Chapter 3.5

When Ophelia didn’t respond, Cedric spoke again. 

“Why aren’t you answering? You said you didn’t want to be engaged to me, so now you’re openly planning to meet someone else?” 

Unlike his earlier calm tone, his voice now carried a hint of agitation. It was true that she didn’t want to be engaged to him, but how could he assume she was seeing someone else? Did he actually believe the rumors were true? 

Who was the one meeting secretly with Young Lady Somerset? And yet, here he was, brazenly accusing Ophelia. His audacity left her speechless. 

Was he deliberately picking a fight? What good would come from all this hostility? 

Ophelia couldn’t understand Cedric’s behavior. What was going on in his head that made him so intent on provoking her? 

First, Young Lady Somerset had spread strange rumors about her. Now, Cedric was picking a fight. 

If Cedric truly had feelings for Young Lady Somerset, there could only be one reason for his behavior. He wanted to place the blame for breaking off the engagement squarely on Ophelia. 

What a petty man! 

Perhaps even the Duke of Bristol thought the compensation for breaking the engagement was a waste. Or maybe the Duke had heard about Cedric’s scandal and was furious, and now Cedric was trying to restore his tarnished reputation by shifting the blame onto her. 

Whatever the reason, it was clear that he was trying to make it all Ophelia’s fault. The logical thing to do would be to deny the rumors outright, but instead, something else slipped out of her mouth. 

“What does it matter to you?” 

She didn’t want to admit the truth so easily. The truth would come out eventually, so for now, she wanted to protect her pride by pretending she had someone else. 

If Cedric could cheat, why couldn’t she? At least for this moment, she wanted to stand tall and act confidently. After all, Cedric wouldn’t actually care who this supposed lover of hers was. 

“Why are you avoiding the question? Do you have a lover now? Even though you’re engaged to me?” 

But Cedric wasn’t letting it go. Why was he being so irritating? Was he the type who thought it was fine for him to cheat, but not for others? How could he think like that? 

“That’s not something you have the right to ask.” 

Ophelia deliberately responded in a mocking tone. 

“I’m your fiancé. Of course, I have the right to ask.” 

Cedric shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world. 

“You’ve never acted like my fiancé, so what’s the point? You don’t even want this engagement. Stop being a coward and just break it off already.” 

“Coward? Me? I admit I haven’t fulfilled my duties as a fiancé. But I thought you, of all people, would understand my situation.” 

“Me? Why would I?” 

“Because you’re my fiancée.” 

What was he expecting her to understand? Was he asking her to laugh off his disrespectful behavior? For what reason? 

The more they talked, the more Ophelia felt that Cedric was trying to make her the scapegoat for breaking off the engagement. 

Continuing this conversation felt like it would only raise her blood pressure, but she held back. There was no point in engaging with someone like him. 

“If you have nothing else to say, I’m leaving.” 

She tried to walk past Cedric, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her. 

“We’re not done talking.” 

“What’s there to talk about? I have nothing more to say.” 

Ophelia shot Cedric a glare that practically screamed for him to let go of her wrist, but he showed no intention of doing so. 

“I’m not done yet. So? Who is he?” 

“Who?” 

“Your lover.” 

Why was he so fixated on someone who didn’t even exist? Anyone watching might think he was jealous. 

The absurdity of the situation left Ophelia speechless. To an outsider, it might look like they were having a lovers’ quarrel. Why did she have to argue with Cedric like this? 

“Don’t concern yourself.” 

Since the false rumors would soon be cleared up, she didn’t feel the need to explain the situation to Cedric. He would only laugh at her. How ridiculous it was—being rumored to be someone’s lover just because she had received a little help. Even Ophelia found it laughable. 

“How can I not care when I’m your fiancé?” 

“That’s mutual. Why don’t you act like a proper fiancé first before criticizing me?” 

“So, you’re saying I have no right to criticize you?” 

“Forget it. I have nothing more to say to you.” 

Ophelia harshly shoved Cedric’s hand away. But instead of backing off, he grabbed her shoulder, refusing to let the matter drop. 

“I told you, I’m not done yet. Why do you keep avoiding me? Was the man kissing earlier your lover? Is that why you were sneaking around, spying on them?” 

How could he think like that? Did that even make sense? Cedric had just painted her as a pathetic woman who stalked her cheating lover. 

What does he take me for?!

Ophelia, now completely indignant, shouted back. 

“D-Don’t say such nonsense! I was just shocked to see two people kissing when they both already have fiancés, so I stopped to look for a moment. Their behavior—ignoring their engagements and acting so shamelessly—was completely inappropriate!” 

She deliberately emphasized her last words to mock Cedric, watching his face closely to see if he felt even an ounce of guilt. 

But there wasn’t a trace of regret on his face. If anything, he seemed angrier. 

“You’re hardly one to talk, given that you’ve got a lover yourself.” 

