Chapter 176
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 176
“Viviana.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m apologizing in advance. Something is going to happen soon that might... disappoint you.”
“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“When it happens, you’ll understand what I mean. But please, just know that I couldn’t help it. I never intended to disregard you or show a lack of faith in our friendship.”
Viviana tried to puzzle out what she meant, but Harriet had already clammed up, offering no further clues.
“Are you planning to betray me?”
“No. But I think you might feel hurt.”
“So you’re still going to be my friend, no matter what?”
“Of course.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Viviana seemed a little uneasy, but she didn’t press further or show any outward displeasure.
Harriet was struck anew by how much her bond with Viviana had grown. Of course, she couldn’t truly predict how Viviana would react when ‘that day’ finally arrived.
Well, I’m the one in real trouble, not Viviana.
She let out a quiet sigh, making sure her friend didn't notice.
Ever since that kiss with Cedric, she hadn't known a moment’s peace. In the heat of the moment, she had been thrilled by his proposal to date, but upon reflection, this was no simple matter.
It wasn't the kiss itself that troubled her. To be clear, she didn’t regret it for a second. It wasn't that she thought it was the right thing to do; it was simply that the moment had been... enchanting.
Every time the memory resurfaced, her cheeks flushed and she found herself biting her lip. It felt as though tears and laughter might burst from her at the same time. Her chest ached, her heart pounding with a fierce, restless rhythm.
She likely wouldn’t forget that feeling until the day she died.
The real problem is that I keep wanting more.
When she had gone to meet him that day, her heart had been caught between sadness and longing. Now, she found herself reading deep meaning into his every word, harboring a hope she hadn't realized she possessed.
But no matter how many times she turned it over in her mind, the conclusion remained the same: this relationship wouldn't end with a ‘happily ever after.’
Her partner was the Duke of Kailas.
The Emperor’s nephew, the Empire’s most powerful noble—a man whose marriage was a political tool capable of securing an alliance with an entire nation. That was Cedric.
Dreaming of becoming the wife of such a man was an impossibility.
Snap out of it. I don't know what the future holds, but now isn't the time to dwell on such things.
She clenched her fists, steeling her wavering heart.
The scheme she was concocting with Cedric was far more important. He was doing his utmost, even at the cost of his own reputation, to see it through. She couldn't let herself get carried away by a brief romance and ruin this opportunity.
Harriet resolved that the next time she met Cedric, she would act solely as his temporary lover and a partner in his plan. It was a resolution she had already made dozens of times.
*
The date Cedric was expected to make his official statement was October 28th, the day of the party at the Vanderbilt estate.
Since the Ducal House of Kailas had announced its attendance, expectations were sky-high. Everyone assumed Cedric would appear with Bella by his side.
“I heard the Cheslow family is coming too, right?”
“That’s what I heard. I wonder if a brawl might break out.”
“That would be quite a spectacle in its own way.”
“It’ll probably end anticlimactically, won't it? The Duke of Kailas is a man who has survived many a battlefield.”
Amidst the murmurs, one of the people the crowd was waiting for entered the ballroom.
“Oh my! It’s Lady Bella Listerwell! But... she’s with her family?”
Bella, dazzlingly adorned, followed behind John and Miriam, exchanging graceful greetings with those around her. Her relaxed, happy smile was radiant.
“Oh, it seems the rumors about her and the Duke are true after all.”
“Indeed. I don't see Young Master James anywhere.”
“It’s probably for the best. Lady Bella’s first dance partner will undoubtedly be the Duke of Kailas. How could her former fiancé bear to watch that?”
The guests assumed Cedric and Bella would announce their relationship by naturally partnering up for the first dance. It was a way to satisfy the public's curiosity without causing a scene at another family's party.
Those with little patience went so far as to ask Bella directly.
“Lady Bella, are the rumors true? Are you in a relationship with the Duke of Kailas?”
“What can I say...? Perhaps you’ll find out soon enough?”
It wasn't a direct answer, but to anyone listening, it was as good as a confirmation.
All that remained was Cedric's arrival.
Finally, the announcement everyone had been waiting for echoed through the hall.
“The carriage of the Ducal House of Kailas has arrived!”
At those words, the hosts, Count and Countess Vanderbilt, tensed up, preparing to receive their most prestigious guest.
Outside, servants bustled about, and the weight of someone’s approach seemed to permeate the air. A palpable tension filled the ballroom.
It was Count Vanderbilt who finally broke the silence.
“Ah, welcome, Duke of Kailas.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome. It’s a splendid party.”
