~Chapter 153~
“Harriet!”
It was a familiar voice. That’s why Harriet didn’t want to turn around.
But remembering her resolve to face the battles she’s started, Harriet gathered her courage and looked at the person with a confident expression.
“Bella?”
Bella, after calling Harriet, ignored her and smiled only at Gerard.
Gerard, who greeted her casually, turned to speak to some acquaintances. Only then did Bella turn her gaze to Harriet.
“Didn’t expect to see you here, huh?”
Her smile showed a sense of triumph. Harriet returned the smile, replying,
“I didn’t expect to see you either, but I assumed you’d come. Didn’t expect to bump into you, though.”
“I thought the same. But do you know who told me you’d be here?”
“I don’t really need to know, do I?”
“Well, just so you know, it was Duke Kailas.”
Harriet scoffed at Bella’s arrogant attitude.
“So what? What’s your point?”
“That’s up to you, but I just thought it’s worth noting. By the way, your partner is quite the catch. He suits you well.”
The implication that Gerard, who was about the same age as her father, was a good match for her was obvious. She was implying that Harriet should be grateful just to have someone like him.
“Sorry to disappoint, but he’s just someone I know for business purposes.”
Bella whispered in a teasing voice.
“They all make connections like that. Keep trying. You’ll have to manage with someone like him.”
Before Harriet could respond, Cedric arrived and approached his seat.
“You’re already here?”
He nodded politely to Harriet and then offered his hand for a handshake to Gerard, who looked around and spoke.
“It seems this is a gathering of those invited through the Duke’s connections.”
“Ah, I asked for this arrangement. It’s a hassle to go around greeting everyone, so I requested for them to be seated here.”
It was something Cedric, being Duke Kailas, could easily do. Who else would get such a luxury, having others sit around them for their own convenience?
Harriet was amazed again at his position and power when, just then, two loud bell rings echoed throughout the theater.
“Looks like the opening speech is about to start.”
This wasn’t a party venue; it was a theater, and they were here to watch an opera, so they quickly took their seats.
Harriet checked the seat numbers on the invitation and sat down.
Gerard sat to her right, Cedric to her left, and Bella, on the far left, also took her seat.
Straightening her dress, Harriet noticed a few people below the stage holding cameras.
She had heard that Count Pellodier had allowed only certain reporters to take photos, especially after receiving permission from a few well-known weekly newspapers.
‘I thought they would only be photographing the actors and opera, but they’re even taking photos of the audience.’
It made sense. With the rise of photography and newspapers, even nobles had become objects of public admiration. People like Bella and Daphne were being worshipped by commoners, much like famous actors or singers.
But Harriet wasn’t one of them.
She had already caused trouble for three major newspapers, so any small mistake could lead to mockery.
She made sure to sit up straight, refusing to become an easy target.
***
Bella, glancing at Harriet out of the corner of her eye, swallowed her dissatisfaction.
‘Why does she get to sit there?’
Although Cedric’s partner was supposed to sit next to him, it was still annoying that it was Harriet sitting there.
She knew the seats were arranged mostly in a man-woman, man-woman order, but why did it have to be Harriet?
‘It must be because of Gerard Austin.’
Everyone knew Gerard Austin was Cedric’s closest ally.
So, of course, he would sit next to Cedric, and Harriet, coming as his partner, just happened to be seated next to Cedric by default.
‘She doesn’t deserve such luck.’
Harriet’s lack of rumors about her and Cedric despite being near him meant she hadn’t managed to appeal to him as a woman.
Bella was satisfied with that, but as she shifted closer to Cedric, she whispered in his ear.
“It seems like Count Pellodier is nervous.”
Count Pellodier, who appeared on stage under the spotlight, was clearly overwhelmed by the audience. He wiped his eyes with a handkerchief, then smiled and couldn’t even start his speech properly.
Cedric, without turning to Bella, replied to her.
“He’s worked so hard to build this theater. I can imagine why he’s having trouble speaking.”
“He’s truly amazing. He’s been credited with advancing the empire’s theater arts.”
“He knows how to spend money wisely.”
By the time they were done with their conversation, Count Pellodier finally began his speech. After a brief description of the opera that would be performed, the stage curtains dropped.
The sound of something being dragged and people moving quickly followed, signaling that the orchestra was ready to play. The curtains on stage slowly rose again, revealing a completely different world.
Bella whispered again in Cedric’s ear.
“The stage changed completely in such a short time! It’s amazing!”
“They’re veterans, so it’s nothing unusual.”
The music played on as actors in splendid dresses and tuxedos performed, their actions telling a story as they smiled behind fans.
Then, suddenly, everyone on stage began to sing in unison.
“Oh, she has fallen in love! Fallen in love!”
“She wasn’t everyone’s lover?”
“No, no, she never gave love to anyone.”
“Then who picked the lonely flower?”
“That would be, that would be…!”
A sudden silence.
Then, two people appeared from backstage, seemingly in love, singing a song of courtship. The performance then began, showing the story of how they became lovers, and the opera officially started.
The premiere of Pellodier Theater’s first opera, The Thorn Rose, captivated the audience and left everyone mesmerized.
By the time Act 1 ended, no one had taken their eyes off the stage.
As the curtain fell on the tragic scene of the female lead, who had fallen into despair after misunderstanding the male lead, the audience sighed and began to clap.
“After a 15-minute break, Act 2 will begin. The restrooms are at both ends of the hall, and please be seated three minutes before the act begins.”
As the host made the announcement, people began chatting lightly and stretched or headed to the restrooms.
Bella, noticing Harriet getting up, suddenly felt her heart skip a beat as Cedric leaned towards her.
“Bella, I have a question for you.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Cedric lowered his voice and asked.
“Do all women like diamonds?”
“Hmm… As far as I know, yes.”
Cedric’s gaze briefly flicked to Bella’s hand.
“Then why aren’t you wearing that famous engagement ring?”
“Oh, that? I don’t wear it every day. I thought a necklace would suit today’s dress better.”
Her engagement ring, which was a huge diamond, had gained much attention. It was so large and heavy that some even criticized it as being too much for her slender fingers.
But today, she had no need to wear it since she was focusing on seducing Cedric.
Cedric, watching Bella’s hand fidget with her diamond necklace, said:
“Actually, it’s probably better that you didn’t wear it. And I’d say, don’t wear it again… forever.”
For a moment, Bella’s hand froze.
‘What does that mean? He’s saying something in a voice low enough that only I can hear.’
If he’s talking about my engagement ring, what should I make of that?
Of course, Bella wasn’t the type to get flustered over something like this. She gave Cedric a seductive smile, pretending not to understand.
“If I find a diamond that’s even more attention-grabbing than that ring, maybe I’ll wear it.”
Cedric, who had been looking at her from head to toe, answered.
“Personally, I find diamond earrings often more beautiful.”
“Why?”
“Because necklaces cover parts of the beautiful neck.”
At his unexpected answer, Bella feigned surprise and lightly poked his arm with her elbow.
