About Your Pride and My Prejudice

Chapter 17: Monica Elwood

The owner of the brightly fluttering red hair was a woman. Beautiful enough to attract attention.

“…….”

She gently crossed the coffee shop and headed in front of the showcase. I knew she was a woman, but for some reason I could not stop looking at her.

A great beauty. I didn’t even feel the need to add any other attributions. She was stunningly elegant and her extraordinary, glamorous attire made it  difficult to look elsewhere.

As if I was possessed, I followed each and everyone of her actions with my eyes without knowing that my lips were open. Only one thought lingered in my head.

How does it feel to live with that beauty?

With her long back gently leaning forward, she tapped a spot on the showcase with her long nails. Her hair fluttered gently behind her slender back. The waiter, who carefully took out the whole cake, started packing it with a skillful touch.

Her gaze, looking around the inside of the coffee shop while waiting for the cake to be packed, was arrogant and relaxed. I quickly bowed my head just in case our eyes met. There’s no reason to avoid it, but I don’t know why I did it.

Then I suddenly thought of Alan. At first, I thought it was because that woman’s gaze resembled Alan’s unique, noble regard.

‘Sir Alan was with a woman!’

I unintentionally recalled the voice of Viola.

‘She was a mysterious beauty.’

Alan’s lover, who has been making a fuss in society for a while. It was surprising to myself that I completely forgot about the rumor.

‘I heard that she has luscious red hair and fancy clothes, but no one in the social world knows her.’

It was not a light gossip for me who had a crush on him. So I didn’t forget it because it was never insignificant.

Rather, it was the opposite. It was so painful to recall that I must have unconsciously pushed it out of my memory. In order not to hurt my heart any more.

Women with that appearance were never common in Florin either. She may very well be the woman Alan is courting according to rumors, as she fits Viola’s description. Wasn’t it here in Antris that Alan and that mysterious beauty were together?

“Haa…”

It was not my will to imagine a picture of the two of them together, but her appearance as his imaginary lover was so wonderful.

To be able to stand with him, you must be a woman as wonderful as her. Such thoughts made me feel infinitely small. It was painful, as if I had been swallowed up by an uncontrollable sense of humiliation.

In fact, the two did not insult me at all. Those two are people who were born to shine, not I. Accepting this simple fact is enough. Obviously, I don’t know, but this reality made me feel sick. Alas.

In the meantime, a cake box richly decorated with a red ribbon was handed in her hand. Maybe it was for Alan, as he rarely gets sweets for himself.

I was lost in thought. What is she trying to celebrate? Is today the anniversary of the two? Or maybe today is Alan’s birthday…….

My blank gaze followed her dignified and elegant back as she leisurely walked out of the coffee shop, and the scenery outside the window came into my view.

“Oh…”

When was it? White snowflakes were fluttering like petals.

It was the beginning of winter.

* * *

In Alan Leopold’s office, only the finest products made by the hands of renowned artisans were placed. Nevertheless, there was always a cold energy present here.

It may be due to the fact that the whole area was decorated in achromatic colors, but everything in this space was too neat. There was no trace of a human being at all.

On the elegant Palisander table in the corner of the office, documents were neatly organized and were laid out meticulously, as if they had been measured with a ruler. Despite the vast amount of documents on various business conditions and performance reports, there was not even a little disturbance.

Everything was in morbidly perfect condition, but if one had to pick the most perfect thing here, it was none other than the owner of this desk.

The man, who looked beautiful enough to make you mesmerized, rested his chin on his hand while deep in thought. There was no emotion in the cold eyes like the winter sky.

Monica, who had been silently watching the scene for a long time, got up as she slowly brushed her rich red hair. Her thick scent of shampoo drifted into the still air.

“Happy birthday, baby!”

As if she couldn’t take it any longer, her bright red lips opened wide like a flower blooming. The corners of her seductive lips were raised.

At the same time, she pushed a box splendidly decorated with a red ribbon, in front of the man’s eyes. Only then did the beautiful eyebrows, which had no movement at all, creased subtly.

“I hate sweets. You know.”

Alan muttered in a low voice, not even paying attention to the box.

“It’s a birthday that only comes once a year, so you can’t leave out the cake.”

Monica smiled as if she was familiar with his attitude.

“I chose the Black Forest this year. The chocolate sheet cake is like your hair, and the cherry is like your lips.”

(T/N: well, I was going to use “layer” instead of “sheet” but the author directly used the word “sheet”)

“…….”

Alan picked up the topmost report as if it wasn’t even worth answering.

“Open it. It’s as cute as you, Troy.”

“I told you not to call me that.”

Despite the cold warning, Monica let out a small laugh.

“It’s your childhood nickname, why do you look so scary when I say it?

Monica Elwood is one of the few people who could approach the icy Alan Leopold, and it was no exaggeration to say that she knew him better than anyone else.

Of course, it wasn’t because the two were lovers. Monica was the biological daughter of Mr. Leopold. However, the two were not siblings either, and there were two reasons.

The first reason was that Monica was not recognized as Leopold, and the surname Elwood was her mother’s.

