Chapter 15

George suddenly raised his voice after he interpreted my silence as a refusal to help.

“Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you! If you could just help me with my situation, I’ll give you a gift, Lady Nelson!”

What kind of gift? This was unexpected of George, who was a stingy person to begin with and wasn’t willing to offer anything to anyone.

“As Lady Nelson knows, our House has been in the jewelry business for centuries. I’ll reward you with a special gift, my Lady. What do you think?”

“…… What is it that you’ll give me?”

I didn’t intend to be curious at first, but now that it came to this, I’ve shown interest unwittingly.

However, to my disgust, George approached me once again, leaning forward across the table with a wide grin. Oh, for pity’s sake! Don’t come near me, you bug!

I hastily backed away for the second time but then halted when he spoke.

“Do you know of a blue diamond?”

Blue diamond, you say? Ah, that thing left me with such a bad memory in my previous life. Of course, you’re the root of it. And now, you’re going to give that to me as a present? Hah!

With a grim look upon my face, I couldn’t help but recall the old memories.

It must have been about three years after I married him. Back then, the Count’s business hasn’t declined, so there was no difficulty in our living arrangements. The marriage between us was that of convenience. It was rather commonplace for nobles to end up with. Despite this, we had a harmonious relationship for a couple of months, but then it went downhill after 2-3 years. It was at that time when he was meeting another woman for the first time.

The trouble began on my birthday. He asked me what I’ve wanted for my birthday as a present, so I hinted about a blue diamond necklace. Every year, I told him I had nothing to wish for, but that year, the reason why I asked for a jewelry was because of Daisy’s relentless persuasion.

Daisy was rationalizing that my husband runs a jewelry business, so it’s natural to ask for jewelry. Therefore, when my birthday was approaching, it took me great courage to ask for it. And he really gave me a blue necklace.

I was wondering if I had asked for a useless request, but I burst into tears the moment I received the gift. I thought at that time that I’ll have to get rid of the distance between us and do better in the future.

But as it turned out, what he gifted me was a fake. As if it wasn’t enough to give me grief, the mistress wore a blue diamond necklace with the same design as mine.

“Oh, what is this? Both Countess Page and Baroness Thompson’s necklaces look the same.”

“Don’t you think the color is a little different? Countess Page, is that really a blue diamond you had on you?”

I got flustered with embarrassment, hearing the ladies comparing my necklace to that mistress. I cried for a while after I returned to the manor.

He didn’t want to waste the exquisite blue diamond necklace on his wife, and yet he wanted to give it to me who had nothing to do with him…

Now, I realized one thing, he wasn’t a stingy person. He only behaves like that towards his only wife. What kind of human being is this?

George didn’t even notice the adverse changes in my facial expressions and continued to lure me in.

“If you help me get along with Lady Moore, I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

Looking at me almost desperately, I guess he really wanted to do well with Daisy.

Well, even if George was making enormous money from his jewelry business, in all likelihood, it was still the Moores who had the last word between the two Houses.

At the present moment, he was urging me to side with him. But if in the end, Daisy breaks up with the engagement, he can’t do anything.

According to my memories of the past, Daisy will soon bury her engagement with him. George must have sensed he was treading in thin ice and tried to somehow twist me, Daisy’s best friend.

As soon as I was offered a necklace that I had never asked for, a decision came to my mind. I finally decided on who to side with between Daisy and George. I chose to side with George.

“Alright, I’ll help you, Lord Page. It will be nice if Daisy comes to take a liking to the dedicated Count.”

“Thank you, Lady Nelson! I will send the necklace to you soon!”

I only answered that I would help, but George was nodding gleefully as if he was already expecting that everything would quickly settle soon.

A week later, George really sent a blue diamond necklace to my manor along with a short letter of request for assistance.

And next to it was another letter.

It was an invitation to the salon from Lady Grint, the sibling of the only other Duke of the Beland Kingdom, Duke Grint.

“House Grint?”

I picked up the invitation on the silver tray. Come to think of it, I think there was an invitation from House Grint around this time of the year.

But why isn’t Logan sending out an invitation? Didn’t he send one at the same time as Lady Grint?

Nancy came to my side, mesmerized for a moment. Her eyes were fixed precisely on the necklace on my hand before squealing in surprise.

“Oh, my God! How did you get that necklace, Miss?”

“This one? I got it as a gift.” I looked at it nonchalantly as I held it on my hand.

“Gift? From who?” Nancy asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

“I recently made a deal with someone.”

Well, it was actually a bribe. Soon as I thought of it, I laughed bitterly. Confused, Nancy put up a look of disappointment and gone was her earlier excitement over the necklace.

“Does Miss trade?”

“Yes, something like that… He really did gave me something better than I thought.”

Though I answered her vaguely, Nancy paid no heed to my response instead, she paid attention to the blue diamond that radiating off a bright glow.

Nancy murmured in admiration. “There’s only one grain the size of a fingernail, but how can it shine so brightly? Miss, please try it on. I’ll help you.”

“Alright.”

With Nancy’s help, I wore the necklace in front of the vanity mirror. Although the jewel is the size of a bean, still, it’s something I got from that cheapskate little George.

Nancy also looked in the mirror behind me with awe. She’s the only one excited between us as if she wore it herself.

“It looks great on you, Miss! It’s so pretty!”

I glanced at Nancy through the mirror. Nancy, who braided her hair in pigtails, was a 17-year-old girl. She was worthy of being called an honest girl, and entirely innocent. Nancy has been my maid since the day I’ve arrived at Nelson manor in the capital and followed me ever since.

After I came back from the salon and had fallen grief over what happened with the necklace, Nancy cried loudly with me as if it greatly concerned her, too.

“Miss, if you go meet with other nobles and wear that necklace, I’m sure you’ll be the center of attention!”

Would it really be the case? No matter how much I think about it, it would be impossible. In the salon held by Lady Grint, it will naturally be her, and Daisy as well since she’ll definitely come.

How am I supposed to get the spotlight when both ladies were two of the most beautiful women in the Kingdom? I don’t even think that wearing a meager necklace would make me the Belle of the gathering.

By the way…… we’ve been invited, so we should go, right?

All I did at the gathering back then was being a sitting statue. Sitting next to Daisy in silence as if collecting spider webs in my mouth, sometimes replying to her if she expects me to respond.

It was not a very pleasant memory. However, I’ve decided to attend after I thought about what Daisy said back in Marquisate.

“Sienna, I am your only friend… Do you think you can do this to me?”

Even now, my only friend is still Daisy— only on the surface, anyway. Then Daisy had the neck to blackmail me with it. The more I think about it, the more absurd it is. It was not something to say between friends.

Listening to such words, I desperately need someone I can rely on. Not a connection that you can use as you see fit, like Daisy but a true friendship. A real friend.

“It would be nice to make new friends.” I murmured. I’ve decided I’d go to the salon and form new relationships. I wanted to live a different life than before.