Chapter 19
Lea swallowed hard. How could she explain things in a way Terran would believe? He had probably seen the scrapbook, and that must have made his doubts worse.
“Why would I like Mr. Allen McDowell? That’s not true. You’re mistaken.”
“Is that so?”
“At the funeral, he was looking for the necklace, so I clipped the articles out of curiosity. I just wanted to figure out what his reason was.”
Terran gently took Grace’s hand and led her down an unfamiliar hallway. They walked through a long corridor until they stopped in front of a small building.
“Where are we?”
“The chapel.”
“Oh, I see.”
Most noble families had a private chapel where they could pray or confess at any time.
Of course, the Hamilton estate never had one. Her father and she had never believed in God.
Terran opened the arched wooden door and stepped inside.
Lea was surprised by what she saw. Even without the lights turned on, the chapel was bright, filled with moonlight pouring in through the skylight. The atmosphere felt peaceful and mysterious.
“I have something to show you.”
Still holding her hand, Terran led Grace toward the bishop’s study in the back.
There was another door inside, this one with a lock. It looked like a place where something valuable was kept.
Terran unlocked the door with a key and brought out a small box.
“Open it.”
“You want me to?”
When she looked surprised, Terran nodded. Lea carefully lifted the lid of the box.
Inside was the necklace she had been searching for. Her father’s necklace.
Her chest tightened. She felt dizzy, like a storm had erupted inside her heart.
“This is the Hamilton Trading Company’s necklace…”
Her voice shook. Her nose stung, and she had to fight back tears.
Even now, she reminded herself not to forget that she was Grace, not Lea.
“Mr. McDowell must have tried to seduce me. Just to get this necklace.”
“Seduce you?”
“That man had the kind of face that made him believe he could have any woman he wanted.”
Terran watched her expression twist in disgust as she spoke about Allen. It looked like his plan was working.
“This key-shaped necklace might be a clue to the Hamilton Trading Company’s treasure. It could hold information about the business methods passed down through generations. Or it might reveal where hidden assets were stored. That’s probably why Allen McDowell wants it.”
I need this necklace too, Terran.
Lea couldn’t hide her longing. But Terran’s next words left her confused.
“I wonder about something. Even if Allen finds the journal or the treasure, would he know how to use it? Maybe he thinks he would. That man is full of pride. He probably believes he can build something greater than what Richard Hamilton created.”
To Lea, it felt like Terran was speaking directly to her.
“If someone really has what it takes, they wouldn’t need this. The journal probably contains wisdom gained through repeated failure. But if someone hasn’t struggled or made mistakes, then it’s useless. Just copying the steps doesn’t guarantee success.”
“I understand…”
“Even if someone hands you a brilliant plan, it means nothing if you have no real experience. This key might only help someone after they’ve gone through failure or when they’re faced with an important decision. Otherwise, it could end up feeling outdated or go against your beliefs and just leave you feeling lost.”
Lea felt like she had been hit with a hard truth.
In truth, she was no different from Allen. She had believed that finding her father’s journal would allow her to succeed in business without fail.
She thought that following what was written would help her fix every problem and rebuild what she had lost.
But Terran was right.
All this time, she had been fooling herself.
The real genius in business was Richard Hamilton, not her. She had tried to take the easy road by using her father’s tools without making any effort of her own.
What she needed now was not the journal. She needed to figure out what kind of future she wanted to build and find the courage to go after it.
“Would you like to keep it?”
Terran suddenly handed her the box. Lea took it automatically, her hands moving before her mind could react. She stared down at the necklace in silence.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
Did Terran realize who I really am? Did he figure out that I’m Lea Hamilton?
A thousand thoughts raced through her mind in a single moment.
“No special reason. It just seemed like you cared about it.”
I failed to hide my reaction.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the necklace, and I even looked shocked. Of course he might have misunderstood.
Lea hesitated. She wanted the necklace more than anything. But she couldn’t deny what Terran had said.
Is now the right time for me to use this?
She thought about it for a long moment, deeply and seriously.
“No. I think it’s best to leave it here for now.”
She gave the box back to Terran. She hadn’t done anything yet to deserve it.
Terran gave a soft smile but said nothing else.
“Terran, do you remember asking me what I want to do with my life?”
“I remember.”
“Anything at all?”
“Anything.”
His answer came without hesitation.
“I want to start a business.”
“Go ahead.”
Lea was surprised by how easily Terran agreed.
A noble lady saying she wanted to run a business was not something usually accepted without question. Most people would have tried to stop her or called it disgraceful for someone of noble birth.
“Are you serious?”
“Whatever you want to do, Grace, I’ll support you.”
Even as she heard his words, Lea could hardly believe it. She just stared at his face.
“But there is one condition, Grace.”
His tone suddenly turned serious.
“Love me.”
Lea was speechless.
He could say something like that so openly? She never expected him to demand love so directly. But she had no love left in her to give.
She did not want to fall into the sweet trap of love again and turn her life into a nightmare.
Still, she could not be honest with Terran. As unfair as it was, the truth was she needed him to reach her dream.
