Love's Perfect Match

"I'd like to mend our relationship, as well as your relationship with Callum."

"There's nothing worth mending," Edmund retorted stiffly.

"I know you're still affected by the fact that I ran away from the altar. Even though you act as if you're completely fine about it, I know it made you upset. I just never found the time to talk to you about it."

Edmund was a little flustered at the mention of this incident. His hostility dissipated and was replaced by evasiveness. It was as if he wanted to avoid this topic.

"Actually, I—"

"Actually, I know that you begrudge the way things played out, so I want to give you a proper apology. I'm truly sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry that I couldn't return your feelings. I'm sure you'll meet someone else who's better than me, but the woman earlier is certainly not her."

While listening to Elspeth, Edmund's feelings were complicated.

It went without saying that he had indeed been affected by the whole situation.

When she ran away from the altar, he didn't pursue the matter. Instead, he scrounged up an excuse on her behalf and protected her reputation.

That was because he knew that she was never in love with him. Even if he did marry her, he couldn't change that.

Thus, he hoped she would find happiness, even if he weren't the one for her.

His expression became a little awkward when Elspeth mentioned the woman. "Stop talking about her."

"But this isn't like you."

At the end of the day, Elspeth never truly detested Edmund. She could accept his sharp tongue as him simply being a blunt and straightforward person, but she was caught off guard by what she saw today.

To numb oneself was also a form of reckless abandon.

answering her, Edmund realized that he seemed like an errant child who'd just been reprimanded by a parent, and his expression soured. "Why are you treating me

but for the sake of avoiding an outburst from him, she cleared her throat and refuted, "I'm not. We're

"Fine. Are you done?"

a joke with me, it means you've more or less made peace

again and stated, "Now, it's time to talk

form of conflict with him. Don't get yourself involved in this mess."

right? I'm part of the Winthrop Family now. This counts as

must be resolved.

know you love him, so you see him through rose-tinted glasses, but that's no excuse for you to try and absolve him of all the things

to absolve him, huh? Edmund, you're

tackled the situation from a different angle and brought up

startled by the abrupt change in topic.

were able to stand firm and allow the business to grow so rapidly because of your unparalleled excellence? Or perhaps because Master Philip favors you a

right out and say what was the truth, but the insinuation was

moments before he figured

surviving in the Cole Family right now. You certainly won't have the time to investigate the cause of

unaware of all this. She couldn't help but curse his foolishness

happening in secret. He turned red at the thought of what he

those things for you. You don't need to feel like you owe him anything, either." Elspeth stared at the man with flashing eyes. "But I don't want to see you harboring misunderstandings about him when he has done so much for all of you in secret. I don't want him to be so unfortunate as to

the words she used and asked,

his relationship from his fans, and whenever the paparazzi take photos of him on a

wife, right? I'm part of the Winthrop Family now.

in Wohler, Callum paid

…

listed out the things

was largely the same, he was in turmoil on the

these things