There was an unusually large crowd gathered, likely because this event followed the spectacular fireworks show.

Gellensid brought Kyla onto the stage and knelt on one knee in front of everyone.

“Kyla Bailey.”

At that moment, colorful balloons he had prepared were released behind the stage…

“From the moment I saw you at age five until now, I’ve loved you.”

As if that weren’t enough, women with gray hair appeared from somewhere and showered Kyla and Gellensid with flower petals.

‘Please, stop…’

Even though she had anticipated this, it was far more unbearable than she had imagined. Every single moment felt so dreadful; she could hardly breathe and was on the verge of tears.

Was there really no one here—no one at all—who understood her?

Out of all these people, not even one?

‘Cabil…’

She found herself longing for a brother who didn’t even exist.

She wiped her tears quickly as she looked down at Gellensid’s face, full of excitement.

He fumbled through his inner pocket and pulled out a small box.

“Will you marry me?”

When he opened it, there was a diamond ring inside, so large it looked absurd.

She wanted to run away.

“I…”

By all accounts, she was supposed to accept the ring.

Hadn’t she promised the Duke as much? For now, she had to get through this moment.

It would be dangerous to publicly humiliate Gellensid in front of everyone. If it seemed like she was deliberately disgracing a royal, it could lead to a political scandal.

She didn’t want to be the one to cut the thread of peace that had barely held until now.

“What are you doing?”

When she hesitated, Gellensid stood up, his eyes cold. He pulled the ring from the box and tossed the box aside as he approached.

“Can’t even get the timing right?”

His gray eyes gleamed menacingly under the lights.

He strode over and forcibly grabbed Kyla’s hand.

Her pale face and trembling hand betrayed her terror.

Noticing something off, Gellensid narrowed his eyes.

“What’s with you?”

Though her lips were trembling and blue with fear, Gellensid only smiled wickedly, as if pleased she wasn’t resisting.

“You’re better when you’re quiet.”

As he pulled her hand again, trying to force the ring onto her finger—

A panicked voice cried out.

“Y-You can’t do that!”

Someone stormed onto the stage.

Dozens of soldiers surrounded the stage and tried to block the intruder, but the man effortlessly dodged their weapons and hands and landed squarely on the stage.

“…Now even I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Even as he muttered to himself, the man’s voice carried a deep sigh, aware of the madness of his own actions.

“What the hell?”

Gellensid scowled deeply.

Haiden walked up with powerful strides and roughly tore Kyla’s hand from Gellensid’s grip.

“Isn’t it obvious what’s going on?”

Bathed in the stage lights, the Duke looked more dazzling than anyone.

The formal black tailcoat he wore for the occasion made him seem made for this moment.

“I’m opposing this proposal. Right now.”

Haiden’s cold, frozen gaze was terrifyingly unfamiliar.

But strangely enough, the moment Kyla saw him, her tension melted and she felt tears well up.

‘He’s on my side.’

Among all these people, he was the only one—her only ally.

Tears poured down. Through her blurred vision, she saw Haiden extend his hand toward her.

“Let’s go.”

“…”

“Unless you’re okay with a shameless man who proposes to the prince’s fiancée.”

His deliberate, gentle smile only made her cry harder.

Staggering, she grabbed his hand—then immediately collapsed and lost consciousness.

From below the stage, a commoner journalist who had been watching with an open mouth quickly pulled out a notepad and began scribbling notes.

It was a scene no one could have imagined: Kyla Bailey, unconscious in Haiden’s arms.

***

The country was thrown into chaos.

Every newspaper featured massive portraits of Kyla, Haiden, and Gellensid on their front pages.

That day, Haiden carried the fainted Kyla down from the stage.

An enraged Gellensid grabbed a soldier’s sword and tried to chase after them, but the royal knights restrained him.

“Oh my.”

The Crown Prince, watching the scene, shook his head.

Beside him, the King let out a deep sigh but said nothing.

What could he do?

After all, the one who caused this was Haiden.

“If the Duke did it, he must have his reasons,” the King finally said.

Kyla Bailey had chosen the right man—someone extraordinary.

Even the King, saying that, trusted Haiden completely.

But the person who was truly shocked to his core by the turn of events was none other than Kyla’s father, Count Bailey.

“Where are you taking my daughter?!”

