Don't take it so seriously

Miel got up, and Eliz thought he would go too, now that everything was settled. Finally, she gets some rest. That was exhausting. But Miel did not leave; he went over to the liquor cart and brought them both a glass of wine.

Eliz raised an eyebrow but accepted the glass, and Miel sat beside her again.

"So, what's it going to be like?" he asked, taking a sip of wine as he watched her.

Eliz blinked. "What do you mean??" she asked.

Miel smiled. "Our story. How we met. How we fell in love. Our pet names. I already have one of yours. Should not you get one too? How about My Heart? Or Sweetheart? Honey? Sugar?"

As Eliz listened to his suggestions, she frowned more and more.

"Eliz is enough." She replied.

Miel had to laugh inwardly at her expression.

"As you wish. Now what about the story?" He continued, and Eliz felt she was about to get a headache. Did they have to have a story? It would not even take two weeks.

"What do I know? Maybe we met here and...."

"No, no, no. That's not romantic at all!" Miel interrupted her dismissively.

Eliz sighed. "Then come up with something."

Miel tapped his chin with his finger, looking thoughtful. Then he suddenly snapped his fingers and turned to Eliz with a smile.

"With your reputation, we could say I may have unintentionally offended you, and you beat me up for it...." He began.

Eliz stared at him. "If you say that, get ready for me actually to beat you up!"

Miel started laughing, and Eliz realized he was making fun of her. Seriously. What was wrong with him? Had his bees suddenly flown away when he realized his troubles would soon end?

Eliz sipped her wine instead, wishing she could just get drunk and fall into sweet oblivion.

"Stop messing around." She said to him.

Miel looked at her pouty face and thought it was funny to tease her. But he should not push it. Elizabeth was weird. Was she threatening to beat him up personally?

"Very well. So, where did we meet? At a social event?"

"I have not been to one lately." Replied Eliz, still wetting her lips with wine and not looking at him.

Miel thought, remembering the gossip about what had happened at the ball at the beginning of the season. He had not been there because he avoided big events like this. Dealing with all those enthusiastic young ladies was tiresome.

"Hmm. I see. Perhaps a walk in the park, then?" He suggested.

Eliz shrugged her shoulders. "That's plausible."

Miel sighed inwardly at her lack of interest. The problem was that if he wanted to do his part right, they needed to have a common story to tell.

"So we met in the park. I noticed you lost your handkerchief, so I brought it to you, and we talked?" He suggested.

"Whatever. That might work." Miel put his hand back on the sofa's edge and leaned a little toward Eliz.

"And then I asked you to dinner? But you turned me down." He continued to make up a story.

Eliz nodded. "That sounds more like me." She agreed.

"But I did not give up because you stole my heart that moment in the park." Miel put on a flirtatious smile.

Eliz finally looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. You are indeed someone who has a reputation for falling for women easily. So that could be believable, too."

Miel leaned in a little more, his smile never leaving his face. "And so I began to court you and conquer your heart. You were a tough nut to crack, but gradually, you opened up to me more and more." He leaned more toward her again.

Eliz frowned at that moment and eyed him up and down before raising an eyebrow.

'What is this guy trying to do? Is he hoping for a kiss?' Eliz had to rethink her opinion of him. He was not a nice guy.

It was true that Eliz found him attractive, but she wasn't interested in any adventures.

'Okay. Sounds good." She agreed, and Miel leaned closer so his thighs were already touching and his abs pressed against her arm.

"And you finally agreed to a date. Then we met a few more times until finally, our love blossomed." Miel finished the fictional story.

Eliz raised her hand and placed her palm on Miel's chest, "I agree." She said and leaned in close to him.

Miel couldn't stop smiling. He had not expected it to go so easily. But not many women could resist his charms. He wanted to lean all the way down to her and press his lips to hers, but then an inexplicable pain overcame him.

