Chapter 2

That night, she met her forgotten first love again in a dream. Long, white hands smeared with paint, softly tousled black hair, and broad, seemingly thin shoulders.

‘Are you really sure it’s okay to leave with me like this? Even I think this is a foolish thing to do.’

The man whispered without releasing the arms that held her. He only giggled, and when she didn’t answer, perhaps out of frustration, he playfully pretended to nibble at her ear with those thick, red lips.

He always smelled of paint mixed with oil, and they escaped together in a carriage in the middle of the night.

But the next morning, she had to return alone to the Earldom, leaving her lover bloodied behind.

Her lover was a painter who painted portraits for nobles. He was a commoner, a mysterious man surrounded by rumors about his origins.

Some said he was the illegitimate child of a noble, others that he was born in a brothel, or had secret affairs with some lady from the East.

He was remarkably handsome, which made people easily take interest and feel jealous.

In the past, even before he came to Malève’s estate, she had been very curious about him.

A rookie painter shrouded in mystery. He was about her age, but had already traveled to many countries.

Before her debut in society, her father, wanting to save money on portrait fees, hired him instead of a famous painter. The reason was to spare money for more expensive dresses and jewelry.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘……Just looking at you.’

‘If you fall for me, that could be troublesome. You might be disappointed with your future husband’s appearance.’

‘What are you talking about?’

That was how their connection began, but her first impression of him wasn’t very good.

He, having been flirted with by so many noble ladies, had grown tired of nobility, while she found his sudden arrogance unpleasant.

They clashed from their very first meeting.

But as the seasons passed and the portrait work was nearly finished, they fell into a passionate love.

How did they end up loving each other?

Sometimes, lost in memories, she tried to recall the past, but faded recollections rarely surfaced. All she remembered was that he was extremely handsome and she herself was quite pretty back then.

A young man and woman, spending every day in the same space, were bound to feel attracted to each other. Besides, they communicated well and enjoyed each other’s company.

However, they were young and impulsive. When they whispered love, the difference in their social status didn’t concern them.

Yet, one thing tormented her every night: he was someone who had to leave as soon as the work was done.

‘Your eyes are all swollen again. At this rate, I can’t find the right color for your eyes.’

A breeze blew through the open window, making her lover’s black hair sway gently. He sighed, brushing back his tangled hair.

The man approached her, who sat in a velvet chair, knelt on one knee, and quietly brought his lips to her dry palm.

‘……Will you come with me?’

As a child, she had been frail, never leaving the estate, let alone traveling abroad. Even her debut in society had been delayed by two years compared to others.

For someone like her, it was only natural to be swept away by such a dangerous yet sweet proposal.

But then her lover became flustered, telling her, ‘If you leave, you won’t live as comfortably as now. I’ll do my best to earn money, but I might not satisfy you.’

Yet such practical concerns meant nothing to a young girl in love. Her heart only trembled with hope that she could be with him forever.

In the end, late at night, while everyone in the mansion slept, they held hands and ran away together. She could hardly contain her excitement as they switched carriages and left the estate.

But they didn’t get far.

‘Rosalie, how could you, of all people, do this? Are you determined to bring shame to the family?’

The original plan was to have a private wedding at a temple outside the estate. However, after hearing from the servants, the butler secretly sent a letter to her brother Gérard.

Gérard rushed down from the capital, accompanied by knights of the Earl’s family, and waited for them at the temple.

‘I never thought you’d make such a foolish choice. ……I should have paid more attention.’

He was furious, forcibly pushing her into Malève’s carriage. Then, in front of her, he ordered the knights to beat her lover harshly.

Her lover collapsed, groaning under the knights’ brutal kicks. They even slashed his face with a cold blade, vowing he would never again play with innocent noble ladies.

Shocked by that cruel and terrible moment, she fainted. When she finally regained consciousness, she was back in her bedroom at the Earldom.

‘All those marriage proposals that used to come to you have stopped! What have you done?’

What happened after was obvious.

Her father grabbed his neck in anger, and the news that she had run away at night with a poor commoner painter had already spread beyond the estate.

Because of this, her debut in society became a nightmare. Nobles in the capital Rodin whispered, ‘Ah, that woman?’ and mocked her, turning her into a wallflower.

The humiliation of being left alone after failing to escape with her lover was unbearable. She tried to find him, but his whereabouts had vanished as if into thin air.

Later, she learned that this was a deliberate operation ordered by someone of high rank.

But at the time, she was so dazed, as if caught in a midsummer night’s dream, obsessed only with searching for her lover.

So one year, two years, three years…… After a long time, just as she was about to give up chasing after him, strange rumors began circulating in society.

‘You know, that man who ran away with the Lady of Malève before……’

‘Apparently, he’s the late King’s illegitimate child. He’s studying abroad in the southern continent.’

Living apart from society, she learned of the rumors much later. But by then, too much time had passed.

Moreover, regardless of her lover’s true identity, she was branded as ‘the lady who abandoned her family and ran away’. Even Gérard, who had beaten the King’s son, was caught up in scandal and his reputation suffered.

Her brief time with her lover left an indelible wound.

Later, he was acknowledged by the King, received a noble title, and was thriving somewhere in the southern continent—now, none of it mattered to her.

He had settled in the southern continent and never returned to the Kingdom of Ipelda. Indeed, even she would have shuddered and turned her eyes to another country.

So she thought she would never meet him again as long as she lived.

On a chilly day with spring rain, at Rodin’s finest boutique with her new sister-in-law. Before she locked eyes with a black-haired man leaving with the Madame’s flattery.

“The cuffs embroidered with Setiya Mountain amethyst, ordered by you, Duke of Vallière, will take a little longer. Oh my!”

The Madame, who spoke with a girlish shy smile, turned toward her. At the same time, a tall, striking man stopped.

Their eyes met at that very moment.

“……I see.”

But was it just her imagination? The man soon shifted his gaze to the Madame as if nothing had happened. Yet she caught sight of his emerald-like eyes trembling in confusion.

Nine years, no—ten years, had it been?

Her heart began to pound fiercely. Heat rushed to her cheeks in an instant. How could she meet this man here? When had he returned to the country?

She, always late to hear news, had no idea that Duke Hystein de Vallière had returned to Ipelda not long ago.

So she never imagined she would have such an unexpected reunion with her former lover……