There is no happy ending

No Happy Endings, Book 1

Chapter 1.1

Bianca’s green eyes narrowed slightly as she stared out the window. Displeasure crossed her face.

It was a beautiful day, she felt refreshed, and her breakfast was just right. The birds chirping outside weren’t too bad to listen to either, so Bianca should have been in a good mood today.

But she wasn’t.

Because she’d heard something at the meeting the day before that she didn’t deserve.

If nothing else, she’d heard gossip about Bianca’s fiancé, Bliss Winston.

Bianca didn’t pay much attention to social gossip-or rather, she overheard it and often scoffed at it, because the social gossip she’d encountered had been nothing short of tasteless.

Bianca was the heir to the Moening family.

The Moening family had been around since the founding of the Kingdom of Falborn. It was a family that had kept its noble blood in its veins and one that had risen to unparalleled power and wealth.

Excellence attracts attention and jealousy. As a member of the Moening, it was only natural that Bianca would be the center of attention and jealousy. Bianca had known that long ago.

One of the noblest women in the kingdom of Falborn. The most colorful flower. The next Lord of the Moening.

Bianca had so many glamorous titles for an unmarried, untitled noblewoman to have, and jealousy tended to manifest itself in ways that harmed them.

For example, vicious rumors.

But Bianca knew that they could not make any mark on me, and so she often laughed at the envy of others. They’re dreary, sleepy things. If I took them seriously, it was to Bianca’s detriment.

But this time was different.

If Bianca was okay with the rumors surrounding her, it was because they were the kind of rumors that could be easily debunked. Rumors that could be denied simply by Bianca’s presence.

Rumors that were designed to use my fiancé to undermine Bianca, if nothing else, made me feel very, very bad……. It was obvious that they were trying to attack Bianca with something she couldn’t control!!

Bianca thought back to their conversation the day before.

***]

‘So, Princess Moening, have you heard the rumors?’

There was much talk of art, patronage, and business. They were unusually excited, and an out-of-place voice interrupted the flow of words.

Bianca shifted her gaze toward the source of the voice. A woman with multi-colored, curly hair was sitting there, smiling broadly. It was a cheerful laugh, somehow.

‘Rumours?’

Bianca asked, raising one eyebrow, an odd question.

The meeting Bianca was attending was a gathering of all the Thoroughbreds who would be leading Falborn in the future.

Young, wealthy aristocrats, self-conscious and confident, needed a place to adorn themselves. A place where the less fortunate could not belong, a place that would cement their sense of belonging.

The children of the most prominent nobles formed a society, and they were busy building on it, overconfident in their abilities. No one could mock the Society because it had a name and a product.

The young nobles naturally limited the subject matter of their meetings. They believed that more precious things should be discussed, and so the main thing they shared was information – information that would benefit their name, their business, and their household. Social gossip was taboo.

But gossip? The woman’s overly eager words made some of them shudder.

But the woman didn’t seem to care. Instead, she looked around the room, taking in the faces of the nobles one by one. Then she spoke in an exaggerated voice.

She was quite regal in her manner, even though no one was listening to her.

‘My, my, has no one told the princess of “the” rumor? You are all so full of it.’

The woman pouted as if she had a firm grip. If that wasn’t bad enough, she accused the others of being the only ones who cared about Bianca.

The brazenness of her attitude made Bianca wonder. Bianca thought to herself.

‘I wonder what she’s trying to say.

Bianca stared at the woman’s smiling face and opened her mouth.

‘I’m not interested in that sort of thing, so I’m going to tell you…….’

‘What was her name,’ Bianca paused, studying the woman’s featureless face. She couldn’t quite remember the name.

‘I don’t know what rumors you’re talking about.’

Bianca’s words were offensive to anyone who heard them, but the woman didn’t seem to care. She laughed out loud.

‘Ha! What is it with people that they don’t tell you such things? They’re so sleepy.’

