She remembered the elderly Count who had been pestering her at the office and whom she had fled from.

Perhaps he had visited the house. Was her family trying to present her, all dolled up, before him?

“Goodness, don’t say such dreadful things! Why would he come here?”

Her nanny shook her head fervently, then lowered her voice to speak.

“Actually, the one who has come is…”

“Giselle! Have you just arrived?”

However, before her nanny could finish her sentence, her stepmother’s voice was heard.

Giselle turned her head towards the voice that had called her, as her stepmother approached with a somewhat hurried demeanor. Her behavior was also vastly different from her usual indifference.

“Ah, yes, Mother. I’ve just…”

“Why are you so late? And why didn’t you tell us in advance?”

“…Pardon?”

“I was so flustered when I heard the President was coming to visit. If I had known earlier, I would have done my hair and chosen my clothes more carefully.”

“Hold on, Mother.”

Giselle interrupted her stepmother’s scolding, bewildered. She simply couldn’t comprehend what the woman was talking about.

Unless there was something wrong with her hearing…

Giselle involuntarily swallowed, then cautiously asked a question.

“The President has come? You mean, President Taylor?”

“Well, who else would it be? You’re asking even though you know perfectly well… Honestly, you can be so cunning sometimes.”

Her stepmother snapped back, then gestured with her head.

“Anyway, go on in. The President said he has something to discuss with us.”

…Has something to discuss with them?

Giselle’s green eyes flickered with uncertainty. However, her stepmother seemed oblivious to her stepdaughter’s unsettled demeanor and continued to urge her on.

“So, go on to the drawing room right away. Seriously, you’re so slow!”

“But Madam, the Miss should freshen up her appearance first…”

Her nanny quickly interjected, but the scolding now turned towards her.

“We’re already delayed, and you want to waste more time here? Giselle, what are you doing? Come on, let’s go.”

Her stepmother glared at the nanny, then grabbed Giselle’s wrist and pulled her along.

“Ah! Uh, Mother!”

She had no choice but to be dragged along, leaving the governess and butler behind.

* * *

It was only when they reached the drawing room door that her stepmother released Giselle’s wrist. Giselle sighed, seeing the reddened imprint on her wrist.

At that moment, her stepmother knocked on the door. Giselle reflexively looked up, pausing in rubbing her wrist.

The head maid emerged from the drawing room, stepping aside. The stepmother then entered, but Giselle did not immediately follow her inside.

It was because of the man present in the drawing room.

Giselle saw Lucas, who had been conversing calmly with her father, as if he were the master of the house.

The sight of him turning his gaze towards her was surreal.

“Giselle! What are you doing? Come in at once.”

Her stepmother’s voice snapped Giselle out of her daze.

“Y-yes, I’ve just…”

“Why are you so late? Do you know how long the President has been waiting? As a woman, you shouldn’t be wandering about late at night like this.”

Giselle was still bewildered, and her father, Baron Anticia, began scolding her, not even properly acknowledging her greeting.

“Uh, well, that’s…”

She tried to make an excuse, but no words came out. There was no compelling reason for her long walk home.

It was simply a foolish impulse that even she couldn’t fully understand.

Giselle silently moved her lips, then swallowed a sigh and bowed her head.

“I’m sorry…”

“I should be the one apologizing, Baron.”

Lucas spoke before Giselle could.

The Baron was startled by Lucas’ words and frantically waved his hands.

“Why would you apologize, President! It is I who should apologize for my daughter’s thoughtless behavior and the inconvenience caused to you.”

“No, I should apologize to Miss Anticia for keeping her working late. I am the one at fault.”

Lucas gave a slight bow towards the Baron. But there was no trace of servility or wretchedness in his manner.

Instead, it was the Baron who seemed flustered, unsure of how to respond to the apology.

“Ahem! Well, in that case… Giselle, what are you doing? Come here and sit down!”

The Baron, looking uncomfortable, turned his attention back to his daughter.

His gesture, like he was trying to steer the conversation elsewhere, was pitiful.

With a perplexed expression, Giselle kept glancing between Lucas and her father, and eventually, under her father’s repeated urging, she carefully approached the seat next to Lucas. Lucas naturally made room for her to sit.

