Noel von Decaraznan would blush slightly at Cain’s reassuring touch, but rather than pulling away, she would simply hold his hand.
‘…I don’t like this.’
And so, the man and woman would gradually become lovers.
By all accounts, they would be a perfect couple, deeply in love. The warmth in their voices when they spoke to each other would be undeniable.
As time passed, they would spend more and more moments together. Holding hands and embracing no longer felt sufficient, and soon, they would begin sharing k!sses.
As she secretly watched their t0ngues intertwine, she could only see herself—pathetically indulging in self-loathing. She justified it by telling herself that they were lovers, and there was nothing she could do about it.
‘…Stop it.’
Their relationship would naturally lead to marriage.
Though it was politically arranged, love was the only thing that existed between them.
Every guest in attendance celebrated the union—everyone except Sarah. She alone stood there, watching them with darkened eyes, as if trapped in a dreamlike nightmare.
While the entire hall was filled with smiles, hers was the only face twisted with misery.
‘Please…’
Cain, now a duke, stood beside the princess, who was dressed in a pure white wedding gown. They exchanged rings as part of the ceremony.
Cain removed his engagement ring and discarded it without hesitation, replacing it with the wedding band he received from Noel von Decaraznan.
The discarded engagement ring rolled across the floor like a piece of trash, coming to rest in the corner of the hall.
Sarah’s gaze flickered between the ring and Cain, realizing with a sinking heart that its fate mirrored her own.
‘Don’t do this. Please…’
And so, the marriage was sealed.
Under the blessings of all in attendance, their lips met, soft breaths mingling.
The guests rose to their feet, cheering and applauding the beautiful couple.
Only Sarah remained motionless. She lowered her head, her expression contorted with jealousy, despair, hatred, and regret.
‘Cain…’
Her heart felt like it was shattering.
Why?
Why was she just standing there, watching his wedding?
If… if only she hadn’t broken off their engagement. If only she had held onto him, refusing to bow to her family’s pressure. If only she had told him she loved him instead of letting go.
“Aagh!”
Unable to bear it any longer, Sarah collapsed on the spot.
…But it was all an illusion.
A delusion.
None of it had happened. It was just a scenario her mind had conjured—a cruel vision of what could be.
But even so, it hurt.
Even though she knew it was only her imagination, her heart ached as if it were real.
No. Deep down, she understood the truth.
This wasn’t just a baseless fantasy.
Everything she had just imagined—every painful moment—stemmed from the deepest, darkest corners of her heart.
“…Hah.”
It was pathetic.
She couldn’t believe that a mere delusion had left her feeling so weak, so fragile.
When had she become such a miserable woman?
Why?
Why had she let herself become like this?
– I hate seeing you in the arms of a man you don’t even love.
– So, get up. The you I know was never this weak.
“…B*stard…”
A face surfaced in her mind.
The one responsible for everything.
Because of him, she had become like this. Because of him, her heart pounded just thinking about his face. Because of him, her chest tightened at the mere thought of him being with another woman.
…But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to blame him.
Because this was all her fault.
She was the one who rejected him.
She was the one who refused to love him when he had loved her.
She was the one who had jumped to conclusions—choosing to walk away the moment she saw the white-haired girl in his bed.
And it was she who had run to Count Cernard’s estate, demanding that their engagement be annulled.
Yes, everything was a consequence of her own choices.
That was why she had no right to feel this pain, to grieve, to regret.
This was her punishment.
She was merely suffering the way he once had—drowning in unrequited love.
Because, in the end, she had been nothing but cruel to him.
Just then, voices reached her ears.
A man and a woman were speaking somewhere nearby.
“Ah, Heir Estel. I didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you to this place?”
“…Lady Decaraznan?”
Cain and Noel von Decaraznan had run into each other by chance while walking down the street.
For a brief moment, Sarah forgot how to breathe.
She wanted to say something—anything—but the words caught in her throat.
As their conversation continued, the two began moving in her direction. Their approaching footsteps sent a wave of panic through her, and before she knew it, she was hiding behind a nearby pillar.
She wasn’t even sure why she had done it.
She didn’t understand why she was hiding.
…But the ugly, wretched desire to eavesdrop—to know what Cain and the dukes daughter would say when they were alone—consumed her.
At that moment, Sarah Cernard was nothing but a pitiful, pathetic woman.
Truly, truly unfortunate.
She was just a woman.