I examined Vincent, who was leaning against the door. I could feel the trembling as he repeatedly knocked on the door, but he didn't budge.
The moment Violet's panicked voice made his face turn bright red, he tried to run out of the parlor. But as he got up, he kneed the sofa and, trying to walk as if nothing had happened, bumped his face into the wall. That's when his nose started bleeding. However, he ignored it and turned around, only to bump his waist into a nearby cabinet. After the decorations on top fell and shattered, he finally managed to leave the parlor. I then led him to his room as promised, holding his hand.
As soon as we entered the room, he locked the door. Even though Violet, who had followed, knocked on the door, he didn't open it. I squatted in front of him, unable to do anything. The coldness of his hand, which I still held, gave me a faint sense of his feelings.
"Vincent! Vincent!"
Violet called out for him, her voice hoarse. I had seen a similar situation before, and just like then, he wouldn't open the door.
"Master, Miss Violet keeps calling you."
"......I know."
"Shouldn't you open the door?"
He shook his head.
"Even practicing was useless. Pretending to see when you're blind is wrong. That's why it ended up like this. It was the predetermined conclusion. It's over now. It's all over......"
"Vincent! Open the door! Please!"
His voice, filled with despair, was drowned out by Violet's calls. I was at a loss for what to say to him.
A moment later, footsteps approached. It was Ethan, I thought. I could hear him trying to calm Violet down. Soon, their footsteps faded away.
Silence descended. Even though the two had left, Vincent still had his head bowed. I moved my face around to check on him and gently lifted his cheeks. His face, now pale with shame, was filled with despair, and his nose was stained with blood. He hadn't even had the chance to properly wipe it.
I let go of his hand, stood up, and headed to the bathroom. I took a clean towel, soaked it in water, and returned to gently wipe the blood from his face.
"It's not over yet... It can't be broken yet..."
"Miss Violet will understand."
"It's not over yet, it has to be."
What did he mean? I tilted my head. He didn't say anything more. The room was filled with a heavy silence.
As I was leaving after putting him to bed, I met Ethan. His face, twisted with a bitter smile, was filled with fatigue.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing, Miss? It's not your fault."
Still, it was true that my words had caused this mess. This must be why Lady Isabella always told me to be careful with my words. The moment that couldn't be undone left a lingering regret.
"Everything will be fine."
He patted my shoulder. His usual light-hearted attitude somehow provided comfort.
The next day, the mansion was quiet. Ethan was nowhere to be seen, and Violet, who had been knocking on the door the previous night, didn't come. I thought she would come back, but it seemed Ethan had calmed her down.
I tidied up the room as usual and checked on him. He had been eating well recently and had been walking around, so his strength seemed to have returned. He hadn't had any seizures. But I alone knew that he had been plagued by nightmares all night.
After handing over the laundry to Renika and receiving fresh clothes, someone called out to me.
"Pola."
It was Violet.
Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying all night.
"How is Vincent? Is he still very angry?"
"You misunderstand. Master isn't angry."
"That's a relief."
She smiled weakly. Her slumped shoulders were pitiful.
"I heard from Ethan. Pola, you knew too, right?"
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, don't apologize, Pola."
She waved her hand. But her pale complexion suggested she wasn't feeling well. She must have pushed herself by knocking on the door and calling out to him all night. I was worried she might collapse. I took off my apron, placed it in a nearby shaded spot, and had her sit on it. Then I sat down next to her.
"You should rest here for a while."
"Thank you."
Violet forced a smile. Leaning her head against the wall, a breeze blew, cooling her.
"Pola, can you listen to me for a moment?"
"Yes, go ahead."
She slowly moved her lips.
"I was a very inadequate fiancée from a young age. I hated the manners and etiquette that a lady should learn. I was a tomboy. I preferred running around with my long skirt lifted up to sitting still."
She laughed happily, lost in old memories. The sadness momentarily lifted.
"So I got scolded a lot by my mother. She said a lady shouldn't act like that, and no man would like me if I did. Every time I got scolded, Vincent would comfort me. He said he liked my honest charm, that it was better to adjust to each other than to sacrifice for someone else."
That annoying master saying such nice things? I couldn't quite imagine it. I couldn't help but give a doubtful look. Fortunately, she was lost in her warm memories and didn't notice my gaze.
"I liked that Vincent. I wanted to be with him, who saw my inner self, not just my appearance. So when my engagement to Vincent was decided when I was young, I was secretly happy. I could spend my life with him."
"......"
"Even if he treated me like a friend or family, I didn't mind. I would love him, my husband, with all my heart. I would be by his side, even if everyone else turned their back on him. I made that promise."
Her determined voice revealed her conviction. Her face, lifted firmly, showed no hesitation. She was beautiful as she whispered her love. A woman expressing her love was admirable. Just watching her made me feel as if I could fall in love too.
"So... I thought I could accept him no matter what... But, Pola, when I found out about Vincent's true condition, I had a moment of resentment."
The light faded, and darkness descended again. She laughed as if crying, her shoulders slumped.
"I'm such a terrible person. If I had been more perceptive, I would have noticed Vincent's suffering. I was so happy to see him that I didn't realize he was struggling. It must have been hard for him to see me. He must have been scared... I didn't even realize that, and I just threw tantrums because he wouldn't see me. I don't deserve to be his wife."
"That's not true."
"If I were a good wife, I wouldn't have been surprised by his condition. I should have calmly embraced him, told him it was okay, and whispered that I still loved him."
I shook my head. It wasn't a matter of right or wrong. Her reaction was natural, and even I, who was inexperienced, knew that. And Vincent knew it too.
"Miss Violet, if I may, I don't think this is a matter of blame. How could you have known about the secret Master and Mr. Christopher kept? If you had known and pretended not to, that would have been kind, but it's not something to be blamed for. And I think your reaction was natural."
"Really?"
"Of course. Honestly, it would be more surprising if you had noticed their deliberate hiding. From what I observed, they were very meticulous in their concealment. If I hadn't known about Master's condition, I wouldn't have noticed either."
I shook my head and added that they even practiced, which made her laugh. When she asked what they practiced, I told her they practiced walking, lifting teacups, and having conversations, which made her smile sadly, saying they must have worked hard.
I tried to dispel her sadness.
"What I want to say is, Miss Violet, you don't need to blame yourself. Honestly, it's worse to hide things from the person you will marry. So it's okay to throw tantrums. As I said before, sometimes ignoring the other person's feelings can lead to good results."
"Really? Will it lead to good results?"
I nodded firmly. Of course, not all outcomes would be good, but now they needed a chance to face each other. And this was that chance. If it was for the other person, the effort would surely lead to good results.
"Do what you want, Miss Violet."
"Do what I want..."
She whispered softly and looked up at the sky. Her violet eyes sparkled. Her face, which had been stiff with thought, now showed a determined smile.
"Yes. I'll throw more tantrums. Even if they call me greedy, I'll do it. If that's what it takes to see Vincent, I'll do it. I want to be by his side."
She turned to me with a bright face. Her fine hair fluttered in the wind.
"Pola, cheer for me."
Her determined eyes sparkled. No, she herself was dazzling. I couldn't look away from Violet, who was ready to burn with love. She was beautiful, but her determination to face her partner without giving up was even more beautiful.
Would I be like that if I loved someone? I smiled bitterly. Such a person would never come into my life.