After wearing the dress she chose last night, Shannen is feeling giddy and excited by just thinking that today is the day where Gian will visit her and ask for her to be his fiance. Even though she knew that Gian is just doing it to fulfill their agreement and not because he likes her, Shannen is still happy. Just like an ordinary girl, Shannen is hoping that she will marry a man who loves her as much as she loves him. Since Gian has no feelings for her yet, Shannen needs to hide her own feelings for now.
No matter how much she confesses her feelings to Gian, he will never believe it. Shannen already conveyed her feelings towards Gian the day she visited their mansion, but he casually dismissed it. With their agreement to help each other, Gian will surely think that she is just trying to curry his favor by means of confessing her feelings towards him. And she does not like it.
After styling her hair in a bun decorated with silk ribbon, Shannen is ready to go out of her room when all of a sudden, her stepmother stepped inside her room. Her stepmother looks at her from head to toe before she blatantly sneers in front of her.
"This is the reason why I hate little girls like you." Viscountess Beckie said as she asked the maid behind her to get out and close the door.
"Mother..."
"What did you call me?" Viscountess Beckie sharply asked.
"M-Miss Beckie..."
Her father's new wife never let Shannen call her mother if there is no one around them. She required Shannen to call her 'Miss Beckie' all the time. The only time where Shannen can call her mother is when her father was around or when they are attending social gatherings and banquets.
Viscountess Beckie walks towards Shannen and softly caress her face. Shannen did not move as her eyes were glued on the floor.
"You must be really pretty for a marquis's son to offer an engagement towards you, hm? How did you do it, my dear?"
"W-What do you mean, M-Miss?" Shannen asked in a low and stammering voice.
"How did you seduce him?" Viscountess Beckie asked. "Did you use this pretty face of yours to grab his attention? Did you offer him a kiss? Or maybe you offered something more...sensual that every man can never refuse?"
Every word that comes out from Viscountess Beckie's lips is getting worst and vulgar. Shannen cannot do anything but to listen to her stepmother as she balled her fist tightly.
"Reject him." Viscountess Beckie said. "Tell them that you are not interested in the marquis's son."
"No." Shannen refused.
"Oh? You are now defying my orders?"
Instead of getting mad, Viscountess Beckie raised an eyebrow as she looks at Shannen with a ridiculing look.
"Do you know the consequences of your actions just now?" Viscountess Beckie said. "I can really make your life miserable. Not only you but also your father's life. You know that without me, maybe you and your father are now spending your days in the street begging for people to give you an alms."
Shannen remained standing without saying anything.
"Your father will likely lose his businesses if I did not help him financially. You should always remember that fact, Shannen."
Shannen can only listen to her without refuting her words. That's right. Miss Beckie was the one who supported her father financially when their businesses where on their verge of bankruptcy. One of her father's business partner at that time betrayed him and fled with a huge sum of money. What was left on her father was a ton of debts.
And that was the time her father met Miss Beckie. Miss Beckie had feelings towards Viscount Cladeu. So in order to marry him, Miss Beckie promised to help Viscount Cladeu to pay his debts in exchange for marriage. Viscount Cladeu does not want his daughter to experience poverty and make her suffer. In the end, Viscount Cladeu chose to marry Miss Beckie.
After their marriage, Miss Beckie paid her father's debt. They did not know what happened, but Miss Beckie's name was written on the legal documents as the owner of almost half of Viscount Cladeu's businesses. Miss Beckie has the right to intervene with their business as well as the management in their mansion. As the business keeps on growing, the money needed for its capital gets bigger.
It was still fortunate that Miss Beckie has an affection for his father. Viscount Cladeu was still the one who is making the decision for their business because Miss Beckie does not know anything about it. If not for her love for Viscount Cladeu, Miss Beckie might have removed his father's right on their business and trample on his pride.
"If you insist to be engaged with the marquis's son, who knows what will happen on your father's businesses. It would be a disaster if we received the morning newspaper tomorrow with your father's bankruptcy as the headline. Is that right?"
"...Can you really do it to my father?" Shannen quietly asked.
"Of course." Miss Beckie answered with a smile.
As much as she loves her husband, Beckie can still never forgive him. How can Nolan marry another woman when she is the one who loves him the most? And to think she needs to be associated with their daughter? That was truly a blunder for Beckie.
"Now, be a good girl and listen to me. You will reject the marquis's son. If not, you know what will happen."
Then all of a sudden, Beckie harshly pull the silk ribbon on Shannen's head. Some of Shannen's hair strands were pull off from her scalp which hurts a lot. Beckie smiles triumphantly seeing that Shannen is not refusing her orders. After that, she left the room.
