Looking for a Husband to Confine Me - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“Tepine?”
“Well, that is…”
“…?”
“A guest has arrived.”
“For me?”
She nodded.
A guest. If I had to guess, there was one person who came to mind. Judging by Tepine’s reaction, it wasn’t someone I’d be pleased to see, so it was probably him*.
“Is it Hector?”
“No, it’s a woman…”
“A woman?”
The only person who would seek me out was Hector. In fact, he had said he would visit me again when we last parted.
He hadn’t contacted me again for the past few days, so I assumed he would come today. But if it’s a woman, I can’t think of anyone.
“She said you would know her if I told you her name was Vivian.”
“…Vivian.”
My expression hardened the moment I heard the name. Someone I wanted to see even less than Hector. No, I had never even considered meeting her before. I certainly never expected her to seek me out.
Tepine’s face crumpled further at my reaction.
“It is her, isn’t it? Hector’s…”
I offered a wry smile in response.
“Where are the others?”
“Thankfully, they’re out at the moment.”
As she said, it was fortunate. If my parents or Rettie were here, it would have caused quite a commotion. But it was too early to relax. There was no telling when they might return.
“Where is she now?”
“I’ve shown her to the guest reception room.”
“I’ll be there shortly. Could you prepare some tea for her?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“I’ll be taking the conversation outside, so you don’t need to prepare any for me.”
“Understood.”
I closed the door after hearing Tepine’s reply.
“Why would Vivian suddenly…”
When I met with Hector, he hadn’t mentioned anything about meeting her, or that she might come looking for me. There were things left unsaid between us, but if it had been about Vivian visiting, he would have told me as soon as possible.
I moved quickly. I had to get away from the mansion before my family returned.
***
Hector had caused an unexpected problem. More accurately, it was because of Vivian, but if it weren’t for Hector, I wouldn’t have met her, so I blamed it all on him.
I got ready quickly and called for a public carriage. As soon as it arrived, I took Vivian and left, heading to a public square far from the mansion. I saw Rettie returning home in the carriage, and if I had been even a little later, we would have run into each other.
“It seems you really didn’t want to see me, Lady Hazel.”
I lifted my head at the gentle voice coming from across from me. A woman with pink hair and pale green eyes, Vivian, sat before me.
“Dragging me all the way here without a word before we’ve even exchanged proper greetings…”
“There were circumstances.”
I had just brought her to a coffee shop in the square and was catching my breath. Because of that, I missed the timing to retort, “Would you have wanted to meet me?”
“So, why did you come looking for me? Without any warning… I mean…”
“Please, call me Vivian.”
I nodded.
“Alright, Vivian. I’d prefer you continue to address me as Lady Hazel.” I replied with a small smile, and her face stiffened.
Vivian Ewill.
She was the daughter of an impoverished noble from the countryside. Barely more than a commoner, clinging to a title bestowed long ago.
Probably not much different from the current situation of the Hazel County.
‘If I had to pick a difference, it would be that the Ewills have nothing, and the Hazels have assets?’
Ah, of course, those assets were negative. A massive debt!
In some ways, the Hazel County might be in a more precarious situation.
I had thought that Vivian’s meeting with Hector Asid in the novel was a coincidence. That Hector happened to be near her estate because of the war, and they met by chance.
I had considered her a mere plot device to drive Hector to break off his engagement with Amelia by making him feel drawn to another woman.
But ever since I learned that Vivian was a distant cousin of Luke Randy, I suspected that perhaps, even in the original story, their meeting was orchestrated by Luke.
When Hector protected me from Luke, that petty man might have harbored resentment towards him.
Vivian loved Hector’s title, wealth, and power. She wanted to be a grand duchess. So, it wouldn’t be strange if Luke was behind her. Their interests aligned, and they could have joined forces.
Of course, she ultimately failed and was abandoned by Hector.
Clink.
A waiter placed drinks on our table. At the sound of the teacups clinking, I looked up.
‘Pale green eyes.’
I thought as I looked into Vivian’s eyes.
