There is no happy ending

The day of the royal ball has arrived.

Bianca’s plans for the ball went awry the day she received the invitation.

Bliss hadn’t come to see her in a while, not since the day he refused her invitation. It was the first time in her life that Bliss had ever been so distant from her.

Unfortunately or fortunately, Bianca was presented with a gorgeous red dress instead. The dress was embroidered with gold threads, and it was extremely ornate and eye-catching.

It was, indeed, a dress that matched Bianca’s fierce flamboyance.

But the look on her face as she accepted the gift was not a happy one.

With a pout, one corner of her mouth subtly tilted upwards, Bianca fingered the fabric of the dress. Her face contorted further with each touch of the soft material.

‘Red, the color of the dress…….’

Bianca didn’t like the color red. She’d always thought it looked unusually vulgar.

Didn’t Bliss Winston know that?

She thought about it a lot.

But what did it matter, Bianca would look better in the dress Bliss had given her than in the one she’d tailored for herself.

Since it was a gift from Bliss, it would fit Bianca’s body as if it had been measured, without any adjustments.

As if to prove that the design was made for Bianca, it was also very flattering, even if she didn’t like it. Therefore, Bianca wore the dress willingly.

Her hair was styled down, and a powder made from fine pearls was sprinkled on her head to make her dark hair shine.

Earrings of alexandrite adorned both ears, and a necklace paired with the earrings adorned her neck. However, unlike the earrings, the gemstones in the necklace had a pattern like that of alexandrite, which changed color with every change of light.

All eyes would be on Bianca’s ears, her neck, and her dress. And they’d ask where it all came from.

And Bianca would straighten her back and puff out her chest as if nothing had happened and everything was going according to plan.

‘It was a gift from His Royal Highness, the Duke of Winston.

It’s easy.

It’s also something I’ve done countless times before.

Just answer that and everyone will know the damned rumors are false.

And the voice of Eris that had been nagging at her for the past days would go away.

Bianca finished dressing and left her room. She descended the stairs to the hall in the center of the mansion, where her partner, Bliss, was waiting for her. Bliss’s outfit wasn’t a match for Bianca’s, but it was enough to make her stand out.

He was still a dazzlingly beautiful man, even if she didn’t like the way he’d behaved the last few days. Bliss pulled at the corners of his mouth and smiled. Bianca smiled back at him.

But, Bianca, her eyes will not smile.

Because the last few days had left a pit in her stomach. And just like Bianca, maybe Bliss would too.

The thing is, Bliss and Bianca are lovers who look a lot alike. ……

‘Bliss.’

Bianca pulled at the corners of her mouth, revealing a pure white smile, and reaching for his hand. Bliss politely offered his arm.

The two of them clung close as if the distance of the past few days had never existed.

Nothing had happened, and it was as if nothing had ever really happened.

***

‘His Royal Highness, the Duke of Bliss Winston, and the Marquise of Bianca Moening !’

As Bianca and Bliss entered the ballroom, a servant announced their entrance in a booming voice. The eyes of those inside naturally turned to them.

Bianca felt the stares and immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Bliss. Their bodies moved closer together.

Then she casually lifted her head, looked up at Bliss, and smiled. Bliss smiled back at her in the sweetest way in the world, with a face that said He could only see Bianca.

Bianca quickly hears the others gossiping about the two of them. Thank goodness she had good ears.

‘His Royal Highness the Duke of Winston is looking very handsome again today.’

‘Look at the Princess Moening’s dress. I don’t know of any other woman who would wear such a bold color.’

‘Isn’t it tacky?’

‘But that red color suits her so well, and the gold thread is so bold. I’ll have to have a new dress made for me.’

‘Have you all heard the rumors? Well, His Royal Highness the Duke of Winston has…….’

‘Don’t talk about rumors, His Highness the Duke is very much in love with Princess Moening.’

‘Sometimes it’s quicker to look than to speak. Look at those eyes. Have you forgotten that their nickname is ‘Couple of the Century’?’

