Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 158
Unlike this man, Logan never used dancing as a means of mockery. His hand only touched her waist to support her. When facing her, he always maintained a respectful distance, moving carefully as if just grazing her skin.
Logan was a cruel man to her, but he was not rude and shameless like this one.
Logan, you’re better.
No, it even felt wrong to compare Logan to this man.
‘How can two people who share the same blood be so different?’
There were many people like that around her, including herself. It made her think that the environment indeed shapes a person.
Logan’s maternal grandfather was at least a kind-hearted man to her, someone who genuinely cared for and loved Logan.
She suddenly became curious about this man’s family.
The Pierce Ducal House.
She was targeting this house now, but she didn’t know much about it.
What kind of life had they lived to commit such blatant sins?
How could they live so shamelessly, siphoning off their kin’s property?
“Miss Cecilia, would you care to accompany me upstairs later?”
…What kind of life had they lived to become like this?
“This is my first ball. I’d like to enjoy it a bit more.”
“I’ll wait.”
How can he choose such nauseating words to say?
* * *
Dancing with Christian made Cecilia the instant center of attention.
But the cost was too high.
She continued to dance with others while keeping an eye on Christian, who watched her like a predator ready to pounce.
He was serious when he said he would wait.
‘Is he insane?’
Cecilia danced until she felt dizzy. Eventually, she felt like she would collapse, but she didn’t stop.
Finally, when he went to change his drink, she slipped away to a secluded corridor.
“…Ugh.”
She felt nauseated from overexertion and the stress. The fact that she had nothing to throw up made it worse.
‘This isn’t the time… I need to get away before he shows up.’
As the host, Christian would likely go back and forth between the first-floor hall and the tea room all day. The second-floor drawing rooms or guest rooms would be safer.
Cecilia quickly found the stairs and climbed to the second floor. Unlike the first-floor hall, the second floor was dark and quiet.
Occasionally, she heard whispers behind closed doors—the sound of couples having secret trysts at the height of the ball.
Ignoring the sounds, Cecilia went into the farthest library, which doubled as a reception room. The room smelled of musty dust and old paper.
The ducal townhouse had plenty of other reception rooms and guest rooms. Hardly anyone would come into the library.
It was the perfect place to catch her breath.
Cecilia carefully stepped inside. The windows were all closed, making it dark even during the day.
Relying on her sense of touch, she groped along the walls.
‘There should be a candlestick around here…’
In front of the spacious sofa was a square mahogany table, usually with a small candlestick and matches for avid readers.
Cecilia groped the table in the dim moonlight.
At that moment, something large grabbed her wrist.
“…?!”
Cecilia reflexively tried to scream when she heard a polite greeting.
“My apologies. I reacted without thinking.”
“…”
The voice was familiar.
“Are you looking for a candle? Just a moment…”
The low voice tickled her ears, but the presence above her was imposing even in the darkness.
“Ugh…”
She couldn’t take it anymore.
Cecilia clutched her stomach with one hand and the table with the other, sinking to the floor.
The person, not seeing her, rummaged among the books on the table. Finally, there was a click, and a soft yellow light filled the room.
Cecilia bowed her head even deeper in the small light. But it was like a rabbit hiding only its head in a burrow. Her distinctive hair color stood out in the light.
“…Cecilia?”
The person in the library, Ulysses, called her name. Cecilia cursed under her breath.
* * *
Ulysses, holding the lit candle, stood up from the sofa and looked at the woman under the table again. The legs stretching out before him were long and graceful.
‘No wonder… She must have been invited with Guinevere, but I didn’t see her at all.’
Ulysses didn’t like noisy places. Naturally, he hated parties.
Even at the mandatory duchy ball, he only made a brief appearance and then disappeared.
It was entirely predictable for someone who loved books and quiet, unpopulated spaces to be in the library.
Cecilia should have expected this.
If only she had been in a better state.
