There is no happy ending

EPISODE: 4.2

CONTINUED…

Alas, I want to pounce on her now, to tear the poor woman’s hair out of her face and slap her across the cheeks, to scratch her face with my manicured nails.

But Bianca holds back. And holds back, and holds back.

The things she wants to do are not aristocratic behavior. Bianca Moening knew aristocracy very well.

She had to be aristocratic, always and everywhere, because that’s what she was born to do.

‘I’m a commoner?

‘…….’

Bianca chose laughter over anger.

Bianca was well aware of her class. She knew her class, and she knew how to wield it.

It was the kind of thing she’d learned since childhood.

‘The one who is asking is commoner. Not you.’

‘…….’

‘You have no right to stop me, Bliss. What’s wrong with me asking? I’m sure you didn’t want to meet an idiot who pretended not to know.’

She was right. Bliss shut her mouth.

‘Look at that. You don’t even have anything to say, and you’re just going to…….’

‘…….’

‘Answer me, are you a commoner who doesn’t know the subject? The daughter of the High Council of Eldora?’

Bianca urged again, stressing each syllable, each word.

Bianca did not know the woman’s name. She hadn’t asked her escort. She didn’t want to hear it, because she thought it would change things.

But things had already changed, I just denied it.

The thing she’d been avoiding was there, tangible, in front of her. She couldn’t remain ignorant forever. Bianca remembers Bliss’s sweet voice calling out to her.

She couldn’t erase the sound of his voice calling her, ‘Odette,’ and that’s how she learned her name.

Odette, daughter of Fabien Halona, of the Eldora Chamber of Commerce…… Odette Halona.

I had never heard anything so unpleasant, or a name like that.

‘No second time, Odette Hallona.’

If she doesn’t answer this time, I can’t guarantee her safety. Bianca was the kind of person who could be caught in the middle of anything, and at the same time, she was in a position where she was above reproach.

It could have been more than just words.

Odette didn’t know much about Bianca, but she knew instinctively that she was in danger.

If Bianca tried to harm her, Bliss would protect her. But it was easier to destroy than to protect. A man who could completely defend himself against a relentless attack was the stuff of fiction.

Bliss was mute and opened his mouth to speak, but Odette tightened her grip on his hand, forcing him to shut up. ‘Yes, my lady,’ he replied, her face pale with fear.

‘……That’s right, miss.’

Bianca was uneasy and relieved at the same time, her unease stemming from the fact that this was a different course from the life she had always taken for granted.

She had the illusion that if she pressed Odette, she could go back to the way things were. If things were the way they were, she would be able to stand in her place, safe and secure.

Just before the desire could overtake her, the right answer came back. Odette, who seemed to be overlooking my position, shrank back and lowered her head.

Bianca snorted at the attitude, which she wasn’t sure if it was fearlessness or a lot of it.

‘And here I thought you were going to keep your mouth shut forever.’

The sarcasm was evident in her tone. Bliss’s face contorted. It dawned on me in a flash.

He hadn’t even started to say what he was going to say yet, and that was enough to offend him. The mere change in his expression sent a stabbing pain through Bianca’s insides.

Since when? Bianca hadn’t noticed the change in Bliss’s expression until…….

Bianca knows. Her sarcasm now was more like a futile war of attrition, and it wasn’t going to solve anything.

She knew that if it was going to solve anything, it would have been the end of their relationship long ago, but that’s all it was. She smiled wistfully at the thought.

It wasn’t anything special that she wanted. She didn’t even dare hope that Bliss would love her.

Just to be, to be. That’s all she could hope for.

Bianca wishes for so much, but she can’t control the feelings of others.

The status quo isn’t such a difficult wish. Bliss just needs to be reminded.

Odette is of no help to Bliss, and she’s a worthless bitch who gets tossed around. Bianca, however, is not. She’s a force to be reckoned with.

She just needs to be reminded of this fact and keep her wits about her.

In hindsight, her thoughts were full of holes, but Bianca didn’t see anything strange about them.

