My New Love That Isn’t Fated - Episode 19

Elad didn’t come back.

Feeling a small sense of relief at that, Lilia went with Irma and the others to the open-air market, selling their usual small goods.
The apricot jam made from the fruit growing on the garden trees, along with the scones baked with the help of the cooks, sold very well that day.

“Oh, I’m glad! I thought the shop would already be closed,”
said a young woman, her face hidden under a sunhat, as she approached Lilia, who was just about to close up.

The handkerchiefs and small bags were already sold out.
All that was left was one jar of apricot jam.

“I’m sorry, but this is all that’s left,” Lilia said.
“Then I’ll take it,” the woman replied.
“Of course.”

Lilia handed her the jar of apricot jam.
The woman pushed aside the veil of her hat, revealing her face.

Lilia gasped.
It was the same beautiful face she had seen yesterday, in the rain.

“Are you… Louise?” Lilia asked.
“You know me?” the woman replied.
“Y-yes…”

Not knowing how else to answer, Lilia simply nodded.
Wasn’t Louise supposed to be with Elad today?
Why had she come here? Surely, it wasn’t just to buy a jar of jam.

“You’re Lilia, right? Elad’s wife,” Louise said.
“Yes, I am… but, is there something you need?”

Lilia knew about Louise’s relationship with Elad, but this wasn’t something that should be spoken of in front of the sacred church.
As Lilia struggled to find the right words, Louise looked at her with teary, pleading eyes.

“Lilia, please. Let Elad go. He always says he never wanted to marry you. That he wants to marry me, but he can’t save me because you control all the money,” Louise said.

“Save you… from what?” Lilia asked.

“I wasn’t born lucky like you, Lilia,” Louise said sadly. “I don’t even know who my father is. My mother died, leaving me all alone.
When I was little, I couldn’t even afford a tiny jar of jam like this.”

People in the square in front of the church began to notice and stare.
Irma and the maids looked worried and tried to shield Lilia, but she reassured them and stood her ground, facing Louise, who spoke as if she were performing on stage.

“But,” Louise continued, “I was beautiful. That’s why I was taken in and raised. The manager of the Royal Capital Theater took me in and told me I needed to pay back the cost of raising me.
But two million Fabrice… no matter how hard I work, I could never repay that.”

Tears fell from Louise’s eyes.
Lilia thought about her situation. She must have lived a very harsh life.
Even if she stood on stage receiving applause, she wasn’t truly free. Her life was still controlled by someone else.

“Elad promised to save me,” Louise said. “He said he’d free me from this cage.
But he can’t because you’re in the way.
Lilia, please, give up on him. He loves me!”

“How dare you speak so rudely to Lady Lilia! A commoner addressing her so casually!”
Unable to hold back, Irma shouted.

Lilia quickly grabbed Irma’s arm and shook her head gently.

“Irma, it’s okay.
This is my problem.
I’ll handle it,” Lilia said.

“But, madam!”
“It’s alright. I want to talk to her.”

Lilia placed her hand on her chest and took a deep breath.

Two million Fabrice… it was an unimaginable amount of money for a commoner.
It was clear that those controlling Louise never intended to let her go.

It was no wonder she clung desperately to someone.

Lilia had also once placed her hopes in Elad.
She had foolishly thought he might be her destiny, that she might find happiness.

“Louise, I understand how you feel.
But I’m not holding Elad back. I never intended to.”

“Lies!” Louise shouted.

“It’s not a lie.
I’ve always known that Elad doesn’t love me.
But marriage is a duty.
I’m just doing the work that’s been given to me. That’s all,” Lilia said quietly.

“Liar!
You’re keeping him trapped!
You have everything, and yet…!”

Everything?

What did she have?
Lilia had nothing.
No home, no love, not even money she could freely use.

That’s why she was trying so hard to build something —
Working at the library, opening the rain-shelter café at night, selling at the open-air market.
Bit by bit, she was trying to create a life she could love, so that anger and sadness wouldn’t consume her.

But really──
She had nothing.
Nothing at all.

Her mother had abandoned her.
Her father never loved her.
Elad hated her.

“Let Elad go!”
Screaming in anger, Louise hurled the jar of apricot jam at Lilia.

Lost in her own emptiness, Lilia didn’t react in time.
The jar flew straight at her face──

──Only to be caught right before it hit her.

“Are you alright, Lilia?”
It was Owen.

“Uncle, that was amazing!”
A cheerful girl jumped out from the crowd, clapping her hands happily.

“How awful! Throwing a glass jar!
Daddy, scold her!”
“Didn’t I tell you to stay quiet?”
“You can’t throw things! And besides, cheating is wrong!”
“Keep your voice down, will you…”

Following the girl, a well-dressed man with a magnificent beard appeared.
He walked over with the girl and politely placed a hand over his chest in greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Lilia.
I’ve heard a lot about you from Christopher and Owen.
I’m Harvey, and this is my daughter, Narvira.”

“Y-Your Majesty!”
Lilia gasped.

Harvey quickly put a finger to his lips.
But it was too late.
Everyone around had heard.

The open-air market buzzed with whispers.

Harvey shrugged and looked around at the people.

“I came today to check on the open-air market I proposed.
I’m glad to see it thriving.
Until now, business was controlled by just a few merchants.
I want to open the gates to everyone.
If you have any ideas, please drop them in the Citizens’ Hall suggestion box,” he said.

Everyone respectfully bowed to him.

Then Harvey added, smiling,
“I’m here unofficially today.
Please don’t make a big fuss about it.”

At that, the people bowed once more and gradually dispersed.

Louise, looking frustrated, turned and fled.

Irma and the maids made shooing gestures at her retreating back, as if chasing away a stray animal.