I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 100

I froze, my hand hovering over the signature line.

“Uh… why do you ask?”

The employee, flustered, waved her hands.

“Oh! I’m so sorry if that was rude! It’s just that… the Holden brothers are quite famous, but they’ve never visited a women’s boutique before. And the only lady they’ve come with is you, so I was really curious…”

She placed a hand over her chest as if trying to calm her racing heart. Her eyes practically sparkled with admiration.

Then, her next words completely caught me off guard.

“Are you perhaps engaged to one of them?”

“…What?!”

My jaw dropped.

Ah. So that’s why she was looking at me like that.

She must have assumed I was being showered with gifts because I was engaged to one of them.

‘Well… I guess it makes sense.’

They were rich, young, and had everything going for them. And since Daniel’s engagement to Deborah was already rumored, she probably thought I was dating Colin or Lucas.

I forced a smile.

“Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. I’m just a frie—”

“We’re not married yet! But we will be. Right, Rosie?”

Suddenly, Lucas appeared behind me, throwing an arm around my shoulder like we were the closest couple in the world.

The employee gasped, eyes wide with excitement.

I, on the other hand, pinched Lucas’s side hard.

“Hey! Why are you saying things that’ll cause misunderstandings?! Fix it!”

“Hehe. What’s the harm?”

Lucas just grinned, completely unbothered.

If he had a tail, it would definitely be wagging like crazy right now.

I was about to correct him when I heard the unmistakable sound of someone standing up behind me.

Turning slightly, I saw Daniel and Colin—both looking just as unimpressed as I was.

“Who said you were marrying her?”

Daniel’s voice was dripping with irritation. Arms crossed, he glared at Lucas like he was looking at the most offensive thing in the room.

Clearly, Lucas’s little comment had really ticked him off.

“If anything, there’s an order to these things. If you’re at the point of marriage, then that would mean I’m already—”

“Already what?”

The boutique employees perked up, eagerly listening.

Of course, they all worked in Crown Square, so they definitely recognized Daniel. And judging by their faces, they were dying to know what he was about to say.

Already what? Already her… boyfriend? Or maybe her…

Even as Lucas held me in a headlock-like grip, I shot Daniel a very sharp look.

Don’t you dare say anything weird in front of all these people, Daniel Leandro!

Everyone here knew who he was. His engagement to Deborah was already a hot topic. I did not want to be dragged into some ridiculous rumor.

Daniel must have realized the situation—and noticed my murderous glare—because his mouth, which had been confidently open, slowly closed.

“Already… um.”

“Already?”

The employees practically sparkled with curiosity.

Daniel hesitated for a moment, then clenched his jaw like he had swallowed a lemon.

“Already… a stranger.”

Silence.

The once-buzzing atmosphere of the VIP room went completely still.

I let out a tiny sigh of relief.

Then, Colin smoothly stepped forward and gently separated Lucas from me.

“Let’s stop with the strange jokes and head out, shall we? We’ve bought everything we needed.”

“Ah, yeah. Let’s do that.”

I nodded quickly.

Colin naturally extended his hand toward me, offering a polite escort.

As I placed my hand in his, I could feel the boutique staff holding their breath.

“Wait… could it be that her fiancé is actually Sir Colin?”

The whispered question carried through the air.

Colin, hearing this, glanced toward them with a pleasant smile.

“Yes, I’m her husband.”

“…!”

It wasn’t just the boutique employees who froze in shock—Daniel and Lucas both looked just as stunned.

Colin, still holding my hand, smiled brightly.

“Yes. I’m her husband.”

“…”

The boutique employees, who had been so excited for romance drama, suddenly deflated like popped balloons.

Silence settled over the room.

I stood beside him, breaking into a nervous sweat as I side-eyed Colin, who was clearly having the time of his life.

Seriously… I will never understand his sense of humor.

 

 

****

 

 

After finishing our shopping, we returned to the mansion.

There was no longer any need to take separate carriages or worry about people seeing the four of us together at the estate.

Of course, that didn’t mean I was entirely comfortable with this change.

As we stepped out of the carriage, Mrs. Rosa hurried over from a distance.

“Did you enjoy your shopping trip?”

“Yes.”

Daniel replied curtly, barely sparing her a glance.

“The boutique will be sending the items soon. Have them placed in the guest room on the third floor.”

