Chapter 312: Apologize

Ophelia entered the chamber, only to freeze in surprise.

She had been happy to spend time with her mother after finally being reunited with her. But at the same time, she had been avoiding one particular person.

And now, that very person was sitting beside her mother.

He was Noah Eldritch, he ex fiance.

Her mother had called her here, saying that she wanted to talk about something important. Ophelia had assumed they would be alone.

She had been wrong. Noah was sitting calmly beside Akari on the bed, his frost-blue eyes fixed on her.

They were slightly different from Akari’s clear blue eyes, but there was something strangely familiar about them.

Ophelia took a slow breath and forced herself to calm down. Then she slowly walked toward them.

Once she reached the bed, she looked at her mother.

"Mother, you asked me to come here. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Akari inhaled deeply.

Then she slowly exhaled. She remained silent for a while. It was almost as though she were preparing herself for what she was about to say.

Finally, after sometime, Akari stood up and faced her daughter.

"Ophelia."

Her expression became cold and serious.

"I didn’t bring up this matter earlier because I had only just returned, and I was overwhelmed with happiness after finally seeing you again."

She paused. "But now, I think it’s time we address what happened between you and Noah."

Ophelia’s body stiffened.

Her breathing quickened slightly. She stared into her mother’s cold eyes, suddenly feeling nervous.

"M-Mother..."

Her voice trembled.

"I did that because... because I didn’t want to marry Noah."

The memory came rushing back. She remembered that night clearly.

Noah had been extremely drunk. He had pushed her onto the bed, wearing that idiotic smile while leaning toward her.

"I love you, Ophelia."

She remembered the fear and anger she had felt at that moment.

She could have easily overpowered him. Even drunk, Noah had never been physically stronger than her.

She could have simply pushed him away. Instead, she had screamed. She had made a huge scene, accusing him of trying to assault her.

And while Noah had been her fiancé at the time, that did not make what he had done acceptable.

Forcing or assaulting someone without their consent was wrong, regardless of their relationship. And in this case, the person involved was Ophelia—the daughter of a Duke.

Akari’s expression remained stern.

"And for that reason, you decided to make such a huge scene?"

Ophelia lowered her eyes.

"Do you understand how much Noah suffered because of it? How much humiliation he endured? How many terrible names people called him afterward?"

Akari’s voice carried disappointment.

"You could have kept the matter quiet and spoken to your father if you truly hated his actions."

"I... I had already told Father that I didn’t want to marry Noah."

Ophelia’s voice became shaky.

"B-But... he never listened to me. He wanted the marriage because it would strengthen the relationship between our families. He and Noah’s father were close friends."

"And because of that, you decided to ruin Noah’s life?"

Akari’s voice became sharper.

"What was so terrible about him?"

She stared directly at her daughter.

"He’s a good young man."

"Mother..."

Ophelia’s eyes began to redden.

"But... I’m not some object that Father could simply hand over to another family."

Her voice cracked.

"And Noah wasn’t the person you know now. Back then, he was... he was good for nothing. He had so many terrible habits. How could I—"

"So that makes what you did acceptable?"

Akari interrupted. "You could have waited."

Ophelia fell silent.

"It’s not as though you were going to marry him immediately," Akari continued. "The marriage would have happened after both of you graduated from the academy. Perhaps even later."

Ophelia lowered her head.

Her eyes slowly filled with tears. Her mother’s harsh words hurt more than she had expected.

She knew what she had done had consequences. She had seen what Noah became afterward.

She had watched him change. And deep down, she knew she could never take back what had happened.

Akari looked at her for several seconds before speaking again.

"Have you ever tried to apologize to him?"

Ophelia’s shoulders trembled slightly.

"Have you ever genuinely thought about saying sorry?"

"But, Mother... what he did was—"

"I know."

Akari’s voice softened slightly, but her expression remained firm.

"What he did was wrong."

Ophelia looked up.

"But he apologized to you."

Akari continued.

"Many times."

Her gaze remained fixed on her daughter.

"He tried to apologize, and what did you do?"

Ophelia’s lips trembled.

"You insulted him each time."

