THE FAKE LADY AND THE PASTRY SHOP
[Side Story – Maximilian’s Perspective]:
Victoria followed me around for over a decade.
At first, I completely failed to realize her special feelings for me. I just grouped her with Chloe and the other arrogant noble ladies.
Even on the day she was kicked out of the Count’s manor and banished from the capital, I went to look for Vivian.
Because the night before, I was drugged and defiled a girl.
In my delirium, I always believed it was Victoria. But when I woke up, I saw Vivian hurriedly escaping from the room.
Therefore, I went to find her to confirm.
When she faced me, she acted coy, shy, and wronged, making me think the person from that night was really her.
Even though I was a thousand times unwilling, what happened had happened. I had to take responsibility.
However, Vivian quickly revealed her true colors. She wasn’t the person from that night at all.
That night, it was actually Victoria.
But when I came to my senses and wanted to go find her, I heard from the people at the Count’s manor that Victoria had left long ago. For the crime of plotting to harm Vivian.
I naturally didn’t believe it. Victoria was not that kind of person.
I sent people to the Vane family to find her, but they said she wasn’t there. The Vane family said she was stubborn, arrogant, and looked down on their family, so she left on her own.
I always felt something was wrong, but for three years, no matter how frantically I searched, I couldn’t find a single trace of her.
Until that day, at the Grand Duchess’s birthday banquet, I met her again.
The once arrogant, domineering eldest lady could now ignore others’ sarcastic remarks and smile while selling her baked goods…
The same face, but everything seemed different.
She changed her name to Celine.
Celine no longer clung to me; she didn’t even want to pay attention to me.
But perhaps I was a lowly person.
Every day I wanted to find her, wanted to talk to her. I wanted to know if she had been living well these past few years.
I even blurted out a marriage proposal.
But she asked me if it was out of pity or just to take responsibility.
I couldn’t answer, because I didn’t understand my own heart.
The late-blooming feelings only grew deeper each day after seeing her again.
During those three years, a life without her was terrifyingly quiet; every passing day was a maddening torment. Especially when I saw Chloe coming to bother me, I felt even more annoyed.
Yet in the past, when Victoria followed me, I never felt annoyed.
It was because I realized my feelings too late.
I had broken her heart.
By the time I wanted to make amends and hold her back, Celine was no longer standing there waiting for me. She even pointed a sword at me to escape from me…
I granted her wish and let her go.
A day, a month, half a year…
I was still the loser.
On the 200th day since Celine left, I traveled south to find her.
This heartless woman, her life without me must be wonderful, right?
When I found her, she was actually in a tavern with male servers, watching those effeminate actors sing, and even letting someone feed her wine!
“Celine!”
Her drunken, hazy eyes flashed when she heard my voice, and then she stumbled toward me.
“Is this a new actor? So handsome, I’m booking you for tonight.”
I glared at her, but I couldn’t bring myself to be angry at all.
I didn’t dare to be angry.
After all, coming here this time, I had decided to be thick-skinned and cling to her relentlessly.
We still have plenty of time.