Chapter 48

“Lillie, what happened with Brian yesterday?”

Catherine pulled a chair forward and sat in front of Lillie.

Lillie didn’t even pretend to hear Catherine’s words.

“I need to know what happened to help you, Lillie.”

Catherine lightly tapped Lillie’s fingertips. Lillie remained silent.

With no other choice, Catherine picked up a book that was haphazardly thrown on Lillie’s bed.

She intended to stay by her side until Lillie decided to speak.

There was a mountain of work to do, but nothing was more important than the romantic issues of the residents of Catherine House.

In the quiet room, Lillie was lost in thought, and Catherine became absorbed in reading.

The book she picked up to pass the time turned out to be surprisingly interesting.

[The Love Fool Has Changed.]

The book with the cute and charming title was for those who had never experienced love before.

Seeing Lillie’s heart and effort to get along with Brian brought tears to Catherine’s eyes.

‘Who would buy something like this? Should I be surprised that there’s an author who writes on this topic?’

Catherine marveled at the variety of books in the world.

‘Love, what’s so hard about it?’

Having already led ten couples to marriage, Catherine was confident in her romantic skills.

“You know, Catherine.”

Catherine was just reading the chapter titled “On a Rainy Day, Use a Jacket Instead of an Umbrella!” when Lillie finally lifted her chin from her hand and called to Catherine.

Catherine closed the book and sat up straight.

“Yes, Lillie.”

Her calm voice was filled with the willingness to listen to anything.

It wasn’t just a simple feeling from Lillie.

Catherine was genuinely prepared to listen to solve Lillie’s problem.

If Lillie would just tell her the problem, Catherine could solve it. There hadn’t been a romantic issue Catherine couldn’t resolve yet.

Catherine looked at Lillie with a confident smile.

Her expression seemed to say, ‘I’ll give you the answer to any question, any worry, so you can trust and follow me.’

Once trust was solidified, there would be no more time wasted hesitating to speak, like today.

“Lillie, go ahead.”

“Will you tell me honestly, no matter what?”

“Of course.”

Catherine was ready to answer honestly, even if Lillie asked about Brian’s past relationships.

It would probably be something like Brian having a childhood crush on a pen pal.

Lillie hesitated, as if she was about to say something significant.

“Lillie, it’s okay.”

Catherine gently coaxed her, and Lillie’s eyes became clearer. Lillie slightly lifted her chin. It was a rather challenging attitude.

And her subsequent question was as provocative as her attitude.

“Have you ever been in love?”

“Ah… um?”

“Have you ever been in love?”

The confident Catherine, who was ready to give the correct answer to any question, disappeared without a trace. Catherine shrank infinitely.

She had never been in love.

Catherine’s gaze slowly drifted to the book she had closed.

She felt ashamed of herself for mocking the idea that there were people who had never experienced love.

But does one have to experience it to be good at it?

“Lillie, my romantic experience isn’t important in helping you. Regardless of my experience, I’ve successfully led many couples to marriage.”

Catherine boasted about her illustrious career.

“I know. It’s just that I…”

Sigh, Lillie let out a deep sigh.

Lillie, who had been sighing repeatedly as if something was frustrating her, rested her arms on the desk and lay down completely.

“Again, it’s not because I don’t trust you, Catherine. I just… I just need someone who can empathize with me.”

“Lillie! I can do that too.”

“You haven’t been in love.”

Lillie lifted her head slightly. Catherine smiled at her doubtful gaze.

“That’s the same for you. You’re struggling not because you’ve been heartbroken after a relationship. Let’s be precise, Lillie. You haven’t even started a relationship yet. You’re no different from me.”

Catherine pointed out the reality.

Lillie, who was acting as if she had been heartbroken over a single dismissal by Brian, was taken aback.

“But we’ve both experienced being rejected by someone we like.”

“What?”

As far as Lillie knew, Catherine had never been in love. She hadn’t been rejected either.