Leaving the restrained Gellensid behind, the Count led a group of knights in pursuit.

But Haiden, spotting the Count, shut him down immediately.

“This is what you call cherishing your daughter?”

He said no more, but the Count understood exactly what he meant.

It was something Kyla had hated.

But the Count had thought it was necessary. That any noble would understand their role and endure what came with it.

“Those born with status must endure the weight that comes with it. I didn’t think my daughter was too weak to bear even this.”

Yet, when he demanded Haiden return his daughter, the Duke simply looked around—and ran away with Kyla Bailey.

There had never been a scandal quite like this one. If he was going to shake the country anyway, he might as well show them how it’s done—his actions were that shocking. When Kyla came to after fainting, she couldn’t believe what had happened.

“Ah…”

“You’re awake?”

She opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar room. She was wearing a comfortable nightgown, and the moment she realized what she had on, her face turned red like an apple.

“W-What the…!”

She barely stopped herself from cursing out loud.

“Are you insane?”

It had been so long since she’d shouted this loudly. She was genuinely too flustered to speak properly. This was a first for her.

“Are you really insane?”

When she woke up, she was told everything by the Duke’s servants—and her face turned deathly pale. Seeing Haiden walk into the room, she didn’t even know what kind of expression she should make. So she buried her face in her knees, moving her lips several times as she struggled to find the right words.

“It was supposed to be a performance, right? I was supposed to take the ring and get off the stage quietly!”

“Wasn’t it real from the middle on? You looked like you were hurting.”

“That doesn’t mean—!”

Who asked him to worry? She let out a hollow laugh, so dumbfounded she didn’t know what else to do. It was the first time she’d ever been angry, the moment she regained consciousness.

So this is what it felt like when you couldn’t understand someone—it made you furious. She suddenly felt like she finally understood why her father was always angry.

“Why do you have to go from one extreme to the other?”

“I tend to be a bit dramatic.”

“Well, so do I, but this is just too much!”

Doing something like that in front of everyone—how was she supposed to clean up the mess now? She shouted so suddenly that her head throbbed. She must’ve forgotten to bring the medication she was prescribed. She buried her face in her hands and let out a deep sigh.

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have cried.”

“Are you joking right now?”

“Half-joking?”

Haiden shrugged, looking annoyingly casual. His attitude was so irritating that her fists clenched on their own. She wanted to ask why he had even brought her here.

“What’s the big deal? You were going to announce it anyway. This just did the job more effectively.”

Trying to soothe her, Haiden slowly walked over and bent down to meet her eyes.

“Look at me, Kyla Bailey.”

“…Damn it.”

“‘Damn it’?”

Haiden straightened up, frowning as he crossed his arms and raised a brow.

“I should’ve just married that priest.”

“Are you saying that for me to hear?”

“Would I be talking to myself otherwise?”

Kyla, full of anger, lifted her chin defiantly. Haiden’s gaze darkened slightly.

“Isn’t that a bit rude to someone who helped you?”

“So what now? Are you going to marry me?”

That question left him speechless.

“You’re not, right?”

Her confident voice rang through the room. They were in the duke’s mansion in the capital. Outside the wide-open windows was a garden that stretched like a vast meadow. It was beautiful, but Kyla knew this place could never be her home.

“Then you shouldn’t have brought me here. Who’s going to want to marry me now? What if I actually fall in love with someone someday?”

“Well…”

He just wanted to make the deception more convincing. But clearly, he hadn’t considered such delicate details. His flustered expression gave him away.

“So you’re saying I should take responsibility now… is that it…?”

“That’s not what I’m saying! I don’t even like you. You’re insufferable.”

Kyla said firmly and stood up from the bed. She asked the maids for her clothes, intending to leave, only to be told her dress had been torn and they’d bring her a new one.

“How did my dress get torn?”

All of her dresses were expensive. When Haiden suddenly went silent, she glared at him. He awkwardly avoided her eyes.

“No idea.”

Yeah right. Like she’d believe that. She couldn’t trust a word he said. Just two days ago, he’d lured her in with all kinds of sweet nonsense, and now this massive disaster?

After Haiden left the room, a maid came in carrying a few antique dresses, saying they used to belong to Haiden’s mother when she was young. As Kyla dressed with the maid’s help, she thought back to the conversation she’d had with Haiden two days ago.