitting blood.
She glanced to her side.
Her groom, the sickly boy five years younger than her, was very short.
So short, he didn’t even reach Sasha’s shoulder—and she was tall for her age.
He wasn’t just short. His thin frame looked almost skeletal.
The baby fat in his face was the only thing that kept him from looking like a walking skeleton.
‘Has he been sick for a long time?’
His skin was pale, and Sasha felt a wave of sympathy.
Just then, Pavel whipped his head toward her, sensing her gaze.
His face was pale, but his red eyes burned intensely.
“What are you staring at!”
His hostile tone made the officiant flinch.
But—
Sasha smiled at him.
Her gentle expression startled Pavel.
‘Sh-she’s smiling?’
He blinked, but her smile didn’t fade.
‘Why is she smiling?’
He had never seen this reaction before.
When he got angry, people usually got upset or scolded him.
But no one had ever smiled at him like this.
He was stunned, just staring at Sasha.
The woman who would be his bride smiled beautifully, fitting her pretty face.
But as he stared blankly, Pavel quickly scowled again.
“Are you laughing at me?”
He tried to sound threatening.
‘So young… but kind of cute.’
With his baby face and little outburst, he didn’t seem scary—just adorable.
Sasha’s smile deepened.
She had always been weak to cute things.
Even though Pavel was sickly and small now, he looked a lot like his father—very handsome.
‘Still too young, but definitely cute.’
His formal outfit made him look even more adorable.
His hair was slicked back with oil.
His stiff formal suit was buttoned all the way up, and the little bowtie was perfectly tied.
She thought he’d be the type to rip the tie off and leave the buttons open.
But dressed like a model student… it was just too cute.
‘Adorable. Just adorable.’
Sasha couldn’t hold back her genuine smile.
But Pavel was still too young and immature to accept her kindness.
As usual, he lashed out.
“How dare you mock me, you woman who was sold here?”
The harsh insult made the officiant glance nervously at Sasha.
But Sasha didn’t flinch. She just looked at Pavel calmly.
“……”
With her large eyes and downturned corners, Sasha always looked sad when she stayed silent—even when she wasn’t thinking anything at all.
Pavel was no exception.
Thinking he had hurt her, Pavel quickly looked away.
But he was too proud to stay quiet for long.
‘I didn’t say anything wrong.’
She was sold into marriage. That wasn’t his fault.
‘…But is she really crying?’
Tch.
Trying to ignore his guilty conscience, Pavel kept his eyes forward, pretending not to care.
