An Early Engagement - Chapter 48
The Duchess tried tempting Shirley with delicious food and coaxing her with sweet words, but Shirley wouldn’t budge.
She only ate enough to survive, locking her door and refusing to show her face, to the point where the Duchess began to wonder if her daughter was even alive.
The only signs of life were the crumbs of bread nibbled at the corners and the occasional spoonful of soup left behind.
“Do you know anything?”
The Duchess, clutching her throbbing head, pressed Sophie for answers.
“Huh? Oh, no.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’m just as frustrated as you are.”
The social season had already begun, but Shirley refused to respond to any invitations to balls.
The Duchess had no choice but to make excuses, claiming Shirley was unwell and needed rest.
“This is driving me insane.”
The Duchess, who usually kept her hair elegantly styled, now ran her hands through it in frustration, causing Sophie to flinch and step back.
“Did she have a huge fight with Damian?”
“Oh, that… that can’t be. Damian loves her so much…”
“Right? He’s head over heels for Shirley.” The Duchess sighed deeply, placing a hand on her chest.
“Damian… that sweet boy suffering because of my daughter… Ah, how can I face him now?”
The Duchess buried her face in her hands, muttering to herself.
Though her daughter was usually shy and gentle, she could be stubborn at times. But this time, the Duchess couldn’t even begin to guess what had caused such a reaction.
Even though they had been engaged since before birth, Damian was still the precious son of another family. She couldn’t let her daughter treat him like an emotional dumping ground. That’s why she couldn’t rashly bring this up with anyone.
“Shirley, I don’t know what’s wrong, but… how about talking to me? Just open this door for a moment…”
The Duchess lingered in front of her daughter’s door with a deeply worried expression, but the firmly closed door didn’t budge.
“……”
No response came from inside. It was as if a corpse, not her daughter, was in the room. The Duchess raised her voice again.
“Should I call Damian? If you want, I can send someone to the Elpart residence right now…”
“Absolutely not!”
A loud, goose-like squawk came from behind the door. Moments later, the door swung open with heavy footsteps.
“Sh-Shirley?”
The Duchess was speechless at the sight of her daughter, whom she hadn’t seen in days.
“What on earth happened to you…?”
Shirley’s hair was a tangled mess, her face pale, her cheeks sunken, her eyes red and swollen, with dark circles underneath, and her lips chapped and cracked. She looked like a ghost. The Duchess’s hands fluttered aimlessly in the air.
“Are… are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Shirley’s voice, which had been strong when she opened the door, now wavered like a candle flame about to be extinguished.
“What’s going on, really? Huh? Tell me everything. Okay?”
“Just leave me alone. It’s annoying.”
“How can I leave you alone? Look at yourself in the mirror! The state you’re in…!”
“If I don’t go out into society, it’s fine, isn’t it?”
“How can you say that…? The Elpart Ducal Residence is hosting a ball. Are you just going to leave Damian alone?”
“A ball? At the Elpart residence?”
“Yes, Damian has returned from the provincial estate. They’re hosting a ball to kick off the autumn social season.”
“……”
Shirley’s face turned even paler.
“That’s why you need to dress up and go, okay? Shirley, it’s been a while since you’ve seen your fiancé… Oh my!”
Shirley shook off her mother’s arm and retreated back into her room, slamming the door shut with a loud *bang*.
“Shirley! Shirley!”
The Duchess’s desperate calls and Sophie’s attempts to calm her echoed outside, but Shirley covered her ears with both hands and collapsed onto the sofa.
After a while, it seemed Sophie had managed to lead the Duchess away, as the outside grew quiet.
“……”
Shirley slowly removed her hands from her ears. The past few days had been a nightmare.
She couldn’t help but burst out when her mother mentioned calling Damian. She thought she might faint on the spot.
Call Damian? What would they even talk about? Announce their broken engagement as a done deal? Inform their parents officially and let both families know, giving him the chance to re-enter the marriage market?
Wait, come to think of it… Shirley’s head shot up as a realization struck her.
The fact that her mother still didn’t know why she had locked herself in her room meant Damian hadn’t said anything.
But that didn’t mean she could relax. Damian was just biding his time.
After all, the annulment letter he sent hadn’t disappeared. It was still safely stored in her desk drawer, though now half-crumpled and torn.
“Ugh……”
Tears welled up again.
“Shirley, it’s me. Open the door.”
