Chapter 16
When Juliana sent a letter to Aileen, she mentioned a cane so that the recipient would recognize who it was from.
While many young nobles found canes cumbersome and often chose not to carry them, Felix always had his with him as a symbol of his wealth and authority—hence, she included that detail.
But of all things, why did Tristan have to show up with a cane as well?
He had never carried such a thing before. Whatever possessed him, he now held it prominently, as if deliberately trying to be noticed.
At first, Tristan was surprised when a beautiful woman approached him and struck up a conversation. But soon, he responded with a smooth smile at the corners of his lips.
“It’s an honor to meet such a stunning beauty.”
Aileen, misunderstanding his words as a confirmation to her question, beamed even more brightly as she replied.
“May I sit here?”
“Oh, of course. Please do.”
Tristan quickly got to his feet and pulled out a chair for Aileen. Seeing this, Juliana held back a sigh. She didn’t want to think it—but for a split second, Tristan’s face looked just like Felix’s in her past life.
The face of a man instantly captivated by a beautiful woman.
She already knew Tristan had a reputation for flirting with any woman he saw, but she hadn’t realized just how little self-control or principle he truly had.
“In hindsight,” Felix said, his voice serious and sincere, “I think I must have come across quite poorly from Miss Barnett’s perspective.”
“The woman you once loved so dearly is sitting right there.”
Juliana pushed down the frustration rising in her chest and forced a polite smile.
“To be honest, you did,” she said. “You never asked what I wanted, Lord Everett. You just did whatever you pleased.”
“I don’t even know why I acted that way. It’s probably too late to regret it now, isn’t it?”
As Felix spoke, a scene from Juliana’s past life came to mind.
There had always been a clear difference in how he treated her compared to Aileen. With Juliana, he was constantly angry. He raised his voice, talked down to her, and dismissed her feelings. But with Aileen, he was gentle, almost like a different person.
There was a time when Juliana had envied that. She had wondered how different things might have been if that love had been directed at her instead.
But she could never forget the look in his eyes when Tristan and Aileen framed her. Felix had stared at her like she was nothing. The memory of it was still sharp. Her whole body had trembled, and the shame and humiliation had been unbearable. She had fallen into despair, and the way he treated her like something filthy still haunted her.
How could you do that to me? Even if we weren’t close, we were still husband and wife. You could have asked me what really happened, just once.
That was why Juliana didn’t trust Felix, no matter how kind he acted now. She had no reason to be shaken by his change in attitude.
“The reason I said I wanted to see you today,” she said quietly, “was because we were once engaged. I thought I should at least say goodbye properly. It felt like the right thing to do between our families.”
“Even if the engagement was already broken, I felt this was the right thing to do.”
Felix could see the firm resolve in Juliana’s eyes. She was no longer someone he could control or reach. That simple truth made it even harder for him to let go. He was like a child, throwing a fit after being denied something for the first time, consumed by a sudden and desperate attachment.
But he was so caught up in these unfamiliar emotions that he didn’t even realize what he was truly feeling.
“Is this really the last time we’ll meet? Can’t we at least stay in touch, just as friends?”
Juliana’s expression shifted. She couldn’t hide her discomfort at Felix’s unreasonable request.
Tristan and Aileen were still laughing together, their voices light and cheerful, echoing clearly across the room. Juliana could hear every word. Something about it all felt wrong. She held back a sigh and answered with calm politeness.
“I’m sorry. I don’t believe in friendship between men and women. And a proper lady wouldn’t meet privately with an unmarried man.”
Her words were exactly what Felix had expected—graceful, polite, and completely proper.
That only made her more appealing to him. If she had been easy to win from the beginning, he wouldn’t have been interested at all.
She probably never meant any of it. Even if she spoke with elegance and grace, how many noblewomen truly lived that way?
In the end, men always lost interest in the women they had already won.
Women who once clung desperately to their husband’s affection would eventually be overcome by loneliness and end up inviting other men into their beds.
That was simply the way the noble world worked.
So there was no reason to take her words at face value.
Felix hid those thoughts behind a polite smile, pretending to be disappointed.
“I see. That’s unfortunate, but I understand. Still, if we happen to meet at a banquet or a formal event, please don’t pretend not to know me.”
His persistence, paired with how carefully he chose his words, made a chill run down Juliana’s spine.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind,” she answered smoothly.
But inside, her thoughts were in chaos, like a storm had broken out in her mind.
One beautifully prepared course after another was brought to the table, the restaurant showcasing its finest dishes.
Yet Juliana barely touched her food.
That part hadn’t changed from her previous life.
