After spending about a week resting at home, the day finally came when Emma had to return to school. Final exams were approaching, and she couldn’t avoid them any longer. With some reluctance, she forced herself to get ready.
Her parents had told her she didn’t need to go back to school for the time being, but Emma felt that if she skipped now, she might never return.
Discussions with Nick’s family had concluded, determining that the fault mostly lay on their side. The engagement was annulled, not broken, and compensation would be paid. However, the Charmant family denied any evidence of Nick’s infidelity or emotional abuse, acknowledging only his erratic behavior at the party.
This had enraged Emma’s father. He vowed to sever all ties with the Charmant family after handling the aftermath and to reclaim the joint ventures under the Lavidge family’s sole ownership. “Just watch, they’ll regret this!” he had declared. Rumors suggested that, due to Nick’s actions at the party, the Charmant family’s business operations were on shaky ground, with other noble families distancing themselves. Emma silently prayed for their downfall.
Despite her reservations, Emma went to school for the sake of her exams. What awaited her, however, was a whirlwind of gossip.
— “Look, it’s the Lavidge family’s young lady.”
— “Oh, right! She’s the one whose engagement to the Charmant family got called off.”
— “I wonder what happened.”
The whispers grew louder as she entered the classroom. Many of her classmates had witnessed the scene at the party.
— “So does this mean Nick is inheriting the family estate?”
— “Imagine being abandoned by a fiancé who was supposed to marry into the family. They say he called her gloomy before dumping her.”
— “Wow, she’s actually coming to school.”
— “I’d be way too embarrassed… I couldn’t possibly…”
(I didn’t want to come either!)
Emma had arrived at her usual time but now regretted not waiting until the last minute. As she lowered her head in frustration, a cool voice called out to her.
“Emma! Good morning! Are you all set for the exams?”
Looking up, she saw her friend Margit standing before her. Margit, the daughter of a marquess, was an intelligent young woman already engaged to the crown prince. Her dark brunette hair was sometimes mocked as plain, but paired with her deep violet eyes, it gave her an air of composure and intelligence.
Margit’s voice instantly silenced the gossip in the classroom. Everyone knew about her friendship with Emma, and no one wanted to risk angering her. Even their parents might face consequences, and for some, their family businesses could suffer.
“Margit… I’m a little nervous,” Emma admitted.
She was deeply moved by her friend’s normal behavior. It was the first kind gesture she’d experienced in a week. And, to be honest, she was nervous about the exams—she hadn’t been able to concentrate on her studies at all.
“In that case, take a look at my notes! I made summaries for the exams.”
“What? But Margit, are you sure?”
“I’ve already memorized everything while writing them. If you have any questions, just ask me.”
Margit handed her the notes with a warm smile, leaving Emma no choice but to accept them. As she flipped through the pages, she saw neatly summarized key points for the exams. On the last page was a simple message: “Emma, you can do it!”
Looking at Margit’s back as she returned to her seat, Emma felt tears well up in her eyes again.
(I’ll do my best. Forget the gossip—none of it matters.)
For the first time, Emma felt grateful she had come to school.
In the academy’s dining hall, Emma sat with Margit and Shiller. Being joined by two high-ranking nobles and the center of recent gossip meant no one dared approach them, leaving a wide circle of space around their table.
0 Comments