"Lady, Prince Gerome has arrived and is in the salon!"
A servant intercepted Eleonora as she was leaving the side door to the garden. She had already learned of Gerome's arrival from her favorite maids. As soon as she saw the carriage bearing the insignia of the royal family, Bell, who happened to be downstairs, quickly went up to her room and informed her. So Aisya and Bianca quickly dressed Eleonora to go for a walk in the garden.
"So, why?" Eleonora tilted her head slightly, telling herself to play dumb.
"You must see him, my lady!" the servant replied.
Eleonora burst out laughing. The laughter brought tears to her eyes. It was funny to hear a person of higher status meet a messenger by force. "I will not meet him. You can say that!" said Eleonora.
"If you don't meet him, the prince will be very angry!" The servant was still trying to influence Eleonora's decision.
"Great! If he gets angry, then I'll be annulled as his fiancée, right? Say it like that. Just report my behavior to the king. I don't have time to see him!" Eleonoran turned and went to the door her maids had held.
Aisya and Bianca raised their chins to show the power of the lady they served. Eleonora's steps became very light as she left the residence for the garden. She filled her lungs with a lot of air and felt very refreshed.
"Take it easy, Lady! You won't be scolded by anyone for behaving like this!" said Bianca.
"Yes, Lady is a person of almost equal power to the Crown Prince. Even if the king hears Prince Gerome's complaint, only the prince will be scolded! You are the only daughter of the last witch who founded this kingdom!" Aisya added.
She had more or less started to know who Eleonora was. She had read several books about her family's origins in the library of the residence. Her family was the founder of the country, even though they refused to lead it. It was as if Eleonora's family was the owner of all the land the kingdom occupied and had power that could not be compared to the current Crown Prince and King.
The reason why Eleonora had been silent all this time was because of her love for Prince Gerome. However, she, who now occupied Eleonora's body, had no obligation to love the same person. Why love a shrew? Prince Gerome did not see her as a person, but as a stepping stone. This must not happen.
"You're related to the young Duke of Windsor again?"
Eleonora's footsteps stopped immediately when she heard the question addressed to her. She almost forgot who the questioner belonged to if she hadn't turned around. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Prince Gerome come in with a black envelope and the family seal already opened.
"Why did you open my letter first, Prince?" asked Eleonora.
"You should have answered my question! Why have you written to the young Duke of Windsor again?"
Eleonora was utterly disgusted by the man before her. Aside from the good looks that had been passed down through the generations, this prince seemed to lack brains, manners, and a sense of humanity.
She moved closer to him. She grabbed the envelope, which was already open and crumpled. "You have no right to open a letter addressed to my residence. Didn't you learn to read when you were supposed to? My name is on this envelope," said Eleonora.
"I am your fiancée. I seem to have a right to know who is contacting my fiancé." Prince Gerome was using the pretext of engagement to interfere in Eleonora's relationship.
Was that the reason why the two people, who were supposed to be very close friends, stopped writing letters?
"Then banish Lady Ebe from your life. Don't meet her. Don't pity her!"
"You can't control me!"
"Then you can't either. Especially when I've already told you that I don't want to be your fiancée anymore! Please, don't act like you have a right to!" Eleonora was not at all afraid of Gerome.
In her eyes, Gerome was just one of those bastards looking for excuses to justify his crimes. Similar to the behavior of the man she thought was her friend, but instead stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife.
"Why would you say such an evil thing?" Gerome still tried to stop Eleonora. He stopped Eleonora by pulling her hand.
"So I'm the bad one now?" Eleonora smiled. She jerked her hand out of Gerome's grasp and then took a few steps back. She shrugged haughtily. "Then listen to me carefully. I've had enough of you! I don't want to be engaged to you anymore!"
Gerome looked furious, his whole face flushed. He clenched his fists as if he wanted to do something bad to Eleonora. But the man just stamped his foot and left.
Eleonora didn't move an inch. She made sure that Gerome was really gone. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. There was no way that Gerome would happily call off the marriage with her. It was just that now she could temporarily breathe a sigh of relief. She could think about what she could do to survive the next attack.
"Are you going to the garden, my lady?"
Eleonora nodded. She turned and almost fell over. It seemed that the relief of being left alone had made her weak. It couldn't be like this. Everything could be so unpleasant.
"LADY!" Her maids shouted in surprise at her swaying body.
Eleonora laughed like a fool. "I'm fine!"
But tears welled up in her beautiful eyes. The other maids seemed to share her grief. They helped Eleonora to walk. They guided her very nicely until they reached the park bench. Under the cherry tree, which was not in bloom.
One of her maids straightened up and focused on someone running across the lawn, crossing the street in a hurry.
"Who's coming?"