Missing Cinderella

‘Then what about me?’ 

What am I? How can you do this without consulting me about it? We haven’t terminated the contract yet. When I asked you for the contract termination, you acted as if you don’t want to terminate it and there was even no proper arrangement in this relationship. So how… how could you propose to someone else before you even finished our contract? How can you disregard people like this? 

‘No, was I even a person to that man?’ 

Was I just an object of convenience and not a person? Was he just treating me as some consumable thing that he could conveniently throw away when I am no longer useful to him? 

Siella felt that she had been humiliated like never before. She was dizzy with shock that she even forgot to breathe for a moment. In the last five years that she had been with him, she naturally knew that he was indifferent towards her and not a good person to depend on. So she knew that when the time came, he would be the one ending their contract without any regrets. 

It was alright. Because this was a relationship that started with mutual agreement and consent. She understood that he was always busy and tired. She tried her best not to resent him for leaving her alone inside the mansion and never going back. However, the result of all that effort was what happening right now. 

‘Like a real fool, I didn’t know anything….’ 

A laugh came out. 

All this time, the only person who had been faithful by their contract, the only person who tried to keep their initial person was none other than her foolish self. That means that there was no need to try to sneak out of the mansion in the first place. Even if she didn’t try that hard, Eschert would have gotten rid of her sooner and later, and she didn’t even know that. 

Anyway, Eschert would eventually break his engagement with her to marry Camella and kicked her out of the mansion…. 

‘No.’ 

There’s no guarantee that he will let her get out safely. Siella recalled the enormous amount of property Eschert had given her in exchange of her agreement on the contract. She can’t assure that she Eschert wouldn’t try to take back the things he had given her even when he didn’t stay faithful to the contract. 

All her trust in him had been completely collapsed. She had no idea what he would do next. Siella couldn’t help but doubt him. She had no faith that everything he threatened her with would not happen. 

“You are already Nocturm’s person. So don’t even joke about leaving here.” 

“Duke….” 

“Because from this moment on, I don’t ever want to hear those words ever again.” 

Siella turned away with a wry smile. She had no intention of wanting to play as a villain who interfered with the main leads creating such a heartbreaking scene. 

Nothing had changed. It doesn’t change anything even when she found out that Eschert actually meant to kick her out and put Camellia in her place. After all, she had already decided to leave this huge mansion, this disgusting place that devoured her five years. 

Siella stayed here with the belief that this was the only place she could defend herself from Kyle all this time. But since the trust had been broken, Siella realized in a painful way that this place was no longer safe for her, so she had no reason to stay here anymore to endure the humiliating contempt of people. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“I personally saw that the attendant took the letter and left the mansion!” Edwin said with a flushed face. 

Edwin was panting as if he had run to her bedroom just to tell her. Siella quietly smiled and poured water for him. 

“Ah, thank you….” 

Edwin took the cup with both hands and quickly emptied it. 

“I’ve always wanted to tell you that. Thank you very much, Prince Edwin.” 

Without Edwin’s help, she wouldn’t have been able to safely deliver the letter to Lancellot. 

‘I need to receive my stock assets Lancellot had been managing for me until now.’ 

Siella’s assets have been managed by Lancellot for the past five years, who deposited all the portion of profits in bank vaults under Siella’s name. Thanks to this, she can secure cash immediately from the bank, but properties and villas have to be resolved by meeting Lancellot in person. 

“Thank you very much.” 

Edwin’s cheeks flushed at Siella’s sincere thanks. 

“It wasn’t too difficult to do….” 

“Nevertheless, I am still very grateful.” 

“Hehe~”

Edwin couldn’t hide his overwhelmed heart and laughed quite loudly one after another. 

“Please continue to ask me for favors. Since noona is not feeling well yet, I can give your letter to the attendant instead.” 

“Yes, I will, thank you.” 

“And uh, like I said, it wasn’t that too difficult to do….” 

“I know.” 

Siella softly smiled and nodded her head. After today, she won’t ask Edwin for another favor, but she was still grateful for his genuine kindness. She somewhat felt uncomfortable in her heart when she thinks that this would be the last day she would have a conversation like this with Edwin, but she just smiled. 

After a while, Edwin looked around her bedroom and pondered with a worried look on his face. 

“Should we eat our lunch outside?” 

“Outside?” 

Siella asked back in bewilderment. It never occurred to her that Edwin would suggest a place first. Contrary to her first impression of him as timid and naïve, she was a little surprise to see that he was somewhat self-assertive. 

“Uh, the weather is so nice outside, so I want to eat outside.” Taking a quick peek at Siella’s wide-open door over his shoulder, Edwin added, “Oh, and I like being out there. Ah, and I am more used being out there.” 

“…” 

Without considering what kind of misconception Siella might get from his words, Edwin was just feeling proud of himself for noticing that Siella was uncomfortable in an enclosed space with someone. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“See you tomorrow too.” 

Edwin smiled shyly and said goodbye in front of the bedroom. Siella simply quietly smiled back and turned her body away instead of responding on his words. 

Siella’s thoughts came pouring naturally as she walked alone after escorting Edwin to his room. How should she take it when the child told her that he was used spending time outside? 

Siella was reminded Camellia’s neglect to Edwin ever since they came back from the temple with Eschert and became close with Eschert. Camellia seemed preoccupied with spending time not only with Eschert, but also the butler Dennis and Leonard. She doesn’t seem to be paying attention to Edwin. 

Thinking of Camellia’s recent actions, she began to suspect that even before she came to the Duchy, she wasn’t that very keen on taking care of the child, even when she was protecting the child all on her own. Considering the fact that she hadn’t said anything about Edwin’s abuse, it was a reasonable suspicion. 

‘But there’s nothing I can do for Edwin….’ 

It’s not like she can do anything no matter how much she think about it herself, but Edwin was still in her mind. Siella swallowed a sigh and hurried her steps. It was already past noon. 

After parting ways with Edwin, Siella packed up her belongings from her room, and time had already passed. There was enough time for the coachman to have a carriage ready. 

With impatient strides, Siella hurried towards the coach house. When she finally stopped in front of the secluded coach house, Siella was swept away when someone suddenly grabbed her by the wrist roughly and pulled her under a large, beautiful tree in an instant. 

“What…!” 

“Shh.” 

The familiar voice stopped the terrified Siella’s reflexive attempt to scream. 

“It’s me.” 

… Calm down. The low voice that added that wasn’t also that unfamiliar. Only then did her stone-hard body started to move at her will. With all her strength, Siella shook off the large hand gripping her arm. 

“What are you doing?” 

The owner of the hand was none other than Leonard. He was also the one who pulled Siella under the shade of the tree. 

“I should be the one asking you that.” Leonard asked her back as he looked down at Siella with sharp eyes, who pushed her by the chest and took a step back from him. “What on earth are you trying to do?” 

At that moment, Siella realized that Leonard had already noticed. 

“We definitely promised that we would leave together in my carriage tonight.” 

Siella didn’t know how he knew, but Leonard managed to figure out that Siella had prepared her own carriage and he was questioning that. 

“But you’re leaving this mansion by yourself?” 

(T/N: I thought Leonard would finally be Siella’s helping hand, but Camellia just had to shatter my first impression on Leonard.)