CHAPTER 8
Because he was so different from her brother in her previous life, Damian didn’t leave much of an impression. She simply observed him like he was one of those “obsessive little brother” types from a novel.
But that smile—when it kept landing on her—started making her feel strangely uncomfortable.
‘I’m not Louisa anyway.’
A sudden sense of unease crept in. Maybe pushing for independence sooner would be better for both of them.
Time passed quickly.
The long-awaited garden party day arrived, and Louisa, nervous and jittery, carefully chose a dress—unlike her usual self.
‘Ugh, what a pain…’
Still, her motivation only lasted 30 minutes. She had no interest in fashion or dressing up, so her excitement faded fast.
Mary was exhausting enough, but Damian was even more invested in Louisa’s appearance, leaving her no room to care herself.
He’d been making appointments all over town for a week, buying dozens of dresses and accessories, and then insisted on trying everything the night before just to choose one. It had been utterly overwhelming.
‘I really need to reconsider going anywhere with Damian from now on…’
Suppressing multiple yawns and struggling against sleep, Louisa finally finished dressing up.
The cold impression she usually gave off was nowhere to be seen in the mirror. Instead, a warm and graceful beauty blinked back at her with languid eyes.
Her light purple dress—matching the color of her eyes—was made of luxurious fabric that elegantly revealed her figure. Layers of lace adorned the chest and hem, fluttering delicately and adding an airy charm.
A deep purple flower corsage on her exposed left shoulder added the perfect final touch.
Mary entered the room, visibly proud.
“Louisa, you look absolutely stunning.”
Damian, who’d been waiting at the door, widened his eyes in awe. Then, with a content smile, he extended his hand to her.
“The weather’s nice, but you should still try to stay seated as much as possible. And if you need anything or feel even slightly unwell, tell me immediately, okay?”
Louisa, accepting Damian’s escort, nodded quietly at his continued fussing over her health.
“Tired? Want to nap?”
“Yeah.”
“Lean on me. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
Thankfully, instead of continuing his worrying chatter, he sat silently beside her during the ride. Louisa figured it was easier to accept his concern than to deal with more nagging.
The carriage rolled slowly toward Count Dallio’s grand estate, following Damian’s instructions.
“Good afternoon, Lord Damian Blake. It’s been hard to see you in society lately—we’re truly honored that your first reappearance is at our Dallio estate.”
As soon as the carriage bearing the Blake crest arrived, Countess Dallio, who had been greeting guests at the garden entrance, hurried over.
She launched into a warm welcome before even noticing Louisa disembarking after Damian.
Louisa stepped down, holding Damian’s hand, taking in the surroundings.
‘Wow—Even the duke’s residence is huge, but this place is something else. They really poured money into this.’
The estate, clearly newly built, was grand and meticulously designed.
The opulent architecture and decorations were eye-catching, and the massive garden was spacious enough to accommodate the arriving nobles with ease.
Damian waited until Louisa took his arm before speaking.
“Thank you for the invitation, Countess. This lovely lady is my sister, Louisa Blake.”
The countess blinked in surprise at Damian’s introduction.
She had assumed Damian would come alone as he always did. And even if he did bring a companion, she never expected it to be his sister, Louisa.
After all, no nobles had ever seen the two siblings appear together in public. Even at mandatory events, they’d never exchanged a single word.
Most nobles pretended to get along for appearances, but even that minimum was rare among high-ranking families. Their coldness had become a topic of gossip.
‘People said they weren’t close… but they don’t seem that way at all.’
Louisa was often mentioned in scandals, not only because of her aloof, difficult personality, but because the duke and Damian seemed to disregard her entirely.
To the nobles, anyone being excluded from their family became easy prey.
‘Looks like those rumors will die down soon. He really seems to care for her. That look in his eyes—that’s not something you can fake.’
Countess Dallio’s startled expression lasted only a second. Thanks to years of experience at the heart of high society, she quickly recovered and hid her emotions with practiced ease.
“Lady Blake. I regret not having had the chance to speak with you at your engagement ceremony. Thank you for accepting our invitation today. You were so stunning that day—it left me excited on your behalf.”
“Thank you. I regret it as well. A garden party at such a beautiful estate truly highlights your refined taste, Countess. If I’d met you earlier, I would’ve surely asked your advice for the engagement preparations.”
“Oh my, what high praise! I wouldn’t dare offer advice to a lady like yourself. But your kind words mean the world. I have a feeling we’ll become fast friends—am I being too forward?”
Warmth seeped into the countess’s gaze.
The Dallio family had built their fortune on commerce—not luck, but sharp instincts that read the flow of the times.
Just a few words were enough to tell that Louisa was nothing like the rumors.
Her sharp intuition told her: befriending the daughter of the powerful northern ducal house could only work in her favor.
“Not at all. Please, call me Louisa.”
“Then, Lady Louisa, may I ask you to call me Caroline?”
“Of course, Lady Caroline.”
“Fufu, I feel like I’ve made a young friend. I must go greet the other guests for now, but I hope we can talk more later?”
“Yes. I’ll see you then, Lady.”
As the two women exchanged polite smiles, it was no surprise that nearby guests began to watch curiously.
Louisa smiled at Damian from a distance and waved, signaling that he should go about his own business.
‘Stop watching me like I’m a kid on the side of the road.’
People kept coming to greet her, Damian wouldn’t leave her side, and Louisa had things she wanted to do. She’d finally managed to convince him to let her explore alone.
‘Why is everyone staring at me? I thought it was because I was next to Damian, but they’re still looking even now. Ugh, already tired of this…’
She furrowed her brow at the predatory glances being thrown her way, like hyenas waiting for an opening.
She figured she wouldn’t be able to get anything done until she got rid of these annoying gazes.
‘Oh! No one’s over there.’
Scanning the area, Louisa noticed a skinny man sitting alone at a table in the distance.
It was strange—how the space around him was so conspicuously empty—but she didn’t mind.
The man, with his dark red hair neatly swept back, looked anxious, running his fingers through it as he stared down at the table.
As Louisa approached, he finally looked up—revealing a pair of deep blue eyes.
“Ah…”
His gloomy expression shifted to surprise.
“May I join you?”
“Y-yes! Of course!”
Despite being flustered, the man quickly stood and pulled out the chair in front of him for Louisa.
“Thank you.”
After helping her sit, he returned to his own seat, but fidgeted awkwardly like he didn’t know what to do with himself.
“Um… it’s nice to meet you.”
Then, as if mustering all his courage, he spoke carefully.
“I’m Albert Rosé.”
Wait—did I just find my guy?!
Louisa’s lips twitched.
‘Holy crap. What are the odds?!’
Albert Rosé was a character in the novel who, while running a small vineyard, stumbled into developing the famous Rosé Wine and became rich overnight.
After the Rosé baron passed away, Albert inherited the title and vineyard. He hit a wall managing it and decided to try producing wine.
However, the fermentation process was a disaster. Multiple failures nearly bankrupted him, and he was on the verge of selling the land.
But by sheer accident, in a fit of frustration over yet another failure, he attempted to dump a batch of red wine—only to discover a fragrant, pink-colored liquor instead. Thus, Rosé Wine was born.
‘Thank god he named the wine after his surname. If he hadn’t, I never would’ve realized!’
At this point in the timeline, Rosé Wine was too unfamiliar—an oddity.
The wine industry dismissed it as a failed experiment. But Albert endured the scorn, eventually succeeded in distributing it, and the wine became a massive hit among noblewomen.
Louisa was sure: this was the phase where he was still going around parties, trying to find buyers.
