Summer Is For Falling In Love
10. Woe

Esther has gone through her days with a heavy heart without a single letter from the man she loves. Because he did not get a letter, Esther sent a letter, but in the end there was no reply coming.

Esther can only wait, every second, though she recited her prayers and tried to be addressed, there is never any reciprocity that the woman should be able to. Not giving up, Esther again waited, while continuing the script of her next novel.

Unperceived, a month passed, Esther's wait seemed to end when the letter with the Floral family crest on the letter stamp, now arrived on her lentic fingers. With a thumping feeling and a smile splashing across her lips, Esther read the contents of the letter.

The letter contained a party invitation for the coronation of the new Duke Floral.

Esther pressed the letter to her chest. "Congratulations, Holland."

On the letter, Esther asks Hanah to prepare the best party dress to meet the lover. Esther felt very enthusiastic, and excited. His mind was in a mess over a booming, broken, but pleasant emotion. The leafan on his chest could not lie, that the idea of meeting the lover was a real happiness.

***

The expected day has arrived. Esther got off the horse-drawn carriage of the Descartez family, followed by her parents. Meanwhile, his four younger siblings still have not made their debut until they have to settle in the residence instead of attending a party.

"Esther, you're so excited" the Baroness commented as she flashed a smile.

"True your mother." Baron Descartez patted Esther's head briefly. "Do you have a boyfriend you're going to meet now, hm?"

Esther just chuckled a little. "Secret."

"Why play secrets, honey? Tell Mom, will you?"

"Mom will know later." Esther still hasn't told her family about Holland. He kept it a secret to surprise his parents.

Esther's parents give up on her daughter's secret. They also started entering the party room.

The party room in the Floral residence could be said to be majestic. His residence was not a class of Descartez who was almost poor. Compared to Descartez, Floral showed their power as the Floral Duke.

Esther had never visited Floral before, so upon entering the elegant party room, Esther was stunned. His luxury is so obvious. On its walls carved in gold, portraits and rare expensive paintings from auctions, lavish decorations, dance floors made of the finest marble in the entire kingdom, to its glamorous people. The clothes worn must be made of famous boutiques or the price is expensive.

"Actually, I was a little strange when I received an invitation from Floral" Baron Descartez said.

The wife nodded. "Isn't our family not very famous? We'd be almost bankrupt if it wasn't for you, Esther. However, still, even if your name is known, you are only known as a writer, not as a noble."

"Instead this is Duke Floral's coronation party. You know for yourself no, that the Floral military power dominates the Teratia Kingdom, even its power is almost the same as the royal family."

Esther smiled gently. I, huh? Apparently, the lover has such a strong power. Esther would not want to question her value.

Esther is a famous writer. However, according to what her mother said, Esther is not known as a noble, but a writer.

His noble family nearly fell, it left their self-esteem smeared. Esther felt that if she was meant for Holland, it felt like Esther would not be worthy enough to stand next to her lover. After all, the feeling of both was only formed from the seven days at the end of summer. Esther hesitates, but the feeling in her chest has repeatedly convinced Esther. Although the statement of love seemed rushed, the feeling that had slipped on his chest was real, it was inexhaustible even though Holland did not stay by his side, but rather bloomed.

However, Esther believes in Holland, that he loves Esther. As long as there is a Holland who will love and support him, Esther will ignore all his shortcomings.

Esther will reply to her parents' conversation before Holland's name is finally announced, leaving her open lips clenched again.

"Mr Duke Holland Floral and his partner, Miss Olivia Riquetti, entered the room."

Right after that, the double door, which was covered in gold carvings, opened. Showing couples who are holding each other. Both expressions are so bright. The woman, Olivia Riquetti, even looked at Holland with a loving smile. Holland too, his highlight, known as the colossal man, is now softening.

The entire royals pulled over to the right and left sides as Holland and Olivia stepped in together.

Inevitably, whispers began to spread. Starting from the assessment of whether the two partners are so harmonious to the political side. Some nobles agreed to the union of the two Duke families, some cons because they felt that the union of the two Duke families, would only benefit the two more.

"Well! Master Duke is so gentle only to Miss Olivia!"

"Look, don't you think, how did Mr Holland look at Miss Olivia? So beautiful, it was as if Master Duke had been taken captive!"

Unlike the nobles around him who shared words with the persuasions, Esther did not feel that way. Just as Holland's name was announced with his partner, Esther's heartbeat seemed to stop beating, the pain began to infiltrate her body, her breathing choked, her body began to stagger slowly. Both of his visions began to heat up, it did not take long until his vision blurred.

Tears trickled down just as Holland passed through Esther's body. The pair of red beads that were supposed to be storing warmth for Esther, had completely vanished, there was only frost there.

Esther's body shook. He hugged both arms, holding himself back so that his body did not fall.

Again, his mind rewired how Holland's cold streak swept across him, then ignored him. As if, the lover never knew him, never shared a moment, never shared a story, never shared a statement of love, nor a kiss. Holland is almost foreign, even Esther can not guess why Holland was cruel to her.

Was it because the seven days that passed were a lie? Is Holland's love for her a ruse? Was the seven days they shared, apparently not so valuable to the man, that it was easy to throw away?

Is it because Esther is just the daughter of a baron who is on the verge of bankruptcy? Meanwhile, Holland was a Floral Duke?

"Esther?" His mother's voice faded, even the noise of the nobles no longer entered his sense of hearing. There was only a loud buzz in his ears along with loud tears.

"Esther, what's up, son?" Baron Descartez pulls Esther's arm, helping her daughter to stand upright.

Esther's gaze swayed, twitched, her head was dizzy, the pulse in her pulse was weakening. Is this how it feels to be heartbroken?

