Lorina believed that the way James was treating Eliza today was nothing more than business.

‘James Ashton is not foolish enough to show contempt for his wife in front of an important client. The world values a man with a stable marriage, after all.

‘So he’s putting on an act—pretending to cherish his wife…’

However, Lorina also knew that the man sitting opposite her wasn’t concerned about what others thought.

It was precisely this arrogance that had drawn her to him; the way he could glare at anything he disliked without hesitation — even her father, a man feared by all — was captivating.

Because of this, she felt a growing pressure to admit that what James was doing now was no trivial matter.

His gaze lingered on insignificant Eliza for longer than necessary and he handed her the salt before she could ask for it — it was real.

To deny it would mean accepting that James Ashton was just an ordinary man, capable of acting against his own feelings just to please a client.

The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, as if her torn palate were bleeding again.

At that moment, Aedrin — who seemed to have left his awareness somewhere back at Silomon Harbour — finally addressed James.

“When I heard people speak of the Swan Club’s chef, I thought it was just polite praise.”

“Your Lordship, the Athern social circle does not deal in empty compliments. It may differ from the more subtle tendencies of the people of Silomon.”

“Ha! So you know as well, Mr. Ashton. In the Kingdom of Silomon, a direct manner is considered rude. I was quite taken aback when I returned here—everyone speaks so bluntly!”

Drowning in her miserable mood, Lorina had no desire to hear another word of praise about the food.
Aedrin’s stories about adjusting to society only irritated her further.

So she cut in, her tone slightly sharp.

“Then I must have made quite a terrible first impression.”

At that, Aedrin’s expression turned serious, and he set down his cutlery. After quietly studying Lorina for a moment, he spoke in a remarkably gentle voice.

“I won’t deny it, Miss Winclaire. Your bold and unrestrained manner did catch me quite off guard.”

Hearing such words in front of James, Lorina’s face hardened coldly. For a moment, she thought she might kill Aedrin.

Then Aedrin let out a breath from deep within his chest.

“It was incredibly charming.”

“Oh!”

Eliza’s exclamation was quiet, yet loud enough to catch everyone’s attention at the table.

Startled, Lorina shot her a sharp look.

Eliza wasn’t offended in the slightest, though; if anything, she felt quietly satisfied.

Until then, she had mostly remained silent, simply listening to the conversation.

This suited her nature, and besides, the discussion was intended to be led by the men.

But more than anything, she had been enjoying watching Lorina.

Lorina was the kind of woman who could effortlessly adjust her demeanor to suit any situation.

Seeing her secretly watch James’s reactions and sense the tension beneath her composure gave Eliza a subtle sense of satisfaction.

Of course, on the surface, Lorina appeared no different to usual.

But Eliza could tell that she was paying attention to even the smallest details and following his every move.

‘You ended up receiving a confession in front of James? You can’t move forward or back—you must be going crazy, aren’t you?’

Meanwhile, Eliza’s thoughts were becoming increasingly complicated.

Despite Aedrin’s overt advances, Lorina’s longing for James did not appear to have diminished at all.

Moreover, even though Lorina did not make the first move, Count Winclaire had become James’s client — just as he had in her previous life.

‘…In the end, Lorina will poison my carriage.’

When Aedrin called Lorina’s first impression charming, Eliza had deliberately reacted out loud—of course, to provoke her.

‘Go on, James. Make sure you remember how Lorina flirted with another man right in front of you.’

Under the gaze of all three, Eliza lowered her eyes in embarrassment and said,

“It was so romantic that I couldn’t help myself. If I was rude, I apologize, Your Lordship.”

Aedrin burst into laughter.

“I thought Mrs. Ashton was quite a resolute woman, but it seems you’re unexpectedly romantic as well. Ha ha.”

“Why do you say that?”

It was Lorina who cut in sharply.

Even as James looked at her with slight curiosity, Lorina gracefully placed a piece of meat into her mouth with the tip of her fork before speaking.

“Just look at Eliza. She’s as delicate as a fairy resting on morning grass. To call her resolute—surely you’re not teasing my friend, Aedrin?”

Eliza and Aedrin were pretending to be strangers, so it had been a mistake for him to bring up her bluntness during their first meeting.

Eliza gave an awkward smile, trying to smooth things over.

“Your Lordship wouldn’t do that, Lorina.”

Realizing his slip, Aedrin shrugged lightly.

