34. Bianca’s First Love (2)

While Bianca was engrossed in building the sandcastle, her stomach let out a loud growl.

“Are you hungry, Bianca?”

At her sister’s question, Bianca nodded once again.

Katya stretched her neck to look around and spotted their maid Alyona and the butler nearby, busy directing servants as they set up tents and moved tables.

They were preparing for an outdoor banquet, an event Duke Smirnov had planned as a romantic gesture for his ailing wife.

The duke, known for his romantic nature, had arranged for the family to enjoy a quiet dinner together by the sunset-lit shore, just as described in one of his wife’s favorite poems.

The food, however, was still being prepared inside the lodging.

There was still some time left before dinner.

“If I ask the chef, he’ll make us some snacks. The kitchen is right over there. Should I go and bring something for you?”

Bianca shook her head quietly, then patted her outstretched legs.

“Your legs hurt?”

Nod.

“Then I’ll go and bring it quickly. Can you wait here?”

Bianca nodded once more.

Feeling reassured by the sight of Alyona and the servants nearby, Katya stood up.

“Move it back a little more. When the tide comes in, this spot will be submerged. It’s dangerous. A little further—”

Alyona, who had been adjusting the position of the tent, turned her head to check on the Smirnov sisters.

“Hey, wait—!”

Just as she turned back, Alyona suddenly froze.

The well-dressed young masters were looking up at her with tearful expressions.

“What’s the matter?”

“We brought our dog and tied it over there, but it seems to have broken its leash and run away!”

“What?”

“What should we do? It’s a very ferocious dog that bites anything it sees. Our servants went to look for it, but they haven’t found it yet.”

“What if it’s hiding somewhere and suddenly jumps out to bite someone? I’m scared.”

Ivan and his friends’ act completely fooled Alyona and the butler.

If the Smirnov sisters were to be bitten on their way back to the lodge after dinner, it would be a disaster.

The Smirnov household staff quickly ran off in the direction Ivan had pointed, searching for the runaway dog.

As Alyona ran, she glanced back and saw the platinum-haired figure sitting calmly in the same spot.

The rocks blocked her view of the other side, so she didn’t notice that Katya was missing.

Thinking it wouldn’t take long since it was nearby, Alyona moved along with the butler and the other servants.

Once all the adults were gone, Ivan’s group approached Bianca, who was now alone.

“Is this fun for you? Huh? Ignoring people just because you’re a girl?”

Ivan, venting his frustration over being embarrassed earlier, stomped on the sandcastle, destroying it completely.

When the castle she had worked so hard on with her sister collapsed, Bianca burst into tears.

No, to be precise, she silently cried, tears streaming down her face without a sound.

“See? You should’ve just played with us from the start.”

“……”

“Hey, can’t you talk?”

At Ivan’s words, his friends laughed slyly and began pulling at Bianca’s neatly braided hair.

Crying, Bianca tried to escape from them, climbing up onto a rock.

But Ivan chased her even there.

“Call your sister. Shout for her to come!”

“……”

“You were hiding behind your sister earlier, ignoring us completely. Acting like you’re something special.”

While Ivan continued to vent his anger on Bianca, deep down, he was hoping Katya would come running.

She seemed to dote on her younger sister, so wouldn’t she be furious?

He wanted to grab her attention, even if it meant doing this.

It wasn’t affection but a twisted form of obsession.

At that moment, a boy with light auburn hair suddenly appeared out of nowhere and pushed the bullies down one by one.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“……”

“I asked who you are! Do you even know who I am to dare mess with me?”

The boy said nothing, just glaring at them.

“What, are you mute too? Birds of a feather, huh.”

The boy, who appeared like a savior for Bianca, looked about nine years old.

He was a head taller than Ivan’s group but had a pale, sickly complexion and a thin frame.

Just as Ivan and his friends rushed at the boy, Bianca, who tried to block their way, was pushed aside by the boys’ rough force.

SPLASH—

Losing her footing, she fell into the water.

It was a spot deep enough to reach an adult’s chest.

Seeing the girl disappear beneath the waves, Ivan and his friends froze in fear and began backing away.

Without hesitation, the auburn-haired boy dove into the water.

It was only then that the group realized the gravity of the situation, their faces turning pale as they stared at the sea that had swallowed the two children.

“W-what do we do, Ivan?”

“Are they not going to come back up?”

Ivan had only intended to tease Bianca a little before Katya arrived and then leave.

He knew all too well how much effort his father had put into tracking down Duke Smirnov’s schedule through various connections.

