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Chapter 15
Lucy’s heart was pounding wildly, and it felt as if her blood were flowing backward. Her whole body trembled from rage, and she wrenched her wrist free from his grip. The sharp throb in her hand returned immediately.
Edwin, wearing an angry expression, stared silently at Lucy for a long moment before finally covering his eyes with his hand. He knew full well he had spoken words he could never take back.
Before Edwin could grab her again, Lucy hurriedly turned her back on him.
“Lady Diallo, are you all right?”
She had barely turned away from Edwin when Lucas appeared beside her, looking worried. She had no idea when he had gotten so close.
Lucas’s refined brows furrowed deeply as his gaze dropped to Lucy’s hand.
“It’s already swollen quite a bit. I think you should see a doctor.”
He carefully took her trembling hand in his own, but right now, all Lucy wanted was to get out of this place.
“I’m fine. Please, just let go of my—”
“Oh my, isn’t this His Grace the Grand Duke? It’s been a while.”
Just as she was about to pull her hand back, someone addressed Lucas in a familiar tone. Lucas and Lucy both turned toward the voice.
Standing there was Edwin’s new fiancée—Joanna Becky.
The heroine of the novel. Joanna smiled brightly at Lucas in greeting.
“Oh dear, did I interrupt an important conversation? And come to think of it, I don’t believe we’ve met before, my lady. I’m Joanna Becky. A pleasure to meet you.”
She introduced herself to Lucy first, dipping her head politely. Even though Lucy didn’t know all the intricacies of noble etiquette, she couldn’t very well ignore someone who had spoken to her first.
“I… I’m Lucy Diallo,” Lucy said with effort.
The reaction she received was exactly what she had expected.
“Oh my, so you’re the famous Lady Lucy Diallo! I’ve heard so much about you. I understand you’ll be marrying the Duke of Vallon?”
Why bring that up now, of all times?!
Lucy bit her lip and glanced at Lucas. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at her.
He seemed rather surprised at the mention of marriage, but he didn’t ask anything about it. Lucy felt a small sense of relief that she didn’t have to say the dreadful truth herself.
“Congratulations on your upcoming marriage, my lady.”
This woman… Lucy couldn’t shake the feeling that Joanna was deliberately pressing the subject.
Could she already know that I almost married Edwin?
The thought flickered in her mind, but in the end, Lucy reminded herself that after today, she would never see these people again.
“Marriage? Nothing has been decided yet. You never really know until you’re standing in the chapel, do you?”
She had meant it as a little jab in return, but without realizing it, she had revealed part of her own story.
Oh no, that’s not what I meant to say…
It wasn’t exactly appropriate for someone who had already been left at the altar once. Lucy shut her eyes tightly, cursing her own mouth.
“Oh, I suppose that’s true… but surely it couldn’t be canceled twice, could it?”
Joanna let out a soft laugh and countered smoothly. Lucy clenched her fist in fury at the blatant mockery, the pain in her injured hand flaring again.
True to her character in the original story—ambitious and sharp—Joanna was no ordinary opponent.
But Lucy couldn’t just walk away quietly. After everything she had endured, she felt too wronged. And since she would never see the heroine again after today, she decided she might as well throw caution to the wind.
“You never know. So you should be careful, my lady. It’s not over until the ceremony is truly finished.”
“Thank you for your concern, Lady Diallo. By the way, Your Grace, how is the injury you sustained during the hunting competition? I sent you some medicine afterward that’s supposed to be very good for wounds.”
Joanna brushed off Lucy’s remark as if it were nothing and turned her gaze to Lucas with a pleasant smile.
Her manner was so effortlessly natural that Lucy couldn’t tell whether she was deliberately ignoring her or genuinely being polite.
She’s definitely something… but this is really irritating.
Now Joanna had completely turned her back to Lucy and was speaking to Lucas instead.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, it’s completely healed,” Lucas replied in an indifferent tone.
Unbothered, Joanna stepped a little closer to him.
“Since you’re in the capital again, you must visit our estate—just like old times. You’ve no idea how much my father wishes to see you.”
“I heard that the Marquis of Becky’s health has improved greatly. I’ll be sure to contact him directly,” Lucas answered.
It was clear they had known each other for some time. Joanna’s obvious disregard made Lucy glance toward the exit, thinking she should leave.
“Lady Becky, I actually have something to discuss privately with Lady Diallo. We’ll be taking our leave now. I hope to see you again.”
As if sensing Lucy’s thoughts, Lucas ended the conversation and politely extended his hand to her.
“Shall we go, Lady Diallo?”
“Ah… yes.”
Caught off guard, Lucy took his hand. When she glanced back as they walked away, Joanna was glaring at her as if she wanted to kill her. Lucy quickly turned her head away in alarm.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything… I’ve ended up meeting all the main characters today. Did I just set up my own death flag?
Feeling uneasy, Lucy shook her head to clear her thoughts.
Lucas led her to a private lounge set up at one side of the banquet hall. As she looked around in confusion, he brought over a first aid kit from somewhere.
“I think you should see a doctor right away, but since that’s not possible at the moment, we should at least wrap it in a bandage.”
He took out a roll of bandages and began to skillfully wrap her hand.
The sting made her face twitch, but Lucy bit her lip, unwilling to let out a sound of pain.
Come to think of it, this is the reverse of last time.
“Last time, you wrapped my wound, and now I’m wrapping yours,” Lucas said with a small smile, almost as if reading her mind.
“That’s true. How’s your shoulder from before?”
“A scratch like that heals quickly. But you really should see a doctor. It feels like the bone might be injured, and if you don’t treat it properly, you’ll have serious trouble later.”
Lucas didn’t ask her anything about what Joanna had said earlier.
Maybe he doesn’t care. Well, why would he? Once today is over, I won’t have any reason to cross paths with these nobles again.
Just then, the sound of women’s laughter came from outside the lounge.
“Isn’t it amazing? If it were me, I couldn’t walk around so shamelessly.”
“Unbelievable! How could she dance with our Grand Duke when she’s engaged to the Duke of Vallon?”
“Imagine how Lady Becky must have felt. She must be very tolerant, truly.”
It was clear they were talking about Lucy.
She didn’t care what they thought of her personally, but the idea that Lucas might be dragged into a scandal because of her made her feel guilty.
“I’m sorry… there might be unpleasant rumors about you because you danced with me. I don’t have a very good reputation in the capital’s social circles…”
In the end, Lucy confessed her disgrace herself.
“I only believe what I see with my own eyes. I don’t know what your circumstances are, my lady, but if rumors start because we danced, that’s entirely my fault.”
Lucas looked at her firmly as he spoke.
“And I know that you are braver and kinder than anyone. Believe it or not, I’m actually pretty good at reading people.”
His gentle smile and steady gaze seemed to say that she could trust his judgment and have a little more confidence in herself.
