My New Love That Isn’t Fated - Episode 43

Two weeks had passed since Lilia began living with Owen.
Then, a letter arrived from her father summoning her. It read: “A letter of protest has arrived from the Griez family. Explain yourself.”

Lilia insisted on going alone, but Owen said, “I can’t let you go by yourself,” and decided to accompany her to the Tillys estate.

Her father spent half the year in the capital for business and the rest traveling by ship or staying in other countries. He was rarely home.
In his absence, Lilia’s younger brother Asbel had recently taken over managing the territory. He was currently studying to take over the family’s business.
He was nineteen, just a year younger than Lilia, and would be turning twenty that year.

After taking the cross-country train and traveling a few more hours by carriage, they reached their destination.
What once took several days could now be done in just a few hours.
As they neared her childhood home, Lilia grew increasingly tense. Owen held her hand the entire time.

“Let’s eat something after this. Something tasty. The Tillys territory is known for trade, right? I bet they have all sorts of interesting food.”
“Yes. Recently, fried mackerel sandwiches have become very popular.”
“Fish in bread? That’s unusual. I definitely want to try it.”

Owen’s cheerful voice made Lilia relax a little.
Feeling reassured by his presence, she opened the door to the family home—where she had only returned once since marrying Elad—and was quickly greeted by her younger brother Asbel, who ran over to her.

“Welcome back, Sis! I’ve missed you.”
“Asbel, I’m home. You look well.”
“…Why is Prince Owen with you?”

Asbel, who resembled their father, cast a suspicious look at Owen.

“I’ll explain later,” Lilia said.
“Nice to meet you, little brother. I’m Owen—Lilia’s boyfriend.”
“B-boyfriend!?”

Asbel shouted in surprise, and the nearby servants watching from a distance began to whisper among themselves.
Lilia decided to go greet her father first and took Owen with her to the study.

She knew she should have explained everything when she divorced Elad.
But at the time, she hadn’t felt like it. She hadn’t even wanted to send a letter.

Because Lilia—was angry with her father.
Much like Princess Ayril’s defiance against her own father, Lilia had spent years being obedient, only to find herself now filled with resentment.

“Father, it’s been a while,” she said.
“‘Been a while’? I hear you divorced Elad. Because of your infidelity, apparently. He’s asking for compensation.”

In the study sat her father and stepmother.
Her father, seated at his desk as usual, scowled at her.
Her stepmother, fidgety and avoiding eye contact, gave Lilia a vague, uncertain smile.
She always acted like she was the victim whenever she saw Lilia.

“I’ve heard the man you cheated with is Prince Owen. What were you thinking, Your Highness? Pursuing a married Marquis’s wife like that. I suppose that kind of disgraceful behavior runs in the bl00d of your minor noble house, barking from the corner of the Senate like some stray pup.”

Lilia glared at her father, who hadn’t even asked for her side of the story and was now insulting Owen.
She could endure attacks on herself—but not Owen. That was unacceptable.
The shame of being connected to such a person by bl00d, combined with years of loneliness, fear, pain, and grief, built up inside her, flaring into a spark of rage.
Before Owen could say anything, she spoke.

“Father, I have done nothing to be ashamed of. I… I endured my husband’s cheating, just like my mother did. I endured a loveless marriage because I thought that was my role. I wanted someone to recognize me. I wanted you to recognize me as family.”

She hated her father.
But at the same time, she had clung to the idea that he was family because they shared bl00d.
If he acknowledged her, maybe she could feel like she had value.

But now, she saw things differently.
When she climbed out that window to escape Elad, she saw freedom waiting outside.
And Owen was there too. Owen, Irma, and everyone at Tenegro Library had treated her like a real person.
Even if her family never loved her, even if her mother abandoned her—Lilia had a place where she truly belonged.

Her worth would be decided by herself.

“My mother left because she couldn’t bear your infidelity. After she was gone, I did everything I could to earn your approval. I acted the way I thought you wanted, because I was scared. I thought if I wasn’t perfect, if I wasn’t obedient, I’d be abandoned too.”

Her stepmother turned pale and started trembling.
Like a criminal confronted with her guilt—which she was.
No matter how kind or capable she may have been, to Lilia, she was still the one who tore her family apart.
Lilia hated her.

“I didn’t want to end up like my mother. That’s why I asked for a divorce. It’s true that Owen helped me, but we weren’t romantically involved at the time. I’m free now. I can date whoever I want, and no one has the right to stop me.”
“Lilia! How dare you say such things! Have you forgotten everything I did for you!?”
“I’ve repaid that debt a long time ago. I endured years under your roof. You didn’t raise me—I let you raise me. It gave you a chance to vent your anger over Mother’s departure on me. I’m sure you enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

Her stepmother was crying and shaking.
Lilia’s calm but cutting words were clearly hurting her.

But that was fine.
Lilia didn’t need their approval anymore. She didn’t care if they hated her.
They didn’t have to be family anymore.

She was an adult now—and more than capable of living on her own.

“Earl Tillys. Forgive me for not greeting you sooner,” Owen said. “I’ve heard much about you from Lilia, none of it inspiring respect. So I kept my distance.”

“W-what insolence…!”
“Insolence? You insulted us first without even listening. Maybe you’ve forgotten, but I am the king’s brother. I chose to stay out of politics, but if needed to protect Lilia, I have no problem reclaiming a title.”

Owen placed a hand on Lilia’s shoulder. As if to say “Well done,” he pulled her into his arm and shielded her.

“Titles are just decorations. They’ll be worthless in the future. Too many fools still cling to them.”
“Did you just call me a fool…?”
“You may be good at business, but you’re a poor judge of people. If you’d tried to get along with me, you could’ve gained a connection to the royal family. Instead, you married Lilia off to Elad, hoping for more power. But Elad is incompetent, and now I know you’re a fool too. How pathetic.”

“You dare mock me, Owen?”
“Have you forgotten I’m royalty? A count has no right to speak to me like this. If money’s what you want, I’ll pay. How much did it cost to raise Lilia? I’ll cover it all. In return, you will never contact her again.”

Owen’s words made her father’s face turn bright red.
Just as he was about to shout, Asbel burst into the room.

“Father, that’s enough! You don’t understand anything. Even when Sister was in such a painful position, she was always kind to me and our little sister. You and Mother were always away working, but Sister stayed with us, cared for us, and loved us. And all you did was blame her. You never once thought about how she felt.”

“Asbel…”
“Your Highness, please take care of my sister. I’ll handle our father. …I’m sorry, Sister. I really wanted to be the one to protect you.”
“…Thank you. I never liked Father or Stepmother. But you and our little sister—I still think of you as family.”

Then Owen said, “We’ll be leaving now,” and led Lilia out of the room.

Almost as if to say he wanted to get her away from the Tillys house as fast as possible, he picked her up partway and carried her.
He seemed even angrier than Lilia.