A vast hall filled with nobles attending as guests. At the center stood Vincent in a white dress uniform, his black hair framing sharp golden eyes as he extended his hand toward Cordelia. He smiled at Cordelia in her splendid dress.

“Cordelia. My beautiful bride.”

All the noble guests applauded. The whole thing felt like a dream to Cordelia. This was the marriage to Vincent she’d been counting down the days for.

But she felt no joy anymore. Seeing Vincent made her insides boil with disgust. Cordelia, wearing her bridal veil, tore it off and threw it to the floor.

“I won’t marry you!”

Vincent’s face froze at Cordelia’s actions and words. Count Robert and Countess Carol gaped in shock.

The guests began murmuring. Countess Carol grabbed Cordelia’s arm to salvage the situation.

“We rushed the wedding preparations too much—you must be overwhelmed.”

Countess Carol whispered to Cordelia.

“Cordelia. Where do you think you are, acting like this? You were thrilled about marrying Vincent just yesterday!”

“I don’t want to. I absolutely refuse.”

“You have to, even if you don’t want to. We have massive debts and Vincent agreed to finance us. I’m telling you because you don’t understand.”

Countess Carol’s face showed distress as she looked at Cordelia. Cordelia glared back at her.

‘That’s right. You kept the financing deal secret from me and pushed this marriage through.’

Cordelia swallowed her anger and spoke loudly.

“Financing? What are you talking about? Don’t tell me you sold me for money?”

“Oh my, Cordelia!”

The guests murmured again, staring at Cordelia. She walked toward a man watching her.

Hereis Bever—with golden hair and blue eyes, he was Cordelia’s childhood friend who’d come to celebrate her wedding. When Cordelia approached and linked arms with him, his face flushed slightly.

“I’ll marry Hereis!”

Hereis looked startled but soon wrapped his arm around Cordelia’s shoulders and whispered quietly.

“You were so excited about marrying Vincent—what suddenly happened?”

“…I need your help.”

“You’re saying you’ll abandon the Count’s family?”

As an only daughter, Cordelia needed to bring in a son-in-law to inherit the Rossi County. Hereis Bever was heir to a duchy, so he couldn’t become that son-in-law. He’d been rejected by Cordelia for that very reason when they were young. Cordelia nodded.

“Yes.”

Marrying Vincent meant losing both her title and territory. They’d disappear anyway. More than that, Vincent had stolen everything from her.

‘Perfect way to reduce Vincent’s plans to nothing.’

Hereis looked back at Count Robert and Countess Carol, his eyes sparkling with joy.

“I’ll marry Cordelia.”

“Hereis.”

People had already forgotten Vincent, who’d been the star of this event. Hereis, who would become a duke, held more value than Vincent the commoner general. 

Vincent’s face hardened as he glared at Cordelia. He bit his lip hard enough to taste the salty tang of blood. His aide Conrad watched him.

“What should we do?”

“…Before she marries Hereis, reduce the Rossi County to complete beggars. She must pay the price for insulting me. I wonder if Duke Bever will welcome a daughter-in-law from a beggar count’s family.”

“Understood.”

“There’s no time. …Right now.”

“Yes.”

Vincent couldn’t adjust to this sudden change in Cordelia. They’d been engaged at fifteen, and he’d devoted five years to her. Every anniversary, he’d brought flowers and gifts, working to win her favor.

Even without trying, Cordelia had been slender and beautiful like a single lily stem. How long had he waited for this day…

‘I swore I’d never let anyone take what’s mine again. Cordelia. I don’t know why you suddenly changed your mind, but don’t take me lightly. You might think you’ve overturned this wedding, but you’re dead wrong. I have no intention of letting you go.’

All the guests came to Cordelia and Hereis’s side to bless them. Cordelia had become a pitiful woman nearly sold into an unwanted marriage because of debt.

Hereis grinned from ear to ear as he gripped Cordelia’s waist tightly. His eyes met Vincent’s.

