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Chapter: 9
“Oh—Your Highness.”
As if she had only just noticed him, Juliet greeted him with a bright, cheerful smile.
“You’ve come.”
For someone who had stood him up all day, it was an almost childishly innocent expression.
“…Shall we talk for a moment?”
Lennox took her by the arm and led her out to the open balcony. Juliet followed without resistance.
Despite the chilly weather, Juliet was wearing a deep blue dress that exposed her shoulders and back without reservation. The vivid blue, like starlight scattered across the night sky, accentuated her smooth skin.
Even that grated on his nerves.
Lennox thought absently.
He was sure there had been a white fur stole to go with that dress, something draped over her shoulders. Where had she left it? Why had she come out without it?
Without realizing it, Lennox’s gaze traced the line of her neck.
A sparkling necklace adorned Juliet’s throat and caught his eye. A refined piece, long strands of slender pearls—hadn’t she said it was her mother’s keepsake?
It suited her dress, and he had seen it several times before. Still, he frowned.
What bothered him was that it wasn’t the necklace he had sent her that morning.
He had never once cared what became of the gifts he gave. Whether they were sold or passed on to someone else had never been his concern.
Yet today, strangely enough, it felt important.
Juliet hadn’t even tried it on. She had sent it straight back to the estate untouched.
Pretending ignorance, Lennox asked,
“I sent you a necklace this morning. Did you not receive it?”
“I did.”
“Then?”
Instead of answering, Juliet tilted her head slightly, as if she truly didn’t understand why he was asking.
Lennox Carlyle was not a man delicate enough—or idle enough—to concern himself with whether his lover wore his gifts.
“I’m asking why you didn’t wear it.”
Even as he said it, the words sounded absurd to his own ears.
Lennox Carlyle had never asked such a thing before. He knew himself that he was asking something strange.
Wasn’t he behaving like a petty child?
An inexplicable unease settled over him.
In their relationship, he had always held the upper hand. He had never been in a weaker position in any relationship.
But now Lennox found himself doubting. Had there ever truly been such a thing as the upper hand between them?
The woman who had been unsettling him suddenly smiled sweetly.
“I was really happy about the necklace. Thank you for the gift.”
Her tone was like someone soothing a sulking child.
“But it was so expensive and precious that I was afraid I might lose it, so I sent it back to the estate. And I had already chosen the dress and jewelry for tonight’s banquet weeks ago.”
Her answer was reasonable.
Lennox Carlyle could find no fault in her words. And yet, her calm composure only irritated him further.
For some reason, he recalled a handkerchief Juliet had given him years ago.
The one with his name embroidered on it.
That handkerchief was still carefully stored in a corner of his desk drawer.
Juliet had said he could throw it away, but he never had. And so he wanted to ask—shouldn’t she, too, treasure the gifts he gave her?
“Your Highness.”
Juliet, who seemed hesitant, spoke first.
“There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Go on.”
“Do you remember what you gave me for my birthday last year?”
Last winter?
Lennox wondered why she was hesitating over such a simple question.
“Lapis lazuli from Algiers.”
More precisely, a lapis lazuli mine.
“…That’s right. You remember.”
Juliet smiled brightly.
But Lennox had the odd feeling that this wasn’t the answer she had wanted. What had he missed?
“I have something to give you as well.”
On Juliet’s wrist hung a small silk pouch, the kind used to hold a folding fan. But what was inside wasn’t a fan.
“I’ll return this to you.”
“What is it?”
What she handed him was a single thin scroll of rolled parchment.
When Lennox absentmindedly unrolled it, he was slightly surprised.
He remembered it.
It was the contract they had written seven years ago.
While prenuptial contracts were common enough, Juliet had demanded a contract as a condition for becoming his lover.
“It may mean nothing to you, Your Highness, but it means something to me.”
At the time, Lennox Carlyle had assumed that if the woman wanted financial compensation after a breakup, that would be fine too.
But that wasn’t what Juliet had asked for.
It was a strange condition.
[If either Party A or Party B no longer wishes to continue the relationship, they shall separate through mutual and amicable agreement.]
