A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Peaches

Once the uncomfortable atmosphere subsided, the young ladies relaxed and resumed their lively conversation.

Fortunately, they seemed mindful of avoiding the earlier tension and made no deliberate attempt to exclude Labore.

As someone began boasting about a recent date with her fiancé, the topic naturally shifted to romantic anecdotes.

Since everyone was sharing stories about their partners, Emeline also decided to speak.

The young ladies, who had been waiting eagerly for her to mention Mathis, sparkled with anticipation.

“Mathis and I are perfectly matched, as if we were made for each other. Our visions of the future are always aligned.”

“Oh my… how romantic.”

A few friends blushed with admiration, their minds already wandering toward thoughts of marriage.

In reality, their relationship was nothing more than a calculated transaction and mutual benefit.

They had no idea that Emeline and Mathis’s engagement was purely strategic.

Since they had openly acknowledged their relationship even before their official engagement, most people believed their bond was one of love.

‘Angel might have figured out the truth.’

Emeline had never explicitly told her, but considering their last conversation, Angel could have easily deduced the reality.

Angel now understood that Emeline was merely complying with her father’s wishes.

That this was the only outcome she had gained after rebelling against her fate.

With a faint smile, Emeline continued, “Whenever he looks at me, I always feel the depth of his affection. They say you can read emotions through someone’s eyes, and every time I see Mathis’s gaze, I can feel his sincerity.”

It was a complete lie.

Emeline smirked slightly at the thought that Angel was probably inwardly horrified at her deception.

She might have sounded like a con artist, lying the moment she opened her mouth, but there was nothing she could do about it.

“Lady Delzeier and Lord Renier truly seem to be a couple destined by fate.”

“…Indeed.”

At Lady Rimont’s praise, Emeline hesitated for a fraction of a second before forcing a radiant smile.

Destiny, inevitability, fate—things that seemed undeniable when coincidences continued to pile up.

And when coincidences repeated…

She couldn’t help but think of someone.

A quiet scoff escaped her lips before she took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, smoothly shifting the focus of the conversation elsewhere.

“I would love to hear Lady Fendine’s story as well. What do you and Lord Trancium usually do together? Do you have any romantic anecdotes to share?”

This was the real reason Emeline had invited Labore to the gathering.

Labore, delighted that the topic had turned to her, eagerly began speaking.

“My love story? Well, he and I have been close for a very long time.”

“A long time…?”

“Hmm… I’d say about five years.”

Labore pondered for a moment before answering, and Emeline froze.

Her smile faltered slightly before she quickly regained her composure.

Five years.

That number felt like a hammer striking her chest. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and she swiftly hid her hands beneath the table.

Emeline’s days with Zenon had been four years ago.

But five years?

Even though she had long accepted his betrayal, an overwhelming, suffocating emotion surged through her.

So he had met Labore first and eventually become engaged to her, meaning she had been the only woman he had truly cared for from the start.

‘And yet, he had the audacity to ask me to marry him?’

Her jaw clenched tightly of its own accord.

It seemed that the woman Emeline had once seen visiting Zenon late at night four years ago had been Labore all along.

After seeing Labore’s demeanor, Emeline had momentarily regretted inviting her to the gathering. But now, she felt that she had made the right decision.

Hadn’t she unknowingly been dwelling on Zenon’s words from the last party?

“Five years is a long time. I’m impressed.”

Emeline controlled her expression and responded evenly.

Labore smiled brightly and continued, “Our families have always been close, so we’ve spent time together since we were young. Naturally, our feelings grew from there. He always looks at me and no one else—he’s truly an incredible person.”

“Is that so? He must be… incredibly devoted when it comes to love.”

“Oh, absolutely. Ah, but we’re not as perfectly matched as Lady Delzeier and Lord Renier. Sometimes, that’s a bit disappointing. Our tastes don’t always align…”

As she spoke, Labore cast a wistful glance at the peach pie on the table.

With a small sigh, she continued with a tinge of regret in her voice, “I adore peaches—I can’t live without them. But he avoids them completely because they make his skin turn red… Some kind of odd reaction, he’s had it since childhood.”

