Chapter 15
“Lady, this is the first time the master has brought a woman to this mansion.”
“That’s right. Do you know how surprised we were when we were told to help dress you up, miss?”
“How can your hair be so soft and your skin so fair……………….”
While she was still dazed from hearing Karsein’s words, she suddenly came back to her senses.
Before she knew it, Chloe was being dressed and prepared by the maids of the Bloodien Grand Duke’s mansion.
“…Thank you.”
Because Roeni’s beauty was so dazzling, Chloe hadn’t heard anyone call her pretty for a long time.
So even saying thank you came out a little awkwardly.
“It’s nothing. We can already imagine how much praise you must receive outside.”
“Exactly. You are a woman personally brought here by His Grace the Grand Duke.”
They didn’t even know what kind of standards the Grand Duke had.
The maids of this house had likely never seen someone as truly beautiful as Roeni.
“Miss, now it’s time to try on the dress.”
“A dress?”
Chloe had expected that hair and makeup could be handled here.
But she didn’t think there would be a dress too.
While Chloe tilted her head, another maid brought in a rack full of dresses.
And then she said something that made Chloe’s lips part in surprise.
“These are all the latest dresses from famous designers in the Empire. His Grace purchased every single one a few days ago.”
Just trying on a few dresses caused the maids to gasp in admiration again and again.
In the end, Chloe chose the dress that suited her best and the one they reacted to most positively, and put it on with shoes.
When she came back down to the reception room feeling slightly embarrassed, the rain had stopped and the sun was setting.
“If you are ready, we should leave.”
In the reception room, Karsein Bloodien was sitting with his legs crossed, wearing a black tailcoat.
Unlike her, he had not dressed in anything special, but just by brushing his hair neatly back, he gave off a refined and elegant impression.
He was reading a newspaper and had not noticed Chloe yet.
But it seemed he sensed her footsteps coming down the stairs.
Chloe awkwardly looked over her white dress and slowly walked toward him.
Karsein folded the newspaper.
Then, as always, he looked up at her with his indifferent black eyes.
There was a moment of silence.
“Why? Does it not suit me?”
Chloe asked nervously.
Soon Karsein shook his head and said bluntly,
“It suits you.”
It was a simple answer.
Chloe bit her lip slightly.
Well…
“Actually, I’ve almost never worn anything this fancy. Only Roeni usually received gifts like this… so I don’t really have experience wearing them. I might look like I’m wearing something that doesn’t suit me.”
Her voice lowered a little without her realizing it.
Suddenly, Karsein’s expression darkened sharply.
It was the first time in a long while she saw his perfect face twist like that, just like when he had been injured in the past.
Chloe flinched at his suddenly cold expression.
“Why?”
He asked as if he truly didn’t understand.
Then he looked directly at her and said seriously,
“Do not compare yourself to anyone else.”
“…Huh?”
At the same time, Karsein stood up and took something from his pocket.
It was a hairpin shaped like a flower made of diamonds.
Under the light, it sparkled beautifully.
He personally placed it beside Chloe’s ear and said firmly,
“You are someone who shines brighter than anyone else, just as you are.”
At that moment, something inside her chest suddenly burst open.
It had been a very long time since she heard such words.
The last time was when she was very young, alone with her father before Roeni came into their lives.
Back when her father only looked at her.
After Roeni appeared, that time became shorter, and eventually no one said such things to her anymore.
Even her father, who once loved her deeply, stopped.
So she had forgotten.
Karsein had reminded her of it again.
“Thank you. I had forgotten for a moment.”
Chloe gently touched the hairpin and smiled softly.
“Even this…”
The imperial banquet hall was crowded with carriages arriving one after another.
Noble ladies stepped out in dazzling dresses, filled with excitement.
Inside the carriage, Chloe kept taking deep breaths before stepping out.
Everyone in high society already knew.
That Chloe Enrite and Lucian Edmont were engaged.
But now, she was arriving not with her fiancé Lucian—
But with another man.
The Grand Duke of the North.
If they saw this, the banquet would surely become chaotic.
She had imagined it many times in her mind.
But now that it was real, her heart was still shaking.
“Trust me.”
Karsein’s voice stopped her trembling.
He leaned closer, making eye contact with her.
“If you chose to work with me for what you want, then you should act like it.”
It was strange.
Whenever Karsein spoke like this, her restless heart calmed down.
Then she took his hand and stepped out of the carriage.
As expected, many eyes immediately turned toward them.
“Isn’t that Lady Chloe?”
“It is! That’s Lady Enrite… but who is beside her?”
“That’s not her fiancé…”
Whispers spread everywhere.
Chloe tried not to listen to any of them.
She trusted herself and Karsein and walked forward firmly, holding his arm.
When she entered the banquet hall with her back straight, the first person she saw was—
Lucian Edmont.
Her “former fiancé.”
Lucian Edmont saw them too, but did not move at all.
Karsein also showed no reaction.
He clearly expected Lucian to be here.
So this was the plan.
To stand in front of Lucian and Roeni tonight and create a scandal.
It was just unexpected that the first place would be the imperial banquet hall.
“Roeni Enrite would also be somewhere here…”
Roeni Enrite was not beside Lucian.
But she was likely watching from somewhere.
After thinking everything through, Chloe stepped away from Karsein and stood in front of Lucian.
It was time to act on what they had planned.
“Long time no see, Lucian.”
Her greeting was calm and emotionless.
No anger. No discomfort. No pain.
Lucian felt a chill run down his spine.
And behind her, Karsein stood tall.
Chloe looked at Lucian, then gently smiled at Karsein.
That difference made Lucian’s heart sink even more.
“What are you thinking, coming here with the Grand Duke?”
Lucian’s frozen eyes did not move.
Chloe stepped closer to him.
She placed one hand lightly on his chest and leaned in.
Their bodies were very close.
Lucian stiffened completely.
Because Chloe had never acted like this before.
She leaned close to his ear and whispered—
“I’m having an affair right now.”
Lucian’s eyes went blank.
He looked at her again and again, as if trying to confirm he heard correctly.
But Chloe only smiled faintly.
She did not deny it.
She did not intend to.
She returned to Karsein and held his arm again.
“Let’s go.”
Karsein spoke as well,
“Enjoy the banquet.”
To Lucian, Chloe looked brighter than ever that night.
And Lucian’s heart began to race wildly, as he realized—
Something had completely changed.
