My New Love That Isn’t Fated - Episode 27

Lilia banged on the door. It was locked from the outside and wouldn’t budge.
The realization hit her again—she was being locked in.

“Elad! What did you do to Irma!? Elad, open the door! Let me out…! Please, someone! ”
There was no answer. No sign of anyone on the other side.
Maybe Elad had told the others not to come near.

Lilia leaned her forehead gently against the door.
Yesterday and today were supposed to be part of the same life, yet it felt like she’d wandered into a completely different world.

“Irma…”

She was worried. Ever since Lilia had married into this family, Irma had been by her side.
She had always been kind. Though Lilia had a bad reputation in high society, neither Irma nor the rest of the Griez family ever spoke ill of her.
In fact, they had even shown sympathy for how Elad treated her.

It was because of people like Irma that she’d managed to hold on. Without them, her spirit might have broken long ago.

“…I’m not broken. I can’t afford to break.”

She whispered the words under her breath.
Crying alone in this room wouldn’t change anything.

“Mama, Mama, please open the door…!”
“Lilia, I’m sorry.”

The oldest memory came back to her.
Her mother.
She had tried so hard not to remember. She didn’t want to think about it.

Lilia had loved her mother and followed her everywhere.
But one day—her mother had locked her in a room. She locked the door from the outside and left her trapped inside.

She had cried and cried, terrified and confused.
When a maid finally rescued her, Lilia had collapsed by the door, too exhausted to move.

That day, her mother was gone for good.

Back then, she had been a helpless child. All she could do was cry.

But she was different now. She was an adult. She could fight back.
She would not let her father, her mother’s memory, or Elad control her anymore.

“I’m going to get out of here. I have to work at the Tenegro Library tomorrow. I can’t stay here. I won’t let anyone take that place away from me. I’ll ask Mr. Christopher if I can stay at the library for a while. As long as I have shelter from the rain and wind, I’ll manage somehow. I’m going to escape.”

She said it aloud, like she was encouraging herself, confirming what needed to be done.

Then she turned to the bed and yanked off the sheets.
She bit down on the edge of the white fabric to fray it, then tore it with all her strength.

Rip by rip, she shredded the sheet into thick strips, tying them together tightly to make a rope.
She stepped onto the bedroom balcony. The sky was cloudy and gray.
A strong wind tugged at her hair and clothes.
It felt like the cold wind was blowing away the lingering pain from the violence she had endured.

A small smile formed on Lilia’s face. There had to be freedom waiting beyond this.
She would never be controlled again. No one would decide her life for her anymore.

She tied the sheet-rope securely to the balcony railing, pulling hard to make sure it wouldn’t come loose.
The bedroom was on the second floor. The rope only reached partway down to the first floor, but if she jumped from there, she’d probably just break a bone at worst.

Even if she had to crawl, she would escape.
She had wanted to talk things out with Elad. But now she knew—they would never truly understand each other.

No matter how hard she tried, there were things that couldn’t be fixed.

“Let’s go.”

She looked down and her legs trembled.
Lilia scolded herself and grabbed onto the railing.

She clung to the sheets, slowly lowering herself off the balcony.
The wind blew hard, shaking her body as she dangled.
She held on tight, desperate not to fall.

“Go back. I don’t care if you’re royalty—you have no right to interfere in someone else’s family.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Is Lilia safe? Irma says you hit her. I’m her friend—I can’t ignore this.”

The wind carried voices from the front of the mansion.
She could hear Elad’s angry shouting as he argued with someone.

“I said go home! I know what you did! You touched my wife, didn’t you? You cheated with her! And now you show up in front of me, pretending to be noble—how dare you!”

“I told you—I’m just Lilia’s friend. Believe what you want, but nothing inappropriate happened. That’s not the point right now. Elad, let me see her. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

“What right do you have to demand that!?”

“If you won’t listen to the order of a royal, I’ll charge you with treason. Is that what you want, Elad?”

“Don’t act so high and mighty—you’re just the Seventh Prince, born from a viscount’s daughter!”

“So that’s how you really feel. Careful—those kinds of words will ruin you. Let me see Lilia.”

It was Owen’s voice.
He had come to help her. Lilia listened in shock to the calm but furious tone in his voice.

“Owen…”

He had come all this way, just out of concern.
They’d only just met. He had already saved her once yesterday.
He told her it was okay to rely on him.

But she hadn’t taken his hand. She thought she could handle it herself.

And now, she had dragged him into this too.
Even so, his voice—his presence—gave her courage.

She slid down the sheet, bit by bit.
Then the rope ended—her feet were dangling in the air.

“Lilia!”

She heard Owen’s panicked shout just as she was about to jump.

Her hands let go of the sheet.
Her body was thrown into the air—

—but it never hit the ground.

She opened her eyes in surprise.
Owen had caught her, holding her securely in his arms.