Chapter 13
“…Yes.”
Fortunately, Rosetta wasn’t as persistent as Melvin. Though her once-red lips had turned pale, she nodded readily.
“Young Lady Crimson, the Viscountess has just arrived.”
Just then, a staff member came to inform Rosetta that the person she had been waiting for had arrived. Rosetta gave a slight nod toward Chloe and then left her seat, following the staff’s lead.
Chloe waved as Rosetta walked away. The moment Rosetta’s figure disappeared, Chloe’s expression hardened.
“As expected, Chloe, you clearly have a natural talent for acting.”
“……”
“Why not consider switching careers to become an actress?”
“…Be quiet.”
There wasn’t a hint of teasing in his voice. Kaiden was genuinely impressed by her performance.
‘What have I just done…?’
Her face flushed. It was only now sinking in what she had just pulled off.
“I had a vague idea, since you called me first, but I never imagined you’d accept my proposal like that.”
“I—I never accepted it.”
“Are you saying you didn’t?”
Kaiden blinked his big eyes. He was completely sincere, not playing around in the slightest.
“Then why did you help me?”
“Well…”
She had gotten too emotionally involved in Kaiden’s situation. His circumstances resembled hers too closely, and his forced smile in front of his betraying fiancée was simply too pitiful. And…
“I was just paying off my debt from the hotel.”
Technically, Kaiden hadn’t yet received proper compensation for helping Chloe out. She had stormed off in anger at the absurd marriage talk before she could return the favor.
“I hate owing people. It just nags at me.”
Yes. That was all there was to it.
“Then what’s your reason for coming all the way here to see me?”
“To return this.”
Chloe hurriedly thrust the jewelry box at him. She intended to say her piece and then leave as fast as possible.
“I told you—I don’t want to receive anything from you…”
But she couldn’t finish her sentence.
The box that should’ve held the blue diamond earrings was completely empty.
“W-where did it go?”
Her vision swam. Those earrings were worth a fortune!
No—price wasn’t even the issue. Without returning the gift, how could she properly reject the proposal?
“K-Kaiden, what do we do?!”
“…What are you referring to?”
“The blue diamond is gone!”
Chloe jumped to her feet, checking under the chair, lifting the cushions, even peering into the teacup.
“Could someone have stolen it? No, that’s impossible. We were both here the whole time!”
While Chloe panicked, the actual owner of the earrings, Kaiden, remained calm.
“What should we do? Should I search more? Or ask the staff?”
“……”
Kaiden looked at Chloe with a faintly amused expression—or more precisely, at the side of her head.
Feeling his gaze, Chloe touched her ear. What she found at her fingertips was…
“An… earring?”
It was the blue diamond she had been searching for so frantically.
[Come to think of it, these might be a bit too modest for a wedding dress. I’ll get you something bigger and flashier then—just wear these for everyday use.]
[Oh, really?]
“…Ah.”
She finally remembered why the earrings were on her ears.
“Ahem.”
Chloe hurried to take them off, but whether from nerves or because they were simply too large, her fingers kept fumbling.
That’s when Kaiden reached out toward her.
“…!”
“Don’t be startled. I’m just trying to help you take them off.”
“But… my whole body’s tense.”
Those earrings were expensive.
Seeing her freeze up with her shoulders raised, Kaiden let out a small chuckle.
‘And yet she acted so naturally in front of Rosetta…’
The contrast between her smooth performance earlier and her nervous fumbling now was utterly adorable.
When Rosetta had shown up, Kaiden hadn’t expected Chloe to take his side. Sure, they shared similar experiences, but he knew Chloe wasn’t the type to get involved just because of that.
He would’ve been grateful if she had simply played along quietly.
But instead…
[Ah, I remember now. You’re marrying Brother Harne, right?]
[We’re going to be family. I look forward to it, Sister-in-law.]
She hadn’t just linked arms affectionately—she had called Harne “Brother” and referred to Rosetta as sister-in-law. It was outrageous and, at the same time, strangely bold and funny.
Kaiden had long noticed that Chloe saw herself in him. There was sympathy and compassion in her gaze.
But he didn’t dislike those tender eyes. In fact, he found himself wanting to see them more often.
‘Wait a minute. If Harne is her brother-in-law and Rosetta is her sister-in-law, then what am I?’
A brother-in-law is one’s husband’s brother. A sister-in-law is the brother-in-law’s wife.
‘So doesn’t that mean she should be calling me “darling”?’
Why was everyone else getting proper titles, while she just called him Kaiden? How could she stand so boldly on his side and then claim she’d never marry him?
He felt strangely offended. And, even worse, disappointed.
He found himself wishing she’d call him something else.
“Let’s get married.”
“I told you, no.”
Chloe and Kaiden had moved from the open seating area to a more private spot. Kaiden, now more confident, brought it up again.
“If you didn’t intend to marry me, why did you help me earlier?”
“That’s…”
That was something she was still regretting.
“You just looked… kind of pitiful. I’m a nicer person than I seem.”
“For someone claiming to be nice, your actions were pretty over-the-top.”
Seriously, she couldn’t win.
With a deep sigh, Chloe finally confessed.
“…You reminded me of myself.”
She had seen her past self in Kaiden—standing with clenched fists, trembling, unable to speak before Melvin.
Normally, she would’ve just acknowledged their shared scars and moved on. But this time, she couldn’t do that.
Because she had experienced the crisp satisfaction of speaking out—like drinking cold pine-needle juice on a hot day. Chloe had learned how cathartic it could be to resolve a suffocating situation.
And the one who had first shown her that feeling was none other than Kaiden. At the very least, she didn’t want him to be stuck in that same helplessness. She simply couldn’t stand by anymore.
“Well, you enjoyed the whole thing like it was a fun little farce. But still, you helped me when I was in a bind.”
So this time, it was her turn to return the favor.
“……”
Kaiden stayed silent for a long while—so long that Chloe felt like she was going to die from the awkwardness—before he finally spoke.
“We really should get married.”
“Why does it always end up back there?!”
“Think about it, Chloe.”
Kaiden uncrossed his legs, leaned his face on his hand, and moved in closer to hers.
“You declared it yourself—said we were going to get married.”
“……”
“And you even made up a story about me promising you a better gift for the wedding day.”
With his confident tone, Chloe looked down, unable to deny it. Everything he said was true.
“Of course, if we do get married, all that would be accurate.”
“……”
“In any case, Rosetta will soon be part of our family. We told her we’re engaged—there’s no going back now.”
“What if I just say we broke up later?”
“Are you trying to make me the guy who’s been dumped twice?”
Once again, he had a point.
‘I must’ve lost my mind.’
Chloe scolded herself for her carelessness. Letting emotions take over had been as good as digging her own grave.
Watching her drown in regret, Kaiden smirked.
It was a relief that Chloe Garrett was too kind for her own good. Though of course, he had no intention of letting her be that kind to anyone else.
“Anyway, Chloe, I hope you’ll consider how awkward this puts me.”
“You were the one who first introduced me as your lover.”
“And you were the one who called Harne ‘Brother’.”
“……”
“Which is why I want you to keep the earrings.”
“…Why?”
She felt irritated. Part of her wanted to throw the earrings at him and storm out of the café.
As if reading her mind, Kaiden spoke up.
“Think of it as a symbol. I want you to remember what you said to Rosetta Crimson every time you see them.”
“…You really are cruel.”
All Chloe could do in protest was stand up and walk away.
She vowed not to look back as she left this café.
But once again, the universe refused to go along with Chloe’s wishes.
“W-Why won’t this come off?!”
Her stockings had caught on the chair.
