USML 21

Chapter 21

Before I knew it, I was sitting in the seat where Sherry had been, facing Evan. To be honest, I wanted to run away, but my curiosity about what Evan might have said to Sherry made me stay.

Had I just walked straight into a fire?

Evan’s cold, razor-sharp gaze felt like a blade; it was as if my whole body were being cut by his eyes. Even rolling naked through snow in the dead of winter would feel warmer than being under his stare.

The door opened, and Donna set down tea and cake from the tray she’d taken from the server. After finishing the setup, she stood there as if her feet were glued to the floor, not moving an inch.

If you look closely, Donna is actually quite brave.

Evan slowly lifted his gaze and looked at Donna. She flinched, then retreated with the face of a frightened rabbit.

“Miss……”

Donna closed the door behind her, sniffling with a worried expression. I regretted my foolish choice and watched her disappear with aching eyes before squeezing mine shut.

When I listlessly turned my gaze back, Evan was still staring at me.

“So your tastes have changed?”

Tastes? I tilted my head, puzzled.

“You did everything. Even kissed the back of his hand.”

Ah—now I knew who Evan was talking about. How long had he been watching? Since the alley, perhaps? I listened calmly to his continued words.

“You really have a wide range of tastes.”

Wait. I can endure anything else, but I won’t tolerate my taste being insulted.

I bristled and was about to retort, when something flashed through my mind.

Wait—this is going exactly as intended, isn’t it? No matter how we got here, Evan had misunderstood the relationship between Jogerard and me. The goal was achieved. I pressed my lips into a straight line. When I didn’t deny it, Evan turned his face away and sneered.

“Hah. A playboy’s tolerance really is broad.”

Since when had he started speaking so sharply?

“Yes. Because I like him.”

When I deliberately admitted it, he twisted his mouth as if he’d heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, speaking with a confidence that suggested he knew everything about me.

“That can’t be. You like pretty things.”

“People’s tastes change.”

“Like your heart did?”

I had no reply and parted my lips soundlessly. Evan turned his face away and let out a mournful voice.

“And here I thought you called me pretty.”

What was that supposed to mean? Dumbfounded, I let out a hollow laugh.

“When did I ever say you were pretty—!”

A sudden memory surfaced, and I bit my lip, swallowing the rest of my words. …I had. I had told Evan he was pretty countless times. His eyelashes drooped, casting a fragile shadow.

“…Sh-should we get up now?”

My conscience pricked me; I couldn’t bear to stay with him. A memory of a friend in my past life mercilessly tearing into her cheating boyfriend flashed through my mind. Evan must have been flayed ten or fifteen times over by now. I picked up the robe placed on the seat beside me.

“I still have a question.”

At that moment, Evan spoke urgently.

“A question?”

His blue eyes shifted to the robe in my hands.

“You still haven’t asked what you were curious about.”

Ah, right. About Sherry. When I put the robe back, Evan’s gaze finally left it. Was he trying to stop me from leaving?

No way. Why would I want to stay longer with an ex who made me angry just by looking at him? I dismissed the thought and asked the question that had been nagging at me.

“Your Grace, may I ask how you met my sister?”

“By chance.”

Was it really by chance? Evan lowered his gaze and answered flatly. Watching his mood, I moved my lips again.

“What did you talk about with her?”

“She asked me to withdraw the proposal, saying I’d proposed without even knowing you.”

“And then?”

“She said you two had even been on a date.”

So that was why she’d reacted that way. Well, Sherry had been quite upset when she was told today’s outing wasn’t a date. I couldn’t hide my awkward expression.

“She said it was a lie, so I told her you liked sweets.”

Evan’s gaze slid down to the teacup. I knew exactly where that gaze was headed. He was tracing the past.

“You must really like them. Enough for me to know.”

With a bitter smile, Evan lifted the teacup. Was it just me who liked them? Is this what conversations with an ex are like?

Unlike earlier, Evan seemed calmer. Silence settled into the once-crowded space. Feeling inexplicably embarrassed, I pushed the plate with the tempting cake toward him.

“Have some cake. You like it, don’t you?”

Evan froze with the teacup in midair. Then he wearily set it down and looked straight at me with his blue eyes.

“Not me. You.”

I must have looked confused, because he let out a hollow voice.

“It was your preference.”

I opened my mouth, then, not knowing what to say, chose to close it again.

Evan didn’t like cake? Thinking back, whenever I was in Cent and debating whether to buy two slices or three, Evan would only then choose one for himself—always the same cake I was considering.

