3.8

“Why? What happened?”  

Ellen thought she had returned to the Courtney Earldom with a bright smile, but Donna asked with a surprised expression. It seemed Ellen had failed to hide her true feelings.  

“….”  

Did my emotions show on my face?  

Ellen couldn’t answer. If she said anything, tears would likely pour out, so she bit her lower lip tightly, holding back.  

“Something must have happened at the Guilford residence, right? Did Sir Guilford hurt you again?”  

No, he didn’t hurt me. My long-desired wish just came true, that’s all.  

Those words should have come out, but tears flowed before her voice could. No matter how much she tried to hold back, she couldn’t when she saw Donna’s concerned face.  

“What did that bastard say this time? Did he tell you to disappear from his sight again?”  

Donna, clearly agitated, began cursing Leon with harsh words.  

“Well, you see….”  

Ellen, crying in Donna’s arms, confessed everything that had happened the night before.  

“If you didn’t want to do something you’d regret, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place. Saying sorry afterward doesn’t make it okay!”  

“No, I enjoyed the time I spent with him. So, I’m fine. As planned, it became a good memory, and I’m satisfied with that. Besides, I’m someone who has to get married anyway, so I couldn’t have dated Sir Guilford for long. In a way, I’m grateful he was honest enough to reject me. And my heartache is a separate matter. Sir Guilford and I used each other, so I don’t want to blame him.”  

The time she had spent with Leon was enjoyable, which made the wound even deeper.  

But after confiding in Donna, Ellen felt as though some of the suffocating weight in her chest had lifted. She thought she might finally be able to let go of her first love. After all, her original goal had been to put an end to her first love.  

It was only because she had been greedy that her heart ached. If she hadn’t been greedy, there would have been no pain. She should have been happy instead.  

“Yes, I suppose things did go according to plan….”  

Donna frowned, looking uneasy.  

“Now that things with that Guilford guy are over, why don’t you meet someone else? I can look around and see if there are any good men.”  

“You know very well. I went to the debutante ball to find someone to marry, but I couldn’t. I’m not attractive enough, so even if you introduce someone, it won’t matter.”  

Having been rejected by Leon multiple times, Ellen no longer had any self-esteem left. From the start, the ball had only left her with bad memories of humiliation and shallow men approaching her.  

She had even been used in a bet.  

“No, what are you saying? You’re so beautiful, kind, and bright. People judge you prematurely based on rumors, but once they see your true self, they’ll all flock to you.”  

“Thanks for saying that, even if it’s just words. But my marriage has already been decided, hasn’t it? There’s no time to start a new relationship now. It’s better to choose Baron Aran, who will benefit my family. He promised to support our family once we’re married. That’s why I’m thinking of leaving today.”  

“Already? There’s still about a week left, isn’t there?”  

“It’s been over three weeks. It’s time to go back. Everyone must be waiting for me to return.”  

Ellen gave a faint smile. They say you shouldn’t laugh after crying, but she wanted to show that she was okay.  

“….”  

Donna said nothing. Tears seemed to well in her eyes, but she bit her lip as if trying to hold them back.  

“I’ll visit again next time. I had a great time while I was here.”  

Ellen used the excuse that her family was waiting for her, but in truth, she simply couldn’t face Leon anymore, which was why she had to leave so suddenly.  

In the end, it was just like two years ago. Back then, she had returned to the Novary household sooner than expected, shocked after being rejected by him. This time was no different.  

Of course, if Donna insisted that she stay longer, she might have stayed a bit more. But if she ran into Leon, she feared she would cry or feel resentment toward him.  

Even without seeing him, just thinking about him made her chest feel heavy, as though something was weighing it down. It made it hard to breathe.  

She wanted to blame it all on the air in Melchia, saying it wasn’t good for her.  

She was leaving to survive. Alber Village had clean air, so it would be easier to breathe there. And once he was out of sight, she felt she could finally breathe freely.  

Leaving like this was the best choice for now.  

They weren’t meant to be from the start; their connection had only been forced because of Logan’s bet. It was just a relationship tied together by one man’s foolish scheme.  

And as a result, the confident young lady she once was had disappeared, leaving behind only a woman covered in wounds.  

In the end, she hadn’t been able to stay the full month. It didn’t matter if she was hurt. At least she had been able to dream for a short while, and it would remain a good memory.  

She felt she could cherish these happy memories forever.  

“Before I leave, can I ask you for one favor?”  

“What is it?”  

“Could you send this letter for me? Not today, but maybe four or five days later.”  

Ellen left a letter for Leon instead of saying goodbye in person.  

Leaving without a word, with only a letter, was her way of hoping that, even if she was just a passing woman in his life, he might remember her at least once.  

Would Sir Guilford ever know how much I liked him? No, he probably won’t remember me this time either.  

He hadn’t remembered her after just a day the first time they met, but this time, they had spent more time together. So maybe he would remember. No, she hoped he would.  

She didn’t think he would come after her, but she wanted to hope.  

If the daily letters stopped coming, if there were no promises to meet, she wondered what he might feel.  

That was why she asked Donna to delay sending the letter. The recipient might not care, but it was just her wishful thinking.  

If he got angry about her leaving without a word, that would be even better.  

And if he struggled as much as she had been hurt, that would be even better. Even though she knew it wouldn’t happen, she still wished for it.  

Even as she left, wounded, her thoughts were filled with Leon. Ellen gave a bitter smile.  

“Ellen…. Marriage isn’t everything in life. You’ve felt that during your three weeks in Melchia. So, I hope you make a good choice.”  

Foolishly. Donna found Ellen’s stubbornness frustrating, but she also thought it was just like her.  

At least she tried hard.  

Ellen had done her best to win love during her time in Melchia. She had tried to change. That was why Donna had supported her love from behind, hoping it would work out.  

But the result was so disappointing that all her efforts felt in vain. Ellen, wounded, was now trying to return to her old self.  

Watching her from the sidelines, Donna felt uneasy as well.  

It would have been better if Ellen could break free from the constraints of her family, but that seemed unlikely. Ellen had lived a life of sacrifice for her family and would continue to do so.  

If she had known it would end like this, she would have introduced Ellen to another man. Donna regretted it too late.  

She was angry at herself for not preventing shallow, wicked men from approaching Ellen and ruining her chances.  

Yes, it was all because of that stupid bet. Especially that man who used her and threw her away! If she ever met him, she would vent Ellen’s frustrations on him.  

All of Donna’s anger was directed at Leon.