Chapter 8

“How could you not come to me sooner if something like this happened? What a clever idea you had!”  

“Trisha, did you even hear what I said? I told you, I slept with Adrian!”  

“Yes, well done. Is there anything you want to eat? Just tell me, I’ll make it happen.”  

“That’s not what I mean! I slept with my friend…!”  

“And so what?”  

Rivera, who would usually joke about being lifelong buddies with Adrian, now regretted the events of the previous night, lamenting that she had created a new dark chapter in her life just because of one drunken moment.  

“As you know, he and I have been friends for nearly twenty years.”  

“There’s no such thing as eternal friendship between a man and a woman. Especially not between you and His Grace.”  

Trisha’s hand reached out and brushed against the hickey on Rivera’s neck. What had annoyed her earlier now appeared strangely beautiful.  

“Don’t be so gloomy. Things like this happen. Besides, it’s normal for friends to become partners, and then eventually, ‘Honey.’”  

“…Why is this conversation going in that direction?”  

“Because that’s the truth of the world.”  

Clap, clap.  

At Trisha’s signal, all the doors within the building were closed. Rivera, now effectively trapped, stumbled back until she reached the edge of the railing.  

“Uh, Trisha?”  

“Don’t be scared. I’m not a scary person.”  

With elegant movements, Trisha approached Rivera, tilting her chin upward with a single finger before speaking.  

“So, where should we start teaching our young lady?”  

As a woman who sold her charms, Trisha had no hesitation in discussing seduction.  

“Shall we begin with the art of conversation that leaves men utterly bewitched? Or perhaps the secret techniques of Royal Charlotte that melt a man’s heart entirely?”  

“I… I think I need to leave. Something urgent came up.”  

Rivera now believed she’d come to the wrong place. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought Trisha would welcome this relationship with open arms.  

“Leave? Where do you think you’re going? We’re just getting started.”  

Gripping Rivera’s shoulders firmly, Trisha showed no intention of letting her go.  

“Let’s start by practicing calling him ‘Honey.’”  

* * *

Ding.  

Arriving in front of the shop, Adrian dismissed his escort knights and entered alone. A few nobles who recognized his face, drunk and stumbling, attempted to greet him.  

“It’s been so long. Do you perhaps remember me…?”  

“I don’t.”  

Adrian cut them off immediately, uninterested in their attempts at familiarity.  

“Your Grace… Isn’t that a bit too cold?”  

“Do I need to concern myself with how you feel?”  

The noble who had been blatantly ignored gritted his teeth, forcing a smile.  

“Haha. No, of course not. I understand it must be hard to remember someone like me amidst your busy life.”  

[This brat… How dare he cut off an elder like that?]  

Adrian had already made it clear to the major figures of the social scene not to approach him.  

The social world was full of people who outwardly displayed kindness while secretly harboring vile thoughts—just like these nobles.  

[Why is Duke Bartman here? Could it be… does he have a hidden woman?]  

[As expected, his aura is overwhelming… I’d love to establish a connection with him, but he’s built such high walls around himself that I can’t even get close.]  

Some were curious about his relationships with women, while others sought to use him for their own gain.  

Adrian, his impeccably tailored black jacket swaying as he walked, stopped when he saw the person waiting for him.  

“I’ve been expecting you, Duke Bartman.”  

Trisha, her hair styled elegantly, greeted him.  

Her alluring voice caused several men nearby to clutch their chests as if struck by her charm. Many longed for even a glance or touch from her, but Trisha paid them no mind.  

Whenever Adrian announced his visits, she would clear out the guests and close the shop, but he always told her to continue business as usual.  

‘At first, it seemed like it was trying to provoke Lady Rivera’s jealousy.’  

However, Rivera had simply joined him at the establishment, saying they should go together. Recalling that day, Adrian’s brow twitched slightly.  

“Show me inside.”  

Drawing all eyes to himself, Adrian entered the shop, surveying his surroundings before taking the most prominent seat. Sitting confidently with his legs crossed, the Duke of Bartman met Trisha’s gaze.  

“Rivera was here, wasn’t she?”  

“To be precise, she ran away.”  

“Ran away?”  

Trisha rested her chin on her folded arms, saying it was a long story.  

“I only wanted to bring the two of you closer, but things turned out like this.”  

“What did you do?”  

“Well…”  

At that moment, Adrian, reading Trisha’s thoughts, nearly spat out the tea he was drinking.  

[I told her to call you “Honey.”’]  

“Pfft!”  

Caught off guard by the unexpected words, he choked.  

“Cough, cough!”  

As Adrian spilled his tea, Trisha, flustered, grabbed her skirt to wipe his mouth but quickly fetched a handkerchief instead.  

“A-Are you all right?”  

Of course he wasn’t.  