There were a few comments that Bianca didn’t like, but for the most part, she liked them.

Bianca pulled at the corners of her mouth in satisfaction.

Yes, that’s how I should see them. That’s how it should be. They were born to stand above others. No good could come from gossip coming between them.

Bianca looked at Bliss and placed her hand on one of his cheeks, and then, like a loving lover, she called his name in a tongue-in-cheek, sweet voice.

‘Bliss.’

Bliss was silent for a moment, then answered slowly.

‘Yes, Bianca.’

But it didn’t matter how long he took to answer. That wasn’t the point.

‘I like it now.’

Bianca wanted things to stay the same.

She wasn’t averse to change, but she was also someone who chose to settle for what she had.

So she wanted to settle.

No wind, no rumors, no gossip. To be the couple of the century, the envy of the world.

Then, naturally, Bianca would get what she wanted and Bliss would get what he wanted.

It was only for a moment, but Bliss’s expression changed. The corner of Bianca’s mouth twitched slightly. It didn’t last long.

Bianca called Bliss once more. Only then did Bliss answer.

‘Me too.’

There was nothing unusual about Bliss’s behavior over the past week. It was business as usual. He hadn’t been seeing any other women, and he hadn’t even been tempted.

So why the anxiety?

And why does it keep getting worse?

I don’t know why. I couldn’t get rid of the vague feelings of anxiety, and Bianca had to constantly remind herself what she knew.

But it’s a ball, and they’re standing in a glittering ballroom at the start of the social season.

Bianca must never show her anxiety. If she faltered, others would notice, and then she’d be bitten.

Therefore, Bianca stood in front of the crowd, ignoring the trembling in her heart.

She laughed, she drank, she talked, she danced her first dance with Bliss, and she danced with anyone else who came her way. Spinning, spinning, spinning. She doesn’t step on anyone’s feet.

Bianca is, and always will be, a very good and perfect social butterfly, so no such mistake should be made.

After a couple of dances and a break, when Bianca was dancing with a certain Count, one of the most powerful men in the southern provinces, a figure caught her eye in the corner of the ballroom.

It was Eris.

Eris looked at Bianca with anger and then went off to gather with other princesses of her age, who were busy fiddling with something.

The girls seemed to be new friends she had made since being kicked out of the group.

The members of Bianca’s group never spoke of their inner circle. There was no talk of Eris being out of Bianca’s sight or anything like that. Perhaps that’s why she was able to find someone else so quickly.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about their dialogue. The first thing out of Eris’s mouth was Bliss’s wind. I never knew what would come next.

I wish I could hear their conversation, but unfortunately, the wall between them and the center of the hall where Bianca was was too far away.

Even with my good ears, it was hard to hear their conversation over the music and the laughter of the crowd.

‘That should have been Bliss, not the Count, dancing.

With that thought, Bianca swayed to the beat once more. Her red dress swished with each step.

Then a voice caught Bianca’s ear, unmistakable.

‘The silver-haired woman?’

The voice was unfamiliar, yet haunting.

For a moment, Bianca thought it belonged to Eris and the others, but it could have been anyone but them. There were too many people in the hall, and they were far away.

If she had been looking in their direction, it would have been easy to guess. But what Bianca was looking at was the chest of the person she was dancing with.

The silver-haired woman could have been someone who had nothing to do with Bliss or Bianca.

Social circles were inherently gossipy places, and there was a good chance that a new face had popped up in the conversation.

‘But why…….’

Why did Bianca feel like it had something to do with her?

A strange chill ran down Bianca’s spine. She swayed, momentarily off-center. The Count hastily steadied her. Barely regaining her footing, Bianca stomped on her opponent’s foot.

‘Ouch…….’

Bianca managed to get her stubborn lips to move.

‘Oh, my God, I’m sorry, I’m so drunk.’

I lost my composure. No, more accurately, she couldn’t regain her composure.

The Count acted as if nothing had happened, but Bianca couldn’t wipe the agitation from her face.