"Gah! Ow!" he cried out and jumped away from Eliz, who grabbed his nipple and twisted it painfully. He rubbed the sore spot and stared in disbelief at the grinning Eliz.

"Calm your hormones. You are taking things a little too seriously."

Miel could not believe what Elizabeth had done. Had she really twisted his nipple? Who does that?!

Eliz had to laugh at his expression.

Miel shook his head. "You are not normal."

Eliz was still smiling. "Of course, I am not. If I were normal, I would not hire you in the first place. Now stop fooling around. Just play your part in public. Come on. Let us settle your debt." Eliz finished her wine and stood up.

Miel looked after her and shook his head. His story was not so fictional. Elizabeth was indeed a tough nut to crack.

*****

Eliz took Miel out of the room and headed straight to pay off his debt at the casino. It was not a small sum, but thanks to Eliz's winnings, she had more than enough to pay it off.

She arranged with him to have lunch together tomorrow afternoon to make things public. This suited Eliz very well. After all, she had other business to attend to that evening.

With these words, Eliz left the casino. Without her knowing it, Lorenzo, the manager, breathed a sigh of relief and had all the slot machines checked.

Eliz went back home. She had enough for the day; she had only come back for lunch. Only now did she realize how hungry she was. Everything had happened so suddenly, and she had been so stressed that she had not even noticed how hungry she was.

But Eliz was probably cursed and not allowed to rest. Actually, no, cursed. Now the estate had protection against it. She had just been unlucky.

Alobela greeted her and informed her immediately. "Young lady. Young Lord Hephisto and young Lord Legorned are waiting for you."

Eliz paused, not bothering to hide her annoyed expression. "Send them away." She decided immediately.

Alobela did not even blink at her words. "They said they would wait for you no matter what."

Eliz snorted. "Then let them wait in peace, for eternity. They might take root here, or whatever."

Alobela was silent for a moment. "If we throw them out by force, it would be a scandal, my lady."

Eliz paused, then looked at Alobela.

'Shit.'

She sighed. "What about the parents?" She asked instead.

"They are working at the moment, my lady."

Eliz sighed again. In this case, she could only accept them. Once her parents arrived, they would make her meet them anyway. They would not kick them out.

Eliz thought and nodded her head. "Very well. If I can not kick them out, I guess there's nothing else to do, right? Prepare lunch and set the table for these unwelcome guests as well. I'll meet them for lunch." She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

That would only spoil her appetite.

Eliz went first to dress in something less ostentatious. This time it was a purple dress with a triangular neckline and tight sleeves. The skirt reached her ankles so that she could move easily. She refused jewelry and went to the small dining room, where the two young men were waiting for her.

As soon as she entered, they stood up to greet her. Eliz looked at them. Donovan had a severe face, and his clothes could not have been more formal. A dark blue suit with a yellow tie and gloves matched his eyes. His eyes, however, drifted away from Eliz and returned to her before turning away again.

Chad, on the other hand, couldn't be more nervous. His hands tugged nervously at the hems of his dark brown jacket, and his eyes darted everywhere. He wore plain brown clothes that highlighted his red hair and eyes even more.

"I would have thought you would have left me alone now that this Selene business is settled." She said instead of a greeting. They both winced at the mention of Selene, but Eliz would not spare their feelings.

They would bug her, so they should suck it up.

But Donovan quickly collected himself and bowed. "Lady Elizabeth, thank you for receiving us and doing us the honor of inviting us to your table."

Chad panicked a bit and bowed quickly as well. "Yes, Lady Elizabeth. Thank you."

Eliz sighed. What else could she have done if they had insisted? She would have sent the knights to get them out of the way if it were only up to her.

"Hmm. At least you are polite. All right, let us sit down." She waved her hand and sat down at the table. This time she deliberately sat at the head, where she folded her arms and looked like the queen of the world. She looked down at the two of them.

Donovan and Chad sat down and looked at her, or at least around her.

