Chapter 72 - I Can’t Stand Her! (2/2)
“You have something to say about our deal,” she began primly.
“Yes.”
At the same time, the appetizer was served. I continued to speak without touching the salmon canape placed in front of me.
“I’m sorry, but I’d like you to pretend that there was no deal.”
“…Out of the blue?”
“It’s not ‘out of the blue’. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.” I calmly laid out what I wanted to say to her. At least Countess Cornohen was a more rational woman than Dorothea. By a hair.
“It was my fault for accepting the deal hastily. I admit it and I am reflecting on it. We can talk about this to my parents, then pretend the deal never happened.”
“What is the reason for this?” Countess Cornohen said, her brows furrowing in displeasure. “I said that cancelling the interest was easy on my side, but it’s never actually easy. Do you know that?”
“I know. Anyway, I appreciate your suggestion. But now I can’t endure it.”
“Is this because of what happened at the Escliffe Mansion party the other night?”
“…You know.”
It wouldn’t be strange if she didn’t know it. My family knew it after all. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Then this will be easier.”
“You’re not giving up the interest write-off over that sort of thing, are you?” she challenged.
“I’m too tired. I tried to do my filial duty, but it’s too much.”
After reaching this point, I didn’t even want to think. I just wanted to get this over with already.
“I’d like you to speak to my parents and act like this never happened. Please, I don’t want to be involved with your daughter anymore.”
“Are you really going to step forward like this?”
“I’m sorry, but Lady Dorothea’s behavior isn’t something I can tolerate. Nothing is more miserable than being with someone who gossips about me as if I’m a two-timer or a promiscuous woman. I think you can understand.”
“…”
Countess Cornohen didn’t answer, but her face was pale and she pursed her lips. It was only natural that she didn’t have anything to say. Unless she might say the same nonsense as last time.
“If you don’t have anything else to say, then I’ll take it you understand,” I finally said.
“So you are going to cut off the relationship that has gone back four generations.”
“I bear no ill feelings towards the Cornohen family itself. But this is a matter concerning your daughter. No matter who you ask in the entire world, it’s difficult for me to be with someone who talks badly about you. Even if I wanted to be a ‘maid’.”
“…”
“I’ll take my leave. You should eat the meal with your daughter.”
I rose up from my seat. It was around that time that a buttered lobster was placed on the table. That was my favorite dish, but I didn’t want to eat it here. Nothing was more ridiculous than sharing a meal after closing a relationship.
I gave a polite bow and left. I worried briefly that Countess Cornohen would try to hold me back but, fortunately, it didn’t happen.
And so, I ended my relationship with Dorothea.
<Continued in volume 3>