A few minutes later, a maid was ordered by her father and asked her to show herself to their guest. Shannen forced herself to tell the maid that she does not want to be engaged with Gian anymore. When the maid left her room, she cannot stop herself from crying and falls on her knees.
Shannen's tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down to her face. Trying to keep her sobs escaping from her lips, Shannen bites her lips and the muscles of her chin tremble like a small child. She looks towards the window, hoping the light from the sun could soothe her.
Shannen hates their current situation. She is weak and just a burden to her father. Shannen cannot do anything to make their own situation better.
Shannen hates it all.
As she tries to control her sobs, the door of her room suddenly opens. Thinking that it was Miss Beckie who enters her room, she lowers her head to hide her tear-stained face. Even though Miss Beckie keeps on belittling her, Shannen still has her pride as a noble lady.
"Lady Shannen, it should be me who needs to cry and not you. You refuse to be my fiancee, right?"
A pair of black shoes stop in front of Shannen. She tilts her head up with wide eyes. Shannen's amethyst eyes were met with Gian's citrine eyes. Shannen quickly averts her eyes to avoid his gaze. In her panicked state, Shannen covers her face with her hands. She never wished to be seen by Gian in this state.
"Please, don't look."
Seeing Shannen in this state right now, Gian can't help but remember a quivering rabbit who is afraid to be captured by a beast. Gian kneels down in front of Shannen.
"Please, leave my room. I...I do not want to see you again." Shannen said in a muffled voice.
"Really? I thought you wanted to be my beloved wife?"
Shannen did not respond. When she ignores his light joke, Gian let out a sigh before speaking in a light tone.
"Lady Shannen, you should have put your trust in me."
"Huh?"
"I already agreed to be your fiance. Naturally, I will help you when you are in trouble."
Gian carefully removes Shannen's hands that cover her face. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were slightly swollen. Shannen is biting her lips to stop it from quivering. Gian used his thumb to wipe the tears running on her cheeks.
"Lady Shannen, I will personally ask you. Do you really want to refuse me as your fiance?"
"I-I asked the maid—"
"I do not care about that maid's words. What I want is to personally hear your answer."
When Shannen looks at Gian again, she finally burst out crying. Maybe it is because, for the first time, someone aside from her father checked on her feelings. Gian just let Shannen cry as he keeps on wiping her tears. He sometimes runs his fingers through her hair in an attempt to soothe her.
The two of them stayed like that for almost half an hour. Shannen gradually calms down from her crying. Shannen cannot control her lips from trembling and she sometimes lets out a hiccup.
"Are you okay now?" Gian asked as he continues running his fingers through her hair.
Because Shannen is afraid that her voice will tremble while answering him, she only nods her head.
"Hmm. That's good." Gian said. "Now you can answer my question. Do you really want to refuse me as your fiance?"
Shannen shakes her head.
Gian suddenly pats her hair as if he is complementing a child. Though embarrassed, Shannen did not avoid his hand and let him continue on patting her head. Somehow, it feels nice.
"It seems like the madam wanted to ruin you, Lady Shannen." Gian stated.
Shannen did not say anything, but she was silently agreeing to his statement. Shannen knew all this time that Miss Beckie hates her so much. It was simply because whenever Miss Beckie sees Shannen, she was always reminded that Viscount Cladeu chose her mother. Because Shannen's existence serves as a reminder for Miss Beckie that the viscount never loved her.
"Do you want me to save you from this place?"
As she falls in her own thought, Gian offers his hand in front of Shannen. She first gazes at his hand before looking at Gian. He has a small smile on his face while looking straight at her eyes.
"If you decide to hold my hand, I can promise to keep you and your father safe. I will always hold your hand as long as you need me to save you from all of your problems."
When Gian saw her hesitating, he continued.
"That madam... You do not have to worry about her. Just like what I've said, I will help you to solve all of your problems. All you have to do it put your trust in me."
Shannen's heart moved. She suddenly has the feeling of wanting to cry again. How long does she wait for someone to tell her not to worry for he will solve the problems for her? Right now, Shannen's heart was gently swaying.
With a decision, Shannen holds Gian's hand tightly. Shannen knows that she is blindly trusting someone right now. But if it's Gian, then Shannen will never regret her decision.
Gian holds her hand firmly. Since Shannen decided to trust him, then what's left is to fulfill his promise. And to seal their promise, Gian planted a soft kiss on the back of Shannen's hand.