Chapter 22

It was a peaceful dinner time as usual. Karina spoke while cutting her food.

“I have something to tell you both.”

Laura looked at her with a curious expression. Asillis nodded, signaling her to continue.

“I want to break off my engagement with Phyllis.”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Asillis coughed loudly. Laura slowly put down the spoon she was holding. The maids also widened their eyes in shock. Asillis, who had barely stopped coughing, stared at Karina, who remained calm.

“Break…?”

“The engagement.”

When she firmly enunciated the word, Laura quickly got up from her seat and approached Karina.

“Karina. Did something happen? Why are you suddenly saying such a thing?”

Her voice was clearly filled with confusion. Karina softened her previously firm tone slightly.

She had already sorted out her feelings, but to her parents, it must have felt like a bolt from the blue. However, she didn’t want to drag this situation out any longer. Karina had already wasted too much of her emotions.

“Did you and Phyllis have a fight?”

Asillis asked with a serious expression. Karina gave a bitter smile.

“No, we didn’t. You know that’s never happened before.”

“You never know. That Phyllis brat might’ve done something wrong to you.”

“Dear, calling him a brat…”

Even with his wife’s scolding, he looked displeased. Strangely, Karina felt comforted by his reaction.

Finally, Karina opened her mouth to speak the truth.

“Karina.”

At that moment, Laura spoke in a gentle voice. When Karina looked up, her words got stuck in her throat.

“Speak comfortably. I’ll listen to everything.”

Her soft black eyes radiated endless warmth. Overcome with emotion, Karina avoided her gaze. The atmosphere at the dining table, once filled with confusion, turned cold from that moment on.

Before she could compose herself, Asillis’s low voice rang out.

“Speak, Karina. I’m listening.”

She didn’t need to look to know what expression her father was wearing.

Unable to hold back any longer, Karina lowered her head. Her eyes quickly began to burn with heat.

‘I wanted to speak confidently.’

She wanted to say it with more confidence than anyone else. More confidently than Phyllis, who had told her about the breakup, or Cornell, who would be by his side.

That’s why she had chosen dinnertime. She thought she could get through it as if it were nothing, given the usual atmosphere.

It was all a delusion. Karina couldn’t act as if it were nothing.

She had kept pretending to be fine, but in truth, she wasn’t fine at all.

“Phyllis…”

Her voice trembled miserably. Karina closed her eyes tightly and spoke.

“Phyllis said he has someone he loves.”

In the end, Karina broke down once again. And this time, it was in front of the two people who loved her the most. Tears flowed from her eyes like a broken faucet. They were heavier and hotter than the ones that had fallen that night, making it impossible to open her eyes properly.

Laura, watching Karina cry sorrowfully, kept her mouth shut. Asillis, his face hardened, could only look at her.

“He said they’re going to get married. On the day of the first snowfall, that’s when they’ll do it.”

Karina continued speaking as if she didn’t even know what she was saying.

Shame, humiliation, guilt toward her parents. In an instant, all the emotions she had suppressed until now came rushing in.

But more than anything, what weighed on her was the loneliness of enduring it all alone.

It was a pathetic thing to do. She knew that. She kept making excuses that she had no choice, but deep down, she knew that wasn’t true. Maybe she just wanted to avoid it, even if it meant ending up in this humiliation.

‘Let’s go together. Everyone is waiting for us.’

She wanted to hold on to the relationship, even if she was the only one doing so. Because she knew that in the end, she would have to be the one to let go.

Karina pressed her burning eyes with her sleeve. As she bit her lips to hold back her sobs, Laura silently embraced her.

In a mother’s arms, anyone becomes a childish child. Karina finally let herself cry loudly in her mother’s embrace.

***

The sound of soft sobbing echoed in the quiet room. Karina puffed out her cheeks and let out a sigh.

‘Take Karina to her room.’

It was the first time she had seen her father with such a terrifying expression. Even though it had been a while since she came up to her room, the memory still lingered. As she pressed her sleeve against her flushed eyes to wipe away the remaining tears, a knock sounded at the door.

“So, have you calmed down a bit?”

Laura entered the room and asked. Karina, looking utterly dejected, replied.

“…Yes.”

“Your voice says otherwise.”

Laura joked lightly as she sat on the bed and reached out her hand. Her gentle touch caressed Karina’s face.

As Karina struggled to hold back the tears threatening to well up again, a short sentence came out.

“Break off the engagement with Phyllis.”

Karina blinked. Her mother was no longer smiling.

“There’s no need for a long discussion. Your father and I have already talked about it.”

Laura continued, leaving no room for argument. Karina barely managed to speak.

