Chapter 3
After a long, charged pause, his voice had emerged, as cold and sharp as midwinter frost.
“An annulment…”
Merdi froze, like a tree battered by an icy wind. She couldn’t force a sound from her constricted throat; she could only stare at him.
“How amusing,” he had murmured, his gaze lingering on her for a long moment. In the end, Merdi had been the first to look away. He had concluded the matter with brutal finality.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
With that, he had turned and walked away. He didn’t ask for a reason. His retreating silhouette was as cold as ever, as if he had just heard the nonsensical babble of a stranger, something not worth acknowledging. The only difference was that this was the first time he had ever spoken to her with such raw iciness. He was a man who, while always maintaining a thorough distance, adhered to formal courtesy and fulfilled his duties. Accustomed to his detached politeness, Merdi had never expected such a sharp reaction.
She knew an abrupt request for an annulment wouldn’t be welcome, but rationally, it wasn’t a bad proposal for him, either. Even if Clifton only returned to Greenfield once or twice a year due to the war, he had to know what people called her. Greenfield’s Wild Bird. She had thought that if his inadequate fiancée were to step down on her own, it might even be a welcome gift on the day of his succession.
But the result… Recalling his cold expression, from which even his customary smile had vanished, Merdi felt her head spin.
“Miss Merdi?”
Someone’s voice pulled her back to the present. She hesitated, then decided to keep her mouth shut about the memory of that nightmarish day, one she wished she could forget.
“It seems Miss Merdi doesn’t wish to speak of it,” Vivian said, her voice laced with amusement as she feigned sympathy. “It isn’t polite to force someone to talk about things they’d rather not.”
A triumphant smirk touched her lips. Her eyes said it all: she didn’t need to hear the details to know what had happened. Perhaps she had asked the question, hoping for this very reaction.
To Vivian, Merdi was a constant source of irritation, for she was the fiancée of none other than Clifton Mayall de Greenfield. And who was he? He was the most eligible bachelor in the entire empire. As the old class society crumbled and nobles lost land and status to the bourgeoisie, he was the only one who had lost nothing. The Greenfield estate he had inherited was a land of gold—and that wasn’t a metaphor. It contained a mine with a massive vein of gold.
And recently, they had struck oil. In an era where the demand for oil was exploding, he had seized yet another fortune. He was a man truly blessed by God, showered with a grace they could never receive, no matter how often they prayed in church.
And that wasn’t all. The grace he had received was not just in his land, but in his very being. A brilliant mind, elegant and refined features, and a well-trained physique that seemed at odds with his aristocratic bearing. Clifton’s mere existence rendered all other noblemen as “the rest.”
And yet, like a bolt from the blue, he had been handed over to a tomboyish princess from a minor nation. It was a fact that was difficult to accept. That’s why Vivian grew angry every time she saw Merdi, with her passive demeanor, so utterly oblivious to the incredible fortune she had stumbled upon.
“You all know my exhibition opens next week, don’t you?” Vivian said, smoothly changing the subject. The other ladies immediately perked up.
“Of course. It’s the Melvitch family’s exhibition, after all. It will be the debut of a new star in the art world. We wouldn’t miss it.” The young ladies nodded, smiling.
Vivian, her own smile unwavering, offered her thanks.
“And I’ll say this in advance: no gifts, please. Since all proceeds will be donated to charity, I feel exchanging extravagant gifts would be inappropriate.”
As the young ladies gazed at her with admiration, Vivian hid her satisfaction behind her lowered lashes.
“Oh, but there is something special I’d like to ask of Miss Merdi, if that’s alright?”
Merdi raised her eyes to meet Vivian’s.
“Yes, what is it?”
At her reply, Vivian’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly. Merdi’s attitude was strange today. Normally, acutely aware of her unwelcome status in this gathering, she would become visibly flustered when she was the center of attention. But now, her tone was so uninhibited it was unsettling. And though she had remained silent when asked a difficult question, she showed no sign of embarrassment. Something is off about her today…
Vivian composed herself, pushing aside her unease.
“As this is a special occasion for me, I would like to request a special piece of embroidery from you, Miss Merdi. Wouldn’t it be a great honor to receive a gift from the future Grand Duchess? An embroidered gift also signifies luck and prosperity.”
Contrary to her gentle tone, Vivian’s eyes shone like a hyena’s. The other ladies, catching her intent, began to stifle giggles. Is she planning to display the future Grand Duchess’s clumsy embroidery next to a proper painting? That would be quite a sight. The daughter of Viscount Lister covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.
“Oh, Miss Vivian, you’re making an unreasonable request,” she chimed in. “It takes Miss Merdi twice as long as us to embroider the same piece. You should have asked her much earlier.”
“I’m sure the wound on Miss Merdi’s finger from being pricked by a needle last time hasn’t even healed yet,” another added.
Light laughter rippled around the table. Yet Merdi, the target of their ridicule, remained silent, showing no reaction. The ladies watched her, their polite laughter a thin veil for their mockery. It seems she plans to get through this by staying silent as a clam, as always. It’s a bit pitiful, but for an undeserving girl who doesn’t know her place, this is generous enough.
Just then, Merdi lifted her gaze and stared directly at Vivian. Caught off guard, Vivian’s smile faltered.
“…Why are you looking at me like that, Miss Merdi?”
“It’s a simple matter for me to stop learning embroidery, as I have no talent for it,” Merdi said, her voice even. “But I pity you, Miss Vivian. You do not have that option.”
The laughter died instantly. A stunned silence fell over the sunroom, which a moment ago had been filled with the gentle scent of flowers.
“What is the meaning of…” Vivian stammered, but Merdi continued without pause.
“I’m talking about your paintings, Miss Vivian. The rumor is that you commission amateur artists to ghost-paint for you. The exhibition date is set, and the paintings must be completed. I know you had no choice, but I must admit, I do feel a little sorry for you.”
The young ladies gasped. They exchanged rapid, shocked glances. Vivian of the Count Melvitch family, a house renowned for generations of artistic talent, commissioned ghost-painters?
Vivian’s face, which had been blank with shock, turned a furious shade of red.
“Th-that’s an absurd insult…!”
“If you wish to argue, you should take it up with your dear friend beside you,” Merdi said, gesturing to the daughter of Viscount Lister. “I happened to overhear Miss Lister laughing about it in the powder room. I’m sure all the maids in the viscount’s household know about it as well.”
Vivian’s head whipped around.
“N-no, Miss Vivian! I would never spread such a story!” the girl cried. But no matter how much she denied it, Vivian would know the truth. The only person who knew that secret was the daughter of Viscount Lister, her closest confidante.
“H-how could you…!” Vivian shrieked, trembling with betrayal. Unable to contain her rage, she lunged forward and tore at the girl’s hair ornament.
“Ow!”
Good heavens! The ladies’ eyes widened as they watched the scene unfold, and several rushed to intervene. The elegant tea party had devolved into chaos in an instant.
“Calm down, Miss Melvitch!”
“You must maintain your dignity!”
Merdi left the noisy sunroom behind, quickly grabbing her bonnet and lace shawl. Looking back, she could see the chaos was still raging. She had instigated it, but she was surprised at how quickly it had escalated. Normally, she would have endured their taunts, thinking of Margaret, who would surely lecture her at length about social graces. But now, there was no reason to.
Because I will be annulling my engagement with the Grand Duke. Eventually.
The thought was both a heavy weight and a strange liberation. It was a peculiar feeling. Merdi tied the ribbon of her bonnet tightly, as if to rein in her turbulent emotions. As she walked, her eyes on the drifting clouds, the ribbon fluttered gently behind her.
