Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 9

“Is he the one? Orphans raised by gardeners?”

A frown formed on Countess Brandt's forehead as she stared at the garden through the window. A woman with glasses is helping a gardener arrange a rose garden.

"Yes mother. Leyla, that's it.”

Claudine replied bluntly.

While Countess Brandt is distracted by Leyla, Claudine calmly inserts her needle into the cloth. Colorful roses bloomed from his fingertips as he diligently completed his embroidery.

“She's a very pretty girl. I think she becomes prettier as she gets older.”

“Does that not bother you?”

“I know what you're worried about, mom.”

Claudine put down her embroidery cloth. Countess Brandt's eyes opened wide with a worried look on her face.

Weak Countess Brandt has a daughter after a series of miscarriages. The child is Claudine, the Brandt family's only daughter.

The Countess, who suffers from a sense of inferiority for not being able to give her successor to her husband, lives in fear of her husband breaking up. Although the Count's mistress was also unable to give him a son, Countess Brandt remained worried. Fearing that one day, a young and beautiful woman would appear and give birth to a son for him and take everything.

Claudine felt sorry for her mother. But she was tired of her mother's excessive worries.

“I don't want to think of things like that.”

Claudine's words were solemn as if she was making a statement. The countess sighed helplessly.

“You're too young to know a man. Claudine, if I were you… .. ”

“You will get rid of all the beautiful women in the world from the sight of Duke Herhardt?”

Claudine sighed excessively.

“As you said, I'm still young and I don't really know men yet. But I know that men with a good reputation usually have one or two mistresses next to them.”

"Yes God. Claudine!”

“Of course, I hope such a thing does not happen, but even if it does happen, I know it is not a big deal.”

Claudine lightly shrugged her shoulders.

When he had recently met Leyla by chance, the usually calm Claudine was shocked. Although it was only natural that a sweet girl grew into a beautiful woman, Leyla's mature appearance turned out to be more beautiful than expected.

With her unique, small body, and delicate facial features, she looked like a fairy. The combination of the mysterious green eyes and its transparent white skin adds to its resemblance.

That was the reason why Claudine had Leyla accompany her to tea. She's curious. Curious to know how Duke would react to such a woman. And he really acted as Claudine expected. With prompt attention and indifference, with perfect politeness and moderation. That's enough for Claudine.1

“But Claudine, there is no point in keeping the boy close to Matthias.”

Countess Brant still looked agitated.

“Why don't I talk to the Herhardt family?”

"Mother."

Claudine's voice slumped slowly.

Claudine is determined that she will not live like her mother, who cries out for love even though she has everything. That's why Claudine agreed to get engaged to Matthias.

Matthias von Herhardt was a noble, wealthy, and handsome man. Claudine believed such a man would never just love his wife whom he married through an arranged marriage. He knew his life wasn't the happy ending of a fairy tale.

Perhaps he might also be swept away by his desire to have a beautiful woman. Like dad. Like many other men.

But a man who considers his master only as a mistress is not dangerous. A man who does not regard his master as a mistress only causes trouble. Claudine believes Matthias is the type of man he used to be.

Do I love her?

Claudine tilted her head and just smiled.

Might as well. Maybe not. But it's not a big deal. Matthias knows that too.

The most important thing for him was whether the Duke of Arvis was able to play the role of a great husband and the role of a perfect father. Claudine just wanted that. A marriage that can protect her dignity and elegance.

“What's the problem if Duke Herhardt is interested in that humble and beautiful boy?”

The words spoken calmly by Claudine left Countess Brandt dumbfounded.

“Yes God, Claudine! What are you talking about?”

“At least he will be a mistress only.”

Claudine laughs.

“Actually it might be convenient for me if such a girl becomes a mistress. A woman who does not dare threaten my place, which I can tame with the grasp of my palm.”

“Claudine, son. You..... you really don't know anything about love.”

Countess Brandt's lamentation towards her daughter deepened.

He looked at his mother's sparkling blue eyes and then turned his face away with a strange smile.

He looked at Leyla out the window. The woman stood up from the flower bed and laughed while massaging her back.

The cabin was empty when Kyle arrived. Leyla and Uncle Bill seemed to go to the park together. Kyle sat on the terrace seat, waiting for the two to return.

When he thought of Leyla's face wearing glasses, Kyle grinned. The future of Mrs. Etman is attractive even in glasses. Although he initially felt a little strange looking at his new appearance, now his heart was pounding thinking of his face.3

Kyle deliberately coughed so that his cheeks did not turn red. Around that time, Leyla and Uncle Bill had returned.

“What hat is it?”

Kyle's brows frowned when he saw the rustic hat covering Leyla's pretty face.

"Wow. Very tacky. You didn't pay for it, did you?”

When Kyle mischievously teased her, Leyla and Bill's eyes stared at him. Their eyes are pretty sharp.

“Uncle bought it for me!”

Leyla shouted while scowling at Kyle. Reply to Bill by taking the shovel he put in the cart.

