Saving The Villainous Monster From The Male Lead-Chapter 136 - 135: The Reception Ball Of The Sweet Heart Couple
She was about to climb back into the carriage, when the gatekeepers called her. One of them rushed to her, his armour clunking into each other. "Grand Duchess!" He passed through the grand duke and stopped by her.
"You have been allowed in." He says, barely catching any breath.
"Why? Did you suddenly have a change of mind or did you perhaps take pity over me?" She asked, glaring at him from over her shoulder.
"No, Grand duchess. The Madam asked us to let you in."
Eleanore swirled around on hearing that, anticipating the appearance of her dear friend. But she was not there. Instead, a maid stood at the open gate, with a smile tugged on her face.
She somewhat gets what is going on and gets off the carriage. She traces her feet back and holds his arm. "Looks like your ex loves me." She says with a gentle smile, pulling the stunned Caelestis into the mansion with her.
The entrance hall was turned into a ballroom and looked so blinding that Eleanore couldn’t help but blink a few times, from its brightness. She braced herself as she met eyes with other guests.
She could spot the cyan hair in the crowd, standing with Caelestis’ cousin, who might actually be her love rival from today onwards. Then she scans through the throng more and finds Daphne and Lauriel, at a corner drinking some wine.
As she continues to look around standing there, she finds many other recognisable faces, even her grandfather. Whose existence she was unaware of until the auction party.
Eleanore followed his silver hair, until it stopped and in front of him stood Hael. Her brother. With him Stella, stood, both lovingly holding their arms, laughing and smiling. They looked so much in love that Eleanore almost felt proud of herself for ever bringing them together. Even marrying Caelestis to let this marriage happen, started making more sense and fruitful. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
If she could see those two people smile, she could maybe go on with this man, called her husband for eternity.
She took a step forward, only to be pulled back by Caelestis. "Where are you going?"
"To meet my brother, of course. It’s his day." She shoots a fiery glare at him.
"Right? And do you think he will welcome you with open arms?" It was a reasonable question and Eleanore already knew the answer to that question, yet she wanted to go there. Meet him and even if he looks away and doesn’t give her the privilege to hear his voice, she wouldn’t mind it at all.
"Of course I know, he wouldn’t." Her eyes moved to him, with a sense of longing in them.
When Caelestis saw those eyes, he felt a pang in his heart. Ever since he started this, he had promised himself to not fall weak and yet today when her eyes turned to her brother. Looking at him as if she were dying to run into his arms, hugging tightly and crying her heart out, his heart shifted.
Any more insult and ignorance from her brother could break her fragile heart. He knew that’s why he stopped her. He was even a bit happy that they weren’t able to go in, saving her the agony.
"Why do you want to be insulted?" It slipped out of his mouth.
"It’s rich coming from you." She turned to him. "You are the one who did this."
Caelestis gulped on seeing the immense amount of hatred in her eyes. Then within seconds, he shook all those threatening feelings and questions away. He gently slid his arm out of her. "Do whatever you like."
"You are not coming?" Her stunned reaction almost made him chuckle. She looked cute.
"Cough!" He coughed at that thought. "No! Do you want him to walk away immediately after seeing you with me?"
"Why are you being so generous?" She feels puzzled by his sudden change of behaviour.
"I don’t know," He looked away, puzzled by his own actions. "But it’s short lived. Leave me alone in ten seconds or I will drag you out of this ball room."
Eleanore still couldn’t quite understand his behaviour, but the fact that his kindness is short lived must be absolutely true. Thus, without wasting any time, she mingled into the crowd.
Many saw her and ignored her, others tried to approach and had a small talk with her. But before any of them could ask about her wedding she would flee away, straight to Hael and Stella.
She didn’t know how she would greet them. According to the etiquette, they must greet her first, but those things don’t work between families. Maybe she would love to hug them both, but she knew that even that was not possible since, maybe her brother would leave immediately on setting his eyes on her.
When she imagined the scene where his eyes narrowed into disgust and he turned his back to her and left. Her forwarding feet stopped. Only the imagination was enough to make her heart throb, how would it feel when it actually happens?
It would break her, and she would probably not be able to control her tears. All her energy vanished, her determination and excitement as well and she turned around. She came back to the entrance and stood next to Caelestis who had just grabbed a glass of wine and was utterly shocked to find her standing next to him, her eyes set on the ground.
"When did you come back?" He asked, as he swirled the wine in its glass. "Did you meet him? What did he say?" He asked but got no reply in return.
He bends his waist and tries to get a glimpse of the face, but it was not enough, so he slid his face below hers. "Eleanore?" He was pulled aback, when he saw those huge chunks of tears in her eyes.
Instinctively, he held her shoulder and moved her head up to him. "Why are you crying? What did he say?" He asked, somehow worried for her when this situation itself was also created by him as well.