“No…”

“Come, sit here, Giselle.”

When Giselle hesitated, reluctant to sit next to him, Lucas addressed her by her name, not her surname.

“…!”

Giselle’s eyes widened as much as they could. Her piercing gaze, questioning his madness, was directed straight at Lucas, but he simply gave a slight, serene smile.

Giselle.

This was the first time Lucas had addressed her by her name. Not only during their academy days, but even now, he had never called her in such a familiar manner.

Yet, he had suddenly come to her home and referred to her by her name in front of her parents.

As if he had always called her that, implying they were that close.

‘Could it be…’

Giselle stammered, overwhelmed by the thought that had just occurred to her.

“Senior, have you gone mad…”

“…Giselle?”

Before Giselle could speak to Lucas, her stepmother spoke up, seeming to detect something in Lucas’ affectionate address of her stepdaughter.

He rose from his seat and bowed politely towards Giselle’s parents.

“I shall properly introduce myself. I am Lucas Taylor, who has been courting your daughter.”

“…What, what did you say?”

“Th-that, what does that mean…”

The Baron and Baroness stared at him with wide, bulging eyes, the sight almost comical.

But Lucas continued in a serious tone, without a hint of amusement.

“I have come to seek your permission for Giselle’s hand in marriage. I know this is not the best time to bring this up so suddenly…”

Lucas turned his gaze to Giselle. She stood a few steps away, her words stuck in her throat, unable to refute him, though she eventually opened her mouth.

Of course, all she could do was gape like a goldfish in a bowl.

Senior, have you gone mad?

Though Giselle couldn’t utter a sound, Lucas seemed to understand her words, smiling quietly before quickly wiping the smile away, speaking seriously to the Baron and Baroness.

“It seems Giselle is hesitant about marrying me, so I came here in a hurry.”

“What… cough!”

The Baron nearly choked on his tea, startled by Lucas’ words. The Baroness, Ireina Anticia, was equally stunned, unable to even take a breath.

“Ma-marriage? Are you saying you wish to marry our daughter?”

It was the Baroness who first regained her composure. She directed the question at Lucas, then quickly turned to Giselle.

Giselle, with a bewildered expression, looked at Lucas, then felt her stepmother’s gaze and turned to her.

The made-up face of the stepmother twisted slightly.

How dare you, of all people.

Even without hearing it directly, Giselle could vividly imagine her stepmother’s resentful tone.

This made her feel strange.

“Yes, Baroness.”

“Goodness… Dear.”

The Baroness trembled, as if the words were too unbelievable, then turned to her husband.

The confused Baron snapped to attention at his wife’s voice, shaking his head a few times before stammering.

“…So, you’re saying you want to marry my daughter?”

“Yes.”

Despite the repeated question, Lucas nodded calmly, without a hint of annoyance.

“Oh, my…”

The Baron muttered, seeming perplexed. Giselle glanced at her father, then approached Lucas, whispering to him.

“Look at me, Senior! Let’s talk first.”

“Giselle, your father’s words are not even finished yet. What impolite behavior is this!”

Her stepmother frowned slightly as Giselle tugged on Lucas’ arm, but she paid no heed, pulling his arm again.

She knew her actions were impolite, but she had no patience for the absurd and distressing news she had just heard.

‘I thought it was all over.’

She believed Lucas had fully understood and accepted her perspective.

But without even asking her a single question, he had gone ahead and done this.

“Hurry.”

As Giselle urged him again, Lucas obediently rose from his seat.

* * *

Giselle closed the terrace door and turned around. The cool night air brushed against the back of her throat.

But she didn’t feel the chill. The bewildering situation had heated her entire body.

“Senior.”

She took a deep breath and called out to Lucas. He approached the terrace railing, gazing at the garden scenery as if nothing had happened, then turned to her.

“What on earth is the meaning of this? Why did you come here and say such nonsensical things to my parents?”

Giselle’s voice sharpened, irritated by his calm demeanor.

‘While someone was feeling distraught and wandered the streets for over an hour, you were already here.’

Throughout the afternoon, he had not said a word to her or even shown himself, and now, he came to her parents to ask for permission to marry her.

“Our conversation from earlier was already over, wasn’t it? I thought you understood and accepted what I said.”