When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese and Zacharias) novel Chapter 534

"Madam Loreila served Sunlit Glade for years. She retired a couple of years ago but told me the princess room was for the third sister-in-law."

"That means you should admit it now, right?" Felyxia beamed proudly.

It makes perfect sense to me—my aloof cousin, who never cared for women, is suddenly married?

If Anneliese isn't the girl he's cherished for years, I can't believe it.

Jonathan is always so disciplined and distant. He helped me often when I was growing up, but that was the only time I ever saw him lose control.

And that night, seeing him carry his wife home and protect her so openly...

It all lined up perfectly.

Felyxia felt brilliant. I've uncovered the truth.

But when she turned back to Anneliese, her excitement instantly froze.

Anneliese's face went pale. Her faint, empty smile and fragile expression stood out.

Shouldn't Anneliese have looked touched? Happy? Moved?

But she looks like she can barely breathe.

Oh no.

Did I just make a terrible mistake?

"Anneliese, are you okay? Am I too loud? I won't disturb you! I'm leaving!"

Panicking at the thought of angering her cousin, Felyxia jumped up and bolted out, slamming the door.

Silence returned.

Anneliese stared at the closed door and slowly loosened her tightly curled fingers, deep crescents in her palm.

The portrait… It's from ten years ago.

Ten years ago, Jonathan already cherished a girl in his heart. How could that possibly be me?

Felyxia must have guessed wildly. She said the girl in the portrait looked like me, so she assumed it was me.

I know Jonathan once liked someone. Zane and the others have mentioned it before.

At that banquet, I accidentally overheard India and Jonathan talking, and India brought it up too.

That girl never appeared, and Jonathan never mentioned her, so I didn't think much of it.

Jonathan was already twenty-five or twenty-six—at that age, liking someone before is normal.

Since he decided to marry me and seems genuinely invested, and our relationship has progressed comfortably, I haven't dwelled on it.

After all, I've been married before.

Yet Felyxia's words make me feel, for the first time, discomfort, bitterness, and panic.

Could Jonathan have chosen that girl as his future wife ten years ago?

Otherwise, why prepare a princess room in the house, with even the maid saying it was for the future Mrs. Fullbuster?

Felyxia is the only girl among the Fullbuster grandchildren, and she's always been doted on.

On the caravan back, when Jonathan mentioned this cousin, his tone was uncommonly soft and affectionate.

Yet Felyxia had merely wandered into that room by accident, and Jonathan had scolded her fiercely.

Clearly, that girl meant more to him than anyone else.

He even drew her portrait—I never knew he could paint.

Felyxia says I look like the girl in the portrait. I try not to overthink it, but I can't help wondering if I'm just a substitute.

The thought twisted around her chest, tightening with every heartbeat, making it hard to breathe.

When she regained her senses, she was already in the corridor. She reached out, trying to find the princess room Felyxia mentioned.

She wanted to see it with her own eyes.

"What are you looking for here?"

As Anneliese's hand rested on the doorknob of the room next to Jonathan's bedroom, a voice suddenly called out from the far end of the corridor.

Startled, Anneliese turned to see Elizabeth approaching—deep purple couture dress embroidered in gold, shawl draped, eyes sharp.