“What? Me? Do you seriously think I’d do something like that with someone who isn’t my fiancé? Are you saying I’m that kind of woman? Oh, and just so you know, I have absolutely no intention of kissing you either, so don’t worry.” 

Ophelia hastily corrected herself, worried Cedric might misunderstand and think she wanted to kiss him. That would be a disaster. 

“And why don’t you want to kiss me?” 

“Why? Because I’d rather kiss a pig in its pen than kiss you.” 

“So, you’re saying you’d only consider animals as your potential partners?” 

“What?” 

Was he calling me a pig?

 For a moment, she bristled with anger, but Ophelia forced herself to stay calm. 

“Yes, because they’d be a hundred—no, a thousand times better than you.” 

“….” 

There was no response. When she glanced at Cedric, he appeared lost in thought. 

Did my words hurt his pride? 

Considering how proud he was, it was a possibility. But what could she do? It was the truth. 

Ophelia didn’t care about Cedric’s feelings. If anything, she felt satisfied at the thought of him being upset. 

“You don’t have anything else to say, do you? I’ll be going now….” 

Just as she was about to bid him farewell and return to her estate, Cedric interrupted her and stepped closer. 

“Let’s see if you’re right about that.” 

“W-What do you mean?” 

Suddenly, Cedric grabbed the back of Ophelia’s head and pressed his lips to hers. The soft sensation was utterly revolting. A shiver of disgust ran through her entire body. 

“Mmph!” 

Is he insane? W-What is he doing?! We’re still inside the academy! 

The scene was exactly what people meant when they said men could kiss anyone other than the woman they loved. How could he do this when he clearly had feelings for Young Lady Somerset? 

Ophelia struggled to push Cedric away, but his strength was overwhelming, and she couldn’t break free. The more she resisted, the rougher the kiss felt. 

Would it be better to just stay still? Maybe it’ll end quickly? 

Just as she was thinking this, something soft and wet slipped between her lips. 

Oh my god. He used his tongue!  

They had learned in their s*x education class that tongues are used when sharing a kiss. However, Ophelia had never imagined she would experience such a deep kiss with Cedric. 

She pounded on Cedric’s shoulders and struggled wildly, but it was no use. Cedric only tightened his hold, capturing her retreating tongue and sucking on it fiercely. 

Ophelia tried desperately to avoid Cedric’s tongue, but she couldn’t escape. Every time his tongue persistently explored the inside of her mouth, her strength drained from her body. 

She no longer had the energy to resist the unrelenting kiss. Instead, she was forced to endure the sensations Cedric was giving her. The soft, smooth movements of his tongue sent shivers through her, and despite herself, sweet sounds escaped her lips. 

“Mm… Hngh…” 

Every time Cedric stirred the inside of her mouth with reckless abandon, her mind went blank, as if the world around her had turned white. 

By the time her lips began to swell slightly, their mouths finally parted. Ophelia stared at Cedric in a daze before snapping back to her senses. She hastily rubbed her lips with the back of her hand and shouted. 

“Are you insane? What do you think you’re doing?!” 

“What’s the big deal about kissing my fiancée? There’s nothing wrong with it.” 

“There’s plenty wrong! I don’t think we’re going to get married, that’s why!” 

“And why would you think that?” 

“Because I hate you. And you hate me too.” 

She couldn’t understand why Cedric kept clinging to her when he clearly liked Young Lady Somerset. 

Was he trying to provoke me into breaking off the engagement first? 

“Why would I hate you?” 

Cedric tilted his head to the side, as if he couldn’t comprehend her words. 

That bastard, all the way to the end! 

Was he trying to play the role of a devoted fiancé while secretly hiding his relationship with Young Lady Somerset? When rumors about Ophelia and Cedric had spread like wildfire, he had done nothing. Yet now, he seemed eager to protect Young Lady Somerset. 

Idiot! Fool! No matter how much you deny it, everyone who knows already knows! 

Her chest felt tight. Maintaining an engagement with someone like him felt like a humiliation. Ophelia shouted, her voice full of emotion. 

“Think about the way you’ve treated me all this time!” 

“….” 

Cedric remained silent, as if her words had struck a nerve. Ophelia glared at him sharply for a moment before turning her head away with a huff. He wasn’t even worth responding to anymore. 

Shameless bastard! 

She had to find the right moment to speak to the Earl of Granville and push for the engagement to be annulled. If she didn’t, it felt like she would end up being blamed for everything. 

The issue was that the rumors of their secret rendezvous weren’t enough to prove their relationship. If Cedric and Young Lady Somerset denied everything, that would be the end of it. 

To defeat someone as meticulous as Cedric, she would have to catch them in the act—find them during one of their secret meetings and expose them. But the problem was, she had no idea when or where they would meet. 

The thought that her chances of winning weren’t high made her feel like she was going to explode with frustration.