“…!”
It wasn’t the light kiss from earlier. My heart pounded erratically at the sight before me.
I never thought I’d witness something like that…
It felt like I needed to flee. I had planned to wait until they left before coming out from the bushes, but I couldn’t wait anymore.
Just as I started to pull my foot back to leave, trying to squeeze through the undergrowth—
Snap.
A branch cracked underfoot.
Ah…
They turned toward the sound and spotted me.
“Aah!”
Lady Bulin let out a startled squeal, quickly covering her mouth.
“Lady Burkell?”
The Second Prince’s expression hardened instantly. He left her side and strode toward me.
“What are you doing here?”
“…”
“I asked what you were doing. Were you spying on us?”
His voice was low and laced with anger. I stepped out from the bushes, belatedly revealing myself.
“I wasn’t trying to watch.”
My heart was still pounding, almost painfully so.
Why was it beating so uncomfortably? Was it because I’d been caught witnessing something private?
No. It was because the man in front of me was none other than the Second Prince—Andreas. The exact image of the man I used to date.
Our relationship had ended abruptly due to the accident that brought me to this world.
Maybe that’s why I felt such a visceral rejection. It was the way he smiled at her and kissed her—exactly how he used to do with me.
Even though I knew he wasn’t my Andreas.
In this world, we’re nothing to each other.
I reminded myself of reality to avoid deluding myself.
And apparently, I was the one chasing after him all along.
So I had no right to feel hurt.
There was no time to dwell on shock—I had to worry about the fallout of having seen what I did.
“You said you’d just watch the performance quietly and then leave, didn’t you?”
It began.
“You made that promise so confidently, and I was foolish enough to believe you.”
Thanks to the wall lanterns set up even in secluded corners, I could see his face clearly. His crimson eyes were filled with scorn.
Of course, he wasn’t my lover. My Andreas had never once looked at me that way.
It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding, so I quickly tried to explain.
“Um… I admit I intruded, but I didn’t follow you here. I just came out to get some air and heard a noise, so I hid.”
“You’re saying you were here before me? You came here for a break, and I just happened to show up?”
“Yes.”
He looked unconvinced. But what could I do? It was the truth.
“Your Highness, it was just an accident. A simple—”
“Another damn coincidence, is it?”
Andreas cut me off sharply, his voice tense. I was momentarily speechless.
“Did you just say ‘damn’?”
It was the first time I’d ever heard him speak like that. He always seemed so gentle, I hadn’t thought him capable of swearing. Lady Bulin looked just as surprised.
“You keep testing my patience. How do you expect kind words from me?”
“I told you—it was a coincidence.”
“Do you know how many ‘coincidences’ you’ve used as excuses?”
He didn’t back down.
“You always pretend these encounters are accidental, but they’re clearly orchestrated. Like when we ‘ran into’ each other at the theater.”
“If I’d known you’d be there, I wouldn’t have gone. And I certainly didn’t expect to find you kissing someone in a hidden corner.”
My heart was still racing. Maybe not as wildly as when I first saw them, but far from calm.
I wanted it to stop, but it wouldn’t—not in this situation.
“Who’s going to believe that?”
The Second Prince looked at me with contempt, as if my words weren’t even worth considering.
“If you keep behaving this way, my heart will only close off more and more. And others will feel the same about you.”
His voice dropped, cold and cutting.
“No one will ever love you. Not now, not ever.”
“What did you just say?”
Instead of answering, he turned back to Lady Bulin. Standing in front of her, he glanced back at me— And kissed her again.
Another kiss.
“….”
I stood frozen, mouth agape.
It wasn’t as deep as the one before, but it was clearly deliberate. He wanted me to see it.
Was it to declare his relationship with her? Otherwise, why make a show of it right in front of me?
The kiss ended quickly. Lady Bulin looked flustered, cheeks flushed red. I must’ve looked awful too—my face twisted with emotion.
Andreas addressed me coldly.
“I’ve been seeing Lady Bulin for some time now. Since you’ve seen it, there’s no point hiding it.”
Then, with an edge in his voice, he added:
“Don’t you dare threaten Lady Bulin.”
