The party at the banquet hall was in full swing.

Lady Shasha White, the Count’s daughter, wandered alone through the imperial palace garden.

Her body involuntarily shuddered each time the desolate late winter wind brushed past, but she couldn’t bring herself to return to the imperial banquet hall.

‘They’ll definitely find something to pick on and torment me again.’

Shasha tightly closed her eyes as she recalled the malicious expressions of people who had scrutinized her from head to toe.

Too flashily dressed, too plainly dressed, looking too healthy, looking too sickly—they found all sorts of excuses to criticize Shasha, but most were merely arbitrary pretexts to torment her.

There were several reasons why Shasha suffered such humiliation.

First, her father Count White had obtained his title as a son-in-law from a lower noble background. Second, despite his status, he had a bad reputation for his arrogant and unseemly behavior. Third, despite all this, he had used the family’s money to arrange a marriage with the imperial family.

Moreover, Shasha’s excessively timid personality made her a sufficient target for attacks in place of her father. Her vulnerable demeanor, unable to officially protest no matter how much she was bullied, became their driving force.

“She’s perfect for venting frustrations.”

“She’s good for playing with when we’re bored.”

“She’s a stupid woman who can’t even speak up properly.”

As a result, Shasha was called “Lady Drum,” otherwise known as the punching bag of high society.

‘Why am I like this?’

Of course, Shasha hadn’t been idle in her efforts. Despite her timid personality, she had tried hard to change. She would write down what she wanted to say beforehand and practice alone in front of a mirror.

The problem was that whenever she stood before others, her entire body would freeze and her vision would turn completely white.

‘I really am beyond help.’

Shasha fanned her stinging eyes with her hand as emotions welled up inside her. If she returned to the banquet hall with makeup smeared by tears, she would certainly be criticized again.

After a moment of contemplation, Shasha decided to return home early. She didn’t dare go back to the banquet hall to call her accompanying maid, so she followed the guidance of an imperial palace maid who happened to be passing by and headed toward the open space where her carriage was parked.

After the maid who had guided her withdrew, Shasha approached her carriage but stopped abruptly when she noticed something.

Clunk, clunk.

The carriage was shaking violently back and forth.

“Ugh……!”

Harsh breathing and small moans mixed together in rhythm with the shaking.

Shasha could easily guess why her carriage, which wasn’t even moving and which she, the owner, wasn’t riding in, was shaking like that.

“Haah, Your Highness the Prince……!”

Shasha’s chin trembled at the gasping woman’s voice.

Although there were currently three princes in the Caledo Empire, she could be certain without even opening the carriage door that the woman was desperately calling out to the Third Prince.

Third Prince Pedro. Her fiancé.

The window was fogged up with the heat from inside the carriage, making it impossible to identify the woman.

Could it be the palace maid who had been exchanging subtle glances with him at the banquet earlier? Or perhaps the Marquis’s daughter who had disappeared with him at some point during the last banquet?

It might even be Vivian the courtesan, his long-time bedmate. Pedro would often summon her when he couldn’t find a suitable partner at banquets.

Watching the imperial carriage depart with another woman was all too familiar for Shasha.

‘But how could he even use my carriage……’

Due to her fiancé’s uncontrollable philandering and carelessness, she had unintentionally witnessed his infidelity several times.

However, since their engagement was formed as a union between families, she couldn’t use this as a reason to break it off. Each time, her heart would rot with pain, but she consoled herself that it was the price of having such an impressive fiancé.

While she wished he would at least not get caught cheating, that modest hope seemed futile as Pedro now appeared to be using her own carriage as a venue for his affairs.

Clunk, clunk.

The carriage rocked violently, as if they were moving vigorously in the confined space, like traveling over a bumpy gravel road.

“His Highness Pedro enjoys intensity. Sometimes it’s almost too much for me to handle.”

Shasha recalled what Vivian the courtesan had told her as supposed advice.