Esther has written alphabetically in her novels about heartbreak, describing it in great detail, how it feels, how much it hurts, how painful it is, and how broken a heart wound will not be that easy to heal. However, only this time Esther felt it directly, and this feeling was so nauseating, hurting her heart, ripping Esther apart, even destroying her.

The party room was silent as Holland stood on the podium.

Right after, Esther, who had been devastated, felt her consciousness eroded. His vision darkened, the happy cheers of the nobles faded, and his body fell down.

***

When Esther opened her eyes, the chandelier up there looked foreign. This room was so foreign to Esther, but the one existence sitting beside her bed had certainly dominated her mind.

Esther straightened her body.

"Esth—" Holland's sentence was cut by a loud slap.

"Fuck," maki Esther. The palm used to slap the lover shook violently, both eyes were heated and red, the lips were bitten strongly, and the body temperature was cold.

"Esther, listen to me" said Holland, ignoring the pain in his cheek, then reaching for the lover's fingers.

Esther brushed off Holland's hand. "Take me off! What are you here for?! Just meet your fiance!"

"Esther, no, I'll explain everything. Please—"

"I don't want to listen to anything!" esther shouted, her voice echoing in the room. All of a sudden, the tears that Esther had been enduring desperately began to trickle down, drenching her cheeks so profusely. The issue became, his chest felt tight and throbbing, his body was squeezing.

"Esthers." Holland was unable to see such a miserable sight. His chest felt tight, his vision heated up. Holland held Esther in a hug. Although Esther rebelled, cursed, and snapped, Holland kept a tight hug, occasionally peeping at the top of the lover's head.

"Esther, honey, I'm sorry."

"I don't want to hear it!" Esther covered both her ears in despair. His cry never subsided, his chest was claustrophobic with the seeping pain, even the tremors in his body could no longer be hidden.

"It's okay, there's no need to listen to my explanation." Holland stroked Esther's head fondly. "Only, all I love is you, Esther. Not Olivia, I just love you."

"Liar." Esther lost the energy to yell, until only a soft mutter escaped her paled lips. The natural pink essence on his lips vanished, even Holland felt his heart creak.

What the hell has he done? thought Holland. How could he hurt his lover? How could she make her lover become like this? Holland feels himself to be so evil, an evil person, an antagonist controlled by the ego of others and unable to fight back.

"I'm not lying" Holland replied calmly. "If I were lying, I wouldn't be next to you right now, Esther."

"Then, why is there no news from you at all? Why leave me in such an unnecessary unrest? I've been patient." Esther's sentence was cut off because of her stuffing, her breath was also choked. "However, you never came, never informed. I'm afraid you're running, I'm afraid you're just tricking me."

"I'm sorry for making you feel this way, Esther." Holland kissed Esther. He cupped her next to Esther's cheek, while her right hand did not leave Esther's waist to cling.

Holland's thumb stroked Esther's cheek, wiping away the dripping tears. Now, Holland can see the golden lantern again in a pair of Esther beads. Only, a feeling of guilt started attacking him. Esther's golden lantern lost its light. How bad it was until the dazzling light vanished from both eyes.

Holland approached, with pale lips of his beloved. Esther did not rebel, but did not retaliate.

Holland's body feels cold. He was unable to stare at the pair of lanterns that had lost their light. He was unable to look into Esther's chest, that the shards in her heart were so obvious, that the lover's feelings had been so shattered.

"You're the worst, Holland," Esther murmured after a kiss. "You were the first person to make me fall in love, but you were also the first to break my heart."

"Yes, Esther. I'm a bad person, but believe me, I just love you. I just love Esther, not the others."

Esther wants to yell at Holland once more, that she's been lying. Just love her? Esther wants to laugh. Then, why did the cold look in the party room sweep him over? Shaking chest? Destroying his feelings to pieces?

"Then, why Miss Olivia Riquetti? Is it because I'm just the Baron's daughter and she's the Duke's daughter?"

Holland shook his head, stroking the lover's jet-red hair. "It's not so, Esther. I don't see you for your social status."

"Then?"

"This .. political marriage. You know, Esther, for nobles, they always marry without a foundation of love. And I was destined to go through this marriage. As a young duke who has just been crowned, I do not have a strong influence to defend this title. Therefore, Riquetti will give me influence."

"Destined?" Esther pulled her hair in frustration. "If you are destined to marry Riquetti, then why should you come to my life and destroy me?!"

Holland's pupils are vibrating. "T-No, Esther. A-I—"

"Don't reason, Holland! You already knew that you were destined to marry Miss Olivia, but you still came to me. Wh why? Why, Holland?! If I don't see you, then I'll still be fine!"

"Esther, Honey." Holland grabbed Esther's fingers pulling her own hair, dipping them in love. "Esther, please, give me some time. Once I get married and have the power to defend this Duke title, I'll divorce Olivia and come back to you. I swear, Esther."

Esther is back. "How long does it take until that time comes? Two years? Five years?" Esther looked up, looking at Holland through a golden bead that had lost its essence, and dripping a deep pang of pain from a pair of petals. "How long do I have to suffer, Holland? How long do I have to be patient until you get back to me? I won't be strong, I won't be that strong."

"Esthers." Seeing the lover shed his tears, Holland's gaze also blurred over the clumping tears. Esther is drawn in a sad embrace. "I'm sorry, Esther. I'm sorry."

Esther sobbed, so did Holland. Both of them were injured until the word expressed was swallowed back. The wounds that both suffer are too severe that a phrase will not be able to eliminate a suffering.

...***...

How about in this chapter? nice isn't?

July 2nd, 2023