Chapter 5

Yulia stammered, unsure of how to respond. The man she thought was the closest to her now felt so distant. Even though he was close enough to touch with the tip of her toes, he seemed impossibly far away. She couldn’t think of what to do.

“I’m just ‘Resti.’ You said it didn’t matter who I was.”

“That’s true, but…”

“I was just a poor man who happened to come into some money, Yulia. Please think of it that way. I haven’t changed at all.”

“But…”

“It’s unbearable for me when you treat me like a stranger.”

He gave a bitter smile and nudged her foot with his. Startled, she flinched, and her shoulders tensed. Resti gave her the same mischievous smile he always did, and his toes gently brushed against her ankle, sliding up her calf. Yulia narrowed her eyes and glared at him slightly.

“It’s just that I have a bit more money now. Have your feelings for me changed? Did you like me better when I was poor?”

“You’re… a noble.”

“Do you hate nobles? Should I stop being one?”

Could one simply stop being a noble? 

As Yulia hesitated and lowered her gaze, he slid his foot up her calf again.

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

“…”

“If you prefer a poor man, I’ll become one. If you hate nobles, I’ll give it up.”

“Resti…”

“Yes, Resti. That’s who I am. I just want to be ‘Resti’ to you.”

The man placed a large piece of meat on her plate.

“To be honest, I was looking forward to seeing your surprised reaction to all of this. But I didn’t expect you to be so bewildered. Should I have told you in advance?”

“I was surprised…”

“Please, stop with the formal speech, Yulia.”

Resti smiled as if something had just occurred to him.

“This dining table is quite expensive and sturdy. If you want to test it, go ahead.”

His inappropriate comment made her face flush red. As Yulia pouted, the man burst into laughter.

“Let’s eat first. I have so much I want to tell you, Yulia. All night long.”

“Can’t you talk without saying things like that?”

“Now you’re back to your usual self.”

Whether he was a noble or not, Resti was still Resti. In her mind, he was the same perverted Resti who imagined her walking around n*ked. As she finally began to relax and smile slightly, the dining room door suddenly burst open.

“Leonhardt! Did you think you could run away from me?”

A woman’s unfamiliar voice echoed loudly.

Startled, Yulia turned her head to see a furious woman striding into the room. Unlike Yulia, who didn’t fit into this grand setting, the unfamiliar woman blended perfectly with the luxurious mansion.

Her elegantly styled hair was adorned with sparkling jewels, and her dress, even from a distance, was clearly made of expensive fabric. The material shimmered in various colors depending on the angle.

“Grace.”

Resti stood up, looking flustered.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding, in this backwater place?”

“Do you know where you are? Get out.”

“Where can’t I go as your fiancée?”

Fiancée. The word made Yulia’s heart sink. Just as Resti had started to feel close again, he became a stranger once more.

“Grace!”

“What?”

The woman, who had been glaring fiercely, suddenly noticed Yulia and pressed her lips together.

“Who is she?”

“Leave, Grace.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten our agreement, Leonhardt.”

“Leave.”

“It’s already late today, so I’ll stay the night.”

“Go to your villa!”

“Do you know how far that is? I’m exhausted from traveling here since morning.”

“I don’t care if you’re tired.”

“If you hadn’t run away, I wouldn’t have had to come all the way here.”

Grace scoffed and handed her gloves to a servant standing by the door, issuing commands as if she owned the mansion.

“Prepare my room. I don’t need dinner. Heat the bathwater and bring my luggage from the carriage.”

She gave orders naturally, as if she were the owner of the mansion. Yulia stared blankly at the woman who had stormed in like a whirlwind and then disappeared.

“Ha…”

Resti frowned and rubbed his forehead. Their informal conversation echoed in Yulia’s ears. On top of that, Grace casually revealed things about Resti that Yulia, who thought she knew him best, had no idea about.

‘And she said she’s his fiancée.’

Her stomach churned. 

Did he really have a fiancée? 

The doctor’s words came to mind. She had just resolved to accept “Resti,” but the sudden appearance of his fiancée threw her into confusion.

Yulia stared blankly at her plate. Her appetite had long vanished. Her body trembled slightly. She felt foolish for thinking he might propose. 

What would I do about the child in my belly? 

As she rubbed her hand over her stomach, Resti sat back down.

“You must be shocked, Yulia. Don’t pay any attention to that woman.”

“She’s… your fiancée.”

“Please don’t speak like that. Yulia, I beg you… okay?”

“Fiancée.”

She hated even saying the word. It felt like a confirmation that he was someone she didn’t know at all.

“She’s my fiancée, but I plan to break the engagement.”

Break the engagement. Should I believe that? 

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. Everything about him, from his name to the existence of a fiancée, had been a lie. And now he wanted her to trust him?

“What about Leonhardt?”

“Ha. Yulia, please stop.”

“Was the name Resti a lie?”

“Leonhardt Resti Jestione. That’s my full name.”

Jestione. Yulia blinked, feeling as though she’d heard the name somewhere before.

“I’ll tell you everything. So please treat me like you used to. The only one I care about is you, Yulia. Please believe me.”

“…”

“Jestione is a ducal family, and I’m the heir. That means I’m supposed to inherit the dukedom. Grace and I have been close since childhood because our families were close. We were engaged at a young age due to our parents’ wishes, but the engagement will be broken soon. Grace doesn’t want to marry me either, and I don’t like her.”

Were his words all true? 

She couldn’t tell what to believe anymore.

“If you have any questions, ask me. I’ll tell you everything.”

“Your fiancée came looking for you.”

“That’s… ha. Yes, it’s my fault. I realized everything was meaningless and abandoned it all to run away. Grace had an agreement with me, but I broke it and fled, so she has every right to be angry. That’s entirely my fault. I didn’t expect her to show up like this, though.”

“What agreement did you make?”

“Yulia, please…”

Resti gripped her hand tightly, looking as though he might cry. Seeing his devastated expression, she suddenly felt the urge to comfort him. He looked just like the man she had found, who seemed to have abandoned everything.

“We agreed to work together to break the engagement. Grace is part of the Roastein ducal family, so breaking the engagement isn’t easy.”

Yulia’s expression remained conflicted. 

Was he truly planning to break the engagement? Did he really love me? 

Once she started doubting, she couldn’t stop. Resti, who had stood up, approached her.

“This wasn’t how I planned for today to go… that damned woman ruined everything.”

He gave a bitter smile.

“What I want to say is, you’re the only one I think about all day.”

He gently brushed Yulia’s hair aside and leaned in. The soft kiss sent shivers through her body.

“Give me a chance to prove it.”

“How… will you prove it?”

“The way I always do.”

Resti chuckled softly and pressed his lips against hers. The taste of sweet wine lingered. His tongue moved skillfully, entwining with hers.

“Mm…”

The familiar sensation of his tongue exploring her mouth made her body heat up. His hand brushed against her ear, causing her shoulders to twitch. As his fingers trailed down her neck, he tugged at her clothes.