A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: That Can’t Be True

The moment she heard his words, Emeline felt her head go cold.

Seeing Antony’s expression, filled with more than disapproval—disdain—Emeline opened her stiffened lips.

“Just go, Zenon.”

There was a reason Emeline always felt uncomfortable around Antony.

It wasn’t just because he possessed so many things Emeline could never have… The bigger reason was that he had never once been on her side.

Even when she was dragged by their father and locked in that dark, lonely room over and over again, Antony never stopped him, nor did he ever come to check on her.

He was so much like their father that he saw Emeline’s situation as nothing out of the ordinary.

That’s why even if Zenon stayed here, nothing would change. It would only make things worse.

“Emeline, what are you doing?”

“Just go, Zenon.”

She spoke firmly to Zenon, who was looking at her in bewilderment.

Zenon, after observing her for a while, eventually left, as she had desperately wished.

Antony let out a series of incredulous exclamations. Emeline shifted her gaze from where Zenon had disappeared to Antony.

He had one corner of his mouth twisted up as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“What are you doing?”

“I simply sent my guest away.”

“Who asked about that? Are you seriously meeting a guy who spreads rumors like that?”

“…Don’t speak carelessly.”

“That’s amusing. You must be out of your mind. Can’t you see he’s just toying with you?”

“……”

Emeline glared at Antony, her eyes full of resentment.

Receiving her accusatory gaze, Antony let out a dry laugh before turning to leave.

“Father will be back the day after tomorrow.”

He could have added a warning or advice, but he left her with just that one remark before disappearing from her sight.

Left alone, Emeline gripped the railing desperately. Her body sagged as if all strength had left her.

She knew she couldn’t hide this forever, but why did it have to happen a week before her exam?

No, she had already planned to refuse her engagement to the young lord of Hanover when her father returned.

Perhaps this was an opportunity to express her true feelings: that she loved Zenon and wanted to be with him. To marry him, she would have to reveal the truth eventually.

Even if it wouldn’t be easy, she resolved to endure it… just as Joe had defied his fate.

Emeline, who had been slumped over in despair, found the strength to stand again. She decided to hold on to the hope that existed because of Zenon.

***

The night was pitch dark.

After checking the area below and around the terrace, Emeline moved cautiously.

She returned inside, grabbing a long rope she had fashioned from fabric, and stood at the terrace railing.

Last night, Zenon had left like that, and tomorrow her father would return.

Emeline couldn’t shake the uneasiness of having sent Zenon away like that. She worried that he might have trouble sleeping due to his concerns.

Without hesitation, she tied the rope she had made to the railing and let it drop down.

‘Sending a letter might suffice, but… it doesn’t feel secure.’

Emeline found Antony’s timing—when he showed up yesterday—too coincidental.

How could he say he was going to meet a friend, yet return exactly when Emeline met Zenon? And at such a late hour, too?

Emeline craned her neck to look directly at Antony’s window.

Just three hours earlier, the room had been brightly lit, but now it was completely dark.

‘He must have been watching me.’

But why?

Antony had never been particularly interested in her. He rarely even came home. Why had he suddenly returned?

Suppressing her endless questions, Emeline closed her eyes briefly, then opened them with a deep breath.

She carefully descended the rope.

It was scary without Zenon there, but the thought of seeing him soon reassured her.

She couldn’t use the tree where they exchanged letters, fearing Antony might be watching it closely.

Even if she placed a letter there in the dead of night, the person delivering it during the day might get caught.

After safely reaching the ground, Emeline hid the rope she had used to climb down.

‘I’ll have to meet Zenon and tell him what happened yesterday.’

Of course, it wasn’t just concern but also her longing to see him that drove her actions.

Emeline looked up at her darkened room for a moment. Sneaking out of the house alone was a first for her, and she felt nervous, but she turned and started walking.

She moved quickly, using the garden path where few people passed, and eventually struggled over the wall on her own.

“Ah…!”

Without Zenon’s help, her skin scraped against the wall, leaving a small scratch on her calf. Her palm also landed on a rose thorn, leaving her hand stinging.

But she had successfully escaped the mansion, and she placed a hand on her chest to steady her breathing.

‘This is exhausting…’

In the past, she would never have done something like this. Even now, it wasn’t easy.

But to see Zenon, this much was worth it. After all, he had come to her in the same way.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped past the fallen roses and headed for the road.

