I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

"…How did you know?"

"Well. How else would I know?"

He shuddered as if to hold back his anger when I smiled. Blood vessels rise in his fist.

"Don't play with words. I'm serious right now."

"I'm also serious."

As he chewed his lips. I've been hitting back at that look for minutes, too.

Finally, Erhan's mouth came up with a topic that could be called the main point.

"Have you read the letter? It's impossible not to read any. I've sent a few. Isn't it? You must have read at least one."

"You think I will read it? A letter from you? I haven't read a single word."

Erhan's eyes trembled as he saw me answering, not resolutely.

“What are you thinking! That envelope contained more than just my letter!"

As expected, he tried to contact me through Erhan.

From the moment the letter smelled like lavender, I thought it was strange.

I was almost certain when I saw him send a letter uncharacteristically.

Sending them out once every few months would have been enough to pretend to be a sweet brother to others.

His younger brother, Luca, hasn't exchanged a single letter with me.

It was funny…

Erhan, you wouldn't even know why he ordered the letter to be sprayed with lavender perfume.

The first day I met him. It was because I gave him lavender flowers.

The day I handed over lavender flowers. It was the beginning of love for him, but it was the beginning of misery for me.

To get rid of the faint memories of the past, I strengthened my voice.

"So I didn’t read it. If it had been your letter, I might have read it. I wondered what kind of pretentious words you filled the letter with."

Erhan laughed at me, raising the corners of his mouth as if they were the same.

"Do you think you can get away from Rex by doing that?"

Rex Begonia.

I heard the name before I knew it.

In an instant, my body started to tremble and my heart started to beat faster.

I couldn't help but close my eyes. Let's calm down.

He can't come here right now. Why is he contacting me through Erhan?

It's only Erhan in front of me. It's not Rex Begonia.

A fool who doesn't even know he's being used.

As I was hypnotizing myself over the fact that Rex Begonia was not in front of me, I heard Erhan's incomprehensible voice.

"Why on earth are you rejecting Rex? You must be well aware that it would be beneficial to you if you bounced back while raising your pride like that, right?"

"Do I look like I'm building up my pride?"

Emotions that could not be captured from the exasperation were spewing out. I glared sharply at Erhan.

"Just hearing his name makes me shudder. My heart felt jammed. And yet, do I look like I'm just playing around!"

Erhan didn't seem to care what I was feeling or whatever I said.

This time, Erhan only told his own story.

"My situation has become very difficult since you fled to the academy. If Rex doesn't have you back, he'll recoup the investment in the project I'm working on."

"You said I'm your sister. What's the difference between what you're saying now and selling your sister?"

I could feel the sour taste in my mouth.

In the end, he just didn't want to lose what he had invested with as collateral.

How low is that?

"It's for sale. It was a job for you. Think about it. Rex is the heir to the Duke of Begonia. You're going to be a Duke's mistress. If you act up next to me, you'll be able to enjoy the rest of your life."

Does Erhan know that Rex, that bastard whispered to me that he would give me the Duchess' seat?

I hate even that so much that I refuse it, but it could not sound convincing to be a mistress and be hospitable.

"Now that my parents are still taking care of you, that's why you don’t like it."

He laughed bitterly.

"But what about after I take over the Count? You don't have anyone to support you anymore. You will lose all support and be kicked out of this place. All you can do is sort out a few herbs. No matter how much you earn, how much life can you enjoy like this? Living like a herb?"

…Like a herb?

Cursing ran up to the tip of my throat. I felt sick to my stomach because of the disgust that I couldn't spit out inside.

"You'd better be obedient and docile while Rex is still obsessed with you. You don't know when he'll change his mind because he said he fell in love at first sight, right?"

At those words, I flinched.

Reminding me of someone in pink who fell in love with me at first sight. It awakened me to the cold reality.

Erhan was excited and started to talk about what he mistook me for.

"There's a party hosted by the Duke of Begonia next week."

The moment I heard those words, I knew immediately what was going to happen next.

"I won't say much. Just attend."

Yes. You don't go beyond expectations.

Now I didn't even have the strength to ridicule him anymore.

He grabbed my chin and lifted it up as I stared blankly exhausted.

"I'll tell Rex that you're coming, and if you don't, you and I are both doomed. Do you understand?"

I stared at him without saying a word. How long have we been making eye contact?

"A year of bad luck."

He spat on the floor and left the room.