Chapter 11: Falling in Love

“How could you do this?”

Clea smiled.

The most pure smile she had ever shown Lloyd.

Lloyd still had a disbelieving expression even as he saw that smile.

Clea asked as though to remind him of the truth.

“I guess you don’t remember going around with other women while abandoning your fiancée?”

How could he be so shameless?

Hearing those words, Lloyd stood up from his seat and glared at Clea.

She scoffed at his gaze that was stained with betrayal.

Clea found it ridiculous.

After all, he was the one who betrayed her first.

Does he think her actions were just like the romance from novels?

Just as she was thinking she shouldn’t have pushed him down and should have slapped him instead to tell him to come to his senses.

“Then are those rumors true too?”

Clea paid attention to Lloyd’s words.

She remembered him coming to ask her if the rumors were true not too long ago.

She hadn’t forgotten the content of those rumors he asked about then.

“That you were having secret meetings with Edmund.”

While others might have felt ashamed, Clea did not.

Rather, she lifted her head even more proudly.

Because she no longer had any noble pride or principles to maintain with him.

Seeing her attitude, Lloyd bit his lip.

“So you were just a filthy woman who can’t resist any man.”

“That’s rich coming from you, Lloyd.”

Edmund, who had been watching Lloyd’s behavior, was starting to get annoyed.

Even between close friends, there were clearly lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

He could overlook Lloyd barging into his office early in the morning.

But Edmund didn’t consider him close enough to overlook his continued rudeness.

Of course, he could have endured it if he wanted to. Like he had been enduring all this time because of the Persi Grand Ducal family.

However…

“Edmund!”

“You’re the one who played around with different women while having a fiancée.”

Edmund was angry now.

Anyone could see this was all Lloyd’s doing.

So what right did he have to insult Clea? Edmund shook his head.

Lloyd had nothing to say either.

Would anyone who witnessed his behavior towards Clea think they were engaged?

The relationship between the two was completely cracked.

And Lloyd held the biggest share in making it that way.

He constantly approached Aria while having a fiancée.

He even openly showed insulting remarks towards her in public.

Saying things like Clea had no charm, that she was very unsightly as a fiancée.

Clea silently watched Edmund like that.

“Instead I want to ask you. Clea was engaged. You knew that. So why!”

From others’ perspective, Edmund hadn’t shown any interest in Clea before.

Objectively speaking, he had shown absolutely no interest at all.

That’s why Lloyd couldn’t believe seeing the two of them together here.

Edmund didn’t explain at length.

“I fell in love with her.”

Hearing Edmund’s answer, Clea’s eyes widened as she looked at him.

He was still looking at Lloyd.

Though Lloyd glared at them both murderously after hearing Edmund’s answer, he soon turned around and roughly opened the door and disappeared.

When Lloyd disappeared and she was left alone with Edmund, Clea felt relieved.

She placed her hand on Edmund’s shoulder beside her and whispered quietly.

“Thank you for speaking up for me like that.”

To provoke Lloyd.

While Clea, who no longer needed to consider relations with the Grand Duke family, didn’t mind, Edmund’s situation was different.

He was a man who would have many things to consider once he ascended to become Emperor.

Especially since she knew the scenes from the original work, where Edmund, agonized deeply between Aria and the Persi Grand Duke family because of love. Clea was grateful to Edmund.

However, she thought his actions were simply out of kindness.

Kindness shown first out of sympathy for someone driven to the edge.

The same scenes kept appearing in her mind.

The man before her falling in love and spending happy days with Aria Hersher.

Such scenes came to mind very vividly. Not only from the original work, but because she had directly seen the three of them, including Lloyd, spending time together at the academy.

From Clea’s perspective, Edmund was someone who could leave anytime, and a man she could let go of anytime.

‘Even if I try to hold on, he won’t be caught at all.’

She thought it would be better not to develop feelings in the first place if she would end up getting hurt anyway.

As Clea lowered her head thinking this, Edmund frowned, looking displeased.

He brushed back her hair while examining her expression and said.

“I only spoke my heart.”

His touch was so gentle that Clea lifted her head.

Meeting his gaze, she smiled.

“I didn’t know you could say such embarrassing things.”

