Chapter 98
“Oh, is this where Viscount Lenota makes that bold declaration about not treating her like an object? It was quite impressive back then.” A short laugh followed.
Even with the blood rushing to his head and his neck flushing crimson, Benjamin remained silent. By now, Isaac should have lost interest and moved on, but he seemed intent on tormenting Benjamin.
“It’s still a mystery to me what about Arietta captivated you so. It can’t just be her looks, can it?” He’d nearly hit the mark. Benjamin denied it, but felt a pang of guilt. He quickly corrected his thoughts, reminding himself that it was Arietta’s soul that moved him.
“Does she tell you she loves you?”
Benjamin’s shoulders flinched. Arietta had never said those words to him.
“Eighty percent of that woman’s ‘I love you’s are lies. Meaningless words uttered on a whim. So don’t read too much into them.” A warning not to be blinded by sweetness.
Defeat began to well up inside Benjamin. Isaac was speaking under the assumption that Arietta must have confessed her love to Benjamin. That meant she readily told Isaac she loved him. Since when? Since she became a part of the Glass Dome collection? Or even before that? She said her love wasn’t reciprocated. Benjamin was ready to reciprocate that love, if only he could redirect it towards himself.
“It sounded sincere,” the lie slipped out before Benjamin could stop it. It sounded so natural that he surprised himself.
For a moment, Isaac was speechless. His brow furrowed, clearly affected by Benjamin’s words. The Marquis Tygra, who had been toying with Viscount Lenota, was now shaken! Benjamin was stunned by the impact of his own words.
Isaac, on the other hand, was completely thrown. So Arietta said she loved Benjamin too. His stomach twisted. “Love, you see, is something unique and precious, right? And I’m giving it to you, Easy.” Arietta’s chattering voice echoed in his mind. Unique and precious? If it truly were unique, shouldn’t it disappear the moment she gave it to him? And she… she said the same thing to another man?
“Haha,” a dry laugh escaped Isaac’s lips.
His blatant agitation gave Benjamin a strange sense of victory. He pictured Isaac and Arietta kissing. Her panting breath, Isaac pressing in, their bodies flush against each other, the trembling of Arietta’s eyelashes.
“When we kissed, her eyelashes… fluttered like butterfly wings.”
Those words had a greater impact than any confession of love. Isaac’s expression hardened instantly, the polite smile vanishing, replaced by a chilling coldness. A palpable tension, a barely contained rage, emanated from him. Benjamin felt a primal fear, yet he couldn’t ignore the thought that his provocation was working perfectly.
“Her heart beats rapidly… and she struggles to take deep breaths.”
“Did you sleep with Arietta?” Isaac asked sharply. Now, Benjamin held the upper hand.
He simply smiled faintly, a smile that left much to the imagination.
“You bastard…”
“Marquis Tygra… even so, I am a Viscount.” Despite the fear inspired by Isaac’s menacing tone, Benjamin swallowed it down. He was finally able to face Isaac with a semblance of confidence. He wanted to crush this shaken Isaac. He wanted to claim Arietta as his own, even if it meant lying.
“I can give her so much that you can’t.”
“I’ll take Arietta to museums and shows. She appreciates beauty, so she’ll enjoy it.” Benjamin deliberately mentioned things that didn’t exist in Downstream. A flicker of insecurity, carefully masked, appeared in Isaac’s eyes. Taking someone to a show or a museum was something a Downstream native couldn’t do.
“And I will dress her in a wedding gown.”
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