Chapter 154
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 154
“Oh, Duke! You’re surprisingly sly, aren't you?”
“Am I? I find your words more surprising.”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t I tell you? I might be a little more lewd and vulgar than you think.”
Bella couldn’t suppress her laughter, covering her mouth with a delicate hand.
The more they spoke, the more she found Cedric’s charm undeniable. This man, who described himself as lewd and vulgar, carried himself with a dignity and refinement that bordered on arrogance.
The thrill of that contrast was intoxicating. It felt as if she were finally facing her true self—the woman hidden beneath the mask of Genoa’s Golden Rose, the "angel" she played for the world.
So this is why I enjoyed revealing my true self. My approach was wrong from the start.
In the past, his cold indifference had left her feeling ashamed and resentful. But now that she had finally piqued his interest, none of that mattered.
*
The following day, Bella found herself unable to stop thinking about Cedric.
What bothered her most—in the best way possible—was his mention of "Diamond Earrings."
Why did he ask me about diamonds?
She tried to temper her expectations, but her hopes were already soaring. There was only one reason for a man to ask the woman he was seeing if she liked diamonds or suggested that earrings would suit her. It had to mean he intended to buy her a pair so magnificent she would gladly cast aside another man’s engagement ring.
She was lost in these pleasant fantasies, watching a sugar cube dissolve into her coffee, when James, sitting across from her, shattered the moment.
“So, how about we set the wedding for October?”
“Pardon? Why are you bringing up the wedding so suddenly?”
“Huh?”
James looked flustered. He had expected her to be delighted, yet she acted as if the topic were entirely foreign to her.
“Sudden? Bella, we’ve discussed this many times.”
“But you’re leaving for Serachev with the Count soon, aren’t you?”
“Exactly. That’s why I want to finalize the date before I go. I’ll have to stay there for a couple of months this time.”
Bella was well aware of that. The photographs from the Pelodier Theater’s opening ceremony would soon be plastered across every newspaper. Why else would she have attended with Cedric, knowing the risks?
James was departing for Serachev at dawn the day after tomorrow and was currently buried under preparations. Even if someone whispered that she and Cedric had been seen together, she only needed to play the innocent for a single day before he was gone.
Serachev was too far for news from Genoa to reach quickly. His mission there was critical; even if a scandal broke, he wouldn't be able to rush back immediately.
Setting a wedding date now would be a disaster.
Such news traveled fast, and Cedric didn’t seem like the type of man to waste his time on a woman who already had a firm date to walk down the aisle with another.
“October is only three months away, James. That’s barely a month after you return from Serachev. I don’t think that’s feasible.”
“It might be a bit of a rush, yes. But if it means I can become your husband even a day sooner, I’d gladly endure the most grueling schedule. Wouldn’t you?”
He reached out and took Bella’s hand. As his thumb rubbed against her skin, a crude, palpable desire radiated from him.
Yes, this is what’s truly lewd and vulgar.
James, whom she once considered the pinnacle of gentlemanly behavior, was now constantly falling short in her mental comparisons to Cedric.
She knew that marrying quickly and securing James was the safest path, but the thought of letting go of Cedric—who seemed to be slowly, tantalizingly approaching—was too much to bear.
If I were the type to settle for 'good enough,' I never would have landed James in the first place.
The memories of her past conquests gave her courage. Even if she failed to ensnare Cedric, she was confident she could always reel in another man like James.
With her mind made up, Bella offered a sweet smile, though she subtly withdrew her hand from his grasp to wrap it around her teacup.
“I couldn't possibly let you overwork yourself just to satisfy my own impatience. What if you collapse on our wedding day?”
“Do I really look that frail to you?”
“That’s not what I mean. Besides, I have to consider Count and Countess Cheslow. They’ve always maintained that we should hold the ceremony next May.”
When her feigned concern for James didn't suffice, she used his parents as a shield. Her future in-laws had arranged the match but were in no particular hurry to see it finalized.
Her attitude was a complete reversal from before, when she had pestered him to move the date up. James’s confusion was visible.