It was a situation that warranted putting a lowly pr*stitute in her place for daring to belittle a noble, yet even then, Shasha had hurriedly fled. The sound of Vivian’s affected laughter behind her still buzzed in her ears.

What made Shasha feel even more miserable was the fact that she was still pure.

“Please take me instead.”

She had pleaded with Pedro like that once. She asked him to satisfy his desires with her rather than with other women.

Although they hadn’t officially held their wedding ceremony yet, Shasha was prepared to offer her purity to Pedro.

“Ahahaha—!”

At those words, Pedro had roared with laughter as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. He laughed so hard that tears formed in his eyes.

Confused by this unexpected response, Shasha could only blink in bewilderment.

“I’m sorry, but that would be impossible.”

“If you’re being considerate of me, it’s fine. I’m just starting a wife’s duties a little earlier than scheduled.”

“Ah, that’s not it……”

Pedro scratched the bridge of his nose with a troubled expression, waving his hand dismissively.

“I’m sorry, but when I’m with you, this fellow just can’t seem to muster any strength.”

He pointed to his lower body with his finger.

“Even if you stripped n*ked and threw yourself on my bed, I doubt I’d have much of a reaction.”

It was a clear rejection.

Indeed, Pedro never touched Shasha except for escorting her. It was other women who bore the burden of handling his “irresistible desires.”

“Aaah……!”

Shasha covered her ears at the woman’s ecstatic moans. However, the woman’s curved fingers scratching at the window clearly displayed the moment of intense pleasure.

“Hic……”

Shasha finally burst into tears. Her makeup smeared, making a mess of her face, but her broken heart simply wouldn’t calm down.

After sobbing for quite some time, Shasha suddenly wiped her tears with her sleeve and made a resolution.

‘This time I won’t just let it slide. I’ll confront him about what he’s doing and even slap him across the face.’

Shasha grabbed the carriage door handle with trembling hands. Though she desperately wanted to run away, she gritted her teeth and flung the carriage door open in one swift motion.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the couple in the carriage had already finished their time of pleasure. The air felt hot from the intense atmosphere, but Shasha’s face froze cold.

“Shasha……?”

Pedro showed obvious signs of embarrassment at Shasha’s sudden appearance. His pants were still around his knees, not yet pulled up.

However, what shocked Shasha even more than this pathetic sight was……

“Shasha, you should knock before opening a carriage door.”

The fact that Pedro’s affair partner was her one and only friend.

Rose Albis.

A woman with luxurious red hair reminiscent of roses as her name suggested, and beautiful looks. The flower of high society, loved by all for her confident attitude and thoughtful consideration.

She was Shasha’s precious friend who would rush to protect and comfort her whenever she was bullied. Thanks to her, Shasha had been able to endure the harsh social life.

Seeing such a friend entangled with her fiancé was truly shocking. The passionate marks Pedro had left on Rose’s neck made Shasha feel even more wretched.

“……Why are you in my carriage? No, why are you with His Highness Pedro?”

Blood seeped from her unknowingly bitten lips. Unaware of this, Shasha questioned Rose with a trembling voice.

“Hmm…… It just happened?”

The excessively simple answer contained neither apology nor explanation. Rose’s nonchalant attitude, picking at a hangnail, finally made Shasha lose her grip on reason.

As Shasha lunged toward Rose, Pedro caught her wrist. He then gave Rose a look signaling her to leave quickly.

“I was going to let you slap me once.”

Rose left the carriage with a smirk, gathering her dress, and walked leisurely back toward the banquet hall.

Shasha tried to chase after her, but Pedro held her wrist firmly, preventing her from moving. He forcibly pushed the struggling Shasha back into the carriage.

“You should go home for today. Get some rest, Shasha.”

Despite his gentle tone, his eyes looking down at Shasha were utterly cold. Smeared lipstick marks were clearly visible around his lips.

Bang.

The carriage door closed. Shasha was left alone in the carriage where her fiancé and friend had rolled around together.

※※※