‘Persistent eyes. That bastard always looks at Cordelia like that.’

Cordelia wouldn’t know. Vincent had looked at her that way from their first meeting. Like a starving caged lion craving prey.

Hereis felt relieved Cordelia wasn’t marrying him after all. A sweet scent came from Cordelia’s hair, and he breathed deeply. Hereis kissed her forehead and said:

“Cordelia. I want to marry you soon.”

“Hereis…”

Cordelia deliberately ignored Vincent’s sticky gaze following her. She’d never felt more than friendship for Hereis.

But she’d only used him to end this wedding—how should she explain that to Hereis? As she hesitated, someone grabbed Cordelia’s hand.

Looking up, she saw black-haired Vincent kissing the back of her hand, his face showing hurt.

“Cordelia. Canceling the wedding so suddenly… Didn’t you say you loved me just yesterday?”

‘He’s trying to embarrass me in front of all these people!’

Cordelia swallowed hard. The hand holding hers felt so hot she thought she’d get burned.

No, his hand wasn’t hot—Cordelia’s face was gradually reddening. Her heart pounded violently. When their eyes met, words wouldn’t come out properly.

“Th…that’s a misunderstanding.”

The words barely escaped Cordelia. Vincent didn’t release her hand. Instead, he gripped it painfully tight.

“Let… go of my hand.”

“Tell me why. I’m so hurt right now, my heart’s shattered to pieces.”

‘He’s lying. His heart is like steel—something like this won’t budge it.’

If Cordelia hadn’t experienced him in her past life, she would’ve fallen completely for his face and manners.

But not now. Still, even knowing everything, being close to him made her heart tremble violently.

‘I need to say what he hates hearing most.’

Words that would touch his complex. Saying this would instantly make him her enemy. Cordelia recalled the most insufferable noble ladies and imitated them.

“…Do you really not know? You’re a com. mon. er! It’s incredibly insulting for a noble lady like me to marry a commoner!”

At words so unlike Cordelia, Hereis beside her looked at her questioningly. Vincent felt like he’d been struck in the back of the head. He released Cordelia’s hand.

Many guests were watching them—she’d insulted him in front of all these people. He couldn’t believe it.

Throughout their engagement, she’d said she adored him and never once mentioned the word “commoner.” She’d been a pure soul, unlike other nobles despite being one herself.

“…Are you really the Cordelia I know?”

When Vincent looked at Cordelia with a wounded expression, Cordelia felt a twinge of guilt. The hand he’d released lost its warmth and quickly grew cold.

She’d once thought she’d be even happier as his wife. She’d believed her father and mother would be delighted by the marriage, and seeing his kindness, she’d considered herself the luckiest person alive.

Hereis grabbed Cordelia’s waist and pulled her toward him. When Hereis’s hand wandered on her waist, Cordelia elbowed his ribs.

“Ow!”

Hereis clutched his side, whimpering. Vincent, watching all this, clenched his fists.

[Hereis is just a childhood friend. He’s nothing like you, Vincent.]

‘Was that a lie? Are you really planning to marry him? Cordelia?’

Cordelia ignored Vincent and walked past him. Since she didn’t need to answer him, everyone saw her dismiss Vincent. The wedding of the commoner general and war hero shattered just like that.

* * *

Cordelia sat on the sofa in her room, surrounded by her friends. Emma, Cindy, and Lisa gathered around her, staring intently. Cordelia sipped her tea and said, “Hmph! You’ll bore holes in my face. Stop staring.”

Her friends all looked shocked at Cordelia’s words. Red-haired Cindy touched Cordelia’s forehead.

“Are you really the Cordelia I know?”

“Cordelia. If you’re sick anywhere, tell us right away. Should we call a physician?”

Emma chimed in. She looked genuinely worried as she watched Cordelia. Lisa crossed her arms and looked at Cordelia with a prim expression.

“I never thought you’d actually destroy your own wedding… You’re not someone else wearing Cordelia’s mask, are you? Maybe someone’s possessed you.”

