Chapter: 14
In the end, the distance between them, which had initially been wide enough to fit a thick book, gradually closed as they pushed their way through the crowd, until only enough space for a single sheet of paper remained.
How strange. Did they choose the wrong day?
There seem to be unusually many people today.
Vanessa glanced up at Ian from the side and swallowed a groan.
‘His patience is going to explode before we even get there.’
Judging by his stubbornly pursed lips and deeply furrowed brow, it really seemed like it would happen soon.
And when she noticed the look in his eyes that practically said, ‘Touch me and I’ll bite,’ Vanessa quietly swallowed.
If someone bumped into him again in this situation…
This wouldn’t do.
If they dawdled around here any longer, something was bound to happen.
Although he was built like a support pillar, he didn’t seem to mind escorting her, and apparently holding hands was acceptable too.
“Ian, if you don’t mind…”
“Barnet.”
The words ‘Do you want to hold hands and run?’ died on her lips.
What reached her ears was a voice she could never forget, no matter how much she wanted to.
Carlisle Leonard.
The moment she saw that blond hair, resembling yellowed wallpaper, right in front of her, her own patience threatened to explode this time.
‘We really did pick the wrong day.’
And spectacularly so!
“I didn’t expect to meet you here. Did you come to see the upcoming auction as well?”
He casually pushed his way through the crowd and strode right up to them. Only then did he seem to notice Ian and belatedly greeted him.
“…I see the Duke of Ruscliffe is here as well. My apologies for the late greeting. I am Carlisle Leonard.”
“…”
Ian gave him such an insincere nod that Vanessa felt even a dog would have bowed more deeply.
Vanessa checked Ian’s expression again and swallowed hard.
‘…Does he seriously not see that look in his eyes?’
Because Carlisle was standing squarely in their way, their steps had come to a halt, and people began narrowly squeezing past him.
This is going to explode if someone accidentally bumps into either of them.
Vanessa saw Ian’s already fierce gaze transform into something that looked as though he were viewing the man in front of him as prey. She hurriedly reached for Ian’s hand.
“I happened to get a good spot for watching. If you’re all right with it, would you like to come with me?”
Suddenly, Carlisle extended his hand, precisely cutting between Ian and Vanessa.
…Was this lunatic really this oblivious?
With an incredulous expression, Vanessa slapped Carlisle’s hand away.
“Ian, it’s a little out of the way, but would you like to go over there?”
“…Sure.”
“Let’s hold hands. It’s crowded…”
“Why don’t you come with us as well, Your Grace?”
Her outstretched hand was blocked once again.
And by none other than Carlisle!
This lunatic!
The moment Vanessa saw Carlisle casually taking hold of the hand she had extended, she recoiled in horror and yanked it away.
“Mi…!”
“The Marquess’s wife certainly raised her son well.”
In the end, Ian’s patience, which had barely been hanging by a thread, exploded with a tremendous bang in the middle of Pommeld Street.
“…What exactly do you mean?”
The gaze that had remained fixed on Vanessa was finally raised.
Vanessa, suddenly trapped awkwardly between the two men, felt like tearing her hair out.
It felt as though invisible sparks were crackling above her head.
She almost wondered whether her own hair might catch fire from the sparks that fell.
“I mean exactly what I said. Since she raised her son to be just like me, she must be very proud.”
“…”
“I’ve thought this for a long time, but you seem to have no manners.”
Gulp.
Vanessa barely managed to swallow her breath.
She never imagined she would hear the word ‘manners’ come out of Ian’s mouth.
She couldn’t even begin to guess just how angry he was.
“I simply couldn’t see Your Grace because I haven’t yet been able to forget the woman I still love. If that was rude, I apologize.”
Hey, you crazy bastard!
Under normal circumstances, considering the relationship between a duke and a marquess, Carlisle’s behavior just now would not have been strange enough to warrant blaming the Leonard family for it.
“…But aren’t you the one who first laid a hand on the lover of someone who was once your friend, Your Grace?”
The problem was that Carlisle, like Vanessa and Ian, was also acquainted with Ian.
Though, in reality, the only reason the two had spent time together a few times when they were young was because of Vanessa.
She and Ian had been childhood friends, and she and Carlisle had also been childhood friends.
That was how this mess had come about.
‘This is my karma. This is definitely my karma.’
