The Kind Older Sister Is No More

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“Think about it. I’ve always told you that I love you, but you have never told me that you loved me, and now you look down on me because my family went bankrupt.”

As Boris said that out loud, Irene let out an ironic laugh. She often told him that she was bad at expressing her feelings, and he always said that he understood her. She had also never looked down or ignored his family. Rather, Irene had always lent him various valuable things when he had told her about his family situation. But rather than being thankful, he was complaining about it.

Are you really the Boris I knew?

The man who had always whispered love, stroked her hair affectionately, promised to sing her a serenade, had disappeared. The sweet man who had promised to marry her was nowhere to be seen, and it was as if he had never existed in the first place. There was only a devilish man remaining before her eyes.

“Tell me! Is what I was saying wrong? Irene!”

He screamed. His spit and hot breath landed on Irene. The Countess and Riel only wordlessly looked on. Even the maid just glanced at Irene and Boris but did not think to stop him. Boris swung his hand as if he wanted to hit Irene. Irene could not bear to see it, so she turned her head. Boris only became more thrilled seeing Irene’s reaction. Irene wanted to run away from here. The place where no one stood on her side.

“Didn’t you hear Irene say no?”

At that moment, Irene’s eyes grew wide at the sudden sweet voice that interfered with the situation. Boris turned his head towards the unexpected uninvited guest with a fierce look. As the person entered the room, he glanced at Irene. Shock was written on Irene’s face when she saw who the intruder was.

“What business do you have to do with Irene?”

Boris shouted when Noel entered the room. Noel looked at Irene for a moment and then turned his gaze to Boris with a cold face. Noel’s cold gaze made Boris flinch.

“We have a special relationship.”

Irene was shocked. Noel’s arrival was too coincidental. It was almost as if he had read her mind. It was just in time, just when she had thought that she wanted to run away from this place because no one was on her side.

There was silence after Noel’s answer. Then, Boris went down the stairs and questioned Noel with an intimidating look.

“What? What did you just say? What is your relationship with Irene?”

“We’re in a special relationship. Is it that hard to understand?”

“No! That’s not it. A special relationship with Irene? I’m Irene’s special person.”

Boris grabbed Noel’s collar. Boris was shocked when he saw Noel’s face up close.

“Sir Gertin.”

The Countess, surprised by the sight, belatedly stood up from her seat and dissuaded Boris. Even though Noel had not been appointed as a Grand Duke, she did not know what would happen in the future. Moreover, she only brought Boris here to help her persuade Irene, but she did not imagine that Boris would stir up such a fuss.

“Boris, stop it.”

Boris was shocked when Riel, who had just observed the situation before, approached and tried to stop him. Boris could not believe that even Riel refused to take his side. Boris, who got angrier, pushed Riel away.

“Step aside.”

“Ahhh.”

Riel weakly fell to the floor; Boris was startled by that. He felt that he had not pushed her that hard. He had only lightly brushed Riel aside, but he was taken aback when she fell hard to the floor.

Boris glanced at Irene’s expression. Boris hoped that she would apologise to him now, but Irene was staring blankly at the man in front of him. Boris gritted his teeth and grabbed Noel’s collar stronger.

However, Boris and Noel’s height was quite different. It was only Boris who found his hand hurting whilst Noel didn’t suffer much.

“Is your strength only to this extent?”

When Noel asked Boris as if it were a laughable matter, Boris clenched his teeth and pulled it stronger, but Noel did not even budge.

Noel opened his mouth while looking down at Boris with his dark brown eyes.

“I asked, is your strength only to this extent?”

“Ah, who the hell are you…!”

“What a commotion this is!”

Then, the Count came while exclaiming. Boris, who was surprised, quickly put down his hand from Noel’s collar. Noel bowed his head at the Count.

“I’m sorry to have come so suddenly.”

“The Duke of Kristen, what kind of rudeness is this? Irene, what the hell did you do to make this happen?”

The Count, who was furious at Irene, who was standing on the stairs, turned his gaze to Riel, who was lying on the floor. He was surprised and hurriedly raised Riel up.

“Riel! What on earth is going on here? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Dad… I’m fine. More than that, the Duke…”

“Who’s worried about who? Why are you just standing like a stone, come and take Riel back to her room?”

The Countess, who was surprised by the Count’s sudden shouting, hurriedly assisted Riel. While helped by the Countess, Riel looked at Noel. Riel hesitated and then carefully opened her mouth.