HPCM 10

Chapter : 10

Melia hurried back to cancel the marriage announcement.

The banquet had not yet reached its height, so if she quickly spoke with Marquis Mabel, the matter could likely be settled quietly without causing much commotion.

Since Noah’s name was involved, Melia wouldn’t dare break the promise she had made with Charlotte out of fear alone.

Of course, the people who had come after hearing rumors of the marriage would probably think they had been fooled by false gossip—but still.

‘This banquet was practically Melia’s debutante.’

Half of the guests filling the ballroom had come to confirm the rumors of the marriage proposal, and the other half had come to see the only daughter of the Mabel family, who had long been hidden behind a veil of mystery.

Even if Melia was slightly lacking in etiquette, she had succeeded in leaving a good impression thanks to her naturally bright and lively personality.

So if she were simply left alone, marriage proposals would surely come her way soon enough.

‘Melia marrying someone else isn’t my concern.’

The only important thing was canceling the engagement with Alfonso.

And yet Melia had cried and repeatedly thanked her.

‘Thanked me.’

It was such an inappropriate thing to say in this situation.

Thanking someone who had essentially threatened her by holding a weakness over her.

‘Well… I did go easy on her.’

But that had only been for Alfonso’s sake.

‘So if anyone deserves the thanks, strictly speaking, it would be Alfonso…’

Charlotte’s gaze drifted toward the banquet hall.

The green eyes that had remained emotionless while dealing with Melia now briefly filled with a trace of longing.

‘Alfonso is probably in there.’

She hadn’t even dared to look around the ballroom out of fear of running into him.

Just being in the same space as him made her heart tremble like this.

If she were to see his face, she felt as if she might burst into tears.

‘Now that Melia’s engagement has been broken off, the next one will probably be Adeline.’

And Alfonso would fall in love with Adeline once again, easily finding happiness.

Charlotte felt death drawing closer to her.

It was something she welcomed.

Charlotte slowly closed her eyes and opened them again, organizing her thoughts, and then began to move forward.

No—she tried to.

“Charlotte Noha.”

If only that voice hadn’t come from behind her at that very moment.

* * *

The moment she heard the voice, she felt her body stiffen.

Even before turning around, Charlotte already knew who the voice belonged to.

How could she possibly fail to recognize it?

It was a voice she had never forgotten—not even once—even in her dreams.

‘Alfonso.’

How was he here?

She had avoided him so desperately because she didn’t want to face him.

‘I can’t run away.’

She had already missed her chance to escape.

She should have pretended not to hear her name and simply kept walking, but she had frozen too obviously.

There was no helping it.

‘He couldn’t have heard my conversation with Melia.’

There was no need to act suspicious.

“I don’t think you failed to hear my voice.”

“…No. I was just thinking about whether there was anyone who might call my name.”

In the end, Charlotte relaxed her expression and turned around.

Smile, if possible.

That would be the easiest thing to do.

Until the very moment before she turned, she repeated the resolve she had made countless times.

But the moment her eyes met Alfonso’s, all of those resolutions crumbled into ashes and scattered away.

All Charlotte could do was stare endlessly into Alfonso’s blue eyes.