“A smile suits you well.”

Clea felt good hearing Edmund’s words.

Not only had the pain in her chest lessened somewhat, but she purely felt good.

Clea couldn’t help but laugh seeing Edmund turn his head away.

His reddened ears looked very cute.

Though she wanted to tease him more somehow, she decided to let it go since she was so grateful to Edmund for defending her in front of Lloyd.

Edmund’s hand was fidgeting. Seeing this, she firmly held his hand.

Though Edmund was startled by the sudden touch and looked at her, Clea closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace.

“Thank you so much. Thanks to Your Highness, I didn’t have to hear unpleasant words.”

A filthy woman who can’t resist any man, he said.

Clea wanted to throw those words right back at him earlier.

Who’s the one who can’t resist any woman.

But that would only escalate the argument.

She felt annoyed. She didn’t want to waste her emotions dealing with Lloyd.

Not only was it troublesome, but she didn’t feel it was worth it.

So just as she was wondering when he would disappear, Edmund had stepped in. Thanks to that, she was able to escape from dealing with Lloyd.

“You called me Edmund earlier but now it’s Your Highness again.”

“I can’t call Your Highness by name.”

“Edmund.”

Finding this scene familiar, Clea smiled and asked.

“Before I answer Your Highness’s words, may I ask what our relationship will be like going forward?”

She was curious.

What would become of her relationship with him going forward?

To be honest, she really liked Edmund as a man.

Not only was he impressive and handsome, but unlike Lloyd, who was called a bad man, she really liked that he only looked at one person.

But inside, she had other thoughts too.

‘If he’s someone who will leave someday, it would be better to have an uncomplicated relationship.’

She thought of Aria Hersher.

Her soft and fluffy pink hair with an adorable face that anyone would like.

The green eyes within that seemed full of innocence.

That innocence rarely seen in noble society must be why Lloyd and everyone else liked her.

Thinking of how the man before her would also go to her in the future, Clea felt regretful.

How nice it would be if at least this man before her could be completely hers.

Meanwhile, Edmund spoke.

“Did you really abandon the Odoi name?”

“Yes, I did. Completely from my life.”

“Then what problem could there be in keeping you by my side?”

Even now as they were close, Edmund narrowed the distance with Clea.

Thanks to that, they became close enough for their lips to touch like before, but neither showed it.

“Will you keep me by your side?”

“Yes.”

“Until when?”

Edmund’s expression hardened at that question and said,

“I have absolutely no intention of letting you go.”

Though worried about what would happen in the future, Clea was pleased.

As Edmund tilted his head, their lips met.

She felt satisfaction in that brief but very intense moment.

* * *

Lloyd walked outside, breathing heavily.

‘This can’t be! This absolutely can’t be!’

His steps were so rough that they startled those passing by.

But Lloyd paid no attention.

Right now, his eyes couldn’t see anything but the matter of Clea and Edmund.

‘How could she do this when she said she loved me!’

Lloyd was enraged at Clea.

The woman who had desperately proclaimed her love for him was now in another man’s arms, showing a radiant smile she had never shown before.

Seeing them even openly kissing, Lloyd felt sick to his stomach.

Though he knew he was the one who had neglected her until now, he was burning with anger rather than reflecting.

‘I even got down on my knees!’

What made him even more miserable was that she didn’t return even though he had gotten down on his knees.

He had no doubt she would return to his side if he apologized for his wrongdoing and got down on his knees.

He thought that what she wanted all along was his attention and affection, and that she was acting out because she didn’t receive it.

But instead she had obviously pushed him aside and turned to Edmund.

“Aria.”

Even in this situation, Lloyd spoke Aria’s name.

Having Aria by his side made him feel at ease.

He wondered what it would be like if Aria were by his side right now.

At the same time, he thought perhaps this situation was for the best.

“Yes, think of it as the obstacle being removed.”

That he never had any feelings of liking Clea to begin with.

Rather, that she was an existence interfering with him and Aria getting closer.

Now that Clea’s existence was gone, he smiled, thinking there was absolutely no one to block his relationship with her.

Though he was at a loss on how to explain today’s events to his parents and others, for now, he pushed it all aside and ordered the coachman.

To head to where Aria might be.