Chapter 43
“Shall we head to the garden, then?”
I quickly changed the subject, and Sophia smiled gently as she led the way outside.
Behind us, Mei skipped along, chirping,
“Our lady is weak to compliments, you know. That’s why I make sure to praise her every single day.”
“Mei, why do you sound so proud about that?”
“Because a master’s glory is also a servant’s glory! If someone praises you, it’s basically like praising me, right?”
Her nonsense logic only made me sigh—but then I noticed the brand-new sapphire ring sparkling on her finger.
I didn’t even need to ask who had given it to her, or what kind of bribe it was supposed to be.
“Mei, you like jewels more than you like me.”
“Whaaat! That’s not true!”
“Then can I have that sapphire ring?”
“Ugh, honestly. How could a rich young lady like you try to take a poor maid’s little trinket?”
Mei immediately hid her hand, guilty as could be.
Her reactions were always so transparent.
* * *
I finished my tasks earlier than expected, which left me with extra time before meeting Alperen.
Suddenly, an idea struck me.
‘What if I went to pick him up at the Tower?’
Since I’d already agreed to play the role of his girlfriend, why not also act like a supportive partner? That way, I could irritate Nanael even more.
‘And it’s all Nanael’s fault for provoking me first anyway!’
I was still bitter over her earlier stunt. Because of her, I’d been forced to go public with the fake relationship in a rush—and to endure Adrian’s suffocating brotherly obsession on top of it.
I wanted payback.
“Let’s stop by Winif’s café first, then head to the Tower,” I said.
At Winif’s flagship store, I ordered coffee and a mountain of desserts. I was about to leave when—
‘Huh?’
A huge figure suddenly blocked my path. He’d appeared out of nowhere, so I couldn’t avoid him.
‘No, no, no!’
The gelato I’d been planning to eat on the way out flew straight into his chest.
Thud—!
It hit a body as solid as stone, and I nearly toppled over.
“Careful there.”
A husky voice murmured as strong arms steadied my waist.
“Are you alright, my lady?”
The overly smooth, syrupy tone made me frown.
‘You block my way, ruin my gelato, and then ask if I’m alright? My poor gelato’s dead and gone, and you want to know if I’m fine?’
It had been the last scoop in stock—a rare bit of luck. Now it was dripping down this man’s expensive jacket, wasted forever.
No one could’ve avoided him, not when he barged into a crowded café like this.
Annoyed, I lifted my gaze to see who had ruined my day.
And froze.
‘Oh no.’
Fiery red hair, like a burning flame.
Golden eyes gleaming with imperial arrogance.
A face uncomfortably similar to Nanael’s.
Cesare Barnard.
One of the very last people I ever wanted to meet.
My expression hardened immediately, but he seemed to misinterpret it. He pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping the melted ice cream from my hand.
“I seem to have dirtied the fair lady’s hands,” he said smoothly.
‘What’s with this cheesy Casanova act?’
Instead of fussing over me, maybe he should’ve worried about his jacket—it was covered in stains.
“Don’t worry about it.”
I pushed his hand away quickly. He blinked, then smiled faintly, the beauty mark under his eye catching the light.
“No, I cannot leave it at this. To let such a lovely lady walk away—it would shame me as a gentleman.”
His voice dripped with intentional seduction. But knowing his true nature from the original story only made me shudder.
A walking disaster. Public Enemy #2. (Enemy #1, of course, being Nanael.)
“Really, it’s fine. So just go awa— I mean, don’t concern yourself.”
I pulled out my wallet and shoved a check into his hand.
“Here. For the dry cleaning. Or buy yourself a new suit.”
No chance I was letting him claim I’d ruined his clothes and skipped out. I’d make this transaction clean.
He stared down at the check, utterly dumbfounded.
At that moment, Mei came bouncing over, completely unaware of the scene.
“Young lady! The order’s all packed up!” she said, swinging the bags around carelessly.
“The cake! Don’t ruin the cake!”
“Eek!” Mei froze instantly at my scolding.
“Anyway, goodbye,” I said quickly.
And like a refugee escaping disaster, I darted out of Winif’s without a second glance.
* * *
Cesare was left standing there, staring at the check in his palm.
It was the exact price of the jacket.
She’d recognized the make and calculated its worth in just a heartbeat.
That meant he couldn’t even use it as an excuse to see her again.
“…Impressive.”
When he’d deliberately timed their “accidental collision,” he thought for sure it would work.
But instead, she’d brushed him off like an annoying fly.
Her parting words echoed in his mind—
“It’s fine. So just go awa— I mean, don’t concern yourself.”
She’d almost told him to “get lost.”
No woman had ever dismissed him like that before. It was a humiliating first meeting, a scratch on his flawless pride.
And yet… he found himself intrigued.
Maybe it was her immediate reaction—her sharp, wary green eyes.
She’d recognized him right away, her expression saying, “I know exactly what kind of trouble you are.”
She looked so guarded, like she’d already suffered just by being near him.
She must have noticed the resemblance to Nanael, and guessed who he was.
Most women would’ve fawned over him. But her? She had the audacity to act cold to a prince.
“…Cute enough, though,” he muttered.
Her fresh pink hair, porcelain skin, and stubborn little glare—perfect for a short diversion.
Yes, she was wary, but that only made her more interesting.
After all, in love, the more the prey resisted, the more satisfying the chase.
And according to his informants, she was already visiting the Ainruk estate as if it were her second home.
The fact that Alperen—so cold and untouchable—was letting her in and out? Proof enough he was infatuated.
‘Heh. What better chance to knock that arrogant Duke off his high horse?’
The thought of wiping that smug, noble expression off Alperen’s face thrilled him.
In truth, Cesare didn’t care about Nanael’s so-called “revenge.”
His twin sister was just his shadow, meant to support his path to the throne.
If she’d failed to keep her fiancé, that was her problem.
What interested him was Alperen.
That stiff-necked, self-righteous Duke—he was the one Cesare wanted to provoke.
Shoving the check into his pocket, Cesare stripped off the stained jacket and tossed it in the trash without hesitation.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll be seeing her again soon.”
At that moment, he was still confident.
He had no idea just how ironclad Rodelia’s defenses were—or how many “gatekeepers” stood ready to guard her from people exactly like him.
* * *
“Mei, that was perfect timing,” I said once we were safely away from Winif’s. I gave her a big thumbs-up.
“Sorry for always thinking you were butting in at the worst moments.”
“Uh, you do realize I heard you almost say ‘get lost,’ right?”
“…Wait, you heard that?”
“Mei has really good ears.”
She pouted a little, then added softly,
“That’s why I didn’t accept the sapphire ring from the young master for nothing.”
Of course—Adrian.
I narrowed my eyes.
“So you already knew, didn’t you? That man just now was Cesare Barnard?”
