He called me “Bella Sweden,” not “Belle Belle” or even “Bella Astaire.”
I felt like the sky was collapsing and the world was shaking at his words.
My lips trembled, and I felt my heart freeze under his cold gaze.
“Leon, return to Aster carefully.
I will follow you soon.”
“Do whatever you want.”
Leon smiled sarcastically, and I removed my hand from the carriage door, closing it violently.
I stood there for a long time, watching Leon's carriage drive away.
“Ma’am, when are we leaving?”
Amy and Mary asked me with worried faces, because I had not joined the Return to Esther team.
They were afraid that, with my relationship with Leon and my background strained, I would not be able to return to Esther, the home of our lives.
“I will meet Walter first, then we will leave.”
Amy and Mary breathed a sigh of relief at my words.
I went straight to the Sweden family's house.
I hated coming here, but my sudden desire to meet Walter left me no choice.
I did not get off the carriage, but sent a servant to inform Walter of my arrival.
When Walter hurried out of the palace, I got out of the carriage.
"Bella, I was so worried after we broke up yesterday.
Come on in."
“Do you want me to come in?
I didn’t come because I calmed down.
How could you say such rude things in front of people?
You were the worst.”
“Sorry.
I thought the Duke wouldn’t care.
He really was, wasn’t he?
I didn’t expect him to be so angry yesterday.”
“Even a child knows who he hates or loves from his facial expressions or tone.
And calling the Duke by his name?
Is he your friend?
Are you going to keep talking randomly?
I’m leaving.”
"No, Bella, I'm sorry.
If you give me a chance, I'll apologize."
“It’s okay.
This problem takes time.
Because of you, Leon doesn’t want to see me.
I came to discuss the inheritance.”
“Inheritance?”
“Isn’t it normal to divide your father’s inheritance after his death?”
“I didn't think about that.
In the empire, the heir to the title inherits everything.”
"Then give me the title.
I'm the one who saved the Marquis's family, right?"
“...Do you need money?”
“Honestly, yes.”
I felt that lying was not appropriate for Bella, so I told the truth.
Walter laughed as if it was unbelievable.
“You still haven't made up your mind?”
“What fun is Esther without friends but Leon?
I should find fun in spending money, but the money Leon gives me is not enough.
You know, I got married without a dowry.”
Walter did not deny and nodded.
“You don't have any friends here either… Well, I'll discuss it with my advisor.”
I shook my head.
Why is he thinking now?
He speaks without thinking when he should be thinking.
“Walter, think about my contribution to this family.
I think I have the right to more than fifty percent.”
“That's right.
If it were my personal money, I would give it to you right away, but it's the property of the head of the family.
Wait a minute.”
Walter patted me on the shoulder and ran into the palace.
I stood in the garden, and servants passed by and greeted me.
Most of the servants in the palace seemed to have changed, they were new faces.
Walter returned shortly with a large bag.
"Help yourf."
He handed me the bag.
It was heavy, so I put it on the floor immediately after receiving it.
'Is it possible...'
I opened the bag excitedly.
As I expected, it was filled with 1 solar gold coins, a larger amount than I had imagined.
“Walter...”
You should have given me this sooner.
She looked at him with dreamy eyes.
No, it's not the time for admiration.
She stared at him with a fierce look.
“...Do you need more?”
What?
“Well… not so, but the more money I have, won’t I live with my head held high?”
“Have you been reprimanded for spending too much?”
“No, Leon is not like that.”
Although he comments on my spending.
She excitedly tied the bag and carried it forcefully.
Thinking about Leon made me anxious.
“I'm going today.
I have to go back to Aster.”
“Wait, I'll bring more.”
“No, that's enough.
Give me later.”
“Later?
Well...”
“And discuss my inheritance well and tell me.”
She hugged the money bag and climbed into the carriage.
I looked at Walter waving at me mockingly, and when I turned my head, I felt as if someone was watching me from the palace window.
When I looked again, no one was there.
If there was a person, it would probably be the Marquis's lady, since that was her bedroom window.
What do you feel about me?
I heard she's mentally unstable, can she recognize me?
I was curious for a moment, but quickly dismissed thoughts of the Marquis's lady.
Thinking about Leon alone was enough to make my head explode.
I held the money bag like a treasure and chewed my lips.
When I arrived at the palace, the maids were waiting for me and began loading the luggage into the carriage.
I stayed in the car, just looking out the window.
'Will my appearance in front of Leon now make things worse?'
I suddenly lost my confidence.
Is returning to Esther the right choice?
Hundreds of thoughts are running wildly in my head.
“Ma’am, everything is ready.
We are leaving.”
“Wait a minute.”
I stopped Amy and Mary, who were hurrying to get into the carriage, for fear of changing my mind.
They looked at me with worried eyes.
I felt sorry for them, but...
“I'm going to Palanobo for a few days.”
“What?
Suddenly?”
Mary dropped her small handbag on the floor.
I nodded.
Maybe if I moved away a little, Leon's hatred towards me might subside.
Although Zeus, who annoys me, might be a hindrance.
“Yes.
They sent a message to Esther and another to Palanubo.
Let us rest a little and then head to Palanubo.”
I got out of the car.
Amy and Mary sighed and followed me.
I felt sorry for them, but I couldn't face Leon.
I was a coward, but I wanted to escape from this situation.
As if the sky was sympathizing with my heart, the cold winter rain began to wet the ground.
Since his return from the capital, Leon had been in a bad mood.
Especially when he heard that Bella had gone to Palanopu instead of returning to Aster, no one dared to approach him.
Kalsen alone remained beside him, watching him silently.
“Kalsen, if Bella returns to Aster, shall I go to Palanopu?”
Kalsen looked at the papers, then raised his head at his words.
“Is there a need for that?
You can avoid meeting her inside the castle if you want.”
“I didn't know Bella well at all.”
Kalsen looked at Leon's trembling eyes silently.
“Were you expecting something?”
"What?"
Kalsen did not answer.
Leon snorted, propped his chin, and looked into the void with half-closed eyes.
"Expectation?
Things were kind of fun.
I felt like we were a real couple sometimes."
“Then carry on as you are.
Honestly, couldn’t you have just ignored it?
Unless you expected something else from the lady.”
Leon got up from the chair with a troubled expression and walked towards the window.
The window was covered with frost due to the cold air. b
The foggy window looked like Leon's heart.
The image of Bella smiling brightly appeared in the window and then disappeared.
Leon's gaze became fierce.
He felt like hitting his aching chest with his fist.
He knew from the beginning that Bella's actions towards him were not sincere.
At first, he was just tagging along with her to see where it would go.
Sometimes, he wished her actions were sincere.
But knowing that she called him an idiot outside the house and was being nice to him for his money was a huge shock.
Is his feeling of betrayal the cause of this distress?
Leon clenched his fist tightly.
'I shouldn't have heard that.'
His resentment was directed at Bella.