When Felix had fallen for Aileen and invited her to their first wedding anniversary dinner, Juliana had barely touched her food.
That was the only thing that remained the same.
The next day, Braeden sent word that he wished to visit the Barnett estate.
Juliana quickly realized he was planning to propose.
Instead of accepting his visit, she wrote a letter in response and sent it back with the person who had delivered the duke’s message. She explained that it would be better for her to visit his townhouse instead.
If she received a proposal under the watchful eyes of the Barnett household, someone might start to suspect the engagement was fake.
It was much safer for her to go to him.
Besides, there were a few things she needed to ask him regarding the upcoming engagement ceremony.
After reading her reply, Braeden sent a carriage for her.
Juliana quietly climbed in and made her way to his residence.
She made her way to the townhouse.
It hadn’t been long since she last came here in secret, wearing a black hood pulled low over her head. At that time, she had to sneak in quietly. But now, she was allowed to walk right in without being stopped or questioned by the guards.
The sudden shift in reality felt strange and unfamiliar.
“The Duke is expecting you,” said Lochlan, who had been waiting at the entrance. He guided Juliana to the drawing room.
When the door opened, she saw Braeden standing by the window, looking outside. From that spot, he would have seen her clearly as she stepped out of the carriage and walked into the house.
She found it hard to imagine what kind of expression he might have worn while watching her.
“I greet His Grace the Duke,” Juliana said, lowering herself to one knee in a respectful bow.
Braeden frowned slightly.
“So, I’m still ‘His Grace the Duke’ to you?”
Juliana blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to question the title.
“I… I’m just not used to it yet,” she answered quietly.
“I’ll wait until the engagement ceremony.”
There were only about five days left until then. It wasn’t nearly enough time for Juliana to adjust, but she nodded earnestly.
“Yes, I understand.”
Instead of taking a seat on the sofa, Braeden walked toward her. In his hand was a velvet case that looked quite heavy.
“I did some research on human proposals…”
To be more accurate, he had read a report written by Lochlan titled A Study on Human Marriage Proposals—a document that resembled a scholarly thesis more than anything else.
According to the report, a human man was supposed to kneel on one knee and respectfully ask, “Will you marry me?” as he placed a ring on the woman’s fourth finger.
The ring, it said, should contain a gemstone large enough to capture the woman’s heart at first glance.
Braeden had prepared more than just a ring, so surely, she would be even more pleased.
Why do women like shiny things so much?
He found himself briefly lost in that question but quickly pushed the thought aside.
At that moment, the image that surfaced in his mind was of that woman pretending to be Marchioness Cheryl Clemence…
The woman who came to Braeden’s mind had been the demon Mammon, though he didn’t realize how completely wrong that comparison was.
As Braeden started to lower himself onto one knee, Juliana noticed immediately and grabbed his arm in alarm.
“Your Grace! Wait—just a moment, please!”
It was the first time she had ever raised her voice like that, and Braeden raised an eyebrow in surprise. At the same time, the knee he had begun to bend straightened again.
“There’s really no need for you to kneel. Truly,” she said.
Her heart felt like it had dropped to the floor, and she struggled to steady her breathing.
The image of the empire’s only duke kneeling in front of her—just for a contract marriage she had requested—made her feel lightheaded, as if all the blood had drained from her body.
Seeing how serious she was, Braeden gently stroked his chin, thoughtful.
Was Lochlan’s report wrong?
Or had he done something improper without realizing it?
He had never proposed to anyone before, so he had no idea.
“Just the fact that you prepared a gift means so much to me. I truly appreciate it,” Juliana said, her voice full of sincerity.
Because her words came from the heart, Braeden found himself with nothing more to say.
“Then, would it be alright if I put the gift on you myself?”
“Oh, yes. Of course,” Juliana replied, nodding quickly. Her face had finally regained some color.
“Good. Then, this way,” Braeden said, guiding her toward the mirror.
He then opened the velvet case.
“Oh my…”
The soft gasp escaped Juliana’s lips before she could stop it.
Inside, an array of jewelry sparkled in the sunlight—each piece set with red diamonds that looked just like Braeden’s eyes. The light danced across their surfaces, casting a dazzling glow. The detail in the craftsmanship was so fine that the sparkle was almost overwhelming.
Pleased by her reaction, Braeden smiled and gently slipped a ring onto her left ring finger.
The red gem stood out against her pale skin, and the match was even more perfect than either of them had imagined.
Looking even more satisfied, Braeden reached for the necklace next.
“It looks beautiful on you.”
When Braeden’s long fingers touched the back of her neck, Juliana froze, instinctively holding her breath without even realizing it.