‘Don’t sell, don’t drink.’

‘But, Princess Moening. I tell you, I’m the only one who thinks of you, I’m the only one who thinks of her. Everyone else is too cowardly…….’

Bianca, who had been listening in silence, asked.

‘And the Princess thinks of me?’

‘Of course!’

The woman affirmed. One corner of Bianca’s mouth lifted.

‘Then the kind lady will have to let me know.’

When Bianca said that, I think she was in the mood to hear what she was talking about. I’m not one for listening to bullshit, but if she’s that confident, I might as well hang out with her. In retrospect, it was foolish.

As soon as Bianca finished speaking, her eyes lit up as if she had been waiting for her. And then she spoke up.

‘Rumour has it that the Princess’s fiancé, His Royal Highness the Duke of Bliss Winston, is seeing another woman.’

Suddenly, the noise in the room they were sitting in stopped. Everyone stopped breathing and turned to look at the princess. The woman’s cheeks were flushed red with excitement and anticipation. Everyone had guessed her intentions.

No, guess was not the right word; it was as surely visible as the sky was blue and the sun was rising.

The woman acted as if she was Bianca’s best friend, but she was not. Her current attitude was designed to attack Bianca. And with malice!

It was the man sitting next to her who broke the silence, his face pale as he tugged at her arm.

‘Princess Drian, what are you talking about!’

‘What? As if I’ve said something unspeakable.’

‘Of course, you have!’

A silent tussle ensued. Listening to them argue, Bianca could finally recall the woman’s name.

It was Eris Drian, the eldest daughter of Count Drian, who had told Bianca the false rumors. The family was unremarkable, but the current head of the household and his heir, the eldest son, were upright and made no enemies. Eris herself was unremarkable.

Oh, she was peculiarly jealous. Not exactly a virtue…….

In any case, Eris was particularly jealous of Bianca. She was jealous of Bianca’s attention and favors, but she also wanted to bring her down to her level somehow. It was probably the same now.

In Bianca’s hand was a mug of hot, steaming tea. Someone’s gaze was drawn to the tea in her hand. Bianca didn’t even touch the teacup but asked.

‘A woman?’

‘Yes, a woman. Did you not know?’

Eris covered her mouth with her hand, stunned.

But what surprised her was the woman sitting next to her, who sat stiffly, her face pale and white. She looked as if she wanted to shut him up at once, but Eris couldn’t see the person next to her.

‘This is too much. I don’t know how any of you can not talk to each other. You pretended to be so close, but…….’

The woman who couldn’t tell the difference between heaven and earth. Bianca thought to herself as she watched Eris speak, and at the same time, she couldn’t understand why she was so scared of the world. If she were Eris, she would never act like that.

Bianca tilted her head to one side, her dark auburn hair flowing with the movement of her head.

‘So, did he say what kind of girl he’s seeing?’

Bianca’s voice was very calm. But those who had known her long enough could tell. Just as the sky is clearest before a storm, Bianca seemed to be at her calmest just before a rage.

But Eris noticed none of that. Eris continued with an openly sneering tone.

‘I heard she was a lowly commoner woman with no title.’

So much for that.

Without hesitation, Bianca rose and poured tea at Eris’s feet. Before anyone else could react to what had happened, Eris’s tearing scream was heard.

‘Gah, gah, gah, gah, what are you doing!’

Bianca said, not bothering to hide her boredom as she watched Eris scramble to her feet, clawing at the hem of her skirt.

‘Princess Drian.’

Bianca’s eyes narrowed.

‘Don’t run your mouth so lightly. There are certain things you can and cannot say, and I want you to know that it is the last mercy I have for you.’

With those words, Bianca started to walk away.

There was a murmur of voices behind her. Bianca’s face remained rigidly set.

*** ‘***

As usual, just thinking about it makes me feel uncomfortable. Bianca stopped thinking.

The mood had quickly turned sour, and that was the end of the meeting.