Just as Song Jae was speaking with Hwang, the Crown Prince stepped out from the other side of the garden.
"Oh? It seems Miss Song has realized it's improper for an unmarried man and woman to meet in private," Crown Prince Chul Kwan said with a smile. "But since we've already done it countless times, I'm sure one more won't hurt."
Song Jae stiffened. That smile—it looked harmless, but to her, it was pure evil. She wanted to slap it off his face. But remembering who he was in the novel, and who she was—just a disposable cannon fodder—she swallowed her anger.
"Come on, A-Cha. Let's go," Song Jae said briskly.
Lee Cha was stunned. The Crown Prince had just implied that he and Song Jae had met in secret many times. Although curious, she wasn't exactly jealous—someone like the Crown Prince wasn't her type. If anything, she pitied Song Jae. Just the rumors surrounding him were enough to make her shudder.
When Lee Cha didn't move, Song Jae grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the garden, leaving Crown Prince Chul Kwan and Hwang behind.
"Your Highness," Hwang said angrily, "don't you think Miss Song is being too disrespectful? She even dared to walk away without permission."
"That's exactly what makes her special," Crown Prince Chul Kwan replied, a small smirk on his lips. "Don't you think so?"
Hwang frowned. He didn't understand the Crown Prince's strange taste in women at all.
After leaving the garden, Song Jae clutched her chest, stealing glances behind her to make sure the Crown Prince wasn't following. She knew she'd acted improperly—walking away from royalty without permission—but she hadn't expected to meet him. If she had, she would have brought along her maidservants, or she would've stayed in the banquet hall.
Even if she had brought her maid along, what difference would it have made? If the Crown Prince could send his guards to fetch her in front of Lee Cha, he would've done the same with her maid present. There was no escaping his power.
"A-Jae… do you think the Crown Prince will be angry and retaliate?" Lee Cha whispered, fear written all over her face. "Don't forget the rumors. He may look handsome and reasonable now, but what about later?"
"Don't worry," Song Jae replied, forcing a smile. "I don't think he'd go that far over something so small."
But her words felt more like an attempt to convince herself.
As they returned to the banquet hall, which was about to start, Lee Cha was summoned by her mother. Alone now, Song Jae wandered through the crowd, trying to spot where her sisters were seated.
She turned a corner and accidentally bumped into someone.
"Sorry!" she gasped.
Then she saw his face—and froze.
It was him.
The man she collided with was none other than Grand Tutor heir Kim Jin.
"Miss, are you alright?" Kim Jin asked, raising a brow. "Do you know me?"
"N-no," Song Jae stammered, bowing quickly. "You just reminded me of someone I used to know."
Without another word, she turned and fled, as though something—or someone—was chasing her.
Turning back to look at Song Jae, Kim Jin couldn't shake the feeling that her behavior resembled that of his ex girlfriend, Song Yong, from his previous life. He couldn't understand how he'd ended up in this world. The only thing he clearly remembered was that, along with Song Yong's sister, Song Young, he had pushed Song Yong out of a window. Then, a strange lightning storm had appeared, pulling him into this unfamiliar world.
Now, as he watched Song Jae, he couldn't help but wonder: Was he the only one who had crossed over, or had his ex girlfriend and her sister followed him too?
As Kim Jin stared at her, lost in thought, his servant, Hyeon-woo, noticed his master's unusual behavior. For the past few months, Kim Jin had been acting strangely, and now, he was intently focused on the girl he had bumped into earlier.
"Master," Hyeon-woo whispered, bending down slightly, "Have you forgotten who she is?"
Kim Jin blinked, confused. "Do I know her?"
Hyeon-woo's eyes widened in surprise. "Master, how could you forget? She's the girl your carriage crashed into five months ago. She was lucky that someone pulled her out of the way in time, so she only suffered a minor injury."
Kim Jin paused, trying to recall the incident. "Is that so? It seems I've forgotten about it."
He looked back at Song Jae, his curiosity deepening. "Help me investigate and find out who she is."
Although Hyeon-woo found his master's behavior odd, he didn't question him. "Yes, Master," he said, bowing respectfully.
Finally arriving at the banquet hall, Song Jae walked toward the Second Madam and her sisters, finding her seat. She sighed in relief. She felt incredibly unlucky today—first, the Crown Prince, and now, someone who looked exactly like her boyfriend from her previous life. It was as though fate was determined to throw these encounters her way.
"Sister, where did you go just now?" Song Nabi asked sarcastically. "We were almost scared to death! Did you go to meet a secret lover?"
Song Jae smirked and replied, "Secret lover? I'm sure I'm older than you, but why does it seem like you've aged so much already? Maybe your eyesight is failing at an early age, and your imagination is running wild."
She turned her attention to her twin sisters, Song Kyong and Song Seo, and began placing food on their plates without sparing a glance for Song Nabi.
It took a moment for Song Nabi to realize what she had just been told. Was she implying that I have bad eyesight and dirty thoughts?
"What do you mean by that, Song Jae?" Song Nabi demanded angrily, her face flushed.
Before Song Jae could reply, the banquet finally began. The King, Queen Mother, and Quee had arrived, and everyone in the hall rose to their feet and bowed in reverence to the royal family. Once the greetings were exchanged, the banquet officially started.
As dancers and performers took the stage, Song Jae glanced over at the Crown Prince, only to find him staring directly at her. Her heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to look away, she heard a voice.
"Seja Jeoha (Your Royal Highness, the Crown Prince)," the Third Prince said loudly, drawing attention. "What do you think of that dancer? She's quite beautiful. How about you take her as a concubine?"
A heavy silence fell over the hall as everyone waited for the Crown Prince's response.