The Stepmother Has Left - Chapter 16

He hated her so much that his teeth trembled.

 

The family he was so proud of was instantly ashamed of him.

 

He was disillusioned with all reality.

 

Since then, he has always been furious.

 

But what he hated the most was the woman’s attitude.

 

Taking his mother’s place, she pretended to be his real mother without showing any signs of sorry.

 

She was arrogant.

 

Who will embrace who?

 

It was a situation where he couldn’t even laugh.

 

The belief that one day he will accept her if she keeps coming to him.

 

Her consistent approach with the smile on her face made him suffocate as a child. The arrogant attitude of believing that she could replace Diana’s place in his life.

 

The arrogant attitude that tried to embrace him just because she was her mother’s best friend.

 

Yes, he hated her so much.

 

He had never liked her once his mother died.

 

When he became hostile towards her, his father forced him into the Knights Templar.

 

But Ken wasn’t just kicked out.

 

He took advantage of this opportunity to run away from a family that did not accept him, no matter how much he talked about it.

 

Communication didn’t work, so he just let it go.

 

His heart still hadn’t changed.

 

Soon a man wearing a cloak, presumed to be the Third Prince, left the gallery.

 

Cassia, who sent him off, slowly began to organize the inside by herself. Ken stood in the same place, lost in his thoughts, and as the sun went down, she left the gallery.

 

When Cassia looked back as if she had sensed something while locking the door, Ken hid behind a tree.

 

Cassia tilted her head, closed the door, and headed somewhere, perhaps returning to her house.

 

“Really…”

 

Ken crossed his arms, leaned his back against the boulevard, and looked at her back.

 

“… It’s not even funny.”

 

Ken turned and started walking.

 

Still, he didn’t like her.

 

***

 

The next day, the day the gallery was closed, was exceptionally clear and sunny.

 

Cassia was heading somewhere.

 

She sat in the carriage and looked around in the bright sunlight pouring in. The country carriages were open on all sides, unlike the capital carriages blocked on all sides.

 

The horses were not in a hurry, and running slowly also played a part.

 

Clack, clack.

 

The sound of horses walking resounded resoundingly.

 

The beautiful natural scenery she saw along the way was no different from what it used to be.

 

Wildflowers swaying gently and trees hanging over the expansive grass fields.

 

The calm, warm rural wind gently blew past her.

 

They were guiding her slowly into distant memories of the past.

 

The carriage had arrived.

 

When she got off there, the wagon left her behind.

 

The sound of the horseshoes faded away.

 

A huge villa standing alone filled her view when she raised her head.

 

‘…And nothing has changed here.’

 

Count Allison’s villa, which stands alone for a while, heading out to the outskirts of Lawrencia, was the place where Diana and Cassia often used to hang out when they were young.

 

After seven years, she thought she should come to see Diana at least once.

 

It would have been nice to have visited her friend’s grave before leaving the Duke’s mansion, but she hadn’t thought about it because she was so distracted.

 

So she decided to be satisfied this way, and she didn’t even know that she had courage only after all the time was over. When she pushed the gate slightly, the gate opened.

 

As she entered the yard, manicured grass road guided her. It must not be a well-used villa now, but seeing that the grass was trimmed, it seemed to be maintained by the Count on a regular basis.

 

Beyond the fence surrounding the yard, a vast sea caught her eye.

 

“…Sigh.”

 

She took a deep breath without realizing it.

 

Her skirt was blown all over in the strong but not cold wind.

 

The sea in front of the villa, spread out just like the past, was majestic and deep. The sunlight pouring down, floated on the deep blue sea like jewels. When she was young, the sea she saw here was always brilliant and beautiful.

 

‘Cassia, won’t you go to our family villa to play together again this week?’

 

‘I went last week, can I go again?’

 

‘Of course. Let’s go if you want. You like the sea from our villa.’

 

Diana’s face and voice, who smiled warmly at her, were lovely.

