Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 186

Cecilia frowned as she walked down the corridor. Once she descended, she would be back in the hall. At the front entrance, Mary was likely pacing anxiously, waiting for her.

Had the carriage arrived? She was so tired, she wanted nothing more than to lie down right away…

Suppressing her swirling thoughts with such trivial considerations, she continued walking.

“Cecilia?”

Someone called her name. For a moment, she thought she had misheard. In fact, Cecilia dismissed it as a hallucination and took a few more steps.

“…Cecilia!”

Her wrist was caught. It wasn’t forceful. The moment she turned to look, the person let go of her sleeve and apologized immediately.

“…”

Cecilia narrowed her eyes, trying to make sure the person in front of her was really who she thought he was. She needed to confirm that it was truly him.

But after several glances, it was unmistakably him. There was no way she wouldn’t recognize this man.

“Logan…”

She called his name unintentionally but quickly corrected herself, shaking her head.

“Lieutenant.”

Logan, surprised by the sudden use of his name, stared at her for a moment before speaking.

“It seems we run into each other in the most unexpected places.”

That’s what I should be saying.

Cecilia sighed inwardly.

Why are you here? The question welled up in her throat, but thankfully, she managed to swallow it just in time.

“…The friend Viscountess Odridge mentioned… was that by any chance you?”

“You met the viscountess, I see. Yes, if she was referring to the annoying houseguest, that would most likely be me.”

“She didn’t quite put it that way…”

Logan shrugged, as if he knew better.

“I’ve heard it directly to my face already.”

“The Madam certainly has a refreshingly honest charm.”

“Indeed. It’s far better than dealing with schemers.”

His lips curled into a subtle smirk, which made Cecilia feel slightly on edge, as if his comment was aimed at her.

But in reality, Logan had no intention of criticizing Cecilia. He was merely puzzled.

“I didn’t know you were acquainted with the viscountess.”

It was a tricky question. Too difficult to lie about, and too complicated to answer truthfully.

Regret suddenly flooded in.

‘Maybe I should have just taken Mary’s advice and gone straight to bed.’

She hadn’t known he was so close to the members of House Odridge. It was hard to believe they had once been married in a past life, given how little she actually knew about him.

“Acquainted… might be too strong a word.”

“Then, are you here for the party?”

Cecilia nodded slightly.

“Do you usually enjoy such quiet gatherings?”

“…I didn’t expect it to be this quiet. I’m just a mere countryside girl from the central region, so I don’t know much about the capital’s affairs.”

“Ah, I see.”

Logan didn’t press her further. But he didn’t seem inclined to let her go, either.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. Let’s catch up.”

He extended his hand to the hesitant Cecilia.

“As your fiancé.”

“…”

Fiancé.

But how much longer will this engagement between you and me last, really?

Cecilia smiled faintly, almost amused, and took his hand.

As exhausted as she was—she could collapse into bed at any moment—she needed a chance to explain her current situation to him, and this might be it.

* * *

Logan moved through the viscount’s residence as if it were his own home, leading them through the rear garden, away from the main entrance where Mary was waiting.

“A garden at night with a lady?”

Cecilia hesitated. She had expected they would sit in an open parlor or study and talk over tea.

“An engagement grants leniency in many things.”

“You seem to take the engagement quite seriously.”

Cecilia’s tone was laced with sarcasm. Logan, however, naturally led her to a bench in the garden and asked,

“Don’t you?”

“As you can see, I’m a woman who takes entertainment seriously.”

She decided to play the part of a naive young lady, excited by her first trip to the capital and eager to hop from one social event to another.

“I enjoy meeting new people. But once I’ve met them, I get bored easily, so I always look for something new.”

“That’s a surprising revelation…”

“Keep watching. You’ll find out soon enough what kind of woman I really am.”

“Will we be seeing more of each other, then?”

She was at a loss for words. During the silence, Logan pulled out his handkerchief and placed it on the bench, gesturing for Cecilia to sit.

“It’s fine.”

“No, please, sit.”

His tone was more insistent than usual.

“You look pale.”

Cecilia squinted at him.

“…You knew that, and you still kept me here?”

“Well…”

Logan rubbed his chin and tilted his head, as if he couldn’t quite understand it himself. With a faint chuckle, he narrowed his eyes.

“I saw your maid.”

“…?”

“You were clearly here, and I could have easily come to you. But it felt like a waste to simply let you go after just a passing glance.”

“…”

Cecilia’s mouth hung open. Logan gently pushed her chin to close it and said,

“Do you realize it’s been half a year?”

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