Chapter 5

Then, Conan turned around, along with the woman beside him.

Ninian saw a woman with a face strikingly similar to hers, and she was smiling while she held Conan’s hand.

At that moment, Ninian felt her blood freeze.

Who was she? Conan’s crush?

Ninian had been with Conan for seven years. Why did she never know that he had a crush?!

Her heart spasmed in pain. She wanted to leave, but Conan called out to her. “You’ve arrived, Ninian.”

“Ninian Springs? Conan Stone’s secretary?”

“She looks so similar to Rose Charlemagne!”

“Don’t you know? She’s just a replacement. I heard that during the years Rose wasn’t around, Conan Stone got a replacement. It must have been Ninian Springs!”

Everyone stared at her while they talked about her.

Those words kept pouring into her ears, and Ninian felt as if someone had seized her throat. She could not breathe.

“Hello, Miss Springs.” Rose went over to Ninian and sized her up. “I’m sorry, I heard from Conan that you don’t like such banquets, but I really wanted to see you, so I asked him to invite you over.”

She saw the provocation in Rose’s eyes, and Ninian clenched her fists.

“You wanted to see me?”

So, Conan did not cancel the engagement for her. It was because his crush came back.

He wanted Ninian to doll herself up for the banquet because he wanted his crush to see what her replacement looked like.

She felt as if someone had driven a knife into her heart, and Ninian felt her legs giving out. She was about to collapse.

“I heard from someone that you look like me. Conan, do you think we look alike?” Rose raised her head and asked Conan sweetly.

Conan smiled and said nonchalantly, “It’s just a coincidence. She can’t compare to you.”

At his words, Ninian’s heart hurt so much that she staggered backward.

She turned around and wanted to leave, but Rose stopped her.

“Miss Springs, I haven’t toasted you for taking care of Conan in my place for so long. He’s really picky, so you must have had a hard time with him.”

She gave off such a high-and-mighty air because she was the one Conan truly liked, while Ninian was just the side hoe.

People’s gazes fell on her, and they looked at her as if she was a joke.

Ninian forced a smile. “That’s my job. I was being paid for it, so it’s not hard for me.”

“You must have done plenty of other things besides work, right?” Rose raised her voice and chuckled in a magnanimous fashion. “But I’m back now. You don’t need to do certain things in my place anymore.”

Ninian looked at Conan, who stood expressionlessly in place and did not even spare her a single glance.

It was as if all that was happening had nothing to do with him.

Ninian nodded in disappointment. “Alright. I understand.”

She turned around to leave but ended up knocking into an attendant who was holding flutes of red wine.

Red wine spilled on her and ruined her expensive gown.

Rose was shocked. “Are you okay, Miss Springs? Your gown is ruined! I’ll have an attendant bring you a new one. We can talk once you change.”

“There’s no need.”

Compared to the kind and generous Rose, Ninian felt as pathetic as a loser.

When Conan saw that Ninian’s gown was dirty and that she nearly fell, he wanted to help her, but Rose had grabbed his hand before he could do it.

“Conan, since Miss Springs doesn’t need my help and the auction is about to start, let’s head in.”

Conan nodded and retracted his hand. He just gave Ninian a look. “Go back and change. Don’t catch a cold.”

They then left without sparing her another glance.

The people around her left as well, but Ninian remained rooted to the spot. She did not move even after a long time had passed.

At that moment, she was completely disappointed in Conan.