 

Count Allison’s estate wasn’t too far from here, and she used to come here quite often with Diana as a child. Before Diana started dating, she was with Cassia, and Diana’s now-deceased parents were always with her at the villa.

 

Count and Countess Allison died together a few years after Diana’s departure seven years ago. The sorrow of losing their beloved daughter must have devoured their fair lives.

 

When they hugged and patted Cassia at Diana’s funeral, that was her last meeting with them.

 

They were really nice people who treated her well because she was Diana’s friend, even if she was a commoner. They were like another family to her.

 

This was a place full of all those memories, and now there is only her in this place.

 

“How are you?”

 

The sky was clear, reflecting on the exceptionally blue sea. She looked up at the floating clouds and said.

 

“Your children are all grown up and qualified for official status. I… protected your children, Diana.”

 

There was no answer from the sky with floating clouds, but she kept talking.

 

“Everyone is doing well, and there is no need to worry. Nick still seems timid, but he’s grown up with dignity, and your husband isn’t much different. Everyone seems to miss you from time to time, but I think they have come out of sadness to some extent.”

 

She paused because of a complicated feeling.

 

She soon opened his mouth again.

 

“…I don’t know if I actually did as well the Duchess as you thought I would.”

 

A bitter smile came out.

 

“In fact, I did not have a warm relationship with your family. I had a dry relationship with the Duke, and I hurt Ken. Nick had a hard time accepting me as I thought. The Duke is an adult, so it was fine, but dealing with the children was a little difficult. Still, I tried my best, but…”

 

A little embarrassed, she scratched her head. She lowered her gaze and raised her head again.

 

Silence passed.

 

She hesitated and opened her mouth.

 

“And there’s something I want to ask you… the diary you left behind.”

 

Towards the bright sky.

 

“You thought about me, right?”

 

Heaven had no answer.

 

She lowered her gaze and smiled.

 

She continued to talk.

 

“To be honest, I was a little sad at times. When life got tough as a Duchess.”

 

In a way, Diana left with one last request that she had no choice but to listen to.

 

Diana purposely left her diary in the room and left Cassia one last request.

 

Cassia did it because she wanted to do it, but on very rare occasions she sometimes guessed what her final act was like.

 

“…But to think positively, that is, we’re friends. Right?

 

But she couldn’t think that her friendship with Diana was a lie.

 

She couldn’t lie the way she had been growing up with Diana. The memories they created together, the world of the two of them, where they were only happy no matter what others said. Because the emotions she felt inside couldn’t be a lie.

 

She raised her head and looked up at the sky.

 

“How about there? Are you doing well there without any pain?”

 

Diana, a really lovely friend who always smiled kindly towards her.

 

She was the warm sunshine and light that seemed to be with Cassia forever.

 

“…I miss you.”

 

“A lot.”

 

Cassia smiled at the sky.

 

Clear clouds, and a particularly bright day.

 

It was the weather that really resembled her.

 

***

 

How long has it been?

 

Cassia lowered her head.

 

It seemed that she had roughly finished what she wanted to say.

 

“…I can’t cry.”

 

‘Have my emotions dried up?’

 

Lowering her head, she let out a bitter laugh.

 

A single teardrop doesn’t matter.

 

However, after seven years passed and all Diana’s requests were granted, Cassia thought she would be able to cry openly.

 

From the time of the funeral to now, how could she not shed a single tear at the death of such a dear friend?

 

She also didn’t understand herself.

 

Kicking a stone for nothing, looking at the blue sea once more.

 

It was the moment when she turned her back on the thought that she had to slowly go back, a familiar voice was heard.

 

“Cassia?”

 

It was a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time, but the moment she heard it, she knew who the owner was.

 

Her eyes slowly turned to where the sound was coming from.

 

Looking back, in front of her was a familiar man.

 

“…Michael?”

 

He was Diana’s older brother.

 

Count Allison.