12

In my desperation, I decided to feed Cedric the medicine by mouth.

This was purely an act of repayment for his earlier kindness, not an attempt to take advantage of him.

With my eyes closed, I administered the medicine to him repeatedly, then wiped my mouth with a cloth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Cedric was awake.

When did he wake up?

13

Cedric looked at me with a puzzled expression, clearly misunderstanding the situation.

"I only did this because you wouldn't wake up. Please don't misunderstand," I quickly explained, gesturing nervously, my hands flailing in front of him until he grabbed one.

"I will take responsibility," he said weakly.

Cedric had completely ignored my explanation.

"I already have a fiancé!" I confessed boldly, figuring honesty was the best policy.

It wasn't a lie. My parents had indeed arranged a marriage for me.

14

"I see..." Cedric released my hand, his eyes filled with a hint of sadness. "Today's events will remain a secret."

This was something that could never be known by a third party.

I nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, I heard a noise and saw the waiter entering with the medicine.

He claimed he hadn't seen anything, and I believed him.

"Ma'am, I'll leave the medicine here," the waiter said, placing the tray down and quickly exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

Determined to ensure his silence, I gave Cedric his medicine and then went downstairs to offer the assistant some hush money.

15

Afterward, I headed to the Wintermoon Club to reclaim my money from the stand-in bride I had hired for a hefty sum.

After all, she had run off in front of everyone at the wedding.

The club's manager greeted me and led me to a private room, asking how I wanted to resolve the matter.

"She failed to do her job, so I want a full refund," I demanded.

"But, didn't Elara stand in for you for a while?"

"Did she complete the ceremony? Did she meet the groom?"

In the end, I got back seventy percent of my money.

Originally, I only expected to reclaim half, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Now, I could afford to stay at the inn for two months without any problems.

16

On my way back, I gathered news about my family. My father had learned about Cedric's escape and insisted it was the Vale family's fault.

He was convinced that I had left in public out of heartbreak.

Once back at the inn, I sought out the waiter and inquired about available rooms. Thankfully, the room next door had just been vacated that morning.

I paid extra to move in there, finally allowing myself a few days of rest, except for still having to care for Cedric in the adjacent room.

As I pondered how to clean him up, the waiter knocked, asking if I needed hot water.

I paid him to take care of Cedric instead.

17

Before I knew it, the Lantern Festival had arrived.

The day before, Cedric had sent an invitation through the assistant, asking me to join him.

I pretended not to see it.

At night, the city was bustling with activity. I dressed in a new outfit and headed out.

At the street corner, I saw Cedric standing under a lantern, as if he had been waiting for a while.

When he saw me, he smiled and said, "What a coincidence."

His boyish smile made it hard for me to rebuff him.

I simply walked past him, but he followed closely behind.

Unable to shake him off, I let him trail along.

The streets were crowded, and I was jostled nearly to the point of falling. Cedric caught me and didn't let go.

His intentions were clear, but I didn't have the heart to expose him.

He still didn't know I was the elusive Hart family's daughter he was supposed to marry.

As usual, I bought a lantern to release by the river. Cedric held onto me, insisting he wanted to join.

To maintain his penniless façade, he had been acting broke the entire time.

I decided to treat it as a loan, planning to make him pay me back double in the future.

18

Cedric picked out a lantern that matched the one I was holding.

"You have a good eye."

Before I could reach for my purse, I glanced at the lantern and reminded him, "Mr. Sterling, do you recall that my family has already arranged a marriage for me?"

Cedric hesitated, then asked, "Is it really so wrong for us to release lanterns together?

"And you're following your parents' wishes too, right? I haven't heard you mention your fiance before."

Realizing I wouldn't win this argument, I decided to drop it.

We carried our lanterns to the riverbank. As we approached a brightly lit restaurant, I saw Isolde walking out from inside.

I halted abruptly and quickly pointed to a nearby stall, saying I wanted to buy a hairpin.

Thankfully, Isolde didn't head in our direction. If she had seen me, her loud voice would have undoubtedly called out my name.

I used the hairpin as an excuse. Cedric, however, took his time examining the stall's offerings. After selecting a pin, he placed it in my hair.

I didn't protest since I liked it as well.

The vendor, smiling broadly, commented, "Buy one for your wife too. It suits her perfectly."

I remained impassive and paid for the pin myself.

19

At the riverbank, we found a quiet spot and set our lanterns afloat. I clasped my hands and made a wish for everything to go smoothly.

Cedric, crouching beside me, mimicked my actions and said, "I wish Ms. Winter safety and peace every year."

I was momentarily taken aback, unsure if I should remind him that wishes are best kept private.

But it probably didn't matter, as Isolde would be making her own wishes anyway.

As I stood up, I noticed someone else I recognized approaching.

"Thank you, Mr. Sterling," I called out deliberately, raising my voice.

Cedric smiled. Before he stood up, a voice from the approaching crowd said, "Excuse me? Who are you?"

20

I tilted my head, and the newcomer followed my gaze, spotting Cedric.

