CHAPTER 45……
Her facial muscles twitched slightly, but without showing it, she strode up to Nina.
“Lady Merrison, I was only worried about you.”
“…And what exactly were you worried about?”
“Well, you’re a bit too honest and straight-laced, aren’t you? You don’t even know how to win over a man’s heart.”
Wrapping her hand gently around Nina’s forearm, she murmured softly,
“That’s why I’m afraid you might end up in an unhappy marriage where you won’t be loved.”
“…”
“No matter how you dress up, the essence doesn’t change.”
Her words sounded refined, but they were almost outright insults. Nina pressed her lips together tightly.
More than anything else, that comment about one’s essence never changing stung her chest.
It felt like the woman was declaring that she would never be loved by anyone, ever…
“Enough.”
Claire, who had been quietly observing, stepped in between them.
“That’s far enough.”
“…What is it, Lady Ravello?”
“I’m not going to just stand by while you hurt my friend.”
Faced with a far trickier opponent, the countess’s expression soured.
Hiding Nina behind her, Claire suddenly smiled with calm confidence.
“I suppose the countess doesn’t know how much my uncle cherishes Lady Merrison.”
“…And how can you be so sure of that?”
“Isn’t it natural for family to know better than anyone else? We live in the same house, after all, seeing and hearing things every day.”
Her tone carried just enough subtlety to stir the imagination, and the countess flinched for a moment.
“To my uncle, Lady Merrison is someone essential. Even without any silly talk of love, she’s always his top priority in his heart. He’d have gifted her that little trinket without a second thought.”
Her implication—that the gift came from Alex—was clear, but the countess could not deny it.
She couldn’t refute the fact that young, well-born Nina perfectly fit Alex’s ideal image of a wife.
If he had to choose between her and Nina…
Would he really choose me?
The doubt she had barely managed to suppress flared up again.
And as if to fan those flames, Claire said in a regretful tone,
“And I don’t know who told you such nasty lies, but you shouldn’t believe everything so naively.”
Her gentle, trustworthy voice drove the nail in deeper.
“Because you might just be the one being deceived.”
“…!”
The countess’s face flushed red as she bit her lip hard, then turned sharply on her heel.
Claire didn’t try to stop her. She simply watched her stomp away through the crowd, then gave a slight nod to Lena, who was standing by the wall.
Receiving the signal, Lena discreetly sent a maid to follow the countess.
“Lady Ravello…”
Nina cautiously took Claire’s hand from behind, whispering so softly no one else could hear,
“This wasn’t my fault, was it?”
“Not at all. You did well, Lady Merrison. Now we just wait.”
For Alex Ravello and Fiona McQuarrie to destroy themselves.
The Ravello marquis’s family appeared in the ballroom somewhat later than the rest.
They had deliberately delayed their arrival to snub Claire.
At first, seeing the elegantly decorated hall, they were displeased—thinking, For a bastard, she sure went to a lot of trouble. But mingling with other nobles soon made them forget it.
“I’ve been planning a new business venture lately. When it succeeds, I’ll make a fortune!”
Alex boasted confidently to the crowd, looking every bit the swindler.
Fortunately, everyone here already knew his notorious nickname—“Touch of Lead.”
It meant that anything Alex touched turned to copper instead of gold.
“Now, now, this is the chance of a lifetime. If you don’t get in now, there’ll be no spots left. Once you regret it later, it’ll already be too late.”
His attempt at coaxing people with hollow threats fell flat. Almost no one took the bait.
To make matters worse, the marquis had been eyeing him intently for some time, making Alex increasingly nervous.
Damn, if Father catches me again, I’ll get another scolding!
After losing 100,000 gold, he had been ordered to lie low for a year.
Of course, they’d fund him again later, but Alex wanted to succeed on his own this time—prove that he had talent, and earn the world’s recognition.
Just then, as he scanned the room for another target…
“Sir, I have something urgent to tell you.”
A maid suddenly approached. Annoyed by the interruption, Alex frowned.
“Countess McQuarrie requests to meet you briefly in the garden.”
“What?”
At her words, Alex’s eyes widened.
They sometimes enjoyed secret trysts at parties, away from prying eyes.
But this was different. They were in the Ravello estate, with not only his parents but also his fiancée and her father watching closely.
Is she insane? If we’re caught, it’s the end!
Frowning deeply at his lover’s foolishness, he said curtly,
“Tell her no.”
“She said, if you refuse, she’ll just wait until you come.”