‘…Honey?’  

Though he covered his mouth with one hand, Adrian’s face was visibly red for all to see.  

Embarrassed, he took the handkerchief Trisha offered, calming his startled heart. He then looked at her as if nothing had happened.  

[Why is he reacting like this? I haven’t even said anything yet.]  

He had already heard more than enough.  

Adrian composed himself as much as possible and continued the conversation calmly. Sometimes, his unique ability to read minds put him in awkward situations.  

“…I’m fine. Go on.”  

Trisha’s mind swirled with memories of Rivera’s adorable protests.  

[‘I can’t do it! Call him Honey? And we’re not even in that kind of relationship!’]  

[‘This is just the beginning. It’s only hard at first. Once you try it, it’s no big deal.’]  

[‘H-How… how do I…!’]  

Reading Trisha’s thoughts, Adrian felt as though he had been present during the exchange. Trisha’s spoken words barely registered in his ears.  

Today, Rivera had been utterly adorable.  

[‘Ho… Honey…’]  

Though Trisha had encouraged her, Rivera had blurted out something completely unrelated.  

[‘Here! Can I get a glass of water, please!’]  

Recalling Rivera’s strange remarks, Trisha relayed the details of their conversation.  

“So, what happened? Did she end up saying it?”  

“No. She really couldn’t do it. Instead, she stripped me of my clothes and ran away.”  

“…What?”  

Trisha chuckled, saying it was the first time a woman had undressed her.  

“The guards tried to stop Lady Rivera from leaving, but she was too strong for them to handle.”  

In her desperate state, Rivera had been unstoppable. Not even the Emperor himself could have restrained her that day.  

– If you don’t move, I’ll tell Adrian you harassed me!  

With just that one sentence, the guards parted like the Red Sea.  

“What could we do when she used your name,  Your Grace? All we could do was step aside.”  

Adrian laughed aloud.  

“So my name was actually useful for once.”  

“Oh my, are you really pleased that you were used for something like this, Your Grace?”  

“Of course.”  

The fact that she had used his name at such a critical moment meant that she thought of him first when she needed help. This realization lifted Adrian’s spirits.  

“I’m relieved to see you so happy. I was worried since you always seem so tense.”  

“Do I look weak enough to warrant someone’s concern?”  

“You seemed on edge. Things that are strong can be the hardest to repair when they break.”  

“…I see.”  

Reflecting on the past, Adrian realized it wasn’t strange for Trisha to have thought him unstable. He had indeed lacked peace of mind at the time.  

“Will you visit Lady Rivera after you leave today?”  

“I will.”  

After delivering a brief report to the Emperor, he planned to return. He couldn’t leave her alone for too long.  

* * *

Bang!  

“What do you mean Rivera refuses to meet me? Explain yourself!”  

Adrian slammed his fist on the table, which cracked and broke under the force. Seth, his aide responsible for managing the Duke of Bartman’s affairs, sighed as though he had expected this outcome.  

“Please, Your Grace, calm down. We’re still investigating why Lady Rivera is refusing to meet you.”  

“Why?!”  

Seth gestured for the servants to bring a new table while attempting to soothe Adrian.  

“She was last seen with you, Your Grace. Is there nothing that comes to mind?”  

“No.”  

“Then you’re saying you didn’t do anything that might have upset her?”  

“Of course not…”  

But as he thought it over, doubts began to creep in.  

That night they spent together—such a satisfying night—she had seemed to enjoy it too.  

‘Could it be… that she regrets it?’  

She was his first love and his first woman. As Adrian clutched his head in frustration, Seth looked at him with exasperation.  

“For now, let’s wait. I’ve sent a carriage to the Iaron Earldom again today.”  

Seth had repeatedly sent people to the Iaron Earldom, as Adrian, consumed by longing, desperately wanted to see Rivera.  

Gifts had been sent, and attempts to persuade the household staff had been made to secure a meeting. But Rivera hadn’t left her room, not even stepping out of her bedroom. She remained secluded, muttering strange things while writhing in anguish.  

“Did Rivera say anything specific?”  

“Hm. A maid from the Iaron household said she kept saying she couldn’t remember, though they didn’t understand what she meant.”  

“…Can’t remember?”  

‘Could it be… she doesn’t remember our night together?’  

She had drunk a lot that night—so much that it had seemed excessive, far beyond her usual tolerance.  

He had heard of people losing their memories after drinking heavily. But to forget such an important night? It seemed absurd.  

If it were true, it would mean that the wish he had long held and finally fulfilled had disappeared like a dream. Adrian had naturally assumed that they were now lovers.  

‘After finally getting close to her, am I back to square one?’  

Every time another man stood near her, his heart felt as though it were being crushed. Even when he wanted to confess, it never went the way he hoped.