My Engagement Got Broken, But I Don’t Remember Getting Engaged in the First Place

Chapter 41: Secret Lover 

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In front of the toilet, Nora turned her head to make sure that Flora was heading back to the hall, then proceeded down the hallway. She rounded the corner and saw several rooms lined up before her. Standing alone in the quiet corridor, she suddenly reflected on what she was doing there.

What did I want to do by coming here? Was I that curious about what the young lady earlier had said?

“I must be an idiot. It’s better to go back.”

It’d be troublesome if the young lady caught her there. But as she was about to turn around, she heard footsteps from the back of the hallway. She managed to hide herself and when she peeked over, she saw a handsome gentleman with grayish brown hair.

It’s really Elias.

Elias stopped in front of a door and knocked, looking all suspiciously queasy. Someone opened the door but remained hidden behind it, making Nora unable to see who it was. But the person was wearing a yellow dress with lace sleeves, so she was undoubtedly a woman.

The lady in the yellow dress reached out her hand and gently touched Elias’s chest. He gave the lady a gentle smile—the same gentle smile or perhaps even better than what he usually gave Nora—and she stiffened as though she had been restrained and tied up.

The two eventually disappeared into the room, enveloping the hallway in silence once again.

What was that just now?

What’s the room for when there was a ball outside?

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And would a mere acquaintance touch his chest like that?

Instead of being mortified by such intimate gesture, Elias was actually smiling gently at her.

She was probably a close friend.

He had said that he would check his personal effects but Elias wasn’t holding anything of the sort.

“Elias’ secret lover is in the royal castle.”

“They are retiring rooms generally used by men and women who are of close acquaintances.”

The words of that young lady earlier came to her mind.

“What was that? So he did have a secret lover after all.”

Then what was Nora to him? Was he two-timing? Was the other lady his most favoured or something?

She couldn’t see her face but her dress and gestures exuded an air of unmistakable elegance. She was surely a better match for Elias than her, a poor baron’s daughter.

He had said he fell in love with her at first sight, but he might have just been sugarcoating his words. Or perhaps that he had just liked her second best.

No, she didn’t know for certain if he indeed liked her. But she felt like it was wrong of her to doubt him considering his actions thus far.

“I better just ask him.”

Her mind was reeling with so much irrational ideas because of her spiraling emotions.

But what should I say? That if he already had a secret lover in the royal castle, where was I ranked among his other women?

Even if she wasn’t his most favoured, it wasn’t unlikely that he’d already gotten bored of her. Besides, he might just deny it all. After all, Nora and him were merely temporary lovers. So nothing would change whether she asked him or not.

—It’s useless.

I can’t think straight.

At present, Nora was merely a temporary lover. Then, what would happen once the trial period ended?

When it’s over, it would be a choice between her becoming his lover or someone else. She didn’t feel like they could go back to being friends. Then, she’ll become someone who has nothing to do with Elias. At that thought, she felt somewhat lonely.

What is this feeling?

“I like you, Nora.” She thought back to when Allan had said it and did that to her. She was surprised and it felt somewhat ticklish, but that was it.

“Compare it to what Elias did to you.”

She felt embarrassed just thinking about it, and felt heat rushing to her cheeks.

Allan had the same voice and face but when he did that, she felt nothing. Whereas with Elias, she felt embarrassed.

Does that mean that Elias is special? Nora finally realized it now of all times.

At the same time, she felt her face flushing and an inexplicable pain lingered in her chest.

“But… Elias might already have a secret lover.”

The moment she uttered those words, the heat on her face dissipated at once. The realization left her with a broken heart. What a fast turn of events. Nora heaved a sigh, then raised her face.

Let’s return to the hall first.

She was to perform at the ball later so she couldn’t confront Elias right away since he was her escort for the night.

When everything’s over, she would talk to him directly. Until then, she wouldn’t be able to get an answer even if she kept thinking about it, so she ought to stop worrying about it.

But once she talked to Elias, their relationship as temporary lovers would be over. And that would probably be the last time she would meet him.

She wasn’t someone who was willing to be two-timed or three-timed so she wouldn’t be comfortable seeing him in the future. Being with the marquis’ son as a poor baron’s daughter was such a burden after all.

Nora took a deep breath and headed back to the hall.

—I’m here for work.

Therefore she had to be calm and composed. She had to be the “Azure Nightingale” that everyone looked forward to. Because that was the one thing only she—as Nora—could do.

As soon as she returned to the hall, she was once again surrounded by the young ladies and pushed around. But she treated them all with an amicable smile.

As she tried to placate all the young ladies, she excused herself politely and let them keep their conversation going. After they all had felt that they had the upper hand against her, they all scattered away in satisfaction.

Saying something she didn’t mean was easy. However, she felt a throbbing sensation in the corner of her heart.

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