An Early Engagement - Chapter 12
“Did you hear what Shirley muttered absentmindedly?” the Duchess asked, tilting her ear toward Shirley.
“What did you say, Shirley?”
“Nothing, nothing at all.”
Shirley shook her head vigorously and stepped back. Her face looked as if her soul had left her body as she hurriedly left the dining room. Watching her daughter leave, the Duchess exchanged a worried glance with her husband.
After leaving the dining table, Shirley stepped outside, her heart pounding with frustration.
A vacation at the villa? A summer getaway?
Everything seemed to revolve around Damian. No matter how much she wanted to avoid him, it felt impossible. The summer vacation had always been an event she looked forward to every year. Escaping the stifling social scene of the capital, retreating to the villa to avoid the heat, swimming in the cool lake, and stargazing at night—it had always been filled with beautiful memories. And in every one of those memories, Damian had always been by her side.
But this year was different.
The events of the coming-of-age ball and the incident by the pond flashed through her mind. Their relationship had become so awkward that she couldn’t even bring herself to look him in the eye. The once-close bond they shared had shattered in an instant, plunging into an abyss.
And now, she was supposed to spend the summer vacation with Damian?
Just the thought of it made her let out a deep sigh.
Spending this summer with Damian? How could she, when things were so awkward between them? She couldn’t even meet his gaze. What was she supposed to say to him? Her mind went completely blank.
…And then there was the wedding.
Thinking about all the events that were about to unfold, Shirley felt like crying.
“Haah…”
Shirley let out a sigh as she entered her room and slumped down.
“What am I supposed to do?”
She muttered to herself, staring at the doll seated on the sofa. The doll, with its pink hair and green eyes, looked just like her. It wore a crown made of real diamonds and emeralds, and its necklace, earrings, and bracelet were all crafted from genuine gemstones. It was an incredibly precious doll.
Damian had given it to her on her 13th birthday.
The memory made Shirley feel even more conflicted, and she roughly turned the doll’s head away. But the doll wasn’t the only thing in the room connected to Damian.
There was the music box that, when opened, revealed a small porcelain figurine of a girl and boy dancing together. There was the intricately carved floral wall clock. And then there were the countless dolls of all shapes and sizes filling the glass display cabinet.
Each and every one of them was a gift Damian had carefully chosen, taking Shirley’s tastes into full consideration. It was impossible to imagine such thoughtful gifts coming from someone who didn’t care deeply.
……
Every time Shirley’s eyes fell on one of Damian’s gifts, a sharp pang of guilt rose within her—guilt she couldn’t bring herself to confess to her family.
“Can we really become husband and wife?”
She couldn’t forget the expression on Damian’s face when she had said those words. He had clearly been shocked, and his face had looked hurt.
“That’s why I didn’t want to say anything…”
Shirley punched the innocent cushion repeatedly, letting out her frustration. She hadn’t believed Damian when he whispered that she could tell him anything. She hadn’t expected to hear such words from him.
It was all because of the early summer heat. Otherwise, what kind of woman would say such crazy things to her fiancé, who had been arranged to marry her for so long?
The words of her older brother, who had once said she still seemed like an immature child even after her coming-of-age ceremony, suddenly flashed through her mind.
“Immature… a child.”
As much as it annoyed her, he wasn’t wrong. At the time, she had snapped back, saying she was sorry for not being as mature as Melissa, but the cold, honest assessment from her own flesh and blood always stung.
So, she came to one conclusion.
She had to cleanly restore everything to how it was before.
After all, there was still time before the summer vacation. She could gradually prepare herself emotionally in the meantime. Damian had always been endlessly lenient with her, so if she just acted as if nothing had happened and greeted him with a smile, everything would melt away.
She *had* to do it.
“It’s not like I did anything that wrong, right?”
Wasn’t it natural for her heart to feel restless before marriage? This was all because of what she had seen at the coming-of-age ball.
If it hadn’t been for that incident…
*Knock knock.*
The sound of someone knocking on the door made Shirley lift her face from the cushion.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and in walked Sophie, Shirley’s personal maid. Behind her, another maid followed, carrying dresses and various other items.
“Master Damian will be here to pick you up this evening. You need to get ready.”
“Why? What? What for?”
Shirley’s voice jumped out in confusion, and the maid looked at her as if she couldn’t believe she didn’t know.
“What do you mean? Have you forgotten about the ball tonight?”
