Second Female Leads' Playbook

I woke up extra early this morning. I could not sleep last night. I visited Mother immediately after breakfast.

"Mother, you really didn't write to Prince Sebastian before my birthday?"

"No, I did not. How many times do I have to tell you. Do I need to swear on my power to prove what I'm saying is the truth? I have not written a single letter in ages!"

"You didn't? Then why did Prince Sebastian talk to me yesterday?" I mumbled.

"Liana!" she squealed. "My dear daughter, why didn't you tell me this yesterday? Such excitement!"

"You didn't ask him to talk to me, did you, Mother?"

"I told you I did not!"

If Mother said she didn't, then I believe she really does not do so. She could tell lies (she was brought up by a nanny who can tell when someone is lying). Then what made Prince Sebastian changed? My rebirth? But I didn't do anything that will affect him for now...

"What did you say? I hope you didn't bring up the break off engagement nonsense!"

"I planned to, but was pushed off. Mother did you know the stones on the encyclopedia are real?"

"I did not look really closely. They are real? See, my dear daughter, how much Sebastian likes you! And you wish to break off the engagement!"

Mother did not understand, something was strange. Sebastian had not acted like this in my previous life. Why did he change? Everything was exactly the same as before, except him. And I had to break off the engagement. There were only a few months left and tragedies would start. My family needed to leave this country before then.

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Did I really understand Sebastian?

When he came by in the afternoon, Mother happily pushed the two of us into the drawing room.

I tugged at my dress. I should tell him. It's time to break off our engagement. We were not suitable. If this continued, it would only create more endless suffering. Especially for me. But why did I feel a bit sad at that moment?

"Prince Sebastian, I... I have something I... want to tell you about."

He looked at me, holding a cup of tea. Every bit the elegant and noble prince. Even though he didn't say anything, I knew he was asking me to go on. This silly instinct from the two years we had been married.

"I... Prince Sebastian, ... let's break off our engagement."

He looked at me with his eyebrow raised. The same expression he had had when he had seen me entering the throne room that very last day. The expression disappeared in a second.

"Write me a proposal, I will consider it."

"Proposal?"

"Yes. If you don't know what that is, look through your encyclopedia." There seemed to be a spark of amusement in his eyes.

Was he teasing? Sebastian teasing me?

"Did you bring the books you want me to hand over to the jeweler?"

I was stunned for a moment. That's it? He wasn't shocked? He didn't even ask for reasons?

He really did not care. I smiled bitterly. I guessed the proposal thing was just to make things more official.

"Prince Sebastian, you... really don't have to..."

I was planning to break off our engagement, how could I receive more presents from him?

"You're my fiancee. Adrian spends more than half of his salary buying presents for his fiancee. That's nothing."

Did Sebastian just reveal another secret of Adrian? Was that really my brother? Sneaking off work, spending more than half of his salary... No wonder he always complained of being poor and refused to buy Mother new hats!

I still didn't think that was suitable. I tugged at my dress.

"I need to spend thirty minutes coming here. If I left empty handed, I would have wasted one hour."

If he had to put it that way, what could I do but to take out my books? One was an empty notebook. Another was my favorite romance novel.

"I will contact you when they are done."

"The pro...proposal. I will..."

"Give it to me when you have finished writing it. I will consider it."

He gave me a nod. I was dismissed... no he was leaving now. I walked him to the door. I knocked on the coffee table when I was sending him off, the cup fell off the table.

If it's before I could have saved it easily, but I knew my body condition. I hesitated and the tea cup fell down, the tea inside pouring out, staining my dress. Dizziness took over me and when I opened my eyes after blinking, the cup with tea was safely on the table, my dress clean. Not a spot.

"What... the cup. My dress..."

"See you next time." Sebastian gave me a nod and walked off, leaving me staring at the cup, confused.