The Male Lead Is Obsessed With Proposing to Me - Chapter 53

47. 47. He was already crazy

The banquet hall existed on the 7th floor of the Imperial Palace. 

Perhaps that’s why the sound of the champagne glass bursting into pieces outside the terrace was not heard at all. 

Benelucia must have already known it with his excellent visual intelligence and would hold back a retort, but as there seemed to be no one under the terrace, the moment was infinitely quiet without anyone screaming.

“What are you doing?” 

Yenelov demanded in a sharp tone, he watched as the cup he brought disappeared helplessly into the darkness as it shattered brilliantly on the unforgiving ground. 

Benelucia raised the corners of her mouth as if laughing. 

Senelia could not see the two men confronting each other, her gaze was blocked away as Benelucia completely hid her presence from Yenelov.

“If you want to pull a trick like this… Then go ahead.” 

Benelucia’s words were not an answer to Yenelov’s question. 

But before Yenelov could voice his annoyance, Benelucia continued speaking in an extremely relaxed manner. 

“But remember, it will all be thrown away in my hands anyway.”

Of course, Benelucia never had a kind word to spare for the Pendragon’s Young Master. 

“What right does His Highness the Grand Duke have—?” 

Yenelov was overcome with frustration and raised his voice, but even raising his voice to be heard fell short. 

Benelucia did not let him finish his complaint.

“No way… Heh. You don’t think what you give will be better than what I give to Sally.” 

In an instant, Yenelov’s mouth closed. 

Is that man trying to say that no matter what I have to offer Senelia, he would give her something better, so she didn’t need anything else from me? 

He wasn’t quite wrong. 

In all reality, Benelucia’s beauty and intellectual insight were superior to others, even surpassing that of the emperor. 

He had the wealth and power to have things that satisfied his taste. 

So who in this empire can give a better gift than Benelucia?

“If you understand, go ahead.” 

Benelucia nodded arrogantly and pointed to the terrace door. It was a clear challenge directed at Yenelov, concealing the arrogance of surety that Yenelov would never surpass him. 

Yenelov’s eyes naturally turned to Senelia, but before they could make eye contact, Benelucia blocked her so completely that Yenelov could not even see a single hair of Senelia’s hair.

“…Then see you next time, Lady Daphnen.” 

Yenelov added another word of greeting before he had no choice but to leave the terrace.

Giving a last word that could not be answered was also an action aimed at provoking Benelucia. 

After Yenelov left and the terrace door closed, only then did Senelia choose to open her mouth.

“No matter if you are the Grand Duke or not, I don’t think it’s right for some random stranger to interfere in a private conversation between me and Pendragon’s Young Lord!” 

Senelia’s tone was cold. 

She was in a bad mood, as if even the piece of comfort that had actually been given to her  during her conversation with Yenelov had been taken away by Benelucia.

However, no matter how much Benelucia loved her, she only endured it because there was no benefit in hurting Benelucia’s pride in front of Yenelov. 

However, Senelia was angry at him, reacting like a tyrant when he came to her after dancing with Lucalina just because he was upset that she’d spoken with Yenelov, it was pathetic. 

Even though Benelucia’s obsession was something she desired for her own goals, Senelia didn’t know it herself, but she was particularly emotional towards Benelucia. 

Perhaps, and sadly, this emotional reaction stemmed from the fact that he was the only person she expected anything from.

“Passerby?” 

Stranger. 

Those were words Senelia said on purpose to hurt Benelucia, and as she intended, he reacted sensitively to the word “stranger.”

“You are having a private conversation with Yenelov Pendragon, but I am a stranger who interrupted you?”

Benelucia gritted her teeth and suppressed his anger. 

He was upset that people like Yenelov were involved in a personal relationship with Senelia, and, of course, he didn’t like being called a stranger by her.

“Then, what does the Grand Duke mean if he is not a stranger?” 

Officially, the two of them had broken up. 

Their relationship was no different from anyone else. 

Senelia made sure to stress that point.

Benelucia, stung by the sharp words, blurted out unconsciously.

“So, do you want to have any kind of personal relationship with Yenelov Pendragon, who resembles your first love?”

 At that moment, Senelia’s eyes widened. 

For a moment, Benelucia thought he had said something stupid, but his eyes burned fiercely. 

Even though she seemed to be retreating, wasn’t she the one who always responded to him without giving in? 

But I can’t believe she is so speechless like this only when I brought up the story of her first love. 

Benelucia’s stomach turned for a moment.

“Why do you—? I can’t believe it…” 

“I wonder if you didn’t already know that Yenelov Pendragon resembles your first love, Sally?” 

