Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 224
“What… what do you think you’re doing?!”
Guinevere, pale with shock, hurriedly pulled Ulysses away. But he easily shook off his mother’s frail arm and grabbed Nigel’s shoulder again.
Thud! Crash!
The sounds of furniture toppling and bones hitting the floor filled the room, punctuated by the dull sound of bodies rolling and shifting positions. They wrestled back and forth, unable to pin one another down.
Eventually, Guinevere could no longer intervene and retreated, picking up a fallen monocle from the floor.
“Madmen…”
Even with blood streaking his cheek and his neck being squeezed, Nigel laughed like a rabid dog, seeming to revel in the fight he’d provoked.
In contrast, Ulysses’s face was calm, almost deathly serene. His expression was still, his composure chilling, while only his fists flared with fury.
With a frustrated sigh, Guinevere gave up trying to settle the fight and threw the monocle at them instead. The sound of shattering glass interrupted their brawl, bringing the sibling rivalry to a momentary pause.
This was no longer a family feud—it had devolved into a full-blown, if twisted, love triangle.
Or rather, that’s what it ultimately came down to.
* * *
“There’s quite a commotion outside,” Casey said, pressing her ear nervously against the door.
“It seems His Excellency is quite enraged,” Miguel replied gravely, only to be met with an exaggerated cough from the servant assigned to watch over them.
“Please refrain from unnecessary conversation,” the servant said with a pointed glare.
“…Apologies.”
Miguel and Casey were in the same room, a result of Casey’s fierce resistance when her father had tried to separate them. The Count had been forced to compromise, placing vigilant servants to keep watch instead.
“Is everyone all right?”
Casey asked, though she was really worried about Cecilia. Miguel, understanding her attachment to her friend, didn’t need any explanation.
Miguel, unfamiliar with Cecilia’s background and all the rumors circulating in high society, only knew the woman he’d seen firsthand and the one Casey had shared stories about.
The Cecilia he knew was sharp, composed, and dignified. With a soft smile, he said,
“She’ll be just fine.”
Another sharp cough reminded him to stay quiet, and Miguel quickly closed his mouth.
* * *
In a separate room, Cecilia sat in the center like a prisoner awaiting interrogation. Countess Bernarda and Caroline stood before her, their expressions scrutinizing.
“Why did you do it?”
Bernarda demanded, and Cecilia, like she had done with Guinevere earlier, feigned a fearful expression as she stammered an excuse.
“Don’t stammer,” Caroline snapped, growing impatient. “I can’t even understand what you’re saying.”
Cecilia apologized immediately, but it did little to quell Caroline’s anger.
“Because of you, our family’s honor is in shambles! How could you do this to Father?”
Caroline’s voice grew louder, despite her attempts to stay calm. With a deep, frustrated sigh, she clutched her forehead, and Countess Bernarda tried to soothe her by rubbing her back.
Normally, the two didn’t get along well, but in moments like these, they united with uncanny synergy.
“Ceci, the situation is dire. This isn’t just anyone—it’s the Marquis Rosencrantz’s heir you’ve gotten involved with… Your engagement may be at risk.”
Bernarda took Cecilia’s hands in hers with a troubled expression.
“Why him, of all people?”
“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t know.”
“Not knowing isn’t the issue here, Cecilia. Do you understand how Father will react to this? He places great importance on honor and loyalty. Regardless of your engagement, he won’t let this go easily.”
Cecilia buried her face in her hands, squeezing out a few tears and hiding her expression as she held back a smirk.
‘Honor and loyalty? Even a passing dog would laugh at that.’
Oh, their father would be shocked alright, but he’d soon be running his mental calculations, weighing the advantages between the Marquis’s son and Logan Harper.
This scandal would entangle both the Rosencrantz and Heens families, making it difficult to pin blame on any one side. But at the same time, the matter was deeply tied to the Rosencrantz and Heens engagement.
Adam Lasphilla would no doubt distance himself, using their mutual guilt as a shield while reassessing the future of his second daughter.
Cecilia knew him well—his support of Guinevere’s overtures had always been calculated, meant only to keep ties with the Rosencrantz family. If this situation presented a chance to cut those ties and gain something more advantageous, he would seize it without hesitation.
For him, Cecilia’s reputation was nothing more than a bargaining chip, whether it rose or fell. And Cecilia knew this too well, which is why the future didn’t scare her.
The only uncertain variable…
“Oh, Lieutenant, what brings you here…”
“May I speak with Miss Cecilia alone?”
“……”
…was Logan Harper, and how he would respond.