“I’ll try.”
“Grace, this is not a request.”
“Then is it an order?”
She felt a bit of resistance rise in her chest.
Love was not something that appeared just because someone commanded it. At that moment, Terran leaned closer and whispered softly near her ear.
“I will help you chase your dream. In return, you will love me. It’s a kind of deal.”
“Can love really be a deal? And do you love me, Terran?”
“I think I need your love, Grace.”
He avoided giving a clear answer.
Lea wasn’t sure if he was just bad at expressing his feelings or if he was hiding something. But when she looked into his eyes, she could see the desperation.
He was someone lonely and deeply wounded, craving affection to fill the emptiness inside him.
“I’m engaged to you. That means your heart should belong to me, doesn’t it?”
His words hit heavier than anything else he had said.
Is love a battlefield? Is he trying to sign a peace treaty? What an impossible man.
Was he going to fire cannons if she broke her promise?
The more she thought about it, the more absurd it felt. It sounded like he was warning her that if she didn’t love him, the only thing waiting for her was destruction.
So this was how he revealed he had never truly loved a woman before.
Still, it was better than someone who pretended to be charming while hiding their schemes. At least Terran wouldn’t lie about love while stabbing her in the back.
“Alright. I promise.”
Lea tried not to lose to him, even in that moment.
“You have to sign.”
She wasn’t that clueless. Lea walked up to him, took the box from his hands, and placed it on the table. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You said to sign, right?”
She rose slightly on her toes, as if to kiss him. But instead, she released her arms and took a step back.
Terran looked genuinely stunned. Under the moonlight streaming in through the skylight, he had expected them to seal their promise with a passionate kiss.
So she knows how to leave someone wanting more.
She really wasn’t the same Grace he once knew. Still, it didn’t matter. Now, no matter what happened, she would never escape him.
But the real problem was not her. It was himself. His desire for her kept growing, and it had become intense, almost obsessive.
Grace held out her hand toward Terran. It was a gesture for a handshake, like signing a deal. Terran, although slightly bewildered, shook her hand.
Ouch. That hurt.
He gripped her hand so tightly that it actually stung a little. When the handshake ended, Grace asked him in a firm voice,
“You used to hate me, Terran. Why have you changed so suddenly?”
As far as she remembered, Grace had always begged for Terran’s affection, but he had always been cold.
“Because you’ve changed.”
“What?”
“You’ve become a completely different person. Like your soul has changed. Can’t you tell?”
He knew?
Lea opened her mouth, but no words came out. She couldn’t give him an answer.
“And I’ve changed too. I wanted to escape the life I was living without a soul.”
So that was what he meant. The saying that a guilty conscience needs no accuser felt like it was written for her.
“I like this version of you more than the Terran from before.”
“What was I like before?”
Terran seemed genuinely curious about her words. Lea, on the other hand, was slightly caught off guard.
He didn’t even know what he used to be like? She had assumed that since he admitted to having changed, he must be fully aware of who he was before.
“You were dark, hopeless, and lonely. Completely closed off. You wouldn’t let anyone near you. You were trapped in guilt and kept throwing yourself deeper into your own personal hell.”
Terran was surprised, but he didn’t respond. That was because Grace’s description was entirely accurate. Still, there was one thing she did not know.
The person who pulled him out of that hell was her.
The Grace from the past had been a wound formed by the sins she had committed. But when she reached out her hand to him, he had held it. And with that courage, he had climbed out of the pit.
“Terran, would it be alright… even if I’m not truly myself?”
Lea finally found the courage to speak. Chaner’s words still echoed in her ears. The idea that she had two souls inside her.
She thought about it, dozens of times each day. Whether she should confess the truth to Terran. But saying it out loud still felt impossible. So, she at least wanted silent forgiveness, even if it was never spoken.
“No one in this world stays the same forever. And also…”
“And also?”
“I like the Grace you are now.”
“I’m… relieved to hear that.”
Even though it wasn’t a perfect answer, it felt like permission. Like he was telling her it was okay to keep living as Grace.
Allen clenched his teeth in frustration at what Terran had done. He had never liked that man from the beginning. That arrogant expression. That constant look of superiority in his eyes.
That duke is absolutely disgusting.
And that was how he chose to make Grace meet him? If there was one mistake Allen had made, it was not getting rid of Sarah sooner. She had stuck to him like a leech and refused to let go.
No, it’s not over yet. It’s too early to give up. I’ve never failed to get something I wanted.
Allen tried to calm himself. Right now, Terran was probably feeling triumphant.
After showing Grace that mess, he probably thought she would give up and walk away.
But not me. I never give up until I get what I want. Even if it takes years, I always claim what I desire.
He felt more determined than ever. Just imagining the day, he would take Grace away from that self-righteous Terran sent shivers through his body.
It took me ten years to make the Hamilton Trading Company mine.
And now I’m supposed to give up on one woman? No. That’s not going to happen.
This will only end when we find out which one of us is more stubborn and more relentless.
Terran Courtois. I will make your fiancée my mistress.