“…Lord Trancium does?”

Emeline blankly repeated the words.

Labore nodded with a lonely expression.

Emeline could no longer bring herself to ask further and simply fiddled with her teacup. The lukewarm cup warmed her fingertips.

While she remained silent, the other ladies, fully engrossed in Zenon’s story, grew livelier in their chatter.

Some of them had initially seemed wary of Labore, but in the presence of tales about Zenon Trancium, they could not hide their excitement.

“That’s true, some foods do trigger unexpected reactions. While fine for some, they can cause severe allergies in others…”

“My younger sibling is the same. Unlike me, they have certain food intolerances, and I remember once she ate the wrong thing and suffered for days. You really have to be careful.”

Emeline half-listened, offering occasional short responses.

Then, Angel, seated beside her, lowered her voice and asked, “Emeline, are you feeling unwell?”

Though the others had not noticed, Angel had keenly picked up on the shift.

Emeline was more absent-minded than usual, lost in thought. Her heart felt heavier than ever.

Facing Angel’s concerned gaze, Emeline forced a small smile.

“No, I’m fine.”

The tea party continued for another two hours before drawing to a close.

As they exchanged their farewells, Labore clasped her hands together with a satisfied expression and spoke cheerfully.

“To be honest, I’ve always wanted to get closer to all of you… Thank you so much for inviting me today. May I attend again next time?”

At her bright words, the ladies’ expressions became subtly conflicted.

Listening to gossip about Zenon Trancium directly from someone close to him had been entertaining, but that didn’t mean they felt positively about Labore herself.

It was understandable. Becoming friends with her would likely bring more disadvantages than benefits. There was an underlying unease in forming ties with a member of a rival faction.

At that moment, Rose Philia, the Baron’s daughter, spoke boldly, “Of course! I enjoyed today’s gathering, and I’m sure the others did too!”

Rose’s sudden declaration caused the other ladies to exchange glances. Lady Donner even cleared her throat awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable.

Watching the exchange, Emeline decided to step in.

“I will contact you again for the next gathering. I think it would be best to discuss it with the other ladies first before making a decision. After all, Lady Fendine, you were my invited guest this time…”

Emeline spoke softly, her voice pleasant as she smiled warmly.

“Next time, perhaps another lady will wish to invite her own guest to our gathering.”

A fleeting shadow crossed Labore’s face.

She quickly lifted the corners of her lips into a smile, but Emeline had already caught that brief moment of tension.

Observing Labore’s reaction, Emeline turned to the other ladies before Labore could say anything further and bid her farewell.

“I had a lovely time today. Everyone, take care on your way home. Lady Donner, I recall your father was worried when you returned late from our previous gathering. We should all leave promptly today.”

With Emeline’s encouragement, the ladies exchanged warm farewells and began to disperse.

Without waiting for Labore’s response, Emeline simply told her to return safely and turned away.

From the very start of the gathering, Emeline had already made up her mind.

Labore Fendine was someone to be wary of.

Keeping her close felt unsettling, and there was no telling what might happen. It would be wiser to sever ties now.

She had already gained everything she could from inviting Labore to the gathering. If she needed more information in the future, it would be better to arrange a private meeting rather than allowing her to remain in the group.

Seated inside the returning carriage, Emeline maintained a composed posture as she gazed out the window. Along the streets, vendors were selling seasonal fruits, prominently featuring peaches.

Memories of Zenon always invaded her mind without warning, but this time, she deliberately let herself recall them.

“What are you looking at? You’re looking at me, but…”

A voice filled with curiosity reached her ears.

The sweet scent lingering in the air. His lips, glistening with juice after biting into the ripe flesh of a peach.

That mischievous smile at the corners of his eyes and lips.

Somehow, she had ended up confessing her dream of attending university to him that day. He had listened, full of admiration and praise.

She remembered him finishing an entire pile of peaches, his lips stained with juice, flashing her a carefree smile.

And she remembered her own heart pounding uncontrollably from the sugary fragrance of the fruit and an unfamiliar thrill that had overwhelmed her.