Don’t Trample on Innocent Love

Ophelia popped the neatly cut pieces of steak into her mouth, speaking casually in an attempt to appear disinterested.

“Wouldn’t it be better to ask her Highness to lend you a servant??”

Of course, there was a brief moment when she suspected that he was lying on purpose. No matter how much of an asshole Robern was, it didn’t make sense that the employees hated their employer that much. Even the fact that Robern kept them employed despite not firing them was strange, but Ophelia admitted that her suspicion was excessive. 

The Robern she knew was not the kind of man who would lie just to get a bite of steak from Ophelia. Truly, it was a most unlikely occurrence.

“Ah, my attendants are all quite busy.”

At Grace’s words, a few quick-witted attendants feigned obliviousness.

Hugo, who had been observing the two, suddenly took away Robern’s meal. Robern, who had been aiming at Ophelia, raised his eyebrows in a puzzled manner at the errant arrow.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Since you haven’t had a chance to eat, I’ll cut it up for you to enjoy.”

The words “I don’t need that” rose to the tip of his tongue, but Robern instead gulped down water. The oblivious Ophelia was looking at Hugo with what seemed like admiration.

‘Ugh. Doesn’t she even care that the man she likes can’t even eat his own meal?

Geez, this is just ridiculous…’

“Oh my, it seems our businessman is quite caring. To think he would even take care of a meal for the man his fiancée has been crushing on for three years.”

Robern’s bombshell statement froze the surroundings.

‘Why on earth is he saying that?’

Ophelia let out a silent gasp. Of course, there was no issue. Hugo already knew that fact, and their relationship was based on a contract. But Robern’s words, as if he was boasting, “Your woman was once infatuated with me,” left Ophelia feeling confused.

She was even surprised that he knew that Hugo was a business man. She knew he was involved in business, but had never cared to know the specifics of his work. Whenever someone asked, she would just say she didn’t know what he did.

“I must do my best now that I get to meet someone as remarkable as your excellecny.” Hugo calmly smiled and passed the plate back. 

Robern, without even glancing at the beautifully sliced steak, dropped the plate to the floor. Clang! Ophelia’s eyes widened at the obviously deliberate action.

“Oops, my hand slipped. You’ve worked so hard to carefully slice it, what a shame?”

“What are you doing right now?”

At Ophelia’s astonishment, Robern shrugged his shoulders.

“I told you, I hurt my arm, so I don’t have the strength.”

Robern spoke through gritted teeth, seeming irritated.

‘Why would he do something so dangerous…’

Worried that the plate might have shattered and the fragments might fly, Ophelia started to get up, but Hugo pushed her hand down and held her in place. Ophelia, who had been shifting on her seat, settled back down.

“I’m a little hurt.”

“…..”

“It seems like you don’t care if I eat or not now that you have another man.”

“……”

“You used to cling to me and cry, saying I was the only one.”

When did she ever do that? While she did swallow her pride to love Robern, she never clung to him. It was Robern who made her cry in the first place.

“Did you really do that?”

Hugo asked teasingly, and Ophelia’s face flushed. It wasn’t true, but it was because Robern had spoken as if it were true. Even in the presence of the Princess, Robern was disrespecting and insulting Ophelia.

In an instant, she was caught by Hugo. The treatment she received from the man she had liked.

Cheap sentimentality. A cheap and trifling thing to be played with…

“I’m a bit jealous since I don’t know much about Miss Denev yet. But I’ll get to know her better over time.”