CHAPTER 22
Thirty Minutes Earlier, in Front of the Restaurant
After finishing dinner with one of his business partners, Phaedon stepped out of the restaurant, his expression stiff.
“Getting cold feet just because of some divorce rumors… If you want to make real money, you’ve got to take risks. Idiots. It’s not like this is their first time in business.”
Lately, everyone he met seemed overly conscious of Leticia’s scandal, probing to see whether Phaedon’s business was still stable.
Some even backed out of deals altogether after doing a little digging.
“Because of that woman, Leticia…”
The mere thought of what Leticia had ruined made him grind his teeth in his sleep.
Following Elise’s advice, he had paid Leticia’s dowry in lieu of his unpaid taxes.
But Leticia hadn’t responded at all—whether she hadn’t read the letter or was just ignoring it, he didn’t know.
Rather than feeling better, his pride had only been bruised by her silence.
As if she was saying she didn’t even want to deal with him.
“Your Grace, should we head to the jewelry shop as planned?”
Lockhard cautiously asked, watching Phaedon’s scowling face.
When he’d first left home, he had intended to buy a necklace for Elise after his dinner meeting.
He wasn’t exactly in the mood to buy gifts, especially with cash running low…
“Since I’ve taken care of the tax issue, can’t I at least get a present?”
Elise, somehow having figured out that the necklace he gave her last time was fake, had used that as leverage to demand a new one.
If he didn’t cave, she’d nag for days. So he’d agreed.
But after the deal with his partner fell through…
“With the business going under, who cares about some necklace?”
He no longer felt like buying anything.
He even found himself getting annoyed at Elise for no real reason.
“What a hassle. At least Leticia never asked for gifts like this—”
Phaedon shook his head, irritated at himself for thinking of Leticia again.
“No, let’s just go home.”
The carriage began to move.
Trying to cool his temper, Phaedon rolled down the window for some fresh air.
And then something caught his eye.
“An antique shop?”
An idea suddenly sparked in his mind.
Phaedon leaned forward and opened the small window toward the driver.
“Stop the carriage!”
The driver and Lockhard looked startled at the abrupt order, but brought the carriage to a halt.
Phaedon ordered them to wait and headed into the antique shop.
“They must have necklaces in here, too.”
Since it was an antique store, it’d be cheaper than a brand-new necklace.
And if he looked carefully, he might even find one that barely looked used.
Feeling smug about the idea of appeasing Elise on the cheap, Phaedon entered the shop—only to freeze.
“…Leticia?”
The very person who’d been grating his nerves lately was there.
Seeing Leticia look at him with clear distaste triggered his anger again.
“Ha… You ignored my letters, and now we meet here?”
“Oh, those letters? I didn’t think they were worth reading. I burned them all.”
“What?!”
Furious, Phaedon stepped toward her—only for a shadow to loom over him.
“What the hell—who is this gorilla?”
Faced with Wig, whose build and expression were intimidating, Phaedon instinctively flinched and stepped back.
Leticia smirked at Phaedon’s reaction and said,
“I told you, I’m not speaking with you without a lawyer.”
“Even after I paid your dowry to the Imperial Treasury in lieu of taxes?”
Phaedon had expected her to explode with anger at hearing that.
Or maybe beg him to get the land back.
But instead—
“Did you?”
Leticia’s reaction was strangely indifferent.
As if it didn’t concern her at all.
“You’d better keep that quiet.”
“…Keep what quiet?”
“If people find out you paid your wife’s dowry as tax, won’t they assume House Parnesse is in serious financial trouble?”
Phaedon’s expression faltered.
He had only thought about provoking Leticia—he hadn’t considered the potential fallout.
Leticia smiled sweetly at him and said,
“Well then, take your time shopping.”
You probably won’t be lucky enough to get what you want this time, unlike your past life.
Leticia walked past him, holding a necklace he had likely come to buy.
“Shopkeeper, I’d like to purchase this necklace.”
“Oh, yes! Let’s see, the price is…”
“Wait.”
Just as the shopkeeper was about to check the price, Phaedon suddenly cut in.
“I’ll buy that necklace.”
Leticia’s brows furrowed deeply.
“I saw it first.”
“But you haven’t bought it yet. If I pay, it’s mine.”
“Ha?”
At this point, Phaedon didn’t yet know the necklace was the one the Empress had been searching for.
And yet he still coveted it…
“The ground you walk on, the house you want to buy, the food you want to eat—I’ll buy it all.”
Petty bastard.
His only intent was clearly to spite her.
Leticia bit back a curse, her hand gripping the necklace tightly.
I can’t let this go.
This necklace was her only hope of reclaiming her mother’s land from the Imperial family.
But in terms of raw power, it was obvious the shopkeeper would side with Phaedon.
Anxious at the thought of losing her only hope, Leticia bit her lip hard.
She had to find a way.
To change his mind.
Ah.
Something came to her, and Leticia smiled.
“Fine. If you want a necklace that someone else wore so badly, I’ll let you have it.”
She stepped back gracefully, as if truly giving up.
What, she’s backing off that easily?
Suspicious, Phaedon narrowed his eyes at her, then gestured for Lockhard to pay.
But just as Lockhard moved to complete the purchase—
“Phaedon.”
Leticia’s voice came, calm but full of meaning.
“Would you be okay with people talking?”
“Talking? What about?”
“Rumors that the Duke of Parnesse, strapped for cash, used his divorcing wife’s dowry to pay taxes—then bought a necklace for his mistress at an antique shop.”
“Who the hell would spread that kind of—!”
“Me.”
Leticia stepped closer, driving the nail in.
“I’ll spread that rumor.”
“…What?”
“With talk already circulating about financial trouble and a divorce, adding this would be quite dangerous for you, wouldn’t it?”
Phaedon’s face twisted with fury.
Leticia, her tone feigning concern but her eyes gleaming with amusement, added,
“Are you sure you’re okay with that kind of rumor going around?”
“Leticia!”
As Phaedon raised his voice, Leticia’s gaze turned cold—completely devoid of her earlier smile.
She spoke in a low, firm tone.
“Think carefully. Will ruining my mood be worth the damage those rumors could do? Or would it be smarter to keep things quiet?”
“You—you really…!”
“If you’re a businessman, you should be able to figure that out.”
Leticia folded her arms, staring Phaedon down.
As if to say: Let’s see what you choose.
I need a brick to throw at this jerk