“How do you do that…?” 

Senelia trailed off in genuine surprise. 

Benelucia’s mood instantly became miserable due to her actions. 

He was not a person who was obsessed with his lover’s ex-partner.

But Senelia was an exception to Benelucia at all times. When he thought that she still remembered her first love in her heart, he couldn’t bear it anymore.

“I knew from the beginning that your first love was completely different from mine.” 

So this leaves me with no choice, Sally.

Benelucia trapped Senelia between his arms, using the terrace railing as support. 

Otherwise, it seemed like she would just run away.

“It was so ordinary this past lover of yours, Sally, to the point where I don’t understand why you don’t love me.” 

If it had been someone else, Benelucia wouldn’t have said things like this to disparage her. Because he had nothing to lose in power, wealth, fame, or appearance. All valuable pieces that ensnared a woman’s heart. 

But none of that worked for Senelia. 

If Benelucia had his way, there would be no way she would have rejected his marriage proposals again and again.

“I heard you got along quite well with your fiancé when you were at the estate.” 

Senelia’s eyes shook. 

Of course, I had to lay the preparation before I could reach your side, Ben. I purposely stayed around my fiance for about a year before approaching you.  

This was to avoid giving the impression that she was suddenly switching from her fiancé to Benelucia. 

But she overlooked one thing. 

Even though Senelia didn’t know Benelucia as well as she should, Benelucia only learnt of her during the time they spent together. 

“When you said you loved me, I had never heard anyone say love so casually, but your eyes were too desperate to say it was a complete lie.” 

So it was memorable. 

At that time, Senelia felt like she couldn’t even breathe without Benelucia. 

Still, she didn’t cling to me saying she loved me beyond comparison. 

There were many people who were desperate for my love. 

…But Senelia was different from them. 

Ever since the beginning.

“…You doubted me.” 

Senelia could barely open her mouth. 

Benelucia had never mentioned anything about her life like this before, so she felt relieved without even realizing it. 

She thought he wasn’t interested enough to research her past, so the topic of his ex-fiancé would never come up.

“Yeah, I suspected it. Was it true that you love me, and if not, why did you approach me? Because you weren’t greedy for what you could gain through my status like others?” 

Senelia suppressed her shortness of breath as she heard Benelucia’s words. 

Just imagining how much he must have doubted himself made her feel dizzy.

“After doing some research… I found out. You and your fiancé were quite fond of each other.” 

Was it affectionate? 

Senelia thought that there was some truth in Benelucia’s words. 

Regardless of the fact that she thought of her fiancé as her ideal type, she could definitely say that he and Senelia were never passionately in love. 

They just liked a normal couple who enjoyed a comfortable daily life and fit the future they envisioned for each other. 

That’s why they loved each other. 

At least, affection was not a word to be used in such a relationship between Senelia and her past fiance.

“You always acted like the things I gave you weren’t yours.” 

Since the day she wore a dress that would have suited Lucalina on her first outing with Benelucia, Senelia had never once thought that the things he gave her were for her own benefit. 

All of it, she thought, was Lucalina’s. 

I was just stealing it, Benelucia.

“To be honest… Sally, if you hadn’t stayed by my side no matter what for eight years, I wouldn’t have believed you loved me.” 

Benelucia finally spoke out the thoughts he always kept to herself.

“I found out that you were willing to have a normal future with that man.” 

A woman who always keeps her distance from myself. 

A woman who has never once wanted anything from me. 

A woman who doesn’t even tell me about her love anymore.

Putting it all together, Senelia had absolutely no reason to stay by Benelucia’s side. Nevertheless, she endured everything and stayed by his side through it all.

“I love you. But today will be the last time I say this to His Highness the Grand Duke.” 

This was what Senelia said one day in the distant past. 

If that wasn’t the reason, there was absolutely no way to understand her actions.

And sometimes, that kind of woman’s gaze… It really held something special when they watched me. 

A commoner couple holding a child. 

The Young Lady and Young Master as they smile shyly while holding hands in the banquet hall. 

A couple who whispered that they loved each other and then fell for each other and their secret affair was discovered. 

A simple day where you can spend a quiet, unnoticed day with a small gift. 

Just such ordinary, everyday things.

…There was no way I didn’t know. 

Because from some point onward, Benelucia’s eyes followed Senelia.

“Did you know?” 

Senelia asked back without realizing it. 

But it was not to confirm Benelucia’s words. 

“You knew, but you pretended not to know?” 

It was resentment.

Her tone held her resentment for the love she held for him that he’d ruthlessly trampled upon.