[Yujin, be careful on your way.]

Yujin recalled Titiana’s voice calling his name, and a faint smile appeared on his lips before fading away.

‘I’m in a situation where I can only watch her struggle.’

Once again, he found himself helplessly witnessing her distress…

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, he felt a pain like a needle piercing his brain. As Yujin groaned and clutched his head, his aides rushed over in alarm.

“Count!”

“Are you alright?”

The pain was excruciating. Yujin managed to speak with a heavily strained voice.

“…….Headache medicine.”

“Oh. Yes!”

“Please wait a moment!”

In an instant, sweat drenched his palms and forehead. Yujin gritted his teeth.

‘The pain again.’

The issue was that this pain felt all too familiar.

Just recently, during the summer festival when he had blocked Princess Sabina’s path, Yujin had experienced the same sensation.

‘And back then, it vanished as if it had been washed away after a while.’

Would it be the same this time?

The aides not only brought headache medicine and water but also called the butler. The butler helped Yujin to his feet. The series of actions were smooth, and the butler appeared exceptionally calm.

“Are you alright, sir?”

“Ah.”

Yujin briefly recalled that the butler only allowed his emotions to show in front of Yuri, and even in this situation, he found himself slightly disliking the comparison he was making.

Once he lay down on the bed with the butler’s support, the pain suddenly vanished, just as he had experienced before.

“It would be best to get a thorough examination. Intermittent pain usually has a cause. The doctor will be here soon, so please lie down for a while.”

Yujin nodded. Even though the pain disappeared quickly, he didn’t want to continue experiencing such severe discomfort without knowing the cause.

But pain was pain. Yujin gave a brief command to the butler who was about to leave the room.

“Put someone on that florist.”

“Pardon?”

“Have them report everything—where she goes, what she does.”

“What? Yes.”

Despite the sudden order, the butler nodded obediently. Yujin sighed and leaned back fully onto the bed.

‘No matter what, I can’t just sit back and watch.’

Titiana Este was a strong-willed person. She stubbornly tried to resolve her issues on her own when she could have simply asked him for help.

‘Then there’s no choice. I’ll have to find the right moment to assist her from this side.’

Why was he so concerned about her?

Yujin chose to ignore the question that arose within him.

***

I stood with my arms crossed, observing the scene before me. A hotel staff member was grabbing my brother Robi’s collar and throwing him to the ground, threatening not to let him return.

Robi, having hit something wrong when he fell, groaned and couldn’t get up. I walked over and nudged his shoulder with the tip of my foot.

“Pathetic. So pathetic.”

“Titiana, you…!”

As soon as Robi met my gaze, he regained his bravado and raised his voice.

“Your brother is being humiliated, and you’re just standing there watching? Isn’t that too much?”

I had no idea what was too much.

He was still a ridiculous guy. After such a long time apart, instead of greeting me, he was angry. If it weren’t for Yuri, he wouldn’t have even been able to stay at that hotel.

I asked in a sarcastic tone, arms still crossed.

“Yuri said he paid for a week’s stay. Why are you being kicked out already?”

“That money wasn’t nearly enough!”

Whatever was so funny, Robi curled up and laughed. Then he spoke in a lazy tone.

“Oh, that pretty boy’s name is Yuri? You’ve really hit the jackpot. Do you have such a handsome gigolo too?”

“Gigolo…”

I was so taken aback that I repeated the word he used. Yuri, unfazed by Robi’s comment, smirked and asked me.

“Is Titi going to support me from now on?”

“You should speak properly, Mr. Landlord.”

I interrupted Yuri’s joke in a cold tone. It was true that I made a lot of money selling flowers, but Yuri was in the same position. He wasn’t an employee; he was a partner from the start.

As we continued our conversation, ignoring Robi, he jumped up and down in place.

“What are you two whispering about! Never mind that. First, give me money. I need to pay the bookmaker today.”

“Bookmaker…”

Yuri squinted and glanced back at me. I shook my head.

“Don’t look at me. It wasn’t me.”

I had taken Yuri to the racetrack once, but that was just that one time. Unless I was certain of winning, I had no interest in betting money on uncertain gambling.

“Titiana!”

Robi kept pestering me. It was a familiar occurrence. He knew that if he distracted me enough, it would be easier for him to get money from me.

Did he think I was still the newly adult Titiana Este? I replied according to my pre-planned response.

“I can give you money. But I’d like you to sign the document I’m offering. It’s a certificate stating that I lent you money.”

As soon as I pulled out the document, Robi’s face crumpled.

“Hey, what’s with the certificate between family? You could just give it to your only brother.”

“Take it or leave it.”

Yuri, quick to catch on, shook the money pouch he was holding. The sound of clinking coins made Robi’s eyes light up.

“…….When do I have to pay it back?”

“I left the date blank. Just in case, I need to have some security. You might suddenly deny everything I’ve done for you.”

The decision time was brief. Robi nodded and took the pen I offered, signing without even reading the contents. He didn’t even grasp what leaving the date blank meant.

“Where did you learn this weird stuff? There, happy now?”

“Yes.”

I immediately took the paper. Seeing this, Yuri silently handed over the money pouch. Robi snatched it and quickly headed back into the hotel.

“Hey! Whoever pushed me, come out!”

His rotten personality was on full display.

For a moment, Yuri’s face twisted. No matter the situation, Robi was still my brother, and embarrassment and shame made my face flush.

But I quickly shook my head.

‘There’s no point in being embarrassed by someone who’s hit rock bottom.’

On the way back to the flower shop, Yuri asked with a worried expression.

“So, what do you plan to do after giving him the money? Are you going to buy some time and then leave the capital?”

A few days? I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Robi will lose all that money today. He’s never managed to keep it for more than a day.”

“What?”

“If he wins money from the bookmaker, he’ll lose it at the casino, and if he happens to win at the casino, he’ll lose it at a bar. That’s just the kind of person my brother is.”

In my past life, I had held onto hope. I thought that since he had nothing to do, he kept turning to gambling, and that if he found a proper job, he’d straighten out, or that if he had a family, he’d get his act together…

But that was a futile hope. After everything I had been through, I no longer held any hope for my brother.

I spoke with certainty.

“He’ll definitely come back to our shop by tomorrow.”

Yuri stared at me blankly, as if at a loss for words. Then, after moistening his dry lips, he cautiously asked.

“And when he comes back to the shop?”

I smiled broadly.

“Yuri, do you have confidence in your strength?”

***

Just as I expected, Robi showed up at our shop the next day.

“Titiana! Your brother is here.”

The street was deathly quiet. It was early morning, after all. Robi, reeking of alcohol, appeared with bloodshot eyes, as if he hadn’t slept all night.

He stopped in front of the shop and seemed to peek inside for a moment before banging on the door roughly. Even as his shouts echoed throughout the street, he didn’t care.

“Hey, Titiana! Your brother is here! Open the door!”

By now, everyone in the street must have been awake.

Having been watching from inside for a while, I figured we had enough witnesses and kicked the shop door open.

Bang!

Robi, who was causing a commotion in front of the door, got hit as I kicked it open. He clutched his forehead with both hands, yelling at the top of his lungs, and it was quite a sight.

“Ouch! I almost cracked my head open! You wretched girl! Pretending not to be home and then suddenly opening the door like that!”

Instead of responding, I nodded toward Yuri, who was standing beside me. Yuri grinned and held up a rope.

We had already prepared everything and were just waiting for Robi to show up.