My New Love That Isn’t Fated - Episode 5

Lilia quietly delivered the whiskey bottle and cigar case to the guest room.
Without a word of thanks, Elad simply said, “Lilia, leave.”
His friends grinned, sizing up Lilia with mocking smiles.

“Poor lady.”
“You should treat her better.”
“I get that you married the daughter of the scandal-ridden Tillys family, but still… right, everyone?”
“Yeah, yeah.”

The men spoke in unison, but their words weren’t sympathetic. They were belittling Lilia, making fun of her.
And from the way they spoke, Lilia could clearly tell what Elad had been saying about her to them.

“I’ll take my leave now. Enjoy yourselves.”

Lilia bowed and left the guest room, quietly closing the door behind her.
For a brief moment, Elad looked at her with what seemed like sympathy. But perhaps that was just in Lilia’s head.
It was probably just wishful thinking, a hope she wanted to believe in.

“Seriously, no maid? Lady, you sure are possessive.”
“What a deprived household.”
“Is that all you do at night, Elad?”
“So that’s why you keep running off to Louise’s house instead of coming home.”
“Ah, seeing that poor woman’s face just depresses me.”

Lilia could hear their loud laughter from the other side of the door.
She quietly walked down the hallway and locked her room from the inside, making sure no one could enter.

Then, she collapsed onto the bed, curling up and holding her knees to her chest.
It was a habit she’d had since childhood—sleeping curled up in a small, solitary bed.

It brought her comfort, allowing her to forget everything and fall asleep without thinking too much.
But tonight, it wasn’t working.

She felt ashamed of herself for having been so happy over the bouquet.
It was pitiful to have tried to convince herself that Elad was the one destined for her.

She had wanted a family. She had wanted a peaceful happiness.

(But… such things are out of reach for me. I’m the child of a mother who ran away with a stranger, and a father who married his mistress. I was never meant to have it.)

If she gave up, it would be easier. The more she wanted, the more painful it became.
She had believed that hard work would always pay off, but now she realized that wasn’t always the case.
No matter how hard she tried, some things were simply out of her reach.

Soon, Elad would likely “purchase” Louise, the woman from the theater.
That was why he had told her it was okay to sell her dresses. The money wasn’t for new clothes for Lilia—it was for Louise’s dowry.

Many of those who worked at the theater had “circumstances.”
In Louise’s case, the fact that the word “purchase” was being used suggested she either had significant debt or had been sold to work.

Lilia didn’t know the full details, but surely some misfortune had befallen Louise.

“Men are weak against beautiful, fragile, and unfortunate women.”

Lilia remembered a friend saying that and couldn’t help but chuckle.
I’m okay… I can still laugh.

She wouldn’t burn with jealousy or struggle for things she couldn’t have.
She had considered dressing up for Elad, hoping to get his attention, but… it would be a pointless effort.

Lilia could never be like the singing diva on stage, receiving applause.
Marrying Louise would feed Elad’s pride. He would walk her through high society, and she would surely become the talk of the town.

She and Louise were starting at different places in life.
The difference between them was as vast as the sky and the earth.

“…I have to do something.”

Her voice, muttering to herself, was surprisingly calm.
I won’t be like my mother. I don’t want to be.

Lilia wasn’t yet carrying Elad’s child. She gently stroked her flat stomach.
She didn’t understand the reason why the tears fell, whether it was because she longed for a child with Elad or regretted that fleeting happy night.
Maybe she was just pitying her own misfortune. But what good would that do?

Lilia spent another restless night, and by morning, she felt the weight of her thoughts.
She took down the roses she had placed in the entrance and considered making them into a dried flower wreath.
But, no… it was better not to. The stronger her feelings for Elad became, the more she feared becoming like her mother.

Though, Lilia knew nothing about her mother.
She didn’t know why her mother had stayed with her father, or why she had left him to run off with another man.

Elad and his friends finally emerged from the guest room late in the afternoon, groaning about how much they had drunk.
It was clear they had been partying until dawn.
As they left again in a group, one of the servants quietly said to Lilia, “The young master isn’t a bad person. It’s just his friends who are a bad influence.”
Lilia didn’t share anything about yesterday with anyone.

The Grease family had always treated her kindly. If she confided in them, they might take her side.
But once a train starts moving, it won’t stop until the next station.
Elad and Lilia were on different paths now.
Elad had chosen to ride the train with Louise.

So, all Lilia could do was prepare for the moment when he would divorce her, making sure she would be ready to leave at any time.
If Elad took Louise as his mistress, Lilia couldn’t bear to live as an unloved, shadowed woman.
Returning to her father’s house after a divorce was also out of the question. There was no place for her there.

Why had she worked so hard? Why had she graduated from the Royal University?
It was probably so I could live on my own.

A few weeks later, Lilia finally came to terms with it.
Elad wasn’t coming home, and her situation wasn’t going to change.
She made up her mind to live independently, and while Elad was away, she went alone to a job placement office.
She explained her background and education to the receptionist and was offered several job opportunities.

Among them was a position as a librarian at the Tenegro Library.