“…You’re not going to ask me anything?”

It was a lie she had tried to hide, but it must have been obvious. Letting it slide like this didn’t make sense.

“There’s no need to.”

Laura’s hand, which had been lowered, rested on top of Karina’s hand on her lap. Karina couldn’t say anything and met her gaze. Laura’s elegant yet wrinkled hand gently stroked Karina’s pale, delicate hand. In a calm tone, Laura spoke.

“This is your issue, Karina. No matter what decision you make, we will respect you.”

“But…”

As Karina tried to say more, she stopped. There was a faint trace of moisture in her mother’s eyes.

It couldn’t have been an easy decision, no matter how quickly it was made. Even so, they had come to a conclusion.

“Of course, everything that happened before is important too. There are many things I’d like to hear directly from you.”

“…”

“But what’s most important is you, Karina.”

The reason was none other than Karina herself.

Overwhelmed, Karina bit her lip and lowered her head. Laura scolded her gently.

“Stop biting your lip. You’ll make it bleed.”

Karina buried herself in her mother’s arms with an expression that was hard to tell whether she was smiling or crying.

“I’m sorry… And thank you.”

“Wait a moment.”

Laura pulled Karina out of her embrace and flicked her forehead lightly, without causing pain.

“Don’t say you’re sorry. Apologies are only for those who’ve done something wrong.”

When Karina’s face crumpled even more, a playful smile spread across Laura’s lips.

A little later, the maids brought an ice pack. Karina pressed it against her cheek to cool her face.

But what worried her more was tomorrow. Unlike her mother, her father was strict in some ways. She was already imagining the confrontation with him when Laura spoke again.

“By the way, Karina, there’s one more thing I want to tell you.”

Her tone was hesitant but carried firm conviction. Karina removed the ice pack from her now-cooled cheek.

***

“Miss, here’s a letter.”

As she was getting ready to leave, Becky handed her a letter. Karina opened it immediately.

『When you don’t want to do anything, what do you do?』

When she read the first line, she thought it was sent to the wrong person. The scattered handwriting was unmistakably hers.

But as she read further down, a single sentence caught her eye. It was Noah’s reply.

『You just need to be happy.』

Karina stared at the brief response for a long time before Becky cautiously asked.

“The carriage is ready. Should I tell them to wait a little longer?”

“…No. I’ll leave now.”

As she said this and stood up, a smile formed on her lips. At the bottom of the letter was a drawing of a long-haired woman with a bright smile. The answer to the question didn’t matter. Karina left the mansion in a lighter mood.

“Please depart immediately.”

The door closed, and soon the carriage began to move. Karina turned her head to look out the window. Fallen leaves that had all withered away were piled up along the road.

‘The woman Phyllis loves… Is it Cornell?’

Her mother’s voice seemed to echo in her ears. At the same time, the carriage jolted slightly.

‘Yes, I see. I had some expectations, but hearing it out loud is still surprising.’

The carriage was heading to the Herwin Earldom. Soon, the surroundings grew quieter, signaling they had entered the city. The faint anxiety lingering in her heart was swept away by the stillness. Karina leaned back. The scenery passing by her window felt familiar yet unfamiliar. Even though she had taken the same path just days ago.

‘Karina, listen to me. This is entirely your matter.’

Yet Karina felt more stable and at ease than ever before. She wasn’t afraid at all. The cold wind entered through the open window, brushing against her. The chill seemed to reach her heart.

‘No one has the right to interfere. Not even me or your father.’

‘Yes.’

‘But if I were to put it differently…’

After a while, the carriage began to slow down.

‘It also means you have the responsibility to take care of yourself.’

Soon, the carriage came to a stop. Karina only shifted her gaze and stepped forward when the door opened. She grabbed the coachman’s hand and stepped down from the carriage. A servant escorting her followed.

“Welcome, Miss Karina. Please come inside.”

The guard greeted her familiarly and led Karina and her attendant inside. Karina stepped into the Earl’s mansion. As she entered, the butler, who had been waiting, naturally guided her to the parlor.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll bring Young Lord Phyllis here.”

“Tell him to take his time.”

After the butler left, Karina was left alone in the parlor. The faint scent of herbs reminded her of where she was.

She had come to the Herwin Earldom. There was no special purpose.

‘Be proud of yourself, Karina.’

She had simply come to say what needed to be said. Something she had hidden and feared being discovered.

“Karina.”

With the sound of the door opening, a familiar voice called out. Karina looked up. Phyllis was walking toward her, just as always. Karina unconsciously smiled. Her heart remained calm.