The Reason Why She Can’t Get Married - Chapter 60
Chapter 60
There was no reason for young ladies not to admire him. However—.
‘P-Please, spare me!’
‘No!’
Selena shuddered involuntarily, remembering Noel Ratliffe mercilessly cutting down Dominique Dixon as he begged for his life.
The blood-soaked clothes, the chilling glint in his eyes.
“Is something wrong, Lady Irving?”
“…No, nothing at all. Could you tell me what it is about the Duke that you admire?” Lyla, her face flushed, nodded shyly. “Well, he’s handsome, and he has a beautiful smile. And he seems so kind and gentle.”
“…Is that all?”
“No, actually, I fell in love with him at first sight at a ball.”
Lyla’s eyes glazed over as she recalled their first encounter. She had worn heels that were far too high, making it difficult to navigate the ballroom floor.
She stumbled, about to fall, when someone caught her arm. It was Duke Noel Ratliffe.
‘Are you alright, my lady?’
Lyla had looked up, mesmerized by Noel’s perfectly proportioned features, and could only nod. She had never seen such a handsome man since arriving in the capital.
His dazzling appearance left her speechless, unable even to offer a word of thanks. Yet, Noel, with a gentlemanly smile, had helped her regain her balance, given a slight bow, and departed.
His retreating figure, so graceful and unassuming despite his assistance, had captivated her. From that day forward, Lyla couldn’t stop thinking about Noel.
Whether her eyes were open or closed, his image floated before her. She lost her appetite, consumed by longing. Then, at a tea party with Gabriella, she had heard about Serenade and decided to seek out Selena.
“I can’t even function, I’m so preoccupied with him. The Princess said you were the best of the best and that you could help me find a solution.”
“.….”
“Please, help me.”
Lyla clasped her hands together, her gaze pleading. But Selena couldn’t readily accept her request. The object of Lyla’s affection was none other than Noel Ratliffe.
After witnessing that unsettling side of him, and considering him as a potential husband, Selena couldn’t in good conscience encourage a match between him and this innocent young lady.
Moreover, she had learned a valuable lesson from Gabriella’s situation: while all love was precious and beautiful, some loves were best left untouched.
It was better to stay out of it entirely, rather than interfering and trying to prevent it.
“I’m sorry, Lady Verrilyn. I don’t think I can take this case.”
Selena finally shook her head, expressing her refusal. Lyla, clearly not expecting this, looked bewildered.
“…Why?”
“Duke Ratliffe is… not someone to be approached lightly. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
Selena’s firm refusal made Lyla’s eyes droop. She reached out and grasped Selena’s hand. “Please, my lady… Couldn’t you at least help me confess my feelings?”
“Lady Verrilyn, I truly believe you should consider other prospects.”
“No! I’m certain he’s my destiny. After being stuck in the backwoods of the North, surrounded by rough, burly men, he’s the first refined and elegant man I’ve ever seen.”
Lyla’s voice was thick with desperation. It seemed the men of the North, with their robust physiques honed by the harsh environment, weren’t to her taste.
While Selena sympathized, she couldn’t change her mind. She gently withdrew her hand.
“I’m sorry. Please, I must ask you to leave.”
“Lady Irving… I-I’ll pay you handsomely!”
“I’m sorry. It’s still not possible. Please leave, Lady Verrilyn.”
Selena stood, opened the door, and gestured firmly. Lyla rose slowly, dejected. She shuffled towards the door, then suddenly stopped, lifted her head, and exclaimed, “If I don’t do something, I might die of lovesickness for the Duke! Don’t you care?”
“My lady, people don’t die from love as easily as you might think.”
Selena, however, didn’t even blink. She’d heard this kind of dramatic threat countless times. The people who’d come to her, weeping and wailing that they’d die without this person or that, were now all happily coupled with someone else.
Lady Verrilyn, too, would likely recover in time, just like them, and find another love to make her happy.
“Be careful on your way back, my lady.”
Selena politely escorted the lingering Lyla to the door and closed it firmly behind her. She’d decided she absolutely wouldn’t accept any more commissions involving the Crown Prince, the Tower Lord or the Duke.
‘Even if someone holds a knife to my throat, I won’t.’
…Or so she’d sworn. That was, of course, if the knife was at her throat. Three days after so heartlessly turning Lyla away, Selena casually opened the society news and nearly fainted on the spot.
The headline screamed, [(Exclusive) Shadow Falls on the Marquisate! Lady Verrilyn’s Suspected Suicide Attempt.]
Lyla had apparently fallen from a window, sustained serious injuries, and was now under medical care. The article even included testimony from a close associate who claimed to have witnessed Lyla intentionally jump.
The report concluded that, for some unknown reason, Lyla had clearly attempted to take her own life. Reading the article, Selena couldn’t help but recall Lyla’s final words.
‘I might die from my unrequited love for the Duke!’
‘Oh, come on… You can’t actually try to die because of that.’
There was no reason for a perfectly healthy young lady to suddenly jump from a window, so it had to be because of her unrequited love.
‘Seriously…’
Selena felt a pang of sympathy and guilt for Lyla, who had attempted suicide over something like love, but at the same time, she was furious. No matter how wonderful and precious love was, it couldn’t be more important than life itself.
Biting her lip, Selena finally decided to visit Lyla at the Verrilyn townhouse in the capital.
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