Back when she had held the childish, simple belief that a friend’s friend is also a good friend, she had even invited the two of them together for tea.
She had thought it would be better if they all became friends rather than constantly playing with each of them separately.
But…
After that, she never invited the two of them to the same place again.
‘Why had I forgotten about this…?’
How could she have forgotten the bloody fight that had broken out between the two boys during their sparring match after that childhood tea party?
It had started rather absurdly.
‘You like this, don’t you? Here, eat it.’
‘No. Vanessa likes this one better, right?’
They had bickered over the desserts on the table, each pushing all of them toward himself, until eventually the desserts had fallen onto the floor and become impossible to eat.
Then, because Vanessa had said, ‘I hope you two become friends,’ the two had exchanged:
‘The best way for men to become friends is obviously a sparring match.’
‘I think so too.’
And after those words…
Ian had thoroughly beaten Carlisle.
After that, she had absolutely never, under any circumstances, brought the two of them together in one place again.
“Let’s get our words straight. If you had treated her well, she wouldn’t have had any reason to come to me.”
“That…!”
Why had the subject suddenly turned toward her?
At this rate, she was the one who would end up becoming the subject of gossip…
Vanessa helplessly looked back and forth between the two men.
“Isn’t it possible that you don’t know the whole story? We were on good terms until we broke up, but Vanessa, at the Duke’s mansion…”
“Carlisle—!”
How far is that lunatic planning to take this?!
Vanessa cried out in alarm and stepped between the two men.
“How much of a fool does the young master take me for to behave like this?”
A small head suddenly appeared between the two large men.
Oddly enough, Ian thought that Vanessa’s back looked like that of a small animal trapped between two beasts.
She had stretched her arms wide like a flying squirrel and was shouting angrily.
If the sight of her had made all the irritation that had built up inside him melt away like snow, would that be too ridiculous?
Especially because her anger was directed at the other man rather than him.
Standing behind Vanessa, Ian slightly raised his chin and looked at Carlisle.
At that almost childish sight, Carlisle’s face flushed with irritation and his brows twisted.
“Barnet, I…”
“Not Barnet. Lady Sharose.”
“…”
“I don’t recall giving you permission to call me by my name.”
Vanessa looked up at Carlisle with cold eyes.
“Please don’t misunderstand. The right to casually call me by my name isn’t something you possess. It’s something I choose to give.”
“…”
“Let’s go, Ian.”
Exhaling an irritated breath, Vanessa grabbed Ian’s hand and pulled him along.
Ian reluctantly followed where Vanessa led him, but then he subtly glanced back.
His golden eyes curved into a sly smile as he looked toward the dark eyes glaring at them from where Carlisle stood frozen in place.
It was because, childish as it was, he couldn’t help feeling that he had won.
Normally, he would never have engaged in such a childish argument.
But the moment Vanessa was involved, his body reacted before his mind could.
Just like when he had thoroughly beaten Carlisle Leonard as a child after Carlisle had looked at Vanessa with impure intentions while calling himself her childhood friend.
‘That feels good.’
Even more so because their joined hands seemed to tell him who the unseen victor was.
But that joy didn’t last long.
“…I’m sorry, but let’s just go home for today.”
…Why?
Ian looked at the departing Vanessa with a devastated expression, as though cotton candy had been washed away by a river.
“You’re getting home later than usual. I suppose you had an enjoyable date.”
Denion, who greeted Ian when he finally arrived at the mansion late in the evening, spoke with a smug expression.
Ian passed through the first floor with an indifferent face and began climbing the stairs to the second floor, but suddenly stopped.
“Denion.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Another month’s salary deduction.”
“What? No, what do you mean…!”
Ian glared at Denion, who looked at him as though he were about to grab onto his trouser legs at any moment, then continued climbing the stairs.
“You should have told me the location as well.”
“No, that…”
Denion stared blankly at Ian’s retreating back, as though Ian didn’t want to hear another word.
Bang!
The moment he heard the study door slam shut rather irritably, Denion realized that his master’s date had been a complete disaster.
“You should have told him about Madam’s preferences…”
After returning to his room, Ian irritably loosened the tie that had been constricting his neck all day. Then he roughly ran his hand through his neatly combed hair.
“Damn it.”
Ian sat down on the chair and leaned his head back, tightly closing his eyes.
‘What did I do wrong?’
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out.