Me, with dark brown hair and green eyes, and Vivian Ewill, with pink hair and pale green eyes.
After breaking up with Amelia, Hector often searched for his former fiancée in Vivian’s pale green eyes. They were the only similarity he could find.
“Lady… Hazel.”
Eyes lighter than mine stared at me. Seeing her call me with a slightly stiff expression, I gave her a bright smile.
“Yes, Vivian.”
I saw her force a smile. Then she let out a deep sigh. “Ha…” Who was the one who wanted to sigh right now?
“It seems you know who I am.”
“I was also at the Kishan princes’ banquet.”
Vivian gasped at my words. A theatrical, awkward reaction.
“I, is that so?”
“Didn’t you know? It’s not something I brag about, but I attracted quite a bit of attention.”
Looking at her troubled face, my smile deepened. It was quite a lot of attention. Damian had coughed up red blood with dozens of eyes on us.
“I was only looking at him—I mean, Hector—so I didn’t notice.”
“Aha.”
I nodded curtly, chin jutting forward as if to say, “Go on.”
“I was so overwhelmed by the unfamiliar surroundings,” she explained, “that I didn’t notice anything.”
“That’s understandable in a new place,” I replied.
Her words felt laced with a silent, “I was too busy looking at Hector to even see you,” and I inwardly scoffed.
“So, you must have heard about me from Hector, Vivian.”
Vivian’s fingers, wrapped around her teacup, twitched, the chamomile tea within trembling slightly.
“Or perhaps you knew about me before?”
Silence.
‘Had Hector’s engagement not been an issue for her? Or had she known about me all along?’ My unspoken questions hung heavy in the air, clearly implied.
“We fell in love,” she finally said, her smile strained.
‘Her acting is terrible.’
She clearly wanted to portray a love story that had overcome all obstacles, but her face betrayed her. Blunt honesty would have been more convincing. Or perhaps she was simply flustered, caught off guard by my reaction. Hadn’t Luke told her about me?
I sipped my coffee, waiting for her to continue. She composed herself, forcing a neutral expression.
“The reason I came to see you today…” she began.
“Could you get to the point?” I interrupted, checking my watch. “I’m rather busy.”
She hesitated, biting her lip. I seemed to be enjoying this unusual encounter more than she was.
“Right. I know you met with Hector a few days ago.”
“He did pay me a sudden visit.”
“I’m not questioning him. I know why he went to see you.”
Frankly, I didn’t care whether she questioned him or not.
I checked my watch again, and her words tumbled out faster. “Anyway! Hector has something he needs to tell you, something he hasn’t been able to.”
“Important enough to send you instead of coming himself?”
“He’s… he’s busy right now!”
“So, what did he want to say?”
She bit her lip again, clearly displeased by my nonchalance. “He wants you to break off the engagement.”
“Hmm?”
“He already told you how he feels a while ago. So, please, just break it off.”
I would break it off. Eventually. But how much of a fool did she take me for, coming here with this demand?
“Why should I?” I asked, a smirk playing on my lips. This time, she didn’t flinch, perhaps expecting my response.
“Because Hector wants it.”
“I already told him I don’t want to.”
“He loves me,” she declared, her light green eyes glinting with a hint of mockery.
‘He wants me, not you,’ her gaze seemed to scream. She clearly thought I was still clinging to Hector.
“That’s irrelevant.”
“Irrelevant?”
I slowly nodded. “I need him. As long as he’s by my side, things will work out.”
“H-Hector and I won’t give up.”
“Then we’ll see each other in court.”
My genuine indifference seemed to shake her. In truth, I was buying time. Even a lawsuit wouldn’t be a problem; it would buy me even more time.
“Aren’t you worried about the gossip? All this will go away if you just break off the engagement.”
“I enjoy the attention,” I whispered, leaning closer. “It’s thrilling, always something new.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
‘What kind of person are you?’ he seemed to ask.
“Besides, even with the gossip, I’m the poor, betrayed fiancée, and you’re…”
Vivian began to tremble as I spoke. I imagined her hands, clenched into fists beneath the table.