As Cedric’s voice carried into the room, every head turned toward the entrance.
Past the wide-open doors, the silhouettes of Cedric and the lady he was escorting were revealed.
People assumed it would be his mother, Jeremia. That was, until someone muttered in a voice thick with disbelief:
“Is that... Harriet Listerwell?”
Standing beside Cedric was a familiar young woman with chestnut hair—nothing like Jeremia’s blonde—and striking, dark features. Even from a distance, the sparkling diamond earrings and the silver-gray fox fur stole she wore were impossible to miss.
The guests blinked, doubting their own eyes.
But even after rubbing them and standing on tiptoe, the person greeting the Vanderbilts as Cedric’s partner was undeniably Harriet Listerwell.
Even the hosts seemed utterly flustered, as if they hadn't been warned of this development.
The ballroom instantly plunged into a crucible of shock.
“Why...? How...?”
The collective gaze of the room swung back to Bella.
She, too, looked paralyzed, staring at Cedric and Harriet with an expression of raw, undisguised shock.
“What in the world is going on?”
“I... I don’t understand...”
“Lady Bella looks just as surprised as we are. Were they not on the same page?”
Regardless of the bewilderment surrounding them, Cedric smiled calmly and led Harriet into the ballroom. Behind them, Edgar Dawson followed, escorting Daphne Laurel.
Perhaps feeling the need to salvage the atmosphere, Count Vanderbilt attempted some awkward small talk.
“I certainly didn’t expect the Duke to arrive with Lady Harriet. Haha.”
“Is it because of the rumors that I’m courting ‘Lady Listerwell’?” Cedric asked smoothly.
“Pardon? Ah, well...”
The Count was at a loss, wondering if such a topic was appropriate in Harriet’s presence, but Cedric didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“It seems the rumors were somewhat distorted. It’s true that I’m dating a ‘Lady Listerwell,’ but the lady in question is Harriet, not Bella.”
“Pardon? Th-then what about Young Master Cheslow’s claims...!”
“It appears he misunderstood. Frankly, I found the accusation quite unpleasant. Why would I ever pursue a woman who is already spoken for?”
Count Vanderbilt, speechless and chuckling awkwardly, fixed his gaze on Harriet—or more precisely, on the earrings dangling from her ears. They were the very items Cedric had purchased from Lundberg, the renowned jeweler.
Noticing the Count recognized them, Cedric let out a soft chuckle, a hint of practiced embarrassment in his smile.
“Anyone can see that Harriet is the woman these earrings suit best. I truly don't understand how anyone could have mistaken her for someone else.”
“Hohoho! Indeed, they suit Lady Harriet perfectly!”
Pushing aside her fumbling husband, Countess Vanderbilt stepped forward to smooth over the situation.
Harriet offered her a bright, effortless smile.
“Thank you for saying so. I was worried they might be a bit much for me...”
“A bit much? Nonsense! The Duke of Kailas has excellent taste!”
While the Countess fussed, trying to gauge Harriet’s mood, Edgar stepped forward after finishing his own greetings.
“The earrings are one thing, but this stole was also a gift from Cedric. You remember our family’s fox hunt, don’t you? Cedric was the only one who caught a silver fox that day.”
“Oh, I see!”
“Everyone wondered where that coveted pelt went,” Edgar teased, “and lo and behold, he had it made into this for Lady Harriet.”
As Edgar playfully jeered, Cedric scoffed, and Harriet covered her mouth with her hand as if embarrassed. To any observer, they looked like a perfectly natural, smitten couple.
However, someone who simply couldn’t accept the situation abruptly interjected.
“But didn’t the Duke attend the Pelodier Theater’s opening ceremony with Lady Bella? I distinctly saw the photos in the newspaper...”
“Lady Bella was indeed seated next to me,” Cedric replied casually. “And Harriet was in my partner’s seat.”
At that, Edgar chimed in again.
“If you look closely at those newspaper photos, this fellow was secretly holding Lady Harriet’s hand the whole time. They were ‘secretly dating’ back then, weren’t they?”
“I thought a public reveal might be a burden on Harriet,” Cedric explained, his tone making it sound like the most natural thing in the world. “Coincidentally, Lady Bella was seated near me, though I do recall feeling a bit awkward because she kept trying to talk to me during the performance.”
There wasn't a hint of a lie in Cedric’s voice.
A wave of belated shock swept through the hall as the truth settled in: his lover was Harriet Listerwell. Behind rapidly unfurling fans, the whispers began to fly.