“Ero, do you like this too?”

In my memory, he nodded with a faint smile.

“Because you like it.”

Only then did the voice I’d buried in my subconscious resurface.

“I’m trying to like it.”

When you’re too happy, your senses can dull. He really was someone who never even touched cake unless I offered it to him.

I see. Awkwardly, I traced the handle of my teacup with my fingers. When my gaze slipped away from the cup, I saw the robe tossed carelessly aside. We really weren’t meant to be together.

“I think it’s best we part ways now.”

Like someone being chased, I had to adjust my robe several times as I put it on. Evan watched my frantic movements with calm eyes.

“Then I’ll take my leave first, Your Grace.”

Perhaps being in the same space with me was uncomfortable for him too. When I stepped outside, he followed, putting on his robe as he left the room.

“Miss……!”

At the sound of the door opening, Donna quickly turned around and came toward me with teary eyes.

“I didn’t go to die. Why are you crying?”

“But still……”

Looking at Donna’s face, I felt like someone who’d been thrown to wild beasts and somehow survived.

“I’ll escort you.”

At that moment, a server with his robe pulled low approached and bowed. We followed him toward the back door.

Guided by the lantern he carried, we passed through a dim corridor until a worn wooden door appeared. When it opened, sudden light stabbed my eyes, and I scrunched my face as I stepped out of the restaurant.

I went ahead, paid, and waited for Donna to follow. But no matter how long I waited, neither Donna nor Evan appeared.

“Why aren’t they coming out?”

Should I go back in? Just as I was about to, tired of waiting, the door burst open.

“Then have a safe trip.”

Following the server, Evan and Donna came out. Only after the server went back inside were the three of us able to remove our robes.

But Donna’s behavior was a little strange. After hesitantly watching Evan, she took both his robe and mine, put them in the storage, then returned, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

“What is it, Donna?”

She came close and whispered to me.

“His Grace the Duke paid for the meal. I’m sorry, Miss. I refused several times, but still……”

What? When I looked up at Evan, he must have caught my meaning, because he answered without being asked.

“Was I supposed to just stand by and watch while you paid?”

“……”

“Of course, I want to tear that bastard’s mouth apart, but why should I watch you pay for another man’s meal?”

I couldn’t make sense of it. Is he angry at me or not? When I stared at him blankly, he looked away and spoke evasively.

“If it bothers you that much, then have a meal with me too.”

“…What?”

“With that food you like—what was it, rice cake?”

Does this man still have feelings for me? Was that what he meant by saying I should keep playing with him? I buried the questions swirling in my head and replied dazedly.

“Well… sure. If there’s a chance, I’d like to let you try it.”

Was there something wrong with my answer? His blue eyes gradually turned dangerous.

“Why do you look like that?”

“W-what about my expression?”

Did my thoughts show on my face? I touched my cheeks anxiously. At that moment, Evan’s sarcasm left me feeling numb.

“That’s the look of someone who wants to poison me, not feed me rice cake. You dine happily with other men, but you don’t even want to eat with me?”

Why is he picking a fight again? I really couldn’t tell.

Does he still have feelings for me, or is he just angry?

Just then, the laughter of noble young ladies came from the back door.

“What?”

“So then, this is what happened—kya-ha-ha.”

Oh no. They can’t see Evan and me together. If they do, before I know it, I’ll be named as the recipient of the proposal.

Realizing that, my mind started to go blank. In a panic, I shifted left and right, then hid myself behind Evan’s broad back.

“What are you doing?”

“Just stay still!”

Evan looked at me in disbelief, but I had no time to care. Thankfully, he followed me into the dark corner of the alley.

Leaving Donna near the entrance bothered me, but I had no leeway to worry about her. The noble ladies continued chatting as they put their robes into the storage.

“Did you know? That noble young lady played around with that young master!”

“Oh my, who says ‘played around’ these days?”

“Then what?”

“You say she ate him and tossed him aside.”

“Really?”

“That’s how people say it nowadays.”

I ended up overhearing their conversation, but it wasn’t particularly useful. Was this some vulgar expression trending among nobles these days?

“Well, it was fun!”

They left the alley. As their voices faded, I loosened my grip on Evan’s collar.

Only then did it hit me that I’d forcibly dragged Evan here. Sure enough, he was glaring at me with icy eyes.

“I’m sorry. I just thought I had to hide—”

“It wasn’t that.”

“What?”

“It wasn’t playing around.”

Narrowing his eyes, he sneered coldly.

“It was eating and throwing away.”

What did I ever eat?!