Chapter 68

He was about to start nagging again. Who did he think he was!

“Yes. I think that would be nice. Young Master Leon, do you like it too?”

Diane answered, almost in defiance of Edward’s rough behavior.

“Yes! I like it, I like it!”

Of course, Leon grinned brightly.

“How ridiculous.”

As expected! Edward’s twisted voice rang in her ears.

Diane tensed, lifting her chin slightly, bracing for his attack.

“Brother, are you suggesting this just to rile me up? Why does grown-up Diane Lina have to go flower viewing with that little kid? Trailing after the kid to school, trailing after the kid to the flower festival—there are so many ways to use Diane Lina, huh.”

Contrary to expectations, he aimed his words at the Duke, not at Diane.

If it had been the usual Edward, he would have attacked Diane for suggesting such an outing, saying something like, ‘Who do you think you are, going out on a picnic?’

But just because he didn’t directly attack her didn’t mean his words weren’t an insult.

Besides, “use”—why did he keep slandering her like that?

The Duke was kindly suggesting she go out for a break, but Edward twisted it as if the Duke was using her, treating her like an object. Did he think the Duke was just like him?

And what did it matter if she went flower viewing with a child or an adult!

Or was it because he believed she was his professional beauty, so she should go out with him?

“Are you calling me a kid?”

Leon, annoyed, spoke up.

A kid… Diane finally found the perfect comeback for Edward.

“It would be nice to go just with Young Master, but hearing President Edward’s words, it seems it would be more fun to go with several people. So…”

In truth, after learning Edward was the prince, she’d wondered if somewhere deep inside him there was still that prince’s kindness and warmth.

It was a foolish thought. Instead of kindness and warmth, he thought of her as a professional beauty.

Her faint but earnest hope had been crushed by Edward Wale, and now she wanted to get back at him, no matter what.

Even if he thought of her as a professional beauty, she’d seen the hurt on his face when she said she didn’t need a prince anymore. She knew instinctively what would hit him hardest.

Not only Edward, but the Duke and Leon’s eyes were also on her, waiting for her next words.

“Would you like to come with us too, Your Grace? I think Young Master Leon would rather go with his father than just with me.”

Diane looked straight at Edward Wale as she spoke, not the Duke.

‘You should feel hurt, too!’

“…”

Edward’s face twisted as if struck by a bomb.

Diane’s intuition was spot on; she’d hit her target.

“Wow! I like it, I like it! Let’s go together, Father!”

Leon, who had been angry at Edward’s “kid” comment, forgot his anger and shouted excitedly, breaking the brief silence in the dining room.

“Leon, please calm down.”

The Duke spoke to the excited Leon. Diane finally looked at the Duke.

“Let’s go together, Your Grace.”

Whether the Duke joined or not didn’t matter.

Her goal wasn’t to go on an outing with the Duke, but to make Edward angry and hurt.

“Hmm. Shall we, then?”

The Duke finally answered with a bright smile.

Seeing that smile, Diane realized she herself was breaking down the wall she’d built between herself and the Duke.

But there was nothing she could do. Right now, her desire for revenge against Edward Wale was far greater than her fear of the wall crumbling. It was almost everything.

“So, going with several people is better…”

Edward, who had been staring down at the table, suddenly spoke.

Diane looked at him.

“Then, four is better than three.”

A wrinkle appeared on Diane’s brow.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ll go too.”

Edward even smiled softly as he said it.

What was he saying? Was he really going to the park with them?

Diane’s face froze at Edward’s unexpected move.

“What’s with that reaction? Going with the Duke and his son is fine, but wouldn’t it be much more fun to go with the prince?”

“Hah!”

The prince!

At his words, Diane let out a sound of disbelief, unable to close her mouth. He watched her, then picked up his fork and knife again, cut a piece of steak, and placed it on her plate.

“Don’t just sit there with your mouth open, eat up.”

Diane closed her mouth but, annoyed to her core, bit her lip and glared at him.

What was he doing now!

“What’s this about a prince? Aren’t you busy? I heard the opening of the Agris Hotel is soon. Aren’t you going?”

Even as he asked Edward, the Duke kept his eyes on Diane’s plate.

At least it was a relief the Duke didn’t seem to catch the “prince” comment.

“You don’t need to worry about me, Brother. I’ll handle my work and my woman.”

At that, Diane bit her lower lip too hard.

“Ouch!”

“Are you alright?”

“Are you okay?”

Edward and the Duke both asked at once, then frowned at each other.

Diane tucked her lip inward.

She tasted a little blood.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

She answered with her head bowed, licking her lip.

“Teacher, you have to be careful.”

Leon chimed in.

“Mm.”

Diane felt foolish for being so startled by Edward’s words that she’d bitten her lip until it bled.

“My woman!” Not only did he bring up the prince, he used that phrase as if she was his property.

Who gave him the right to claim her?

She turned and glared at Edward with all her strength.

“Diane Lina, tomorrow you’ll ride in my carriage. Brother and Leon will be in his, so…”

But Edward met her gaze without flinching, adding even more shamelessness to his expression.

Why was he like this?

She’d said she never wanted to see him again, but he didn’t care about her feelings or words at all.

Did he still believe he could do whatever he wanted?

“No, I want to ride with you.”

Leon protested.

She almost sighed.

Her plan to get back at Edward by making a ridiculous suggestion to the Duke was going off track.

Instead of getting hurt, Edward was saying “my woman” and insisting she ride in his carriage.

“I don’t want to ride in the President’s carriage. Your Grace, can I ride with you?”

Diane provoked Edward again, almost desperately. She wanted to crush him, no matter what.

“Of course. Oh! Ed, I’m not taking you in my carriage, so you can follow in yours.”

At the Duke’s words, Diane forced a smile.

Tap tap.

A nerve-wracking sound rang out.

Edward was tapping his plate with his fork.

Tap tap tap.

Everyone turned their frowning faces toward Edward at the short, regular sound.

Thunk.

With a final tap, he stared at Diane.

When their eyes met, a strange unease washed over her.

“Diane Lina. This time, you have to ride with me. As someone who receives a salary from me, you need to fulfill your contractual duties. Before going to the flower festival, we’ll stop by the bookstore. I don’t think you’ve ever done your job as my reading helper. I’ve never missed a paycheck.”

“What? What is…”

She tried to protest, but couldn’t finish.

She hadn’t even known Edward Wale was paying her salary, and it was true she’d agreed to be his reading helper. There was no set time for the job, but in almost half a year living here, she’d never done it once.

“You pay her salary?”

The Duke asked.

“You didn’t know? I hired her, I pay her. Not with Wale Corporation money, not with the family’s. Out of my own pocket. She’s not hired by Wale Corporation or the Dukedom, but by ‘me’.”

The Duke was about to say something, then closed his mouth.

He hadn’t known either.

Diane gripped her fork and knife tightly.

How did things end up like this?

She’d wanted to make Edward Wale angry, but now she’d ended up riding in his carriage alone to the flower festival.

“Then, since we’re stopping by the bookstore, let’s leave a bit early. Come to the front hall after lunch tomorrow. Or should I come get you from your room? That would be better. Oh! And wear those purple shoes I bought you. They look nice.”

“……?”

What was he talking about!

He’d come to get her?

And the shoes he bought—what was that?

When had he ever bought her shoes?

‘Ah! Could it be!’

She thought of the violet shoes.

The ones she always wore when she went out, which she’d always thought were a gift from the Duke.

Did Edward Wale really buy those?

Diane looked at the Duke.

When their eyes met, he smiled faintly and looked away.

‘Ah…! So it was true. The Duke hadn’t bought them!’