Joke 74

Her departure from home had been kept secret, with the story being that she was confined to her room with a contagious rash. Luckily, she had returned safely.

Initially, everyone in the neighborhood knew about Selena's engagement to Lucio and their impending wedding. However, it was strange that there had been no word from Lucio for two months, and the wedding plans seemed to be falling apart. Now, many people in the town were making fun of Selena, despite her successful business ventures. They speculated that there must be something wrong with Selena, and Mr. Simeone was not pleased.

Maria had been looking increasingly worn out and troubled lately. It was understandable, considering her beautiful daughter was now without any suitors, and Lucio had suddenly disappeared. Mr. Selena had visited Lucio's mansion several times, but the gatekeepers always claimed Lucio hadn't returned yet. It had been two months already, and it was clear he were just making excuses. But what could they do?

Meanwhile, Alexander Kinsworth, who had recently taken on a new position, had gotten married just a half month ago. He and his wife were often seen out together, enjoying each other's company. Mrs. Kinsworth would sometimes intentionally mention their happiness, making Maria and Selena feel even more uncomfortable.

Thinking about Selena's marriage troubles kept Maria up at night. Selena watched her mother's belly grow day by day, feeling guilty that her mother was worrying about her. She couldn't bear to tell her parents that she had had a relationship with Lucio, fearing they would see her differently.

If her parents found out about it, she could be kicked out of her home.

Mariana has been serving Miss Selena for over a month now and has noticed a significant change in Selena's demeanor. Selena seems to have lost much of her usual cheerfulness and spends most of her time locked in her room, often staring out of the window for long periods.

However, Mariana can't help but feel sorry for Selena, considering her unfortunate circumstances. Mrs. Maria believes that Mr. Simeone likely rejected the marriage proposal because Selena's elopement had hurt his feelings. After all, no man would want to marry a woman who had left home for over half a month and whose innocence was now in question.

Although Maria is angry, she understands that after all this time with no word from Mr. Simeone, it's clear that he has moved on. She can only put aside the idea of their wedding and focus on finding a suitable match for her daughter. However, despite her efforts to find a decent suitor, she hasn't had much luck.

Seeing Selena becoming increasingly melancholic and withdrawn, Mariana suggests going to the shop for a change of scenery. Selena looks outside at the gloomy sky, feeling as if her mood mirrors the weather. But when Mariana proposes going out, Selena feels like a bird suddenly released from its cage, eager to leave.

As it's about to rain and most shops are closing, there are fewer people on the streets. Mariana spots a jewelry store up ahead and suggests, "Miss, why don't we go buy some jewelry? They might have new items in stock..."

Walking down the street, Selena's mood finally improved somewhat, showing some interest in Mariana's words. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded and followed her to the jewelry store. Upon arrival, they found there weren't many people in the shop. Selena casually placed her straw hat on the counter and picked up one of the new hair accessories to examine it more closely. However, as she looked up, she saw two men emerging from behind the jewelry store, where customizations were made.

In the instant their eyes met, Selena felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She dropped the hair accessory into the box and felt her heart stop. The color drained from her face instantly, and her knuckles clenched tightly, though she attempted to maintain composure as she said, "Mariana, Mariana, let's go..."

The trembling in her voice clearly revealed her struggle to contain her fear. Mariana was taken aback by her words, and before she could react, she saw Selena abruptly turn around and hurry out of the shop, almost as if she were fleeing.

Before they could fully exit the store, they heard a surprised voice from behind: "Hey, miss, what family are you from? Wait, please! You forgot your hat...!"

To their surprise, the woman in the pink dress ahead walked even faster, leaving only a lingering fragrance in the air. This prompted the man to call out repeatedly, but Mariana was caught off guard by Selena's sudden departure and didn't react immediately. However, upon seeing one of the two individuals ahead, she exclaimed, "Ah!" That man, who had remained silent but whose eyes had been fixed on Selena the entire time, was none other than Mr. Simeone, who had saved her and Selena in the unnamed town.

No wonder Selena wanted to leave. It was Mr. Simeone who had carried Selena away that day, ruining her reputation and even daring to call off the engagement. Mariana felt extremely resentful, but upon seeing Mr. Simeone swiftly incapacitate one of the robbers, she couldn't help but shiver in fear. She glared at the man who was still stretching his neck outside the shop and shouting, saying, "What are you yelling about? That's our young lady's hat. Just give it to me." With that, she snatched the hat from his hand.

Upon hearing this, the man's eyes lit up, and he hastily asked, "Which family are you from? What's your young lady's name? Has she been betrothed? Is she married...?"

Upon hearing those words, Mariana widened her eyes and stared at the man in front of her. Who would ask a woman's details like that? Thinking about it, she snorted disapprovingly and said gruffly, "If you want to know, ask Mr. Simeone." With that, she shot him a glare and hurried to follow the direction the young lady had gone.

The man was suddenly flustered. It was none other than Hector, who had just returned from a mission. Ever since he saw her at the inn last winter, he had been captivated by a woman he had seen there. No matter how much he tried to find her, he couldn't, so he gave up. However, upon unexpectedly encountering her again today, he felt extremely thrilled. He thought this must be fate between them, and today he couldn't let this opportunity pass by.