Chapter 14

“Sienna. What are you doing?”

“Ah…”

Eventually, my father noticed that I haven’t move an inch and asked. When I faltered at his question, George rose from his seat and greeted me first.

“Nice to finally meet the young lady of House Nelson.”

“Oh, yes. It’s an honor to meet you, Lord Page. I’m Sienna Nelson.”

What honor is there, really? And what feelings do I have left for this human being who I hadn’t seen a glimpse of his shadow even as I drew my last breath? I wanted to cast him a cold look, but instead, I bowed in courtesy.

I immediately took my eyes off him and turned to my father to demand an answer.

“What brings the Count here, Father?”

I wasn’t mostly curious about why you called me here. But now, I’m curious about why the Count visited the residence today.

“Count Page’s company produced a new catalogue this season. It’s your mother’s birthday soon, so I invited him to order their newest creation, a red crystal jewelry.”

Crystal jewelry? Come to think of it, my father once gave my mother a beautiful red crystal necklace along with a ring before my return.

I should have known. It was evident in the past after I traveled back and forth. If only I remembered this would happen beforehand, I’d stay one more day in the Marquisate. More so, I should have been stranded.

I gave the Count a fixed stare. If you’re done with your business, you should go back quickly to where you came from. Why do you need to look for me?

It was as if he had read my mind when he said. “I just wanted to talk to the lady for a moment now that she’s here.”

“What are you talking about?”

Then suddenly, my father stood up from his seat.

“Then, I shall leave you two for a while.”

No, you should stay here with me! I looked at my father with almost pleading eyes, but he really went straight out of the drawing-room. I could only blink at my father’s back, exiting the room.

I tried not to put up a crumpled expression while the maid was setting up my warm tea after I sat unwillingly across the Count.

I don’t want to be alone with you!

Looking at his countenance, the difference between him and Duke Harrison was indeed worlds apart. The size of the pupils was small, so the whites of the eyes glistened even if he opened them a little wide. It couldn’t be more irksome whenever he got into his nasty habit of turning his eyes everywhere while thinking of something.

Should I tell him off that it’s quite disturbing?

There was a long pause of silence before he wore a broad smile that’s plainly disgusting.

“You’re much more beautiful than the rumor.”

What is this familiar compliment? Isn’t that what he said when he first saw me in my previous life? George was saying the same thing as when we first met for a formal engagement.

However, the following words were different from the past.

“Rumors say that your looks were inferior to your close friend Lady Moore, but I digress. Your eyes had the same color as her lake-blue ones, but hers was much deeper.”

Face evaluation at the first meeting? Really now? He tended to speak thoughtlessly and rudely. Did you think I’ll take it as a compliment?

As I pulled a forced smile upon my face, George laughs openly.

“Oh, it’s a compliment, a compliment. Hahaha!”

You called this a human being?

“Don’t blame me because this is also your fault.”

It was what he said to me when I first caught him having an affair.

Then he would reason out that a ruined household is also a household. It wasn’t just once or twice that he threw those blames at me, of why I couldn’t give him a child, of why his legacy had to stop because of me.

He was acting as if he was the one who was wronged between the two of us. He’s really infuriating me. I forced myself to donned a smile and decided to throw back a compliment as well.

“Is that so? Unlike what I’ve heard about the Count, your waist is very slim.”

I looked at his skinny form, scrutinizing it before saying calmly, “As if you tightened a corset around your waist. Rather than noblemen, ah……you have a figure that would be the envy of the young ladies.”

Then I added while smiling, “It’s a compliment, a compliment.”

Because he was drinking tea, he choked at my words and coughed wildly. It doesn’t matter. You’re right to be offended.

Whatever you want to say, do it quickly and get out of here. I asked George, who was seemingly agape, looking at me incredulously.

“By the way, what is it that you want from me?”

“Ah…!”

The Count was clearing his throat and took his time sipping the last of his tea. I’m curious about what he’s going to say. He showed a distracting behavior, such as stroking his chin, and finally, he spoke in a low voice as if he was telling a secret.

“I… hope to have a meaningful relationship with Lady Sienna Nelson.”

“I beg your pardon?”

What do you mean by a meaningful relationship?

If you want a meaningful relationship, you should go to Daisy. Why are you telling me this?

We were once married in our previous lives, but this is the first time we’ve seen each other today. With astonishment, I asked, feigning calm as I could muster.

“What does that mean……?”

Was he a person who wants to be close to someone he met for the first time? Or was he like this to all the women he first met?

It was when I was in shock, recalling the past that had been horribly distressing. He answered me with an unpleasant smile.

“It is for my successful engagement with Lady Daisy Moore. She’s your best friend, isn’t she?”

“……”

I tried not to breathe a sigh of relief. It was because of Daisy that I’d been more heedful of anyone’s intentions. I must have been too conscious of my previous life.

Well, he said earlier that Daisy’s eyes were deep while pretending to praise me. There’s no denying it that I’ll never be in his eyes. If it was before, I’d be devastated, but now I feel nothing saved for the irritation of his incessant praises of Daisy.

I put on a bland smile on my face while George talked about her time and time again.

“You know that much more about Lady Moore, and sometimes friends share more than family.”

If it was the naive me from before that knew nothing, I would have been sincerely pleased by his words, proud even. Because I used to feel the greatest joy of being the best friend of Daisy.

But now, they were words that I would not be happy to hear.

“I want to know more about her. What kind of jewelry does she like? What kind of bouquets should I present to her? It’s even better if you put a good word for me.”

George still spoke in a low tone. Why are you lowering your voice like this as if we were discussing conspiracies? As his voice was small, he leaned towards me across the center table.

I was so appalled that I blatantly backed away. It was an unspoken sign not to come close.

“Well, I’m not really sure. However…”

As George leaned back to his seat again, only then I was able to straighten out my posture.

How should I do this? I pondered for a moment and blurted out the words that left a nasty taste in my mouth.

“… However, it’s Daisy’s heart that counts…”

Of course, I can do as he says. If I do well with matchmaking Daisy and George, Daisy will become Countess Page.

But this would help George, wouldn’t it? Then refusing George would be beneficial to Daisy, and in this case, which side should I choose?