About Your Pride and My Prejudice
Chapter 78:

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

TW: Assault

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

The maid knocked on the door with a nervous look.

“I brought her here, lady.”

Neither Mr. Leopold nor Prince Bentley…… A lady?

“Wait, hold on a second. What do you mean, a lady?”

When the maid didn’t answer anything, my question was scattered like air. Then the door in front of me opened wide, and in an instant, the maid who pushed me into the room closed the door behind my back.

What was waiting for me in the room was a rose…… No, she was a seductive beauty that resembled a rose.

“Oh, that…”

“…….”

She sat upright at the beautiful tea table staring at me. The beautiful hair was flowing like a wave, and the black dress, with silver jewels dangling all over her flawlessly wrapped around her perfect slender body.

“Melissa Collins?”

When her deep blue eyes penetrated my eyes as if pierced with sapphires, I had to face one fact that I wanted to turn away. That the woman who was once choosing a cake at the Antris coffee shop, who was always believed to be Alan’s lover, is now in front of me.

My memory cannot be wrong. I’ve never met such a gorgeous and beautiful woman again. Even if I did my best, it was unreasonable to pretend that I haven’t seen her before.

I remember the rumours, eyewitness accounts of Alan Leopold’s lover. A woman with impressionistic attire, I remember rumours circulating about a woman’s impressionistic attire when eyewitness accounts of seeing Alan Leopold with his lover warmed up Florin. 

A mysterious beauty with a splendid appearance in the coveted position[1].

In fact, it wasn’t painful when I remembered the rumours and vaguely imagined what a beautiful person she would be.

Alan’s hidden lover was a story that was supposed to be a rumour in the first place, and it’s absurd that no one in the social world knows such a great beauty. Of course, it would have been a rumour made up by a braggart.

But when I saw this woman in Antris…… I had to admit that the rumour was true. At the same time, as Alan Leopold’s lover, I realised so clearly what it was like to stand next to him that I felt despair as if my feet were falling apart.

Of course, the only thing that could have his heart was this kind of beauty, but I was frustrated again. After seeing this woman, it was painful to see her and Alan together.

As if I really believed I could be his lover. Like a fool…

“Can’t you speak?”

As a sharp voice flew in, I didn’t know what to answer, so I just fiddled with my fingers. I was afraid as if I had sinned. A thin sweat was already dripping from her palms.

It wasn’t just that she was beautiful enough to make me forget words and that I was confronted with my own shabbiness enough to want to deny it.

That this woman knows my name, that she’s drinking tea naturally in the main house, and that the maids are treating her like a master……. Does the fact that she is Alan’s lover need any further explanation?

I mean, I’m a foreign object to this woman. It may be natural to have to deal with such a fierce look. This place is…….

“Oh, it’s worse than I thought. I can’t believe he was hiding this.”

……But even so, I did not have the heart to quietly endure her rudely spoken words about me.  I am not her servant, and I am not here by my own will.  I didn’t want to be treated like this by someone I didn’t even know.

“……What does that mean?”

But my anger stopped me from muttering the words without looking straight into her face. The woman’s rage filled the room as glamorous as she is, and my body trembled at her wrath. 

“What do you mean? I can’t stand it because you’re bothering me.”

The woman’s red and beautiful lips curved in a beautiful line. But the words flowing through from her lips scratched me relentlessly.

“No matter how much he plays with you, why is baby like this……  ha.”

“I am Alan’s……!”

The moment I brought up his name, the atmosphere changed.

“Alan?”

As the woman who had put the teacup down as if tossing it, stood up, her rich hair and the hem of her fine dress swayed gracefully. Weakened by her ecstatic figure, I bit my lip, but couldn’t take my eyes off her.

The woman narrowed the distance with light steps, sneered as if laughing at me.

“Now, whose name do you think you were calling so carelessly?”

“……W-will you keep your manners? I don’t even know who you are.”

Then the woman fixed her eyes on me and chuckled as if it was ridiculous. The moment I thought her relaxed and arrogant expression resembled Alan’s, my heart ached helplessly.

“I’ll tell you, so make sure to engrave it. I’m Monica Elwood and I’m Alan Leopold’s lover. A body that is meant to be his spouse. Do you understand?”

“……Elwood?”

I immediately regretted it as soon as I reflected on the oddly familiar word.

One day, the wax on the envelope I received from Alan, who was stalking me, was stamped with a seal written “Elwood.” No matter how much he had to hide his real name but using the name Elwood. The fact that two people can use each other’s things casually is……….

Suddenly, it was bitter in my mouth. Did I have such a good memory? Or is it because it’s such a strong memory that I haven’t been able to shake it off? One side of my heart was numb and I put my trembling hand on it.