“I just saw what I saw! When did I ever threaten her?”
“You think I didn’t notice the way you glared at her so venomously?”
Venomous? I wasn’t even doing anything—just staring blankly!
He protectively placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I know how you harassed the women I’ve been associated with in the past.”
“…”
“If you try anything again, I won’t stand by idly.”
Was that… a warning?
He gave me one last guarded look, then left with Lady Bulin.
Now I was alone.
“I said I wouldn’t bother anyone…”
I just came out to take a break—what a disaster.
“What’s so scary about me, anyway?”
“I feel happy when I’m with you.”
Same face. But such different words.
“Your smile brightens everything. Even when you’re not smiling, you’re beautiful.”
But now I’m venomous?
I know he’s not the same man I loved. That must be why he kissed Lady Bulin right in front of me—to make it clear.
He probably wanted to drive the point home: “I don’t have feelings for you. I’m with her now.”
“Unbelievable…”
I’m not Vanessa, the woman who used to chase after him. But somehow, witnessing that kiss still hurt—like watching my own lover kiss someone else.
Having the same face really made everything more complicated.
I didn’t stay to watch the second act of the performance. I returned to the estate with my knight.
“You’re back already, my lady?”
“Yeah. I just came home.”
Anna didn’t ask any more questions. Maybe she thought it was one of my whims. In the past, I would’ve eagerly told her everything.
“So, what went wrong on your day out?”
I had come out to get some cake when I ran into Milan. He smirked at my gloomy expression.
“Whose head did you bite off this time?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
I didn’t even have the energy to argue and gave a vague reply.
But being home didn’t mean I could relax completely.
A more practical concern crept in.
What if word gets out that I ran into Andreas at the theater?
People already suspect me of following him. Even my family wouldn’t believe it was just coincidence.
“She’s at it again!”
Would that be the reaction?
With all the nobles gossiping about me and the Second Prince, it was only a matter of time before the rumors reached my family.
Sigh…
“What’s with the sigh?”
“It’s nothing.”
For now, I’ll keep quiet.
As long as they didn’t hear about it from someone else, I could maintain the peace.
____________.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓆰♕𓆪 ֶָ֢. _________
“Did you follow the Second Prince to the theater yesterday?”
So much for peace.
The incident had already reached Milan’s ears by the next day.
Father had summoned me to his office, and Milan immediately pounced.
“I knew it wouldn’t last. That quiet phase of yours? I knew it wouldn’t hold.”
He turned to Father and added smugly:
“I told you, she was only pretending to have lost interest in the Prince.”
If he ever found out I witnessed the kiss, he’d be even more shocked. Thankfully, that part wasn’t public.
“We just happened to be interested in the same performance. If I’d known the Prince would be there, I wouldn’t have gone.”
I tried to explain.
“Isn’t that convenient? Sounds like you’re trying to start chasing him again.”
“I arrived first.”
That much, at least, was true—and frustratingly so.
“If you want to be technical about it, ‘he’ showed up where ‘I’ already was.”
“So, another ‘accidental’ meeting?”
Father finally spoke.
“The Prince wouldn’t go somewhere to follow ‘you’, so I suppose it really was a coincidence.”
“Exactly…”
Would he believe me? Andreas’s frustrated reaction was still on my mind. Apparently, I wasn’t the first to use coincidence as an excuse.
Father stared at me intently, as if weighing the truth in my words.
He’d said I seemed changed and wanted to give me a chance—but now, all that seemed undone because of the Second Prince.
“There will be a banquet at the palace soon—for Her Majesty the Empress’s birthday.”
After a pause, Father said:
“I had planned to take you. But now, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea.”
A birthday banquet?
“She’ll just cause more embarrassment. Best leave her behind, Father.”
“Will both princes be attending?”
That was more important than whether I’d go or not.
“No. The First Prince is currently away from the capital.”
Thank goodness.
____________.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓆰♕𓆪 ֶָ֢. _________
T/N : Honestly I would actually cry at this point. She has such stamina… This shows how much our society really gives anyone chance to change and forgive their sins. I literally get frustrated whenever I write this novel 😫
