THE FAKE LADY AND THE PASTRY SHOP 

“You, you’re talking nonsense! Stop spitting blood! I didn’t mean that!”

She said as she cried.

Wearing a pitiful face, she looked in a certain direction and sniffled: “Brother Maximilian.”

My face paused slightly, and I turned my head to look.

Standing apart from the crowd, I didn’t know when Maximilian had arrived.

He pursed his lips tightly, looking at me.

Then, step by step, he approached me. I thought he was going to stand up for Vivian: “Is the Duke also going to use his power to…”

Before I could finish, he suddenly turned to Vivian: “Lady of the Count’s Manor, please conduct yourself with dignity. I am not that close to you; please do not address me in that manner.”

Vivian’s face turned pale.

I couldn’t help but sneer in disdain. About to get married and still putting on such a high-and-mighty act.

“I heard there’s a rumor outside recently.”

Maximilian’s face was cold, his sharp eyes piercing Vivian: “That you and I are getting married?”

She shrank back a step: “Maxi… Your Grace, what are you talking about? What marriage?”

“Do you truly not know?”

Vivian shook her head innocently.

Maximilian let out a cold laugh, unclear what he was mocking. He glanced around the crowd, his tone carrying a profound meaning: “How strange then. Who would be so bored to spread such baseless rumors, and purposely keep it hidden from the people of the Duke’s estate?”

Baseless rumors?

I was a bit surprised.

Vivian was so scared she could barely stand. She looked at Maximilian with red eyes.

Someone in the crowd finally reacted: “Huh? So, the Duke and the Count’s manor have no intention of forming a marriage alliance?”

“Then where did the rumor come from? It was said with such certainty before!”

When it comes to spreading and manipulating public opinion, no one was more skilled than Vivian.

I looked at her with suspicious eyes. This rumor started spreading wildly right around the time I returned to the capital.

Every day, people purposely came to my pastry shop to gossip. That night at the Princess’s manor, when Vivian saw me, she didn’t seem surprised at all…

Without needing much verification, I immediately connected the dots.

So, Vivian did this on purpose to make me misunderstand.

My introduction to the Grand Duchess’s manor was probably arranged by her too, which explained why she was so calm when she met me.

She really put in a lot of effort. Was she that afraid I’d fight her for Maximilian?

Vivian ran away, crying in humiliation.

I glanced at Maximilian, who was still standing there like a statue.

“Does Your Grace have any other business?”

“I haven’t finished what I was saying that night. Let’s talk.”

“That night?” The crowd, which hadn’t dispersed, pricked up their ears again at the sensitive keyword: “Which night? Did His Grace really have something going on with her…”

Whispers erupted all around.

“Your Grace, this commoner still has to run the shop. I’m afraid I don’t have time.”

“It’s fine, I’ll wait for you.”

I looked around the pastry shop. The citizens had retreated about ten meters away. The corner of my mouth twitched. With him standing here like a monolith, who would dare come buy anything?

Finally, I had to ask Lucas to watch the shop and followed him.

Until we reached a deserted street corner.

“What do you want to say?”

He suddenly raised his hand toward my head.

I dodged subconsciously: “Please behave yourself, Your Grace.”

His movement paused, but he didn’t pull his hand back; instead, he gently brushed my hair.

“You have flour on your hair.”

I looked at the white powder on his hand and suppressed my annoyance: “I deal with this flour every day; by the end of the day, it’s not just my hair that’s dirty. You really don’t need to do this. Just say what you want to say directly.”

He lowered his eyes, his eyelashes casting a shadow. Frowning at the flour on his hand, it was unclear what he was thinking.

Soon after, he looked up, straight into my eyes, his voice somewhat dry:

“That year when you were kicked out of the Count’s manor and forced to leave the capital… after you left, the Vane family didn’t take you in. All alone with nowhere to turn, you didn’t even send a letter to ask me for help. Is it because you resent me?”

“You overthink it, Your Grace. I recall our relationship back then wasn’t good enough for me to boldly ask for your care.”

“Victoria! Do you dare say changing your name wasn’t on purpose so I couldn’t find you?”

I was slightly stunned.

I didn’t expect that in just a few short days, he had found out my new name.

That year, after leaving the capital, I did go looking for the Vane family.

But the first time the Vanes saw me, they immediately drew a clear line:

“Child, you didn’t grow up by our side since you were little. The one who has always been with us is Vivian. If we take you in now, it would be unfair to her.”

My nominal biological brother gave me a disdainful look:

“My only sister is Vivian. Even if she returns to the Count’s manor, it doesn’t mean there is a place for you here. You vicious woman, you dared push my sister into the lake! If we let you into the Vane family, who knows what evil tricks you’ll pull to harm us in the future!”

Mr. and Mrs. Vane threw me a bag of silver coins, intending to shoo me away.

I didn’t take it.

In the freezing winter, I didn’t know where I got the backbone, but I gritted my teeth, enduring hunger and cold, and walked away.

I didn’t like my old name, nor did I care for the Vane surname.

So I changed my name from “Victoria” to “Celine.”

Celine – representing a free new beginning.