An Early Engagement - Chapter 50 - The Broken Ring
The Duke of Elpart’s mansion, where the ball was being held, was filled with brighter lights than ever before.
Although I had been here countless times, I had never felt as nervous as I did today.
A strange, nauseating sensation made me take a deep breath before entering the banquet hall.
Would I look strange? Would everyone see me as a woman who had been dumped by her fiancé and was now clinging to him?
Feeling unnecessarily intimidated, I nervously tugged at the hem of my innocent dress.
Wouldn’t everyone wonder why I was alone?
I had always attended such events with Damian by my side.
Sophie had made a fuss about dressing me up especially beautifully, and as a result, Shirley looked more stunning than ever today.
However, the shadow cast over her face didn’t match the splendor of her dress and jewelry, appearing dull and lifeless.
As I stepped into the banquet hall, where the crystal chandeliers radiated light, a scene befitting the grandeur of the Duke of Elpart’s mansion unfolded before me.
But none of that caught my eye. All I could think about was finding Damian.
“My goodness, Shirley.”
At the familiar voice, I turned to see the Duchess of Elpart standing there.
“It’s been a while. Why haven’t you visited us lately?”
The Duchess’s affectionate tone nearly brought tears to my eyes.
“And why are you alone? Didn’t Damian come to pick you up today?”
Her puzzled question confirmed my belief that the breakup letter he sent was solely Damian’s decision.
At least the Duke and Duchess of Elpart knew nothing about it.
So, if it’s something only the two of us know, it can still be fixed.
A small hope began to sprout within me.
“I told him I’d come alone since he must be busy welcoming guests,” I replied in my usual bright voice, and the Duchess of Elpart looked at me with a proud expression.
“But where on earth has Damian gone?”
“I’ll go find him.”
I turned and quickly left the hall. Before the ball officially began, Damian usually preferred to be alone in quiet places. At the Duke of Elpart’s mansion, he often stayed near the west corridor or the balcony…
“Look here, your cravat is undone.” A woman’s coquettish voice, oddly familiar, reached my ears.
I paused for a moment, then followed the sound. Behind a large pillar, I could see the silhouettes of a man and a woman.
The woman’s voice was familiar—it was Amy. She sounded unusually excited today, her voice a half-tone higher, as if she had met someone she liked.
I was about to turn away, not wanting to intrude, when…
“Then, shall I tie it again for you?”
“……”
The voice that followed made me freeze in my tracks.
I knew the owner of that voice all too well.
‘Damian?’
Surely, I must have misheard.
Even as I thought that, I quickly hid behind the pillar and observed the two. Unlike Amy, who was facing forward, the man had his back turned…
Even from behind, I could recognize him.
The fact that he was her fiancé, Damian.
The fact that he was calmly letting another woman tie his cravat for him.
Shirley’s eyes widened in shock as the reality sank in.
She had never imagined seeing another woman standing by Damian’s side.
Even when village women approached him at festivals, she had always believed it wasn’t Damian’s intention. But this scene…
It felt like flames were rising inside her.
*Thud.*
The heel of Shirley’s shoe struck the marble floor sharply as she stumbled backward, creating a sharp, grating sound.
“Oh, what was that?”
While Amy looked in the other direction, Damian turned and locked eyes with Shirley. In that moment, she expected Damian to panic, to be startled, or to rush toward her.
But neither happened. Damian simply stared at her, his gaze cold and unfeeling.
Shirley took another step back.
This isn’t the Damian I know.
Those dry, icy eyes, that expression devoid of any emotion—Damian would never look at me like that.
But it was undeniably him.
Her breathing grew ragged. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as she bit her lip hard. Shirley turned and ran.
*Thud, thud, thud.*
She ran until her breath hitched in her throat, running and running.
Why am I the one running?
Even thinking that felt like a luxury. She was so focused on escaping that she barely registered the sound of footsteps chasing after her.
It was only when she felt the sound of someone else’s footsteps mingling with her own that she realized—she wasn’t alone.
