As Adeline stood there in a daze, I opened my mouth again to offer her a choice.
“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. Even if we don’t run away, it looks like I’m set to leave the house anyway.”
“No! I want to go with you! I want to stay with you, Sister!”
As Adeline hugged me tightly, I wrapped my arms around her in return and offered her some words of encouragement.
“Find something you want to do in the future. Whether it’s becoming a bride, studying, traveling somewhere—anything is fine. If you decide you want to inherit the house, you can always marry a cousin to make it happen.”
“Something I want to do…? Do you have something you want to do, Sister?”
“Yes! I want to work as a civil servant at the royal palace! A stable income, a high salary, and my own house—that’s the plan!”
Adeline stared at me in astonishment before bursting into laughter. I joined her, and together we laughed until our sides hurt.
On that day, as young girls, we made a pact. From that point on, we worked hard together. But then, an unexpected twist came into our lives.
* * *
One day, while the three of us—Adeline, Freddie, and I—visited a well-known café, a couple sitting at a terrace table caught our attention.
The man wore a sleek, tailored suit in the latest fashion from a neighboring country. His glossy, wavy black hair was slicked back loosely, and his large, striking black eyes left a strong impression.
I thought he looked vaguely familiar, but before I could piece it together, Adeline tugged at my sleeve, her gaze fixed on the man.
“Adi…?” I asked, puzzled.
The man, as if he had heard me, turned sharply to look in our direction.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze as Adeline and the man locked eyes. Their expressions weren’t dreamy or star-struck; they were filled with sheer astonishment.
Sensing the tension, I quietly asked Freddie to secure a private room, then approached the man myself.
“Pardon the interruption. My name is Amanda. If you have time after this, may I request a moment to speak with you?”
“…Ah, sure. Please wait for a little while,” he replied.
* * *
Once the private room was ready, the three of us sat down, waiting for the man to join us. When he finally arrived, he let out a sigh before introducing himself.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Adelbard Roxanne, a representative of Roxanne Trading Company.”
We exchanged greetings and took our seats.
“I was surprised when I heard someone call me by a familiar nickname—‘Adi.’ So, you go by the same nickname too?” he said casually, breaking the tension with a laid-back demeanor that felt almost intentional.
When I broached the real subject, however, Adelbard’s expression finally turned uneasy.
“Well, I guess there’s no denying it, is there? The resemblance is uncanny… I might be her father,” he admitted awkwardly.
Adelbard explained further:
“I met the Countess of Jelite when I was still training in business. I was young, and she was… well, likely frustrated with her situation. We had a brief affair during that time, but when my training ended, I returned to my company in the neighboring country. I never imagined something like this…”
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