Silence filled the room.

Akari’s words hung heavily between them. And for the first time, Ophelia didn’t know what to say.

Noah watched the exchange between mother and daughter before finally speaking.

"Akari, it’s alright... It’s all in the past. There’s no need to bother with it anymore."

"No need to bother?" Akari turned toward him, her cold gaze returning. "Noah, you were called a harasser, a good-for-nothing, a fool, a drunkard, and countless other things throughout noble society because of one mistake my daughter made."

"Yes, but I was wrong too, so I forgive her." Noah spoke calmly, without a trace of resentment. "And I know we weren’t suitable for each other in the first place. Besides..."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"If that isn’t enough, I learned many things after being exiled from my family. I think... everything I have become today is partly because of that incident."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"So, in a way, I don’t hate that it happened."

"But, Noah..."

"It’s alright, Akari. I really don’t hate her."

He looked at Akari with a gentle expression. Seeing his face, Akari’s anger gradually subsided. She closed her eyes and sighed before nodding.

"Fine. If you’re truly okay with it..."

She turned toward Ophelia. The moment their eyes met, Ophelia flinched again. She knew what she had done had been wrong. She understood that now.

But seeing her own mother speak so harshly to her while taking Noah’s side made something bitter rise within her chest.

Why? Why did her mother care so much about Noah? Why was she so angry with her?

Akari spoke calmly.

"Alright, Ophelia. Apologize to Noah in front of me, and we’ll forget everything that happened in the past. Noah has no desire to remain on bad terms with you."

Ophelia clenched her fists.

"Why...?"

Akari frowned.

"What do you mean, why? It’s because you did something wrong—"

"I know I did wrong! but why are you taking his side over your own daughter?"

Ophelia stared directly into her mother’s eyes.

"You’re showing him more care than you show me."

Akari didn’t react.

She simply stared back at her daughter.

"Why, Mother...?"

Ophelia’s voice trembled slightly.

"I’m your daughter. I understand that what I did was wrong, but you’re treating me like I’m some kind of criminal..."

Her eyes became red.

"...while you’re being so kind to him."

A smile slowly bloomed across Noah’s face. It was almost as if he had been waiting for her to say those exact words.

"Ophelia."

His voice immediately drew her attention.

Her reddened eyes shifted toward him.

"...What? I’m talking to my mother right now, so don’t interfere."

Noah’s smile only grew wider. Without hesitation, he moved his right arm around Akari’s waist and pulled her closer.

"Ah—!"

Akari let out a small gasp. She glanced at Noah in surprise.

However, she didn’t stop him.

Noah looked directly at Ophelia.

"You should speak more respectfully to me."

His grin widened. "Your mother cares about me because she loves me."

He paused deliberately. "No... that’s not quite right." He tightened his arm slightly around Akari.

"We love each other."

Absolute silence spread the chamber.

Ophelia’s eyes widened so dramatically that it looked as though they might fall out of their sockets. Her gaze immediately dropped to Noah’s arm wrapped around her mother’s waist.

Then she looked at Akari.

Her mother who wasn’t stopping him. Not only that, Akari was looking away with a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

The cold, intimidating expression she had worn moments ago was completely gone.

Ophelia’s mouth opened slightly.

"...Mother?"

Akari refused to meet her eyes in shame.

Noah, meanwhile, looked extremely pleased with himself. "I’ll be your father in the future," he declared confidently. "So you should show me some respect."

Ophelia’s expression froze.

Noah’s smile became even more mischievous.

"And personally..."

He leaned slightly toward her.

"I’d prefer it if you called me Daddy."

"..."

Akari’s face turned even redder.

Noah ignored her completely.

"Now, apologize to your new daddy~"

He gave Ophelia a cheerful smile.

"And then I’ll forgive you."

For several seconds, Ophelia simply stared at him.

Her mind had completely stopped functioning.

New... daddy?

She slowly turned toward her mother.

Akari was still avoiding eye contact.

That alone told Ophelia everything she needed to know.

Her expression became utterly horrified. "No way..."

Noah’s grin widened. "Oh, absolutely."