I had always thought Daniel treated Mrs. Rosa with a certain level of warmth, but now he seemed cold. He probably blamed her for allowing the power struggles among the maids to escalate.

Mrs. Rosa looked hurt by his sharp tone, but as expected of a professional, she quickly composed herself.

Then, to my surprise, she turned to me and gave a polite curtsy—just as she had done for Daniel. Caught off guard, I instinctively curtsied back.

It felt strange. Just a few months ago, I had worked under her, scrubbing floors and sweeping halls.

After finishing our greetings, I followed after Daniel, who had already walked ahead. He must have heard my footsteps because he slowed down to let me catch up. His expression had softened a little.

“Do you want Mrs. Rosa to show you to your room? It’s the guest room on the third floor.”

He was talking about the room he had arranged for me earlier.

I shook my head.

“No, that’d feel weird. I’ll find it myself.”

“Alright. Take your time. I’ll have your things moved from the maid’s quarters.”

“Got it.”

Given the circumstances, I couldn’t insist on staying in the maid’s quarters any longer.

It wasn’t like I was working there anymore. If I lingered, it would only make everyone uncomfortable.

‘Besides, all those new clothes will be arriving soon, and there’s no room for them in the dorms.’

I pictured the carriage packed with shopping bags and sighed.

I made my way up to the third floor alone. This area of the mansion was meant for guests and was usually unoccupied, except for the occasional dusting.

‘I never imagined I’d be staying here after all the times I cleaned it.’

Following the plan Daniel and I had discussed earlier, I headed to the last room at the end of the hall.

The maids must have cleaned it this morning because the room was spotless.

A large bed stood in the center, with a wooden desk by the sunlit window. A small vase of flowers sat neatly on top of it.

On the nightstand, I spotted a bundle of dried lavender—likely a gift from Marie or Angie. The room smelled faintly sweet.

Sunlight filtered through the pale yellow curtains, casting a warm glow across the space.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d be staying here.

Even though I had spent months cleaning this very room, now that I was the one using it, it felt unfamiliar.

“I used to dream about living like a noble, but I guess I really am just a commoner at heart.”

I hesitated for a moment before finally climbing onto the bed.

The fresh scent of sun-dried linens filled my nose.

The mattress was so soft it felt like I was sinking into it.

 

 

****

 

 

A heavy silence filled the Bullossen family’s mansion in the capital.

“How much time does he have left?”

Yvette’s voice was steady and emotionless as she spoke in the dimly lit room, the curtains drawn halfway.

Across from her sat an elderly doctor, a man who had served the Bullossen family for most of his life.

Lowering his gaze with a regretful expression, he finally answered,

“A year at most. If it’s shorter…”

“……”

“…Perhaps six months.”

Yvette’s face showed no change.

She had already braced herself for this answer on the train ride back to the mansion.

Instead, it was the doctor who sighed so deeply his chest seemed to sink.

“He has fought for a long time. The wounds in his heart, combined with his physical exhaustion, have tormented him for years. If not for you and the Madam taking care of him, he wouldn’t have lasted this long.”

“Is that what you really think?”

Yvette’s expression was skeptical.

She let out a bitter laugh.

After the doctor left with a somber look, Yvette quietly entered her father’s room.

There, lying in the tightly curtained darkness, was the Viscount Bullossen, her father.

The powerful, broad-shouldered man from her memories had long since disappeared.

Now, what remained was a frail, withered figure with white hair, barely breathing under the thick blanket that covered him up to his chin.

Yvette sat down beside him.

“Father, I’m here.”

Her voice was low and calm as she gazed at him.

Reaching out, she carefully adjusted the blanket to make sure he was warm.

Lowering her tired head, her eyes landed on a small framed painting resting on the bedside table.

It was an old family portrait.

Yvette picked it up with one hand, studying it closely.

The painting showed a younger version of the Viscount and his wife, standing proudly beside their six-year-old daughter, Yvette.

In the Viscountess’ arms was a swaddled infant girl.

The family in the painting looked so peaceful, so full of happiness—almost impossibly so.

Yvette’s expression, which had remained cold and impassive until now, twisted with pain.

Just then, a faint pressure wrapped around her cold hand.

“…!”

Startled, she turned her gaze downward.

A weak, trembling hand had grasped hers.

Barely managing to lift his eyelids, the Viscount looked at her.

Yvette swallowed and whispered his name like a breath.

“Father.”