I Like Another Man, Not the Male Lead - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 26

Knight Order Quarters.

Heyson couldn’t fall asleep until late into the night. Heyson stood with his pale face pressed against the window.

“Damn it….”

The curse he muttered under his breath echoed through the room.

His conversation with Caesar kept circling endlessly in his head. That damned prince’s cold and sharp gaze still seemed to send chills down his spine. Heyson continuously muttered curses under his breath.

The Empress was planning to use him to tear away House Regfield and then abandon even Heyson? That he was just a chess piece? But what made him even more anxious than that was Caesar’s gaze.

‘Even if you join hands with Mother to scheme, and even if it succeeds, I’m the one who will seize power.’

The contemptuous look that followed those words. And the sense of rejection. He had been trying to catch multiple rabbits with one hand and was about to lose even what he had already caught.

Heyson picked up the wine glass on the table and emptied it in one gulp. The bitter taste flowed down his throat.

The beginning of this relationship had been simple. It started with the Imperial Consort’s suggestion, and Heyson had also calculated the benefits he would gain. But it didn’t end there. Reina was a sparkling person.

The time he spent with her came to mind one by one. Walks in the garden, opera viewing, conversations at the tea house. Time when they could laugh together.

“Ha… What meaning does it have now.”

Heyson roughly ran his hand through his hair.

He had to end this matter as carefully as possible. If his relationship with House Regfield went wrong, his position in high society would also be shaken.

‘It’s all because of Caesar.’

Suddenly the arrow of anger turned toward Caesar.

Yes, if Caesar had properly accepted Reina’s heart from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened. If Reina hadn’t given up on Caesar, there would have been no room for him to intervene.

All sorts of thoughts rushed into his head, left traces, and flowed out. In the midst of this, a good idea occurred to him.

“No… wait.”

Heyson’s eyes flashed.

What if he could package all of this differently?

What if he framed it as Reina playing both sides between him and Caesar? What if she met with him while unable to completely give up on Caesar, and still harbored lingering feelings for Caesar?

He would frame it that way and just in case, spread rumors around as well.

Heyson’s eyes gleamed despicably.

Everyone knew about Reina’s stalking history. The fact that she had followed Caesar around for 8 years was an open secret, and if he used that….

“I become the victim.”

It would be even better if he fabricated that Reina had approached Heyson as well. The Reina he had met so far had a bright and gentle disposition. If he intimidated her, she would be too scared to argue back. What could a fragile woman do?

Heyson rubbed his chin with his hand. He buried any trace of fondness or guilt toward Reina deep in his heart.

Viviana Imperial Consort always valued results. She considered achieving objectives by any means necessary a virtue. If he completely buried Reina’s reputation in the ground, she would consider that an achievement as well.

A woman with such a dirty reputation would never become Crown Princess. It was important to spread the story well around. That Reina seemed unable to forget Caesar even while meeting with him, that she sometimes brought up Caesar in conversation.

“High society is smaller than you think.”

Rumors would spread quickly. Especially people who knew about Reina’s past actions would easily believe it. Rather than a woman who stalked Caesar for 8 years suddenly changing her heart, it would sound more plausible that she still harbored lingering feelings.

“Rochester is a problem though….”

Reina’s brother, Rochester Regfield. He definitely wouldn’t stay still. But he couldn’t stop rumors that had already spread. The more violently Rochester reacted, the more credibility the rumors would gain instead.

Heyson poured and drank wine again. As the alcohol spread through his blood vessels, his blood grew warm.

Every plan was perfect. He would put the plan into action starting tomorrow. First, he would naturally bring up the topic during drinks with his fellow knights. After that, he could notify Reina of their breakup.

Heyson licked his dry lips with his tongue.

He could escape perfectly from this quagmire. That’s what he thought. Until Reina came looking for him the next day.

＊ ＊ ＊

Meeting Heyson while avoiding Rochester wasn’t such an easy task. If he found out I was meeting with Heyson, he might drop everything and follow me around with a packed lunch box to stop me. Really, he’s no help at all with my romantic endeavors.

So this time too, I had to park the carriage in front of the Knight Order with a 007 mindset and wait for Heyson to come out. Standing in a blind spot where I couldn’t be seen from the Knight Order building.

Even getting the message across wasn’t easy. I had to give an errand boy working at the Knight Order three times his usual pay before I could get his promise that it would be ‘a secret from Rochester Regfield even if the sky split in two.’

My legs trembled with anxiety. Ha, I hope I don’t get caught. Every time the Knight Order door opened and closed, my heart would sink thinking Rochester might come out, then I’d feel relieved, repeating this cycle. This was the first time doing this since Heyson had always come to meet me while avoiding Rochester until now.

How long had I waited? Ah, he’s coming out.

“Heyson!”

I opened the carriage door and waved frantically toward Heyson.

Heyson seemed to recognize me and hesitated. Normally, Heyson would have smiled brightly and run toward me. But Heyson approached me with a coldly hardened face. I could feel it from his expression. Something had happened between us that had been fine until now. My expression slowly hardened too.

“Lady Regfield.”

“…Heyson?”

“Coming to find me like this is troublesome. As I’ve told you, I want to establish myself in the Knight Order. It would be really difficult if Rochester Regfield took a dislike to me. You know how great Rochester Regfield’s influence is, don’t you, Young Lady.”

“I understand that. But I have something to ask…”

Heyson seemed to have sold off his manners as he cut off my words and only said what he wanted to say.

“And from now on. I’d prefer if you never came looking for me like this again.”

Heyson’s eyes looking at me were cold. It was a gaze that had never been directed at me before.

“Heyson, is something wrong?”

“…Ha. Really, making a fool of someone should have limits too.”

“What? Say it so I can understand. What does that mean?”

“…I was sincere toward you, but apparently you weren’t. Isn’t that too much? Having that kind of relationship with Caesar Prince… was I just a toy to you?”

Wait a minute. Why is Caesar coming up here?

My brow furrowed sharply. I shot back coldly at Heyson who was saying incomprehensible things.

“What kind of relationship do Caesar Prince and I have?”

“Doesn’t Young Lady know that better than I do? Thanks to that, I almost got into trouble alone! Trying to ruin someone’s life.”

Me ruining someone’s life? What am I supposed to know?

If there was a misunderstanding, I was going to clear it up. Unnecessary misunderstandings can ruin many people’s lives as that bastard said. But you’re out, you bastard. I don’t know where you heard what, but pushing me around so rudely without even checking with the person involved? Does having a loud voice and talking fast solve everything? He’s absolutely not giving me a chance to speak.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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