"After reconsidering. Wow, that's beautiful! Uncle Bill has good eyes!”

Kyle hurriedly changed his gaze.

“Do not make fun of him. It's very valuable to me.”

Leyla took off the troubled hat with a disapproving expression. It was a rather luxurious straw hat, lavishly decorated with artificial flowers and ribbons.

Leyla prepares lunch while Bill is busy saving his wagon. The hat was placed at the end of the table. Kyle sat in front of the hat and tried to read Leyla's expression.

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“Leyla, are you angry?”

"Yes." Yeah."

Leyla slammed Kyle's plate as hard as she could.

At least he still feeds me.

Kyle was relieved.

"I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't say that if I knew?”

“But why did Uncle Bill decide to gift you a hat?”

“Because I asked for it.”

"you? You know how to ask for something?”

Kyle asked in surprise. The Leyla he knew was a child who rarely asked anyone for anything.

“My eyes really pissed him off.”

Leyla's voice weakened.

“Is he upset because your eyesight is deteriorating?”

"NO. That's not. He was upset because I never told him that I was planning to buy expensive glasses with my own savings.”

Leyla sat across from Kyle after she finished preparing the table.

Uncle Bill was confused. It was as if he had just been hit on the back of his head when Leyla appeared in the cabin wearing glasses. After hearing his explanation of how he could put up his glasses, his expression was as cold as a layer of ice. This was the first time Uncle Bill was so angry with her.

'Leyla. Am I not reliable?'

Bill breathed. Leyla felt suffocated to see Bill's sad eyes.

The more she clarified, saying that she didn't want to burden her husband and thank him for everything he had done for her, the more sad her eyes became.

From that day on, their relationship became somewhat awkward.

Bill sulks and refuses to speak while Leyla does not know what to do. The answer he found was his hat.

'Uncle, please buy me a hat.'

Leyla exclaimed at the dinner table a few days ago.

"Please, I want a very pretty hat."

Uncle Bill laughed at his serious tone.

The next night, the old man who went downtown to buy electronic scissors returned with a straw hat decorated with flowers and ribbons.

'I bought it at Lindsay's, so if you don't like it, please give it back.'

Bill carelessly added while extending his hat.

'Did you take it yourself?'

'Well that's it.'

'It's 'so pretty.'

Leyla smiled brightly and put on the hat.

Uncle Bill personally bought her a lot of stuff, but in most cases, she asked for Mrs. Mona buys Leyla something, or she takes Leyla to the store to choose what she needs. Leyla knew very well how difficult it was for Uncle Bill to choose a woman's hat. He also realized how much he loved her.

For Bill Remmer, flowers are the most beautiful thing in the world. So he believed a hat with lots of flowers was the most beautiful hat. He was sure he chose the most charming hat.

"Hi! You should have told me that before.”

There was shame on Kyle's face as he listened attentively.

“Now I feel like an asshole for making fun of that gift!”

“When did you give me a chance to talk? You teased me as soon as you saw it.”

“It was true, but....”.

“The basis of a voracious voracious herbivore is naughty. You ate all my food again. Someday I will ask Dr. Etman to pay for all the food you eat here!”

Bill, who broke down the door, shouted loudly. But his face was friendly and his tone was funny, which was very different from his harsh words.

Bill chuckles awkwardly when he sees Leyla's hat on the table. Leyla's expression, smiling at Bill, was so sweet that Kyle was almost jealous.

The man who loved Leyla Lewellin had no choice but to accept the fate of being number two in Leyla's heart. Leyla's number one forever is Uncle Bill.

Calming himself, Kyle grabbed the fork. He doesn't mind Uncle Bill's nagging. Leyla's food was delicious enough to hold Bill's rude lecture.

When Uncle Bill returns to work after lunch, only Kyle and Leyla are left in the cabin.

Leyla sat on the porch, reading as usual. Kyle looked at Leyla while pretending to read. Except when she had to put her book down to eat biscuits, Leyla was completely glued to her book.

I shouldn't have loaned you that novel.

Although very sorry, Kyle smiled.

Leyla won't know. How charming his face was when he was concentrating on his book. How beautiful she was when she chewed her biscuits with those beautiful lips.

Should I tell him today?

Kyle, who placed the book on the floor, looked at Leyla with a stern expression.

He was sure he could wait even longer, but now, he was not so confident.

Even the touch of Leyla's fingertips made her heart feel like it wanted to explode. His body was heating up because he often dreamed of guilt to her.1

Kyle was recently worried about his worries. She was afraid that someday, someone would show up to take Leyla away from her.

So wouldn't it be better to make a rash confession?

The sound of a slow horseshoe rang out from a distance as Kyle was about to open his warm lips. When Kyle turned his head towards the voice, he saw Duke Herhardt wearing a riding uniform. Leyla who was just about to bite her biscuits again was startled by the visitor.1

The Duke stopped his horse in front of the porch fence.

His gaze, which briefly passed Kyle, stopped on Leyla's face. His face was reddened by confusion.