“Ah! A ghost maybe?”

“Could be. Cordelia loved Vincent so much! Where did the real Cordelia go?”

They pretended to look elsewhere with Cordelia right in front of them. Cordelia set down her teacup with a loud thunk. The sound stopped her friends’ antics.

“I’m Cordelia Rossi, okay? You’re the ones who should go home instead of hanging around here. So much free time. Really.”

The friends exchanged glances again. They couldn’t believe the crybaby, introverted Cordelia was saying such things.

To put it nicely, Cordelia had been pure among her friends; to put it badly, naive. She seemed like she’d follow any man who offered her candy, so even as an adult, she’d been a constant worry.

She was that untainted by the world, the precious only daughter of a count’s family. When she said she was getting married, her friends worried about her wedding night with a man. 

Hadn’t she been the friend who only looked at her fiancé Vincent and never noticed other men?

“Cordelia. Let me ask just one thing. I never thought you’d two-time someone. Are you and Hereis in that kind of relationship? Have you already gone all the way?”

Cindy, who enjoyed risqué talk, asked with an intrigued expression. Cordelia told her:

“I’m not that promiscuous. …Hereis and I are just… dating. We haven’t been together long.”

Lying felt a bit uncomfortable. Cordelia cleared her throat again. Lisa nodded and said:

“Good choice. Even though Vincent’s a war hero, he’s a commoner. He doesn’t compare to Hereis, the duke’s heir.”

“Right, right. Now Cordelia’s finally learned how the world works.”

Cindy chimed in agreement. Cordelia’s stomach churned. She’d destroyed the wedding, but thinking about Vincent still hurt.

‘No. I did the right thing.’

She repeated it to herself. Emma squeezed Cordelia’s hand with a worried expression. She’d married at eighteen and already had a child. She got along wonderfully with her husband and had the fewest worries among them.

“I’m a bit worried that you changed your mind when you loved Vincent so much. You only looked at him for five years, didn’t you?”

“Emma…”

Emma wondered if Cordelia was regretting it now. Cordelia responded to Emma’s concern:

“It’s fine. He was never meant to be my husband in the first place.”

Among the three friends, Emma had the warmest heart. She took good care of her friends and spoke kindly, making her popular. Her face wasn’t particularly pretty, but her husband loved her.

Lisa, the pickiest friend and the pretty one, always criticized Cordelia and never praised her. But today she unusually complimented Cordelia.

“I envied you as an only daughter of a count’s family, but if you marry the duke’s heir, you’ll become a duchess. You really thought it through well. Of course, that’s only if Duke Bever accepts you. I need to go now. Everyone, let’s go.”

When Lisa stood, Emma and Cindy stood too. They waved to Cordelia.

“See you next time! Cordelia.”

“I like this new you too. Even if there’s an evil spirit inside you, I’ll support you.”

“Destroying your own wedding. Really impressive!”

After making comments that could almost sound sarcastic, the friends left the room. Cordelia looked for Mary, who’d been missing.

“Mary?”

After the wedding ended that way, she hadn’t seen Mary or her parents. Hereis had left saying he’d get his father’s permission and return. She grabbed another maid and asked. The maid looked at Cordelia with somewhat wary eyes.

“Where’s Mary?”

“…She was dismissed. Didn’t you know?”

Cordelia felt shocked by the maid’s words. Mary had been with her since childhood.

“Why?”

“Well… because you did that at the wedding. Mary took responsibility and left.”

“…”

The maid bowed her head and passed by Cordelia. Mary had worked here quite a long time and cared for Cordelia like a daughter. Cordelia trudged back to her room.

‘In my past life, Mary died after defying Vincent… Maybe being dismissed now is actually better.’

The future was changing. She should perhaps feel fortunate that someone she cared about had at least saved their life. 

Lying in bed, Cordelia felt empty knowing Mary was no longer by her side, but she’d been so exhausted today that she fell asleep.