“If you want to end things because you’ve found someone else, or for any other reason, then we break up. That’s my condition.”
“Mutual and amicable agreement.”
It was a somewhat troublesome way of doing things, but essentially what she wanted was a clean breakup for both sides.
Though mildly baffled, Lennox had signed without much thought. There was nothing for him to lose.
What he hadn’t considered was the possibility that she might be the one to leave him first.
“…Juliet Monad.”
“Are you angry?”
Juliet smiled softly.
She was smiling, yet somehow she looked tired.
“I thought you would have forgotten, Your Highness.”
Lennox couldn’t understand it.
He was the one who clung on. She was the one asking to leave.
And yet, why was the woman who claimed she was leaving the one who looked more resigned, more wounded?
“I want a reason.”
“There isn’t one. Just… please let me go.”
“Juliet.”
“Haven’t I done well all this time?”
“What?”
“I never did anything you disliked. Ah… I did sometimes use ‘Butterfly’ without permission, but still.”
“……”
“But I really tried. Not to cry, not to bother you. And I’ll be twenty-five in a week.”
Juliet smiled quietly as she touched the nape of her neck. Lennox was still bothered by the pale, slender line of her throat.
“So now, I just want to live quietly and ordinarily, like everyone else.”
“…Ordinarily?”
“Yes.”
The word grated on him. Didn’t it sound as if being by his side had been abnormal—unhappy?
“Isn’t your life ordinary now?”
Juliet looked up at him blankly for a moment, then burst into laughter.
Was that something to laugh about?
When he narrowed his eyes, she stopped.
“I’m sorry. But you aren’t ordinary, Your Highness.”
The way she added that, her profile turned slightly away, looked somehow lonely despite her smile.
“In fact, you never have been.”
Bathed in the light spilling out from the banquet hall, Juliet’s lowered lashes cast shadows that looked almost unreal.
Lennox recalled the sight of Juliet earlier, standing apart and watching young ladies her age from a distance.
The noblewoman Juliet had been gazing at was soon to be married—to the second prince.
Only now did Lennox understand why the image of Juliet standing alone had troubled him so much.
Like a child who had lost her mother, watching another child in a parent’s embrace—she was looking at something she could never have.
“Juliet. Is that what you want?”
“Huh?”
“To live ordinarily—to marry like everyone else, have children, raise them?”
Lennox let out a cold, mocking laugh.
If Juliet hadn’t followed him north seven years ago, she might already have what she wanted.
Meeting a decent man, marrying him, having children—without ever becoming someone’s kept woman. Building a picture-perfect family.
Only then did Lennox realize why his nerves had been so frayed all day.
He had been anxious. Afraid that the woman he could never bring himself to let go might regret having followed him north.
Juliet had grown up in a normal, loving family.
The sense of stability she wanted was something she could never obtain by his side.
What if she had realized that and decided to correct her past mistake, even now?
‘Ridiculous.’
He wanted to argue childishly. You chose this. Seven years ago, you chose to follow me. And now you want to leave unilaterally? That’s not fair.
Irritated, Lennox loosened his tie. His patience had run out.
“Your Highness?”
“I won’t listen anymore.”
At the same time, he wrapped an arm around Juliet’s shoulders and led her straight out of the banquet hall.
Pulled along in confusion, Juliet finally stopped short when she saw the ducal carriage waiting right outside.
“Your Highness!”
“The party is over.”
“Lennox! Wait, I still have something to—”
Of course, he didn’t listen.
He put Juliet into the carriage, closed the door, and spoke to the escort knight seated at the front.
“We’re returning to the North.”
“Lennox!”
Juliet shouted from inside the carriage, but he ignored her and gave the order to the coachman.
“Once you reach the estate, tell them to prepare for immediate departure.”
“Pardon? Today?”
“Yes.”
Lennox glanced back.
Hardin stood there, leading the knights, silently awaiting orders.
“I’ll finish my business and follow later. Take Juliet ahead and have her get ready.”
“Understood.”
After confirming that the carriage carrying Juliet had departed for the ducal residence, Lennox turned to his trusted aide.
“My lord.”
“Where did you detain him?”
“A safe house in District Eight.”