Catherine had an engagement without romance with Hugo as soon as she debuted in society, and after their divorce, she had another engagement without romance upon reuniting with him.

When had Catherine confessed to a man and been rejected?

“Surely, after the divorce, did you meet another man besides Lord Hugo, Catherine?”

Lillie, pondering deeply, clapped her hands as if she had found the answer and asked.

“That’s right, I’m right! Who was the man who rejected you?”

Lillie’s misunderstanding grew bigger and bigger.

The only man in Catherine’s life was Hugo.

Catherine’s claim of having a similar experience to Lillie’s was based on her past life with Hugo.

The experience of being ignored by Hugo, whom she loved throughout their marriage, was enough to empathize with Lillie, even if Brian rejected her a hundred times.

“When? Who was it? Tell me in detail. Were you hurt so badly that you wanted to die? Did you still want to see him even after being rejected?”

Lillie’s barrage of questions continued. It was better when Lillie was silent.

Catherine held her head.

Since she had brought it up, she felt she had to answer Lillie, but what should she say?

Come to think of it, Lillie had also been rejected by Hugo many times in the past. Was she as troubled back then?

“Catherine, tell me. No! Don’t tell me. It didn’t work out with that person, right?”

Considering she turned back time with Hugo, it could be said it didn’t work out.

“That’s right.”

“Then I won’t listen.”

She seemed to be suppressing her curiosity, fearing she might follow in Catherine’s footsteps.

‘But I’m still curious.’

It was clear to see Lillie’s struggle.

“If you’re curious, just ask. It’s very different from you and Brian, so don’t worry.”

If her story could comfort Lillie and help her get along with Brian, it would be good for Catherine.

“Then I’ll ask just two questions.”

Lillie climbed onto the bed where Catherine was.

***

“Whew.”

Catherine let out a long sigh as she left Lillie’s room.

Catherine felt the heat beneath her eyes. Her swollen under-eyes were warm.

‘How did this happen?’

Just moments ago, Catherine had been comforted by Lillie.

Lillie’s words, “I can’t empathize with you because you have no romantic experience and have never been rejected by a man,” made her spill her past.

Lillie, curious about who it was and when such a sad thing happened, forgot what she had asked while listening to Catherine’s experience and crying.

Lillie cried so sorrowfully that Catherine, recalling the memory of Hugo going to war without even taking a handkerchief, ended up crying with her.

She thought she had forgotten everything, but the wounds from her past life with Hugo remained.

• Oh? Why am I crying?

When Catherine stammered, confused by the flowing tears, Lillie gently embraced her and said.

• Catherine, you must have been through a lot.

Catherine wanted to say no, but her throat was choked up with tears, and she couldn’t speak.

• You haven’t told anyone else this, have you?

Lillie said it was because Catherine hadn’t been comforted after being hurt, and now that she had confided in her, she would be able to forget.

Though it wouldn’t erase the scars that had resurfaced with just a few words after years of thinking they were forgotten, at least it felt like one of the stones weighing down her heart had disappeared.

It was ironic that the person who removed the stone was Lillie, who had once added another stone. In hindsight, it was astonishing.

‘Not this time.’

Catherine looked back at Lillie’s room door. She came to solve a problem but left only with comfort.

Still, could it be considered a success?

– Catherine, I’ll try several times too. You don’t seem to have any regrets.

Lillie, who had cried until her sleeves were soaked, said, sniffing.

Hearing her say she would do her best despite the pain to avoid regrets, Catherine made a promise.

‘I’ll make sure your love comes true.’

In fact, in her past life, Lillie was as hurt as Catherine.

Anyway, Hugo is a man with many sins.

She must ensure Brian doesn’t become sinful.

Catherine headed to her bedroom, thinking of making an appointment with Brian.

***

While Catherine was shedding her wounds, Countess Bedwig came to visit the sinful man, Hugo.