He strode over and swiftly pulled Cedric to his feet. "Cedric, what are you doing here? Your father has been searching for you for days. Luckily, I found you. You need to come back with me."

"Cedric?" I echoed, pretending to be bewildered.

Damian's face turned stern as he realized what was happening. "So, you've been using my name to win over women!"

He turned to me and said, "Miss, I'm Damian. He's Cedric. He's already engaged, so don't be fooled by him."

Damian was clearly upset, but he meant well.

Cedric stepped closer, his expression earnest. "Ms. Winter, let me explain. I have no feelings for my fiancee. I'll go back and end the engagement. Please trust me."

"Alright, so will I." I said with a smile, nodding in agreement as Damian looked on, astonished.

I thought to myself, "Cedric, you'd better keep your promise and repay me."

With my confirmation, Cedric followed Damian away.

21

The next day, I returned home with Cedric's promise in hand. As soon as I walked through the courtyard, the butler ushered me into the front hall.

There, seated in a formal arrangement, were my grandmother, parents, brother, and sister, all watching me intently.

Although it seemed stern, aside from my father, the others were there to advocate on my behalf.

Normally, two or three family members would suffice to vouch for me, but today's situation required the entire family's intervention.

"Go to the courtyard and reflect on your actions," my father said, his voice stern and unyielding.

My grandmother added with concern, "Lillian has become so thin. She's clearly struggling."

My mother said, "The courtyard is too cold. She should stay in her room."

My elder sister, Margaret, spoke up, "Father, you arranged this engagement without considering Lillian's wishes. She had no choice but to act as she did."

My elder brother, William, added, "That young man clearly doesn't value Lillian. Marrying him would only bring her misery."

"Lillian, come with me to the study," my father said, rising and motioning for me to follow.

I reassured them not to worry and promised I would be back soon.

22

"You've made it clear that you're not interested in Cedric, so there's no need for any punishment. Starting tomorrow, I'll arrange for you to meet other suitors. You can choose from them."

I realized that even if I managed to escape this marriage, another one might be just around the corner.

"Father, why are you so insistent on my getting married?"

He sighed heavily. "The fortune teller said that if you're not married by twenty, you'll face serious misfortune."

I walked over and comforted him. "Father, don't take the fortune teller's words too seriously."

"Should I not?" he responded, clearly anxious.

His concern wasn't entirely unfounded.

That fortune teller had also predicted disaster for me when I was twelve.

Despite being under constant supervision, I was once pushed into a garden pond during a crowded party.

Thankfully, someone rescued me in time.

The person who pushed me was from the Vale family, though I never learned why.

Later, I found out Cedric's father had sent her away to a distant farm, and my father decided not to pursue the matter further.

23

My father was still haunted by past events. When the fortune teller predicted that Cedric and I were a perfect match, he took it as a sign that this marriage was meant to be.

The fortune teller's previous predictions had proven accurate, which led my father to ignore my objections and finalize the match.

I arranged for a secret meeting with Cedric through William.

When we met, he looked frail and weak, as though he had just recovered from a serious illness.

He sat silently among other young men, barely engaging in conversation.

The thought of spending my life with someone so lifeless was daunting.

So, I arranged for a substitute bride, hoping to either provoke Cedric into breaking off the engagement himself or to pressure him into doing so. Of course, I knew this was the worst-case scenario, but I had to try something.

24

A few days later, after meeting with one of my suitors, Julian Montrose, I returned home to find Isolde waiting for me at the doorstep.

The moment I stepped out of the carriage, she stormed up to me, clearly upset. "Today, Cedric showed up at my house and told my father I'm his sweetheart!

"My father asked me about it, and when Cedric saw me, he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"What did you do to him?"

Cedric had actually gone to the Winter family!

"How did you know it was me?" I asked, puzzled by her sudden sharpness.

"I asked several others, and they all said it wasn't them," she explained.

It seemed she had used a process of elimination.

"Anyway, you got me in trouble with my father, so you owe me," Isolde said, her face still sour.

"Alright, I'll make it up to you. How about we go out for a meal tomorrow?"

Isolde's face brightened at the offer.

25

At dinner, Isolde was a bundle of nerves.

We were in a private room with me, her, and Leonard Fairfax, one of my suitors.

Leonard, with a touch of sarcasm, asked, "So, Ms. Hart, what's this about?"

"It's just a meal. This is my childhood friend, Isolde. She's joining us today."

Leonard, still smirking, suggested, "If that's the case, why don't we move to the main hall downstairs? It's much livelier there."

"Sure," I agreed.

I got up to ask the waiter to switch our table, making sure Leonard knew I wasn't trying to cut corners. I also offered to cover the bill and told them to order whatever they wanted.

Isolde took full advantage, ordering seven dishes and thoroughly enjoying the live music. She kept asking Leonard for his thoughts, frequently interrupting our conversation.

I was genuinely glad to have her there. I should definitely take her out more often.

To my surprise, Leonard reported the whole situation to my father.

In the evening, after dinner, my father summoned me to his study.

He looked stern and told me I needed to stay home for the next few days to reflect on my actions.