LOGINA few minutes later, Ivy, Xian, Elaine, and Cyrus arrived at the famous city theater. It was a massive and elegant building, surrounded by lights that made its beauty stand out even more. Upon entering, they were immediately welcomed by a cool breeze and the luxurious design of the lobby, featuring a red carpet and large chandeliers on the ceiling. As they walked inside to find their seats, her eyes gradually widened and her heart began to beat fast. She realized that this was the exact theater they had gone to in the past with Cyrus—back when she was still rebelling and introducing herself as Blossom. Ivy suddenly grew nervous. Her hands began to grow cold. She glanced secretly at Cyrus, who was just smiling while assisting Elaine. "Why did they think of coming here of all places?" Ivy whispered to herself, forcing herself to calm down. "What if he remembers? What if he says something about our past and Xian hears it?" Ivy was deeply afraid that Xian would find out abou
Ivy's POV Several minutes passed after my conversation with Cyrus—whom I used to know as Umei, a wandering singer who performed in various places. As soon as I stepped out of the cabin, I rushed straight to Xian and wrapped my arms tightly around his arm. I didn't know why, but I felt deeply irritated. "Let's go, Xian. Let's get something to eat first." I didn't know why I was so annoyed by what Cyrus had said, but I just wanted to get away. Xian didn't object to my suggestion and accompanied me. I couldn't accept what Cyrus had told me earlier. "W-what? Are you out of your mind? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" I had asked him then. "Hahaha, why? Your boyfriend doesn't love you, and Elaine doesn't love me as her fiancé either, so I think it's only right that the two of us get together." I was left speechless and in disbelief by his words. It angered me how casually he suggested that we could be together amidst the reality that we both already had partners.
Because of what Elaine said, Xian realized that he could not simply forbid his girlfriend from being with Cyrus, especially since it was actually helping her. He had many shortcomings, and even before then, he knew Elaine was struggling with their setup. Even though they loved each other, he didn't even know if Elaine was still happy in their relationship. The whole area fell silent for a moment, and Xian didn't respond for almost a full minute. A moment later, he simply let out a heavy sigh while looking out the window. "Elaine, do you love me?" Xian asked. "Of course I love you, but that doesn't mean I can follow everything you want. I can't live while you hide me away in some corner all by myself, leaving me waiting," Elaine replied, keeping her head bowed. "I know... I understand. But I want to know why you didn't tell me right away? I understand that you need to survive here in the capital, but I wish you had at least told me what was happening to you," Xian said. E
Their tour inside the amusement park began all at once. The place was vast and filled with all kinds of people, ranging from families strolling around to couples walking hand in hand. To onlookers, they looked like a normal group of four friends who had decided to have fun that day. However, beneath the smiles and laughter, a heavy tension hung between each of them. To break the silence and ease some of the tension among them, Ivy tried to cheer them up and started inviting everyone to try the rides. "Well? What ride should we try first? There are so many great ones here!" Ivy cheerfully said, letting her gaze wander across the colorful rides surrounding them. "Anything is fine. I'm okay with wherever you guys want to go," Cyrus replied with a smile. But as he said that, he gently wrapped his arm around Elaine's shoulders. Surprised by Cyrus's action, Elaine immediately looked at him and slightly pulled away to remove his arm, but Cyrus held her shoulder firmly so she couldn't b
Elaine's POV. The next morning, Cyrus and I prepared to leave early. We even had to stop by a parlor to get me styled since the mansion didn't have an in-house makeup artist. Cyrus hadn't been content with me doing my own makeup; he insisted that I be styled by professionals so I would look my best. And he wasn't wrong—the result was a stunning outfit and flawless makeup. I wore a trendy yet elegant dress that looked sophisticated. When I finished, Cyrus stood behind me, gripping both of my shoulders as we looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror. "Look at that. You look completely different when professionals handle you. You really need to learn how to style yourself properly," he remarked. "I know that, but you have to remember that back in the province, I barely went anywhere except the fields or the theater. What did I know about makeup and hairstyling?" I retorted. He understood, though he still wanted me to explore and learn new things, especially since I would
Minutes passed as the party continued. Deciding to shift the conversation to keep Ivy from asking any more questions about Elaine's relationship, Maxine suggested that they all hang out the following day. "Let's drop it. You guys are probably just too stressed out with life. It's not right to dwell on depressing things in a place like this," Maxine said. "Why don't the four of us go out tomorrow? That way, you'll get to meet Cyrus and decide for yourselves whether he's a good person or not," Maxine added. "What? The four of us?" Elaine asked. "Since you're both in a similar situation—having your families arrange your marriages—a double date would be a great way to get to know each other," Maxine replied. Ivy was thrilled by the idea and immediately agreed. She hugged Xian, nudging him to see if he was on board. "Maxine is right. This way, we can find out if Elaine's boyfriend is actually a good guy. Come on, Xian, agree to come with us," she cajoled. Xian shook his head in dis