“Bella, what’s wrong? Are you upset because I’ve been postponing the date until now?”
“Of course not! I’ve just been thinking. We’ve only considered our own feelings, but this marriage will change everything for our families.”
“Bella…!”
His voice thick with emotion, James looked at her with adoration.
“Why are you so kind, you silly girl? I’ll handle everything. You should be a little more selfish.”
“There’s nothing I want that badly. We’ll be family soon enough anyway, and I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot over something so trivial.”
“I told you, I’ll take care of it!”
“I don’t want to be a burden to you, James. Oh, by the way, are you all packed for Serachev?”
At her clear attempt to change the subject, James reluctantly dropped the matter, though he looked regretful.
However, as he made his way home after their meeting, his expression soured.
Something is off…
While he was with her, he had been blinded by her charms and smiles, but in the cold light of reflection, her behavior felt suspicious. Before the engagement, Bella had been desperate to move the ceremony forward. Afterward, she had been a whirlwind of wedding preparations.
Now, she was suddenly preaching patience and consideration for their parents?
People change their minds, but still…
He couldn't shake the nagging unease. Even after their engagement, Bella’s admirers were still circling, and rumors said proposals were still arriving at the Listerwell estate.
He crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought, before finally shaking his head.
No. That’s impossible. Bella only has eyes for me.
She was the woman who had wept, saying she couldn't drag him—Daphne’s fiancé—into a mire of disgrace, begging him to forget her. She was a tender-hearted soul who had suffered more than anyone over his broken engagement with Daphne. The only reason men followed her was because she was too kind to cruelly cut them off.
I’m being overly sensitive. If we marry next May, my parents will be pleased. I should be grateful for her maturity.
He took a deep breath and grinned. His future, he was certain, was destined to shine.
*
After James departed for Serachev, the weekly newspapers were flooded with coverage of the Pelodier Theater’s opening and the opera premiere.
Whether by Count Pelodier’s influence or not, the reviews of the performance were substantial, but the real draw—the content that actually sold papers—was the gossip.
The front-row seating charts, the guest list of celebrities, and the debate over whose gown was the most exquisite.
The photos turned out well.
Cedric folded the newspaper and set it on his desk.
The front-page photo clearly captured him and his party. Bella, leaning slightly toward him, looked particularly intimate in the frame.
Cedric checked his reflection one last time before heading to his destination. He didn't usually frequent gentlemen’s clubs, but today, he needed to exploit their wagging tongues.
“Welcome, Duke Kailas! It’s been quite some time since your last visit.”
The gentlemen’s club, Willow Hill, was the exclusive haunt of young men from the most prominent noble houses. When Cedric—who was a member in name only—actually appeared, every head in the room turned with curiosity.
“I’ve finally found a moment of leisure. Thank you for not expelling such a truant member in the meantime.”
The room erupted in light laughter at his greeting.
As he took his seat, the members offered the customary pleasantries before subtly veering into personal territory. Normally, Cedric would have loathed the intrusion, but today, it was exactly what he had come for.
“I saw the papers. You attended the Pelodier Theater’s opening, didn’t you?”
“It seems you’ve become quite acquainted with Lady Listerwell.”
Eyes sparkled with anticipation. Cedric cut them off with a light, calculated cough.
“To avoid causing the lady any undue distress, I’d ask that you refer to her simply as ‘that lady’ from now on, rather than using her name.”
At his half-joking request, the room buzzed. They took it as a sign that Cedric was open to a private discussion.
“I heard a rumor that you ordered a pair of incredibly expensive diamond earrings from Lundberg the day before yesterday. Surely those aren't for ‘that lady’ as well?”
“Is there truly a romance brewing between you two?”
The curiosity was natural. Bella was James’s fiancée, and Cedric’s own broken engagement with Daphne had been the scandal of the season. While the reason for him boldly escorting such a woman to a public event seemed obvious, they all wanted to hear the confirmation from the Duke himself.
Fortunately for them, Cedric was more than happy to give them exactly what they wanted.