People in love, and those about to lose it, sometimes think like that. And it leads to stupid choices. Especially if the situation is something you’ve never been in before and can’t handle.

Bianca was no different.

‘Now, what do you think you’re doing?’

Bliss’s angry voice broke through.

‘What are you doing?’

Bianca reflexively asked back, instantly realizing what Bliss was talking about.

The years between them hadn’t been short, and Bianca knew more about Bliss than she realized.

She’s always had a knack for picking up on things between people, so it’s hard not to notice. Bliss didn’t know Bianca, but Bianca knew Bliss.

Bliss didn’t like Bianca’s war of attrition. And he had no intention of going along with Bianca’s wishes.

Given the choice between Bianca and Odette, he chose Odette without hesitation. The name Moening paled in the presence of Odette.

He almost wanted to throw up, but not in front of Odette, not in front of Bliss.

He didn’t want to admit that he’d had foolish expectations, and he didn’t want to admit that he was the cause of her anger.

‘You’re not asking because you don’t know.’

Bliss’s voice grew harsher at Bianca’s retort. Bianca had no idea how to turn his voice back to the way it was before.

‘You’re right to ask what you don’t …… know, Bliss.’

‘I never gave you permission to come in the first place.’

‘Don’t be so condescending. You gave me the right.’

Bianca’s eyes twinkled as she said it. The corners of her eyes twitched at the forced smile, but Bliss, too furious to notice, glared at Bianca.

Her legs grew weak. Bianca shifted her wobbly legs and sat down in front of them. Her back was stiff, her expression imposing.

Her legs were not visible beneath her dress, and her demeanor was arrogant and regal.

A demeanor that made her seem like she was already the hostess of the Duke of Winston’s household.

Bliss and Bianca’s gazes met in the air. Neither of them looked away from the other. It was Odette who was growing tired of the battle of wills between them.

‘Bliss, Bliss.’

‘……Odette.’

‘Please, don’t be so angry.’

Odette said in a thin voice, still in Bliss’s arms. Please, don’t do that to the princess.

She sounded pathetic, panting. Odette’s blue eyes trembled. If anyone touched her, she would cry out loud.

No……, maybe she would cry silently.

Maybe she’d bite her lower lip and shudder and shed clear tears, and that’s how she’d cry. Odette’s face was more like a silent cry.

Odette’s face was pitiful and fragile, like a bird’s, and it stirred a protective instinct in me. It was an objectively lovely face, and it made me want to protect it.

She wasn’t Bianca’s favorite type, but if it wasn’t for the circumstances of her encounter with Bliss, she might have been tempted to see her as weak and vulnerable, something to be protected. It wouldn’t have been hard to be generous, to be kind.

But this time, it wasn’t like that at all. On the contrary, her slenderness seemed abominable.

‘Yeah…….’

But it seemed to Bliss differently. She looked at him in an almost endearing way.

Bliss’s face melted like a glacier, her anger gone. Bliss tucked Odette’s hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.

More than anything, the way he treated her was precious.

He didn’t even care that Bianca was in the room. For a moment, Bianca forgot to breathe. I don’t care what anyone says, she’s in front of me.

Bliss shouldn’t be acting ‘like that’ in front of Bianca, not when he knew what Bianca was upset about.

‘But. Why.

Bianca’s fists clenched. Her nails dug into her palms. She breathed, hard.

‘Calm down. Don’t get excited. Here, you can’t break down.’

Bianca chastised herself. If she cries here, Bliss won’t wipe his tears away. She’ll end up crying alone.

Bianca must not let that happen. Bianca is Lady Moening of Falborne. She will be Marquess Moening and Duchess Winston, and she will live in the envy of others.

Clenching her teeth until her jaw ached, Bianca stared at them, then leaned back comfortably against the backrest and crossed her legs.

‘Odette.’

Bianca’s voice was still gentle. No matter how her stomach was churning, Bianca didn’t show it. Otherwise, she would have grabbed Odette by the hair and shaken her right now.