It’s funny that my heart is so flustered at the fact that this woman is Alan Leopold’s lover. 

“I know……Alan……doesn’t have …..a lover.”

It was ridiculous to finally argue with her.

But I’m sure Sandra said that Alan doesn’t have a lover.

“Ha, what are you saying?”

Monica Elwood, the cold lady, strode up to me and clasped my chin unexpectedly. Her sharp nails dug into my soft skin. Tears welled up due to the fierce hostility and pain.

“Alan, he…… he slept with you?”

“…….”

Surprisingly, she smelled like Alan Leopold’s perfume. The seductive scent of the rose garden permeated my lungs more densely than in the moist air.

“Answer me, temptress.”

“…….”

I thought my eyes were burning, and before I knew it, tears began to drop.

“How did something like you seduce him? What? You look so dirty and…….”

The fingertips of that woman as soft as a satin tapped my cheek and swept my neck and neck unpleasantly.

“………Don’t touch me!”

I shook her hand and let out a suppressed scream, but this petty defiance seemed to have provoked Monica Elwood’s anger. She tore up the neckline of my thin dress as if she were going to replace Alan’s trace

“Argh! Let go of me……!”

I resisted, covering my chest with my arms to prevent a rude touch that pulled down my clothes. However, not only my arms but also my entire body were already trembling with fear and shame. Tears burst out like an uncontrollable flood in an unimaginable situation.

“If you don’t want to see something worse, stay still.”

“Ah…!”

Her sharp fingertips scratched my arm roughly and my body shrank at the burning sensation. At that moment, she raised her hand as if she were going to slap me on the cheek, and I just lost strength in my legs and sank.

“……Why are you doing this to me….”

I couldn’t stop her hand from pulling down my clothes and digging inside, so I could only accept the humiliation and sob.

When that lovely hand finally fell off me, I was torn like a rag and sat down in my underwear on a pile of cloth that no longer looked like a dress. I stared at her while trembling with shame and contempt.

“Nothing happened……!”

“Yes, it seems so. You should’ve answered me earlier, right?

“Uhh……hmph…….”

I wanted to let that rude and horrible woman with a beautiful face go through the same thing. However, there was no strength in my arms, which were trembling, while barely covering my chest.

“It’s a sight to behold.”

She sprang to her feet, and the hem of her rich dress fluttered and a small wind blew. Then the scent of Alan Leopold flooded in again.

“Ha….”

Tears streamed down my cheeks and flowed to my chin.

“This is a warning, Miss Collins.”

“You…. really do things like this…….”

“Am I really Alan Leopold’s lover?”

“…….”

“How much more pitiful are you going to be by doing something like that?”

When I looked up, I saw a demon-like woman with a horrifyingly perfect and beautiful shell staring down at me. She whispers cursed words, with a perfect Sorne accent, which makes it unbelievable that she’s a Lunoan.

“Stop the disgusting delusion. Baby treasures the wig that is exactly the same as my hair, and loves me enough to buy my favourite coffee shop. Like crazy.”

“…….”

“He hates being noisy, so he’s just hiding it.”

I felt a sharp pain in my heart. It was because of this woman that he suddenly bought Antris and surprised people. I’ve seen that wig too. It was really flaming red, like Monica Elwood’s hair…….

“Do you realise where you are now?”

You are nothing special. Turning with a small murmur, she moved away with the clacking sound of her heels. Her steps seemed to stab my heart.

The woman picked up her fancy hat on the couch and lightly put it on her head. She was so noble and beautiful that it made me bow my head. On the other hand, I was wearing a piece of torn cloth, and my vision was blurry. Tears sprang up again.

Temptress. The single word she said was pierced like a dagger into my miserable mistake and did not fall out. Why did I have to go through such humiliation and hear such a thing? Why…

“As you can see, there is a lot of stress after coming to the Principality. I mean, Alan.”

“…….”

“You’re just a side effect.”

I closed my eyes and my ears because I didn’t want to listen to Monica. However, my hand, which had lost all its strength, could not block the voice that penetrated my ear.

“I’ll tie him well, so get your stuff and get out of here now.”

Monica approached me, spitting an incredibly awful word.

“Suit yourself……Ugh.”

As I closed my eyes and my shoulders flinched reflexively, she passed by me and headed for the doorway.

Then I heard her gentle voice with the sound of the doorknob spinning.

“I’m sure you’ll understand, Collins.”

“…….”

The sound of the door closing with a bang was like a signal.  I fell down and had to cry for a long time.

***

[1] the coveted position is Alan’s lover