Chapter 36.1

Olivia actually didn’t want to attend the banquet today. She was uncomfortable and afraid she’d run into Baron.

Baron Jeff’s reputation in society was quite established.

Like most Alphas and Omegas, which were prone to succumb to their desires, the nobles were generally promiscuous. They weren’t judged with their constant changing of partners as they go into their heat and rut phases from time to time.

However, Baron Jeff had gotten himself a partner, let alone got into a scandal. When news of problems reached him, he would rush out immediately and didn’t stay long in the capital. Even when he was invited to social gatherings, he always came alone.

Naturally, the pressure of who would snatch the noble pureblooded Alpha first was intense.

Olivia was one of the many who admired Baron. When she imagined that a man with such indifference to other people’s thoughts of him would become her own Alpha, her heart would skip a beat. For him to enter his rut phase and come rushing towards her in great passion… Olivia dreamed of it day and night.

But her dream coming true was short lived due to what happened a few days ago.

‘I was so scared,’ she thought.

Olivia couldn’t handle Baron’s anger after Seira left Jeff. The Omega, who grew up in a high-ranking noble family, wasn’t prepared for it at all. Even when she wasn’t the exact reason for his anger, the fear that he instilled was the same. Even the brazen Domina apologized saying she didn’t think things through.

In any case, Domina, who tried to join hands with Marquis Tellon, left the ecliptic as if she had been kicked out. It was clear that things had gone extremely wrong, as the whole of Jeff was left in a disarray as to whom to sympathize with – Seira or Olivia.

Olivia’s father, Marquis Tellon, insisted that she meet another high-ranking noble family’s Alpha if Baron couldn’t take her to the banquet today. He didn’t care about the shock his daughter went through at all.

‘But… I’m glad I came.’

Up until she entered the hall, she was scared and hated every single second as if she was entering the gates of hell. But as she stepped in, she saw a series of surprises which were good in a sense. Several people who were rarely seen in gatherings such as these had shown up.

‘I didn’t expect Duke Franto, Duchess Askan, and Count Aven Helford in one place.’

If she hadn’t attended, Olivia would’ve been alienated from social gatherings that would follow afterwards. In a short while, she’ll be talking about today’s plan.

“Should I ask you to dance, too?”

The crowd’s whispering was redirected to the center of the hall. Seira, who just finished her first dance with Baron, was dancing with Louis Franto this time. Baron seemed to have disappeared right away.

“If you step forward for no reason, you’ll look bad in His Majesty’s eyes,” one whispered.

“No way! Of course I wouldn’t be that mad to do such a thing,” another responded.

Calrad sat on his throne and looked down at the hall since Baron and Seira began their first dance. It was hard to read his expression, but anyone could guess that he would be in a bad mood.

At the meantime, many noble families who were previously convinced it was better to neglect Askan as they had nothing left, seemed to be busy looking at the situation.

“Come to think of it, didn’t your brother get dumped when he proposed to Askan?”

“That trash deserved it. He didn’t even see it coming.”

Glad’s eldest son, who relentlessly judged his younger brother, stroked his chin and said, “Askan isn’t an easy target.”

He was exactly right. Olivia, who was the same Omega as Seira, couldn’t take her eyes off of her now even as she had encountered the Duchess Askan a few days back.

‘It would’ve been great if the plan had worked out smoothly.’

The child to be born in Seira’s womb must be as beautiful as an angel.

How wonderful would it be to hold the best child in the entire empire, both in appearance, quality, and pedigree. Olivia would replace the biological mother as soon as her role was done and raise the child as her own.

No one would treat her carelessly as she took the head of Jeff family as her companion, and held in her hands the last lineage of Askan’s blood.

Suppressing the regret that welled in her chest, Olivia emptied the champagne glass in her hand.

‘Should I get some fresh air?’

After she placed the empty glass on a nearby table, Olivia walked to a nearby terrace.

“Ah…”

As she stepped out, Olivia exclaimed in surprise. She thought there’d be no one there because the curtains weren’t drawn, but there was unexpectedly a man there.

He was handsome with his lips slightly parted. Shadows delicately shaded his face as moonlight fell at an angle around him. He looked back at her, his gray hair pouring down behind his shoulders as they gently waved in the wind.

It was Count Avon Helford, a man who carried with him wild rumors.