Chapter 44

As soon as Lennox left, Harriet bit her lower lip. It was really awkward to be sitting alone with Eugene.

In the silence where neither wanted to speak first, Harriet eventually broke the ice.

“Earlier… thank you.”

“Pardon?”

“For covering for us just now. About our meeting.”

“Oh…”

Realizing what she meant, Eugene nodded as if it was nothing.

“Even if nothing happened, no man would like to hear that his friend met his wife several times before marriage.”

“I really didn’t know you two were close friends.”

“I didn’t know the woman Lennox spoke of was you…”

Thanks to Harriet naturally steering the conversation, the story continued but suddenly stopped midway.

“The woman Lennox spoke of? What do you mean?”

Blinking, Harriet asked in surprise. Eugene hesitated for a moment, then finally confessed.

“He said he had a woman he’d been in love with for a long time.”

“Since when?”

“I don’t know. It’s been a long time.”

It could have been her, or it might not have been her. Out of curiosity, Harriet propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin.

“What did he say?”

“Well…”

“I won’t tell Lennox.”

“He said when he touches her, she responds honestly, and he finds her cute. He likes that she doesn’t wear a mask at all and finds her interesting.”

It seemed like it was indeed her. Harriet’s eyes narrowed, and as she was about to probe further, Eugene quickly added.

“At first, he thought she was just someone new and intriguing, but after some time, he realized he liked her.”

“…”

“But it was too late, and he was sulking because he thought she didn’t like him.”

“…Sulking? Lennox?”

Harriet’s eyes widened at the unbelievable words.

“The great Lennox? That’s nonsense.”

“Believe it or not, it’s true. He’s more sincere than you think.”

Harriet fell into silent contemplation. Lennox might really be more sincere towards her than she thought.

It was a new thought. He had always shown his heart through actions and words.

The problem was whether she could fully accept that heart. Whether she deserved it.

While lost in thought, Eugene, observing her pale complexion, cautiously spoke.

“By the way, do you remember last time? The story you confided in me.”

“The story I confided…”

“About the friend who had an experience they wanted to forget, but it recently repeated?”

“Oh.”

It was the incident where Theodore had an affair with an actress from the theater company her biological mother had belonged to, resulting in the actress, Claire, having an illegitimate child.

“Is it resolved?”

“…No. Not yet.”

Shaking her head, Harriet felt a strange sense of wonder.

She had completely forgotten about it due to recent events. It felt both strange and unfamiliar.

“But it doesn’t seem to bother me as much as before. That friend, I mean.”

“That’s a relief.”

Eugene smiled and sighed in relief. Then he took out a business card from his jacket pocket and handed it over.

“Tell that friend to come to my clinic anytime. Assure them that all personal information, including the patient’s identity, is kept strictly confidential.”

“…I will. Thank you. And I already have one of your cards, so it’s okay.”

“This is for your friend.”

“Oh.”

Harriet accepted the card and nodded.

“Forgive me if this is intrusive, but are you happy now?”

“…Probably?”

“Do you love Lennox?”

“That’s…”

Harriet trailed off and abruptly changed the subject.

“From a psychiatric perspective, what do you think of Lennox’s condition?”

“Are you trying to assess your husband’s mental state after marriage?”

“Even if it’s too late for a return.”

“Haha.”

Eugene laughed at her playful banter and answered with a slightly more serious face.

“Lennox… looks like a perfect man, but he’s lonelier than you think. He craves affection and pours it out blindly, trying to create the picture he wants.”

“A picture?”

“Yes. The picture he wants. And in that picture, you play the most significant role. As long as you don’t try to step outside that picture, you’ll probably be happy without any problems.”

Listening quietly, Harriet asked out of sudden curiosity.

“What if… I try to run away?”

“If you do that…”

Eugene’s expression hardened at the unexpected question, and he fell silent for a moment.

“It would be better not to, Madam.”

Harriet listened attentively to his unexpectedly serious answer.

“I sincerely advise you, if you truly come to love Lennox, just let him have his way. Whatever it is, it won’t harm you.”

An inexplicable silence passed between them. Harriet, who had been still as a doll, moved only when an arm lightly wrapped around her shoulder.

“Coco.”

Turning her head, Harriet placed her hand on the arm around her shoulder.

“Where did you go?”

“Just discussing some business.”

Lennox, who kissed the top of her head, sat down again.

Despite an unexpected person joining midway, it was a satisfying meal.

“Oh, I’m so full…”

Listening to Eugene and Lennox’s old stories, Harriet unknowingly ate until she was full and rubbed her belly.

“I feel like I’m going to gain weight.”

“You can gain a little. No, I think you’d look better if you gained a lot.”

Lennox smiled from across the carriage. Harriet, her face flushed, turned her head to the window.

“I never asked about your weird taste in women.”

“I told you. My taste is you.”

It was a skill to say such embarrassing things so casually. Harriet, her face red, focused on the scenery outside.

Watching her profile, Lennox quietly asked.

“By the way, what were you talking about with Eugene earlier?”

“Why, are you curious?”

“Of course I’m curious.”

“Afraid we were bad-mouthing you?”

“…Did you?”

Lennox’s voice was subtly lower. Harriet, not noticing, shook her head.

“No. He just said you’re a good person. As expected of a friend.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Why, were you scared of what he might say?”

“I’m not entirely without faults.”

“Like what? Causing trouble and giving teachers a hard time?”

Harriet playfully probed.

But contrary to her expectation that he might flinch if there was something, Lennox instead asked back.

“Why would I do that? What’s the point?”

“…”

He genuinely looked like he didn’t understand.

“Then why were you so eager to tease me when we were kids?”

“That’s…”

This time, Lennox was the one caught off guard. After a brief silence, he looked at her steadily and replied half a beat late.

“Because it was worth it?”

Harriet’s eyes narrowed further. Watching her, Lennox quietly took her hand.

“I’m joking. I’m sorry. I was young. Your reactions were amusing, so I couldn’t help it.”

Sighing, Harriet gently pinched the back of his hand.

“Ouch!”

“I’m letting it slide because I’m kind.”

Pretending to be angry, she pinched the back of his hand and turned her head sharply, but Harriet fixed her gaze stubbornly on the window to hide her flushed face.

The person Lennox had been in love with since childhood was indeed her. It was surprising how his feelings hadn’t changed, and her heart pounded intensely.

She wasn’t just a toy to Lennox. It was genuine.

At the same time, Yvonne’s words from earlier in the day replayed in her mind.

“When you’re together, it feels like it’s just you and that person in the world. Your heart races and flutters at every word and action. You keep thinking about them.”

“If you wait to see if what’s in your hand is love, it’s already too late. Grab it before it slips through your fingers like sand.”

‘…Oh my.’

The realization was instantaneous. Like the ebbing tide giving way to the rising tide, like birds taking off from the treetops, the realization naturally and inevitably pierced Harriet’s mind.

“Harriet?”

Startled by her changing complexion, Lennox reached out to her.

“Are you okay?”

The touch brushing her disheveled hair was pleasantly cool.

She wanted to push the hand away, worried her flushed face would be noticed, but at the same time, she wanted to simply feel the touch.

“…Are you asleep?”

While she hesitated, Harriet closed her eyes and pretended to sleep at the low voice.

She heard rustling sounds, and then a hand carefully lifted her head resting against the window and placed it on a lap.

“Harriet…”

The softly calling voice sounded loud as if it were right next to her, and a soft kiss followed.

It was a kiss with a faint scent of wine. Harriet didn’t wake up until they arrived. Secretly, she wished the carriage would never reach its destination.