CH 36

It was so strange. I couldn’t feel the same emotions when I usually see him anymore… even when he looked so devastated. To be honest… I actually felt victorious because of that. It was while I was looking at my former lover emotionlessly, voices came from behind.

“Alright, my associate. I got a lot of delicious stuff here just for you!”

“Secretary Harrant, how about some sweets? I brought it because I thought you might have something similar to my sister’s taste, but I’m not sure if you’d like it.”

It was an excited Rave and blushing Lynel talking to me. There was a group of other coworkers behind them. Kyles became stiff, turned and walked away. Before, I would have been heartbroken by this. He looked so weak. But I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t feel much other than feeling victorious. 

The only thing that made part of my heart a bit numb was that my five years spent with him was nothing. It was something that I easily forgot about. My love for him for so long was just a daydream. A bitter smile formed on my mouth. Coworkers who didn’t know the reason for my smile laughed too. I finished lunch by hanging out with them.

***

After lunch was over, I decided to take a walk under the bright sun and separated from my coworkers going back to the office. How long did I walk? My skin was getting hot from being exposed to the afternoon sun for a long time. I thought I should get back and was about to turn around, when I was grabbed harshly by my wrist.

“Marina, I need to talk to you,” said Kyles. 

He grabbed my wrist. I glared at him and tried to pull my wrist away from him, but I couldn’t. Then, I coldly asked, “What is the meaning of this?”

Kyles’s expression darkened. He looked at me as if he couldn’t believe what was happening. “Meaning, you say?”

“Yes, what’s the meaning of this? Chief Officer Kyles von Pail, do you understand whose wrist you are grabbing? I may work in a different department, but I am your superior. If you wish to speak to me, politely request an audience.”

Kyles’s bit his lip and glared at me for my cold words. I wasn’t hurt by that anymore. I was just annoyed, so I ordered, “Let go.”

“No.”

But what came back was a rejection. I tried to shake his hand away and shout when I heard a cold voice.

“What are you doing on my walking trail?”

I turned and saw a frighteningly beautiful face. The purple eyes of the Crown Prince viciously glared at us, and Kyles quickly let go of my hand and bowed.

“Y-Your highness.”

The Crown Prince ignored Kyles’s greeting then came straight up to me. His purple eyes were eyeing me as he said, “Don’t you have any work to do, Marina von Harrant? I don’t think it’s time for you to take a leisurely walk. Are you neglecting your duties, or are you just bored?”

“I’ve finished all assigned tasks for the day, your highness,” I answered coldly. 

The Crown Prince then scoffed and replied, “So, you don’t have any work to do. Is that it?”

“…Yes, your highness.”

He then stared at me for some time, then ordered, “Go back to your desk. You’ll get something to work on.”

“Pardon?” I replied stupidly, which wasn’t like me at all. 

“Go back to your position. Don’t take a detour on the way,” said the Crown Prince. He glanced at Kyles, then back to me and snarled, “You irritate me.”

***

As he had ordered, I returned to the palace. I forgot about Kyles because of that nutjob’s words with unknown meaning. While I was feeling awkward because of that, my superior, Viscount Raymont, called me.

“Secretary Harrant, go report the revised budget draft plan to his highness’s palace and get his approval and seal.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yes. His highness has appointed you for it. I assume he liked your previous work.”

I sighed. I was reminded of the Crown Prince calling me ‘negligent’ on my walk a while ago. ‘A*sh*le. So, this was what he was talking about. I sighed once more, then took the report that the Viscount was urging me to take.

I was currently walking toward the Crown Prince’s palace where the average nutjob, I mean his highness, was residing at. The garden on the way there was famous for being so beautiful. This was my second time seeing it, but it still astonished me. Colorful flowers bloomed splendidly, which was pleasant for my eyes. Watching these flowers reminded me of him again. My precious and lovely first love.

“You’re prettier than that.”

A kind boy told me, an ordinary girl, that I was prettier than any flowers. I wondered if I could see him again. I walked, watching the flowers and thinking about my first love, then found an awkwardly common and simple wildflower again. This was the second time. The difference from before was that the stem broke before it even bloomed.

I didn’t feel good about that. The way its stem broke looked like me, who couldn’t do anything and was always discouraged. As such, I tied it with my hair ribbon like a splint. My experience in gardening taught me that flowers often survived by doing this. Then I spoke softly to the flower as usual.