“Ha…”
Alex closed his eyes tightly and ran a hand over his face.
Fiona was usually obedient and quick-witted, but sometimes she showed stubbornness in the strangest ways.
Women really can be exhausting.
He glanced around the hall quickly.
His parents were engrossed in conversation, the Merrison count was speaking with the crown prince, and Nina was talking with Claire.
Seeing no one paying attention to him, Alex slipped away.
He planned to meet Fiona, hear her out quickly, and return before anyone noticed.
What could go wrong? If we were going to be caught, it would’ve happened long ago.
With that complacent thought, he quietly left for the garden through the terrace—unaware that a pair of blue eyes was watching his retreating figure.
“Count, isn’t that your future son-in-law?”
Theodore gestured lazily with his chin. Following his gaze, Count Merrison spotted Alex slipping out like a thief.
A puzzled expression crossed his face.
What’s he doing, sneaking around like that?
“I’ve been wondering, Count—what do you think of your daughter?”
Momentarily distracted, the count replied seriously,
“You mean our Nina? She’s my only child. I treasure her greatly.”
“Then why choose young Ravello as her fiancé?”
“…Pardon?”
Theodore fixed him with a steady look. Feeling slightly offended, the count cleared his throat.
“Ahem! Nina wanted it, and when I met the young man, he seemed decent enough, so I gave my consent.”
“For someone who claims to treasure her, it seems you lack discernment in choosing for Lady Merrison.”
“…Your Highness, what’s this about?”
The count finally showed his discomfort, but Theodore only shrugged.
“I just hope you’ll be a good father—someone who’s the greatest support to his child.”
“…Your Highness…”
Hearing that from a crown prince who had lost both parents softened the count’s expression.
After all, he had once served Theodore’s late father.
“In any case, you might want to head back soon.”
Theodore smiled and patted his shoulder.
“Our little one’s about to start a special event.”
Meanwhile, Alex was walking through the garden, far darker than the dazzlingly lit ballroom.
The layout had changed, and he wasn’t even sure where the paths led anymore.
Following the maid’s directions, he soon spotted a familiar silhouette in the distance and sighed.
“Fiona.”
“…Alex!”
The countess turned toward him, her voice sulky. In the dark, he couldn’t see her expression clearly, but she was certainly pouting.
Frowning, Alex scolded her,
“Shh! Don’t raise your voice. What if someone hears?”
“No one will. There’s nobody around, and the tall hedges block everything.”
She pointed to the high bushes separating the garden from the ballroom.
Relaxing a little, Alex asked, his voice tinged with annoyance,
“So, why’d you call me out? I’m busy.”
“You said you had something to do later and could only see me now.”
“Huh? Did I?”
He tilted his head in confusion, but that wasn’t what was on Fiona’s mind.
“I want to know—what do you usually say about Lady Merrison at home?”
“…Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“Just answer me.”
Sighing, Alex replied honestly,
“I only ever badmouth her.”
“Really?”
“Well, what else would I say about her? Why are you asking such pointless questions?”
“…I don’t know. I just got this uneasy feeling, like you might abandon me.”
Fiona knew Alex well. Though he always whispered words of love to her, if the time came to cast her aside, he wouldn’t hesitate.
To Alex Ravello, his own safety and desires mattered more than love.
Still, until she saw that side of him with her own eyes, she wanted to believe in him as much as she could.
“Fiona, don’t be like that.”
That was why she didn’t push away when Alex grabbed her wrist.
“Want me to prove my love again?”
“…Yes.”
“You sly thing.”
Smiling suavely, Alex pulled her into his arms. Their lips met, their bodies pressed close.
They had been lost in it for a while when—
Bang! Boom!
Brilliant bursts of light exploded in the sky, followed by—
Thud!
—a heavy sound, as if something had fallen.
“What… what was that?”
“What is going on…?”
Startled, they broke apart and looked up.
Colorful fireworks were painting the dark evening sky.
“I didn’t hear anything about fireworks…” Alex muttered—
When suddenly—
“Oh my goodness! Who are those people?!”
Someone screamed.
“Good heavens!”
“What are they doing over there?!”
Both Alex and the countess instinctively turned toward the noise.
And then came the sharp cry—
“It’s young master Ravello and Countess McQuarrie!”
Crowds were pouring onto the terrace and leaning out of the ballroom windows, staring straight at the pair—still clinging to each other.
Their true faces were revealed in the most dazzling light imaginable.