Monica Elwood was born due to the one night-stand between Leopold’s Head— Ian and a woman in the back alley. Ian thoroughly hid the existence of such a daughter. It was clear that the fact that he rolled around with a lowly woman would damage his reputation, who was steadily growing his power.

That woman from the back alley was killed of an unknown cause shortly after giving birth, and her death is still veiled. It was shortly after the woman’s death that Ian sent the young Monica across the sea to the Principality of Lunoa.

In all respects, he seemed to be in a hurry to erase her traces, but as a father, he sent Monica plenty of money every year but technically it was around the time she was just starting to learn the language, and it was true that before that, there had been very little indirect support.

The sudden start of massive support coincided with the realization that Ian had become unable to produce any more children. In other words, Monica was the only blood that inherited his blood, although it was impossible to reveal her in public.

Even now, and in the future.

Therefore, Alan is not Ian’s biological child. This was the second reason why the two children could not be biologically and legally siblings.

Having sent Monica abroad, Ian made every effort to give birth to an heir, but failed every time. Many women passed by him until he realized that the cause was him, and Alan became known to the world as his only child from his third wife and the restoration of his power.

His name was Troy, and he had no last name. He was a child as fair and beautiful as snow. At the orphanage regularly patronized by nobles, Ian sealed their lips and adopted him.

At that time, in order to completely deceive the public, Ian was intent on getting a child with black hair and eyes like him.  But when he saw Troy, Ian had no choice but to bring him in despite the fatal flaw that his eye color was much lighter than his.

It’s not just because of the child’s sublime beauty. It was inevitable to be called force majeure and signalled by his own animalistic instinct— that Troy was a genius entrepreneur.

(T/N: they are basically saying the it was obvious that Troy was a genius and when he grows up he would be a force to be reckoned with)

Troy, whose space called home changed overnight from a secret nursery to a mansion, and he lived a completely new life with the name Alan Leopold. He was only five years old then.

Officials told Alan that he was Mr. Leopold’s lost successor and that he had finally found him. This was, of course, Ian’s script, but five-year-old Alan was willing to accept his fate with overwhelming heart.

As if he had found his place, the young successor perfectly matched Leopold’s name beyond everyone’s expectations. It was Monica who told him the twisted truth.

By the time Troy became Alan, Monica was already freely entering and exiting the mansion. In an achromatic mansion full of expressionless adults, a girl of his age with red hair like flames was the only one with vitality.

It was a natural step for the two to get closer.

In fact, Monica approached Alan with the intention of harassing him. It felt like her life was taken away by a boy who did not share even a drop of blood. She wasn’t greedy for the successor’s position, but she was grumpy for no reason.

It was around that time that she had a terrible affection for Alan. Surprisingly it happened in an instant that she was completely obsessed with her precarious brother.

Thus, young Monica came to tell him all the secrets of the family she knew. Like an oath that she will stand by his side among the adults full of lies…….

“I say this every time, but if you’re going to come, contact me in advance.”

At that time, Alan, who shifted his bored gaze to Monica, spoke in a cold voice.

“I’m not as free as you are, and the damage caused by your interference is not enough for you to compensate.”

“Alan.”

Monica pushed the pile of documents to one side, which were arranged perfectly. Alan’s forehead momentarily wrinkled with a frown when the neatly organized desk was disturbed.

Monica’s blue eyes with her upper body bent and chin in the place where the documents were pushed out were filled with the face of a picturesque beautiful woman. A dream-like whisper continued,

“You thought I wouldn’t know that you like my present while pretending to be cranky?”

“Stop messing with me.”

Monica laughed as if she was familiar with the cynical answer.

“Actually, I’m on my way home. The thing I gave you the other day…….”

Monica used to send gifts all the time, but most of them were thrown straight away. Sugar-filled desserts were destined in the trash can, and all kinds of things are in the corner of a dusty mansion.

Perhaps two years ago, Monica gave him a wig of a color similar to her hair. The reason was that she wanted to feel like a real brother and sister, but compared to such absurd reasons, it was too flamboyant.

Whether or not, Alan left it on one side of the room with a cold sneer as always. After that, she thought he wouldn’t even take a look at it

“I thought you kept it in your room, but the display changed a little”

(T/N: She’s wondering where the wig went, it’s not on the display anymore)

“…….”

“There is no way you would have allowed the servants to tamper with your things…….”

Monica smiled softly, curling her seductive eyes.

“Are you tending to your wig and brushing it?”

***

Comments from Korean readers:

No, really ㅠㅠ I don’t want Melissa to submit the novel as it is or get caught by someone, it’s embarrassing because she picked up too much reality and it’s more like a delusional diary than a novel ㅠㅠㅠㅠ 

ㅋㅋ Stalking with that wig on ㅋ

Allen, you are stalking with a wig on.

Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World. Site Only

WHAT????

?????

I hope Melissa stops writing novels. I know it’s hard to do what people want, but… I have a lot of dark history. I’m looking at how far I’m going to stack… I’m falling for the writer’s writing skills, but it’s so hard to see Melissa’s condition like that…;; It won’t last for a long time, will it?

Of all names, his name is Troy.

ㅋㅋ He got attracted to her writing skillsㅋㅋㅋ