"That's all," Meldenik said, then departed.
Lennox frowned as he watched Meldenik leave. It was peculiar. In his eyes, Meldenik Babelloa seemed like a completely different person.
He thought of Meldenik's sister, Sheria, a contractor with whom he had a business relationship, and who constantly captured his attention. Not long ago, while at a resort, Sheria had sent him a letter filled with affection. At the end of the loving message, she mentioned that Meldenik had left the family and asked if he would consider ending his engagement with her.
'Sheria is a beautiful woman, but...' He bit the inside of his cheek to regain his focus. "I can't give up on Meldenik Babelloa." His eyes gleamed with intense light. He recalled his father's will, which explicitly stated, "You must marry Meldenik Babelloa," along with the eye-opening explanation that accompanied it.
'What if I marry her...?' He chuckled, envisioning his perfect future. His confusion subsided. "I must make Meldenik Babelloa my own; then everything will be perfect."
Of course, he had no personal interest in Meldenik. She was merely a troublesome woman, and it was clear she harbored a crush on Sheria. Sheria, with her beauty and innocence, was his ideal type.
Lennox smiled, his lips curling. He was pleased that his relationship with Sheria had recently spread through society like wildfire. Though no one knew of Sheria and Lennox's actual romantic involvement, everyone considered them a good match and inwardly supported them. It was a satisfying daily life. If Meldenik hadn't suddenly asked for a breakup, everything would have gone according to plan. He hadn't anticipated that Meldenik, sensing his heart leaning toward Sheria, would handle it in such an unusual way.
'Breaking up.'
However, his romance with Sheria and his marriage to Meldenik were two distinct matters. He intended to marry Meldenik regardless. "You're trying to get my attention, Meldenik." But if that was her thought process, then Meldenik was foolish. He wasn't an easy opponent.
The Duke's eyes narrowed as he watched Meldenik walk away. "She's using a peculiar jealousy strategy this time, but I don't want to get involved." Lennox stood there, trying to avert his gaze from her. But he couldn't. Meldenik turned to look at him again. He inwardly scoffed. I knew it. Meldenik Babelloa could never abandon him. She was a woman who had done all sorts of business and anything for him. Such a woman couldn't suddenly change.
'I've trained her to listen only to me. She can't betray me.'
He looked cynically at Meldenik as she walked back towards him. He would forgive his fiancée for daring to deceive him. Of course, forgiveness was only once.
Meldenik approached him.
"Come to think of it, there's something I forgot to tell you."
Meldenik's familiar words made Lennox speak coldly. "I don't need an apology."
Meldenik asked with a wide smile, "An apology?"
The Duke paused when he saw her smile. Had she ever looked like that when begging and apologizing? He recalled only seeing a depressed face, a crestfallen face, or a screaming face. But in the end, she would act within his expected range. He stared at Meldenik, patiently waiting for the words to come out of her mouth.
An apology!
Looking at the male protagonist, the man who would be my ex-fiancé, who seemed to expect an apology from me, I frowned.
'That's the real male lead. This novel is already ruined. Therefore, I'll go my own way.'
I took a step closer to him. The distance between us was now less than a foot (30 cm). It must have been the first time I had come so close, so he would have been flustered. However, a languid smile still lingered on his face. He certainly had a poker face. But could he still maintain that characteristic sluggish expression after hearing what I had to say?
"I think you should know this clearly." I looked up at him. But it would feel worse than looking down. It was a perfect contrast to the pathetic fiancée he had always ignored.
Sure enough, he seemed offended by my pride, by my lack of an apology. His elegant forehead furrowed deeply. But I wasn't interested in his expression.
"Could it be that my behavior is 'part of attracting attention...'"
"..." He furrowed his eyebrows again.
I smiled and continued, "If you thought, 'But she's a tiger, so if you catch her, you'll get caught; she's the one who was hung up on me anyway...'"
"What?" Did he see through my intentions? He asked in a blank voice. Watching him look at me as if he were surprised I'd read his mind, I clicked my tongue inwardly. The male protagonist doesn't know the reader's heart, but the reader knows his heart very well.
In Ropan novels, there were many protagonists or family members who cried and begged for forgiveness when the woman they ignored presented a marriage dissolution. Or there were many crazy guys who suddenly changed their minds and said things like, "I can't give up!" without genuinely liking her. So, I wanted to prevent him from catching me. Of course, I'm not a heroine, so I don't have to do that.
"But there's one thing." Lennox was very interested in me. Whether it was his regrets or useless obsessions, I had no intention of accepting them! I raised one corner of my mouth and perfectly nailed it. "That's a delusion."
He glared at me with a trembling face. "...Did I find a new man? Did you cheat without understanding your place?"
Oh, are all adulterous men like this? He was the one who cheated, but he's acting like a boring hypochondriac. I shook my head. "Do you think anyone else would like you?" The gaslighting I used to do every time started again.
Of course, I didn't want to give him a proper answer. "If I tell you what I really mean..." I raised my finger and pointed far beyond his back, towards someone's figure in the distance. "It's better to marry someone who passes by instead of you." He must know very well that I was referring to anyone.
Lennox's face lost all color. "How dare you..." He gnashed his teeth, stung by my dismissive words. But it was too early for him to react; I wasn't done yet. A stronger final remark was needed.
"I'm sure you've gotten it right now." I smiled at him for the last time, like a brilliant ray of sunshine. "Will you get out of my life now? Because it's dirty."