Chapter 69

That pretty pair of shoes was bought by Edward.

“Diane Lina, I said eat. You didn’t even have lunch, did you? You were following Brother and Leon around. Didn’t I tell you? I didn’t hire you to starve.”

Edward’s words, which sounded almost genuinely concerned to Diane who had been spaced out, tangled her thoughts even more.

Purple shoes, opera tickets, a bag full of desserts, that strange talk of “my woman,” steak pieces cut to the perfect bite size on her plate.

She truly couldn’t understand why the President was acting this way.

As Diane just blinked at Edward, he met her gaze and smiled.

Why! Why was he smiling?

“Eat. Or should I feed you?”

Diane was so startled she covered her mouth with both hands.

Next to her, the Duke dropped his fork, but Diane didn’t notice.

Edward Wale was clearly determined to torment her in his own peculiar way.

* * *

The next day after lunch, Edward Wale came to Diane’s room as promised.

She thought it was absurd, but she couldn’t bring herself to wait for him at the entrance, lest she look like she was eager for their outing.

When she opened the door, he smiled.

Was he really smiling?

He was ridiculous, but for a moment, Diane felt as if she were seeing the prince from her childhood in his smile, which was even more absurd.

“About that book, ‘Romance’…”

She thought they’d sit side by side, but strangely, he sat facing her, staring as the carriage started.

“Yes?”

“It was interesting.”

“Excuse me?”

“It was really interesting.”

Diane just stared at him, saying nothing.

So Edward had taken the book.

And read it.

“I finished it all last night.”

“……”

“Did you finish it?”

Diane looked at Edward as if he were pathetic.

What was he playing at?

“Didn’t read it?”

He kept talking about the book when she didn’t answer.

“I didn’t read it. How could I? You had it.”

“……”

Now Edward fell silent.

Diane realized she’d replied too sharply, but decided not to care.

Only the clattering of the carriage wheels filled the silence.

“Aren’t you curious about the story?”

Edward broke the silence again.

“No, not really.”

“It’s a love story. The male and female leads are apart for a long time, then meet again. The man loves the woman, and eventually she loves him too. They get married and have a child.”

“Yes, I see.”

Diane deliberately replied sarcastically.

Was he always this obliviously chatty?

She wondered if Edward didn’t catch her sarcasm, or was pretending not to.

“I have that book, so do you want to buy one at the bookstore?”

“Why buy the same book? I’ll just read yours.”

“That book is mine.”

“What?”

Diane raised her eyebrows.

He’d finished it, so if he put it back in the library, she could read it. Why was he making a fuss about whose book it was?

“I don’t share my things. With anyone. Books or anything.”

“Huh…”

Diane let out a sound of disbelief.

How typical of Edward Wale.

“Women, too.”

Diane, who had been looking at him with pity, suddenly felt her hair stand on end at his next words.

“I thought professional beauties didn’t belong to just one man. They might spend time with a man, but eventually leave if they aren’t going to marry him. One way or another.”

“What are you saying?”

Diane trembled at the term “professional beauty” from his mouth.

Did he make her ride in the carriage and go to the bookstore just to say this?

“I don’t date women like that. I only date my woman. There’s only one woman for me, and I can’t share her with anyone. Not even with my nephew, and even less with his father.”

“President! What are you saying?”

Diane felt dizzy, her heart pounding.

This man was saying something shocking.

“So don’t pay attention to those ridiculous rumors. They have nothing to do with me.”

“What… Rumors?”

Her heart was racing so fast she couldn’t understand his words.

“You’re my…”

He stopped, frowning.

“You didn’t know about the rumors?”

“Rumors? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Please stop saying weird things. Why are you doing this to me?”

“Then why did you cry? Why did you say that strange thing about professional beauties?”

“Please! Don’t say that again. That vulgar idea is offensive and humiliating.”

If she heard that term one more time, she really might slap Edward.

“……”

When had Edward Wale started listening to her so well?

Strangely, he actually closed his mouth at her request.

Suddenly, as if a storm had passed, the carriage was quiet.

He folded his arms and leaned back, staring at her.

His gaze was so persistent that Diane felt her face burning, even as she looked out the window.

* * *

Edward, watching Diane avoid his eyes and stare out the window, wanted to forcibly turn her face toward him.

He wanted to yell at her for thinking nonsense.

He’d thought it was because of rumors. He believed some bastard had told Diane Lina a rumor that made her angry with him.

But it wasn’t because of that.

That little head had only thought he saw her as a professional beauty.

How could he ever think such a dirty thing about her?

She was his beloved Strawberry, and yet she thought such things.

The woman who’d learned he was her prince as a child and said she didn’t need a prince had really thrown away those sweet, precious memories.

She was the girl he’d never forgotten for fifteen years, and since meeting her again, he’d wanted her more and more, now even dreamed of marrying her—but she was thinking such things.

He was so angry at her that he didn’t even want to say, “You’re just the woman I want, don’t put such a dirty name on it.”

His brother and Selina’s words echoed in his head: “Would Diane Lina ever like you?”

Still, he hated how he became a fool only around her.

“Hey!”

Diane Lina pretended not to hear, looking out the window.

She couldn’t possibly not hear.

“Hey!”

Diane glared at him.

“Why are you calling me so rudely?”

“Is that why you had such nasty thoughts? Because I wasn’t polite?”

“……”

“Should I treat you politely? Would that stop those filthy ideas?”

“……”

Diane just kept glaring.

She was so angry, her shoulders shook with every heavy breath.

What did he do wrong?

“Tell me. What should I do? How do I stop you from having such dirty, trashy thoughts? How do you…!”

He stopped himself, closing his eyes to steady his breath.

If he said any more, he really might grab her face and force her to look at him.

After a long while, when he opened his eyes, she was looking out the window again.

It was as if her stubborn head was declaring she didn’t even want to see his face.

Such a bad strawberry!

“Diane Lina.”

She didn’t want to be called “hey,” right?

“…Yes.”

Deliberately, Diane turned her head slowly and answered.

Ha! That strawberry!

“I don’t like romance novels.”

“…So?”

“I prefer books on economics, politics, history.”

“Alright. I’ll try to pick those, though I don’t like them at all.”

“You’ll have to like them.”

“……”

“From now on, you’ll have to do more as my reading helper.”

“What do you mean?”

“Once a week—no, that’s too little. Twice a week, you’ll read to me.”

“What?”

Diane Lina’s face turned red.

Beautifully.

Her face always looked so lovely when she blushed.

It was annoying.

It wasn’t just when she blushed—she was always beautiful! Always! He wondered if he was crazy, or if she’d cast some spell on him.

“I can’t come home every day, so when I do, you’ll read to me.”

“That’s ridiculous. Why should I?”

“Because it’s in the contract?”

“I thought my job was to select and prepare books?”

“Sorry, but that’s not what the contract says.”

She should have read the contract before signing, that strawberry.