“To maintain such a warm household while having a husband as devoted to his work as Mr. Ashton? That would be impossible without a wife’s wisdom and strong spirit.”

He turned to James.

“Oh, I’m not criticizing you at all, Mr. Ashton. In fact, I hope you’ll be able to devote yourself even more to your work with your wife’s support. Ha ha.”

“I didn’t take it that way.”

The two men laughed together, and then Eliza joined them.

Lorina laughed too, but there was a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

After all, she rarely found herself unable to control a situation.

Meanwhile, Eliza was inwardly clapping like a delighted seal, impressed by the way Aedrin skillfully steered the situation.

She didn’t mind if her connection with Aedrin became known.

Whatever the outcome, she was prepared to make Lorina feel uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, watching Aedrin take control brought her a quiet sense of relief.

Although he was clearly drawn to Lorina, he wasn’t losing himself; he remained composed.

Perhaps this was only possible because Lorina’s attention was elsewhere for the time being.

Either way, it worked in Eliza’s favor.

Aedrin glanced at the dishes on the table before putting down his cutlery.

Once the meal was over, it was customary for the men and women to separate for a while.

“Shall we head downstairs? I hear the bar here is excellent. And I’m told the ladies’ tea room is well prepared.”

“Eliza, I’ll be downstairs.”

James stood up with Aedrin, drew Eliza gently closer and kissed her on the temple, then left.

A staff member was already waiting by the door to escort the ladies to the tea room.

The moment Lorina saw what James had done, she turned around sharply and walked off ahead on her own.

Eliza barely had time to process the sudden gesture. However, seeing Lorina’s reaction lifted her spirits slightly, and she followed the staff member down the corridor.

As she walked, she couldn’t help but wonder why James had acted that way.

‘Hah. As if he’s reassuring himself that everything’s fine even if I’m not in sight.’

The fact that James appeared to be quite a proper husband in public felt unfamiliar—and deeply uncomfortable to her.

‘It’s been so long since we went out together… I’d forgotten.’

The next moment, a vein throbbed at her temple.

‘A man who wouldn’t even notice if I disappeared—as long as his shirt was still hanging on the stand…!’

Eliza steadied her breathing as she followed the staff.

‘Tonight is only just beginning. Focus.’

***

At that very moment, the Ashtons were dining in a private room at the Swan Club. Meanwhile, Deonar Goodwin was eating alone at the far end of the corridor.

By chance, he finished his meal almost simultaneously. As he rose to leave, he caught a glimpse of Eliza’s back as she made her way downstairs.

In an instant, Viscount Deonar Goodwin dashed down the corridor like a hunting dog that had spotted wounded prey.

However, by the time he reached the final step, Eliza, dressed in a brightly colored floral gown, had already disappeared through the door of the ladies’ tea room.

‘Mrs. Ashton!’

He reached out, but couldn’t bring himself to call out, stopping mid-motion. Only then did Deonar realize he was standing alone in the corridor.

With a look of confusion, he turned away.

‘What am I even doing…?’

He was the kind of man who did as he pleased, but he wasn’t so shameless as to enter a women-only space.

Besides, he had no real reason to confront her.

Heading straight down to the bar below, Deonar slumped onto the sofa in his reserved seat. An inexplicable ache had settled in his chest.

As an important patron of many of Athern’s finest social clubs, the staff quickly brought him a drink.

“D*mn it.”

Deonar couldn’t decide which he hated more: the fact that he hadn’t been able to speak to Mrs Ashton when they crossed paths again, or the pathetic sight of himself, driven by instinct alone, sprinting down an empty corridor only to end up with nothing.

Then, amid the noise of the room, a single word caught his ear.

‘Ashton?’

Like a startled deer, he craned his neck and looked towards the table behind him.

Two men were talking there, and the young Marquis Phelin — whom he had met once before at a party — was addressing his companion as ‘Mr Ashton’.

The moment Deonar took in the man’s boldly masculine features, his expression darkened.

His good mood collapsed beyond recovery, largely because he had always taken considerable pride in his appearance.

With a faint sense of wounded pride, Deonar thought.

‘So she’s weak to looks, is she…! …I’m not lacking either—it’s just a different type.’

“Ha!”

He scoffed, straightening his back and adjusting his posture.

But soon, his body began to sink back into the sofa again.

Tilting his head back as far as possible, he strained to eavesdrop on their conversation for a little while longer.