"Well? What was so important that you almost camped in front of my house?" She asked.

Donovan and Chad exchanged glances, but Donovan took the floor.

"The whole thing with Selene was really unfortunate. She bewitched us, and our behavior toward you was unforgivable. We came here hoping to earn your forgiveness."

Eliz had to admit that Donovan had a way with words.

"Ah, so you believe that being bewitched excuses your actions?" Eliz asked, nodding to the servants who immediately served the food.

This time, Chad spoke up and seemed to have regained his composure. "We are not trying to excuse our actions with this. But I am sure it's clear that it was not all our fault."

Eliz nodded her head wisely. "Of course, it had nothing to do with your true feelings, did it?"

Donovan hesitated. "What do you mean, Elizabeth?"

Eliz lowered her eyes to the plate where the cream soup was served as the first course and picked up the spoon. "Surely the bewitchment didn't just make you dislike me more, did it?" She put the spoon in her mouth and closed her eyes momentarily. It did taste great.

Donovan and Chad were silent. Chad lowered his eyes again, but Donovan continued to stare at her. "Indeed. We did not have a good opinion of you. But it was far from a dislike."

Eliz was surprised by this honesty. She did not mind being disliked. Elizabeth was not a likable person in the first place. She had just assumed that, from all she had heard.

"Hmm. Okay. If you say so." She nodded her head and took another spoonful of the soup.

"Then I accept your apology."

But neither Chad nor Donovan seemed satisfied with her words. They probably concluded from her disinterested tone that she did not really care.

Chad took a deep breath. "You saved us. I do not even know how we can repay you."

Eliz almost cringed.

'Please just leave it! Just go away!'

She quickly picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth with it. "There's no need."

Donovan shook his head. "You can not just throw this away. You fought for us for a year. You put your life and health on the line."

Eliz did not know how to say it politely. Should she tell them to let it go and mind their own business? Direct words would make them do it. But they were Male leads with an unimaginable sense of duty and justice. Even if she kicked them out, they would probably find another way to contact Eliz.

"Ahh... so annoying." Eliz sighed loudly and made the two young men sit up straight. She glanced over at them.

"Where is Gray, anyway? I am a little surprised you came without him. What happened? Is he too embarrassed to face me?" Instead, she changed the subject.

Donovan sat down. "Hmm. Gray is... indisposed at the moment." He replied.

Chad nodded his head. "This whole thing has hit him hard. He's gone a little crazy."

Eliz's eyes widened when she heard that. What? The male lead had gone crazy? She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from bursting out laughing.

'That's hilarious!'

''Ehm. That's unfortunate. Hopefully, he'll be better soon." Instead, she stuffed another spoonful of soup into her mouth, trying to stop herself from making an inappropriate comment.

Donovan sighed. "He's better now. He'll get over it. But we should warn you."

That got Eliz's attention. "Warn me?"

Donovan nodded and exchanged another look with Chad. "He's... delirious. Because of you. That you are dead, and he has to save you. Then, he has to see you. At first, he was baffled. Now he's determined to see you if they let him go. He'll probably even want to renew the engagement."

Now Eliz stammered.

"Hell, as if I would want that!" She frowned, then closed her eyes. She took a deep breath.

Gray must be out of his mind.

"Hmm. I mean... it does not matter. I am not going to renew anything. My feelings for him have gone. And I already have someone I like."

For some reason, her words piqued her interest. Donovan cleared his throat. "Really? And who is he?"

Eliz opened her mouth, and the corners of her mouth twitched.

"Miel Hadfield." She announced.

Both men were silent, but she thought she heard Chad say something quietly that sounded something like 'Holy shit.'

Eliz beamed and smiled. "Okay. That's enough of that. The food is getting cold. I have accepted your apology. If you want to thank me, give me some money, and you can leave."

Chad and Donovan's jaws dropped when she said that.

'She wants money?'