Chapter 174
The fact that he wasn’t her ‘one and only’ gnawed at Carter, but he felt he could at least endure the title of ‘one of the husbands’.
“Richard.”
Carter calmly issued his command, crumpling the list of names in his hand.
“I need a private meeting with Theodora Norton. Make the arrangements.”
“Carter, but—”
Richard tried to object, but fell silent when he saw Carter’s eyes, those blindly brilliant blue eyes could intimidate even the caretaker of a ‘masterpiece.’
“…Understood, Carter. I’ll make it happen.”
Richard’s affirmative answer was met with silence. Only Carter’s icy eyes flickered quietly in the dim lamplight.
…But as Eugenie was immersed in Carter’s memory, she suddenly snapped back to herself.
“Ah!”
She had been used to the dim, late-night scenes of the temple, so the sudden brightness stung her eyes to tears. Where was this? She blinked and massaged her eyelids, looking around.
“Wait. Where…?”
It wasn’t the capital, or the temple, or even the palace—or the Academy, for that matter. Eugenie had never seen an interior this refined in her entire life.
‘Where has Carter ended up now?’
Did the Livingstons have such a mansion? She’d been invited to their house a few times as a child, but she didn’t recall a gallery this grand.
‘Wait, a gallery?’
All around her were beautiful paintings and marble sculptures that looked as if they were made from whipped milk.
A striking silver-haired man was absorbed in viewing the art, and another equally silver-haired young man approached him.
“…Welcome.”
“Thank you for seeing me, Father.”
Even with his back turned, there was no mistaking his identity.
This was Magnus Napier’s memory.
Apparently, the tree pervert was showing her both men’s memories at once—perhaps that’s why it all flowed together so seamlessly.
Eugenie’s mouth felt parched.
If the man by the paintings was Napier’s father… he must be deceased by now. So when was this? Judging by Magnus’s height and uniform, was this their final year at the Academy?
But Magnus’s father never turned to look at him, just kept staring stiffly at the paintings.
“You’re about to graduate. Congratulations, Magnus.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“But I hear you haven’t found a suitable young lady at the Academy. Graduation is near, and I hear nothing.”
“…”
“It’s time you thought about your future, don’t you agree?”
Magnus shifted uncomfortably, his weight moving from one leg to the other.
“No. They’re all the same—utterly boring.”
“Haha… is that so?”
“…”
“And yet, from what I hear, there’s a certain young lady you seem rather interested in.”
Tsk. Magnus clicked his tongue, blatantly showing disrespect in front of the head of Napier. From that, it seemed their relationship wasn’t all that bad when his father was alive.
Still, Magnus replied with a defiant tone.
“Not in a good way. In fact, I can’t stand her.”
“Hmm…”
“And anyway—”
Whatever irritation Magnus had was abruptly cut off. Instead, Eugenie heard the most private thoughts of the eighteen-year-old boy:
‘Eugenie Norton doesn’t care for me at all.’
‘She might even dislike me.’
‘I’d rather keep this to myself forever than risk her rejecting me.’
Eugenie felt her neck flush hot at that silent confession.
…Wasn’t Napier forced into marriage by her mother’s contract?
At that moment, Magnus’s rebellious words seemed to prompt his father to turn around, ever so slowly.
“Magnus.”
“…”
“I know why you’re afraid to express your feelings.”
Despite their not-so-bad relationship, Magnus looked like he might take a step back as his father turned to face him.
But Eugenie, watching all this, also sensed something deeply off. The man didn’t move naturally, but instead as if each joint were creaking unnaturally…
“But look at your father, Magnus.”
“…”
“Find yourself a partner before you end up like me…”
Magnus looked at the man before him, his face going pale as he bit his lip.
He was staring at a horrifying glimpse of his own future.
Magnus’s father’s neck and half his face had hardened, tinged with the gray of stone.
As if he’d been struck by a monster’s curse that turned anyone who looked upon him into stone.
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