Since it was late at night, there were few people outside. Those she did see were either drunkards or couples taking nighttime strolls.

The fear creeping up on her made Emeline choose the most well-lit streets and walk as quickly as she could.

Having visited the Trancium mansion before, she knew where it was and didn’t worry about losing her way.

However, without a carriage, the distance felt much farther.

‘How did Zenon make it to my house every time?’

He must have snuck out as well, so he probably hadn’t used any transportation.

Even if he had, at this hour, no coachmen willing to work for a small fee would still be around.

After walking through the cold wind for what felt like ages, Emeline finally reached the Trancium mansion.

Standing before the mansion’s tall walls, she fell into deep thought.

‘Wait… this is someone else’s house.’

It was one thing to climb over her own family’s walls, but…

It was a predicament she hadn’t fully thought through.

After agonizing for a moment, Emeline finally squeezed her eyes shut and climbed the wall. Having come this far, there was no way she could just turn back.

As her feet touched the ground inside the mansion, a wave of unease washed over her. It was an unfamiliar and unsettling sensation, especially for someone like her, raised with a strict sense of propriety.

‘I never thought I’d be climbing over someone else’s wall…’

Realizing how difficult the task was, Emeline felt a newfound respect for Zenon.

‘…I have to go quickly.’

Trying to shake off her uneasiness, she moved cautiously, keeping herself hidden as she passed through the mansion’s garden. Roses scattered across the ground continually caught under her shoes.

She couldn’t afford to get caught. Just as her family had been thrown into chaos over the Marquis’s mistress, the same was likely true here.

Knowing this, Emeline was both ashamed and bewildered by her own decision to come here.

‘It was this way, I’m sure…’

Having been introduced to the layout of the mansion during a previous visit, she roughly recalled where Zenon’s room was located.

Emeline retraced her steps, heading toward the window she remembered. She didn’t know how to climb trees like Zenon did, but she figured she’d find a way once she arrived.

The fortunate thing was that he was likely still awake, staying up late to prepare for the entrance exams.

Listening to the sound of chirping insects, she moved toward Zenon’s window. However, as she neared the eastern side of the mansion, she noticed someone standing by the door and froze.

Startled, Emeline quickly hid in the bushes. Dirt and leaves clung to her clothes, but that was the least of her worries.

The bigger problem was the figure she had just seen.

‘They didn’t see me, did they?’

Huddled in the bushes, Emeline slowly adjusted her position to peek out. Two people stood by the door.

Hoping they’d leave, she stayed perfectly still, watching them. Then her eyes narrowed.

‘…Zenon?’

Her heart fluttered with relief at having found him, but her gaze soon shifted to the person standing in front of him.

A small figure with long hair and a voluminous dress.

Though the dim light made it hard to see clearly, it was evident that the person was a woman.

‘Who is that…?’

Confusion gripped her as she clenched the grass in her hands.

Looking back at them, she saw something that only deepened her disbelief.

The woman in front of Zenon moved into his arms.

Emeline felt a wave of shock but couldn’t say a word. She wanted to read his expression, but the distance and darkness made it impossible to see.

Zenon didn’t immediately push her away. Instead, he held her arms and seemed to exchange words with her. After a while, he finally stepped back.

He didn’t embrace her, and the way he moved her aside seemed more like pushing than anything else.

But then Emeline saw him grab the woman’s wrist and lead her into the mansion.

She stood frozen in place, unable to call out to him, even though she had come all this way.

Her thoughts were a chaotic mess.

Zenon had mentioned before that he occasionally dealt with stalkers.

‘But if that’s the case… why did he take her inside?’

Unable to make sense of what she’d seen, Emeline turned back the way she had come and left the mansion. It wasn’t a situation where she could call out to him, nor was it one where she could make a loud scene.

Moreover, for reasons she couldn’t explain, she felt an overwhelming fear.

Walking through the deserted streets, Emeline sank into deep thought.

She had intended to tell Zenon that her father would soon learn about their relationship and that she was determined to protect it no matter what. She had also planned to share her decision to cancel her engagement with the young lord of Hanover.

But now…

Antony’s words suddenly echoed in her mind, making her stop in her tracks.

“You must be out of your mind. Can’t you see he’s just toying with you?”

Standing alone in the silent street, Emeline shook her head firmly.

…No.

Zenon would never do something like that.