Chapter 8 (Part 1)

On the day of the engagement ceremony, the Viscount Bucklew’s household was bustling from early morning. Since the ceremony was to take place in the garden, the Viscount and the Viscountess were busy giving instructions to the servants.  

“Lay the red carpet here. Place the flowers over there!”  

Normally, a person in charge would oversee such tasks, but since Baron Huntley had paid a large sum and personally requested that they handle the preparations, they had to manage everything themselves.  

Meanwhile, Cecilia, waiting in her room, was on edge from the morning. She needed to find an opportunity to escape.  

Rasilia stayed by her side the entire time she was getting dressed, ready to help in case of any unforeseen circumstances.  

They had finalized their escape plan the night before and were now waiting for the right moment. It wouldn’t be easy, but the busy atmosphere of the estate gave Cecilia an advantage. Since there were no family members she needed to greet, she could look for a chance to slip away.  

Typically, one would greet family members before the engagement ceremony, but none of the branch family members of the Bucklew household welcomed Cecilia. Apart from Rasilia, there was no one she needed to meet.  

Once the maids finished dressing her, they left the room. Cecilia then removed the elaborate dress they had painstakingly put on her and changed into a simpler one.  

At the same time, Dein, Rasilia’s lover, and his companion had disguised themselves as servants and secretly infiltrated the estate.  

Their plan was as follows: Dein, dressed as a servant, would enter the room carrying a large bag. Cecilia would hide inside the bag. Dein would then carry the bag out of the estate and head to a carriage they had prepared in advance. All of this had to be completed before Baron Huntley and his family arrived.  

Normally, carrying such a large bag might raise suspicion, but not today. Employees from the dress shop had been moving around with large bags filled with dresses, accessories, and other items.  

Since there were quite a few of them, no one would think it strange to see someone carrying a large bag, making the plan feasible.  

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Dein.”  

Before long, Dein, disguised as an employee of the dress shop, entered the room and introduced himself.  

Cecilia had only seen him from afar when he met with Rasilia, so this was the first time she saw him up close. With thick eyebrows, a sharp jawline that emphasized his masculinity, and a strong impression, he looked reliable enough to entrust Rasilia to.  

“It’s nice to meet you. We don’t have much time to talk, so I’ll ask just one thing. Can you promise to make Rasilia happy?”  

Although she had many things she wanted to say, Cecilia asked the most important question due to the lack of time.  

“Of course. I promise to let her live a life free of hardship.”  

Seeing Dein’s confident gaze, Cecilia felt reassured.  

“I’ll trust you, then.”  

The two exchanged nods as they looked at each other. Cecilia’s eyes held deep trust as she gazed at Dein.  

“There’s no time to waste. Please get inside this bag.”  

After finishing their conversation, Dein opened the bag he had brought. It was large enough for the petite Cecilia to fit inside. The material was also firm, so even with her inside, it wouldn’t bulge or give her presence away.  

“It might be uncomfortable, but please bear with it for a while.”  

“It’s not as uncomfortable as I thought. I’ll be fine.”  

Soon after, Cecilia felt the bag being lifted. As they moved into the hallway, the sound of many footsteps reached her ears.  

Would we be able to escape without being caught?  

Cecilia held her breath, curling up inside the bag without making the slightest movement. Her heart pounded as if it would burst, knowing she couldn’t relax until they were safely outside.  

“What’s in that bag?”  

“Oh, it’s a spare dress I brought, just in case.”  

Someone asked about the bag, likely due to its size, but Dein responded with the prepared excuse. Once the other person’s suspicions were cleared, he continued toward the designated location.  

“You can come out now.”  

Once inside the prepared carriage at the agreed-upon location, Dein opened the bag, allowing Cecilia to finally step out. Inside the carriage, Rasilia, who had arrived earlier, approached her.  

“Wasn’t it cramped inside the bag?”  

“I managed.”  

Cecilia replied as she dusted herself off. Seeing that Cecilia was unharmed, Rasilia smiled brightly, but her expression soon turned sorrowful.  

Though they were relieved to have escaped the Viscount Bucklew’s household safely, the time for their farewell was drawing near. Despite the sadness, they knew this was the best decision for their happiness.  

“Rasilia, where will you go now?”  

“I’m planning to travel with Dein for a while. We’re thinking of starting with the neighboring kingdom.”  

“Let me know when you arrive. Send a letter to the Beaut household.”  

“Got it.”  

“Stay healthy until we meet again!”  

“You too!”  

Cecilia embraced Rasilia tightly as they said their goodbyes. She wished Rasilia and Dein a safe journey, hoping they wouldn’t be caught by the Viscount.  

Rasilia and Dein got off the carriage and boarded another one nearby. Cecilia waved to them through the window as they departed.  

Soon, the carriage carrying Rasilia and Dein began moving in its intended direction. It was finally time for Cecilia to cut ties with the Bucklew household completely.  

* * *  

At that moment, Ian was on his way to the Viscount Bucklew’s estate.  

He couldn’t sit idly after hearing about her engagement, so he decided to go, even though he hadn’t been invited.  

He planned to observe the atmosphere of the engagement ceremony and see Cecilia’s expression. Of course, if she truly wanted the engagement, it would break his heart… but he still had no intention of letting her go.  

However, as his carriage approached the estate, he sensed something unusual about the atmosphere.  

The commotion among the guests was expected, but it didn’t feel like a celebratory mood—it seemed more like a small uproar had occurred.  

What could have happened?  

As Ian tried to get closer to the estate, he overheard the urgent voices of servants coming from the estate.  

“Hurry, find the lady! We must find her before the Baron arrives!”  

What had happened?  

Not knowing the situation, Ian watched from a distance. Through the servants’ conversation, he learned that Cecilia had run away from the engagement ceremony.  

Run away?  

The moment Ian heard that Cecilia had disappeared, it felt like he had been struck on the back of the head.  

Yes, that was who she was. A woman who seemed seductive yet was innocent at heart.  

A woman like her wouldn’t easily give herself to a man who wasn’t her fiancé, especially before an engagement ceremony.  

Had she never intended to go through with the engagement in the first place? How could she leave without saying anything, knowing we might never see each other again?  

Realizing Cecilia’s intentions, Ian felt as though the balance of his world had crumbled.  

He felt a twisted and unpleasant sensation, as though everything was falling apart. At that moment, Ian realized:  

I was never anything significant to her.  

Acknowledging that his presence in Cecilia’s heart was faint left Ian deeply shocked.  

He felt disappointed, miserable, and angry at himself. Until now, he hadn’t realized how many emotions he was capable of feeling.  

It was astonishing, but that wasn’t the priority now. Finding Cecilia was.  

If he had known this would happen, he would have confessed his feelings yesterday.  

It was a mistake to delay his confession, seeing how Cecilia kept trying to push him away.  

Would she have stayed if I had revealed my heart?  

With that regret weighing on him, Ian turned on his heel.