I Ended Up in a Shotgun Marriage with the Male Lead

Chapter 3

Emilia was dumbfounded.

But perhaps because the situation was so absurd, she felt more shocked than angry.

Judging from Raina’s current circumstances, she was probably going through a very difficult time.

She was likely terrified of being sold off to some despicable noble at any moment.

But still… how could she covet someone who’s already engaged?

No matter how desperate she was.

Emilia felt a headache coming on.

If the male lead ever found out about this later, he’d be utterly speechless.

“Raina, I’m sure there are better choices waiting for you.”

That was the only advice Emilia could offer.

Even if she told her that she would eventually enter into a contract engagement with the male lead and spend the rest of her life happily with him, Raina would never believe it.

“No! You’re only saying that because you don’t understand my situation!”

Raina suddenly lifted her head and shouted.

“I really need Cedric…! I truly can’t live without him!”

Instead, she looked at Emilia as though she resented her for speaking so calmly.

“And Cedric said he’s sick and tired of you too! He said he wants to break up with you! Even if you stay together, all you’ll do is make each other miserable!”

Emilia’s expression froze.

Until now, she’d been able to dismiss Raina’s words as the desperate ramblings of someone in a difficult situation.

But what she’d just heard…

“…Did Cedric really say that himself?”

Raina bit her lip tightly and nodded.

As if she hadn’t wanted to say something like that.

The image of Cedric at the dinner table flashed through Emilia’s mind.

For a moment, she felt as though she’d been struck on the head.

“So… please give Cedric to me.”

“…Leave. I don’t want to hear another word from you.”

There was no reason for her to continue listening.

She needed to find out whether Raina was lying…

…or telling the truth.

If… what Raina said is true.

If the confidence Raina was showing came from Cedric himself…

If the ease with which Cedric treated Raina wasn’t simply because they were childhood friends seeing each other again after so long…

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Emilia stopped thinking and turned her head.

But Raina remained rooted to the spot.

As though she absolutely had to hear Emilia say, ‘I’ll break up with Cedric.’

“Fine. Then I’ll be the one to leave.”

Emilia stood up and grabbed the doorknob.

She had intended to go talk to Cedric anyway.

But the words that came from behind her stopped her in her tracks.

“A-Actually… I’m pregnant with Cedric’s child!”

* * *

Emilia’s arm dropped limply to her side.

“…Say that again.”

“Sob… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Say it again.”

“Hic… sob…”

“Who do you think has the right to cry right now?!”

At last, Emilia exploded.

How could the woman claiming to be carrying her fiancé’s child be the one in tears?

Just then—

The door flew open.

“What the hell is going on? Why are you yelling?”

Emilia turned around.

Cedric stood in the doorway.

He looked around the room before spotting the tearful Raina.

His eyes widened.

“Raina…? Why are you here…?”

He hurried over to her.

“What’s wrong?! Did Emilia do something to you?!”

Clearly flustered, Cedric knelt beside Raina.

Wrapping an arm gently around her shoulders…

As though they were lovers.

Seeing that, Emilia’s eyes turned cold.

“Cedric.”

“What?”

Busy wiping away Raina’s tears, he answered absentmindedly.

“She says she’s carrying your child. Is it true?”

“…What?”

Cedric slowly turned his head toward Emilia.

“Raina… is pregnant with my child…?”

He looked stunned, as though the news had taken him completely by surprise.

Judging from his reaction…

He hadn’t known she was pregnant.

But seeing his expression only made Emilia want to laugh bitterly.

The fact that he isn’t angrily denying such an absurd accusation…

…meant they had unquestionably slept together.

And…

Because she caught the faintest trace of joy in Cedric’s eyes—

“…You’ve really lost your mind.”

Emilia clenched her fists tightly.

“You’re worse than an animal. How can you call yourself human after this?”

Only now did she finally understand why he had never contacted her.

She had never even crossed his mind.

He’d been too busy seeing Raina.

And all this time…

She had worried something terrible might have happened to him.

The thought made her feel unbelievably foolish.

Just then, Cedric sprang to his feet.

His face was bright red, as though he had been deeply insulted.

“L-Look! It’s not my fault I don’t see you as a woman anymore! You’re nothing like Raina! You’re not sweet, you’re not lovable! All you ever do is lecture me, even though you’re nothing special yourself!”

“…I lecture you?”

Emilia asked a beat later.

“Yeah! Do you know how damn miserable that made me feel every single time?!”

Cedric snapped, as though years of frustration had finally burst out.

“And Raina said she’d accept someone like me! She said she’d make me a count!”

At last, he proudly lifted his chin.

“So tell me! Other than holding me back, what can you possibly do for me now?!”

Emilia silently looked at him.

From the perspective of House Illake…

Raina was nothing more than a disgraceful illegitimate daughter.

The title of count was completely out of the question.

Besides, if Count Illake intended to marry Raina off for the highest possible price, there was no way he’d ever welcome someone like Cedric.

Anyone who thought about it for even a moment would realize something was wrong.

…As long as they weren’t completely blinded by their feelings for Raina.

But what was the point of saying any of that now?

To Cedric…

She was simply an annoying woman who didn’t know her place and kept trying to teach him.

“So…”

“…That’s all I ever was to you.”

Emilia slowly lowered her head.

They had spent four years together.

The only reason she hadn’t immediately suspected Cedric after hearing Raina’s story…

…was because those four years had meant something to her.

I should slap him.

I should grab him by the collar and shake him.

But strangely…

She didn’t feel like doing any of that.

The strength slowly drained from her clenched fists.

Rather than anger…

She simply felt exhausted.

Being in the same room as the two of them was unbearable.

I can’t breathe.

As she silently turned to leave, Cedric angrily reached out toward her.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?! I’m not finished yet! So let’s break—”

Smack.

Emilia slapped his hand away without hesitation.

“I’ll break up with you.”

“But…”

“Don’t ever touch me with those filthy hands again.”

“W-What?”

Cedric flinched at the icy tone in her voice.

Taking advantage of the moment, Emilia ran out of the house.

Whoooosh—

A sudden downpour was already falling outside, blocking the road ahead.

She merely brushed the rain aside as though it were nothing.

* * *

Creak.

Thud.

Without even changing out of her wet clothes, Emilia collapsed onto her bed.

Bastard.

You horrible bastard.

Whether because of the rain or not…

Her body felt as heavy as soaked cotton.

She covered her eyes with one cold arm.

If only he’d apologized the moment he came back…

If only he’d shown even the slightest bit of remorse…

No.

At the very least, he shouldn’t have left her looking like a fool at the dinner table.

If he hadn’t done that…

Maybe she wouldn’t feel this miserable.

How ridiculous I must have looked.

The fact that, to him, she wasn’t even someone worthy of the smallest amount of respect…

…hurt more than anything else.

That was what made her heart ache.

Suppressing the emotions threatening to overwhelm her, Emilia squeezed her eyes shut.

She felt as though the fever would return if she let herself think any further.

Don’t think about anything right now.

Curled up as her body shivered with chills…

Emilia eventually fell asleep.