Chapter 87
IV.
Kallion leaned against the office window and stared quietly at the garden where Juliana sat.
He could see her maid Kate carrying the bouquet he had given her.
After holding his breath for a long while as he waited for Juliana’s reaction, he saw Kate hold out the bouquet and say something to her.
She was probably explaining that the bouquet was a gift from him.
The relaxed expression on Juliana’s face immediately stiffened.
Then, without even looking properly at the bouquet, she lowered her gaze back to the book she was holding.
Kate seemed more flustered by Juliana’s reaction than Juliana herself.
Watching from the office window, Kallion frowned in displeasure.
‘Did she explain it properly?’
Even while Kate arranged the flowers in a vase beside her, Juliana never once looked in their direction.
Could she perhaps not know that he had given them to her?
Maybe the maid was too clumsy and had failed to explain properly…
Kallion tapped the window frame anxiously.
Eventually unable to stand it any longer, he rose and left the office.
Then he headed toward the garden where Juliana was sitting.
When he approached with an awkward cough, Juliana frowned and turned toward him curiously.
“I told your personal maid to give you the flowers…”
His voice trailed off as he glanced at the flowers.
Juliana answered bluntly.
“Yes, I received them.”
“…You don’t like them?”
At his question, Juliana sighed and turned her gaze back to her book.
“The greenhouse is full of flowers. Why would you send me something like this?”
Kallion frowned and spoke.
“Baldomer’s winter flowers are extremely rare.”
“They’re probably rare to people from Baldomer. They aren’t flowers I particularly like.”
Layla had only told him that women liked flowers.
He hadn’t thought to ask what kind of flowers Juliana liked.
He had simply prepared the winter flowers without much thought because Layla had suggested Baldomer’s winter flowers.
Did women normally have specific flowers they liked?
Then what kind of flowers did Juliana like?
Pointless questions followed one after another.
While he stood there frozen, Juliana frowned and looked at him curiously.
“Did you come here just to say that?”
At her dry question, Kallion forced himself to look casually around and changed the subject.
“I felt stuffy, so I came outside for a walk. Then, I’ll be going.”
Juliana watched suspiciously as he disappeared somewhat awkwardly.
Kate, beside her, cautiously whispered.
“I think Lord Kallion was curious about your reaction, Madam.”
“My reaction?”
At Juliana’s expression, which clearly showed she had no idea what Kate meant, Kate giggled.
“Perhaps he wanted to see Madam happy after receiving the flowers he gave you.”
Kallion?
He wanted to see me happy?
Impossible.
I had assumed it was simply a gift for appearances.
Perhaps it had been a formal gesture because he was conscious of what his father might think.
The idea that he had come out because he was curious about my reaction made no sense.
Juliana stared at Kallion’s retreating figure with an expression full of suspicion.
Then, as though giving up on thinking about it any further, she lowered her gaze back to her book.
From the shadows inside the estate, Layla stared at her for a long while.
* * *
Layla entered the bathroom and plunged her face into the cold water she had drawn.
She closed her eyes and held her breath beneath the water.
Her confused mind seemed to settle, and the rapid pounding of her heart gradually calmed.
After a while, Layla slowly lifted her head.
Ignoring the water dripping from her face, she glared into the mirror.
In the reflection stood a pale woman soaked like a drowned rat, looking utterly wretched.
Her master.
Her world and everything.
Her man was changing.
Because of that cunning Heister wench.
That woman was holding the bouquet that should originally have been hers.
She couldn’t stand how hateful and irritating that woman was, pretending to be indifferent even after receiving such a precious bouquet.
Watching Kallion be swayed by a woman like that was even harder to bear.
Kallion needed to know too.
He needed to know just how cunning that woman was, what a snake she was, filled with sinister thoughts behind his back.
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