He had only been messing with her out of spite, and because she didn’t fight back and just took it, he had gone further than intended.

“Hurry, let’s call the servants!”

“But then it’ll look like we’re the ones who pushed her in! Let’s just say she fell in on her own!”

Shouting in panic, Ivan decided to flee before the adults arrived.

His friends, seeing him run, quickly followed suit, leaving the scene behind.

Shortly after the children disappeared, the auburn-haired boy emerged from the water.

He carried an unconscious Bianca and swam to shore.

Laying her on the sand, Bianca coughed and spat out water.

The boy grabbed her arms and shook her, trying to wake her up.

But no sound came from his mouth.

It felt as if a stone was lodged in his throat, blocking his voice, and he grew frustrated with himself.

“Are you mute too? Birds of a feather, huh.”

Ivan’s words echoed in his mind.

Seeing Bianca, who like himself couldn’t speak, he felt a sense of kinship and had saved her.

His name was Luka Oblonsky.

He had recently witnessed a shocking event and was now suffering from depression and mutism as a result.

“A mute in the Oblonsky family? Unacceptable!”

“They said it might be a temporary condition caused by the trauma. He’ll recover soon.”

“No one must find out about the state of my son, Luka Oblonsky! No one!”

Under the strict orders of Duke Oblonsky, Luka had been confined to the lodge even during their vacation.

The nine-year-old boy, tired of being cooped up indoors, had slipped out to the beach when the commotion about the runaway dog distracted his guards.

It was as if something had lured him to the sea.

The waves seemed to be calling him.

He wondered if hiding in the water might wash away the weight of all his guilt.

It was during this moment of contemplation that he saw the girl being bullied.

Bianca, who had faintly regained consciousness, grabbed the boy’s hand.

Looking down at the girl holding his hand, Luka shouted inwardly.

‘I’ll… I’ll save you…!’

Because he hadn’t been able to before.

This time, he wanted to save her, no matter what.

When his voice refused to come out despite his efforts, Luka ran toward the lodge to seek help from the adults.

As he sprinted across the beach, his vision suddenly spun.

Having been confined indoors for so long, his stamina had significantly declined, and the prolonged exposure to sunlight caused him to feel dizzy.

It felt as though he was in the middle of a barren desert, mirages forming everywhere.

Amid the collapsing scenery, Luka fell onto the golden sand.

“Bianca!”

At that moment, Katya spotted her sister from afar and ran toward her in alarm.

“Help, please!”

Holding her unconscious sister, Katya cried out, drawing the attention of everyone on the beach.

As the crowd gathered around the sisters, the Oblonsky household staff, who had been searching for the missing young master, finally found Luka collapsed on the opposite side.

Without drawing attention, they quickly carried him away.

***

Ivan bit his lip as he recalled that day.

He later learned that Bianca had been suffering from selective mutism at the time.

She couldn’t speak when outside the house, which meant Katya had to focus solely on caring for her sister during outings, leaving little opportunity to interact with other children.

‘If that was the case, they should’ve just said so.’

Overwhelmed by guilt, Ivan found himself resenting Katya.

Thanks to her parents and Katya’s efforts, Bianca eventually began speaking again, but for a while, she was terrified of water and avoided recalling that day.

It wasn’t until much later that Bianca began searching for the benefactor who had saved her life and become her first love.

In any case, Bianca had kept quiet about the incident, which was a great relief to Ivan.

He was afraid of being scolded by his father, but what terrified him even more was the thought of being hated by Katya.

Ivan felt wronged.

When it came to the depth of his love, he believed he was no less than the Grand Duke.

“I could take good care of you too…”

If only Katya had shown him even half the smile she reserved for Nikolai from the beginning, he wouldn’t have fallen to such a low point.

He wanted Katya for himself.

To put an end to the torment of his unrequited love, he needed to have her as soon as possible.

She didn’t belong in Nikolai’s arms; she should be in his.

Suppressing his rage and steeling his resolve, Ivan left to set his plan into motion.

***

“Is this distance something you’ve decided? There’s no going back now.”

Nikolai whispered as he gazed at the bride nestled in his arms.

“Goodness, you’re so relentless.”

“I want to stay like this with you every day.”

At the sound of his tender voice in her ear, Katya, feeling flustered, instinctively pushed away this dangerously bold man.

In the process, the pocket watch she had hastily shoved into her pocket slipped out and fell below.

The watch skidded across the dock and, with a splash, disappeared into the lake.

“No!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The pocket watch…”

As Katya moved to retrieve it, Nikolai stopped her and, without a moment’s hesitation, dove into the lake.