Chapter 5
“Well.”
Aiden, who had been looking at Carolyn with interest, elegantly blinked his eyes and shook his head.
“Actually, I didn’t even know there was a show today, so I’m not sure what you mean. But the reason I opened the door suddenly was… I saw some woman running up here earlier.”
Aiden raised his eyebrows and nodded his head.
“I know we shouldn’t do that, but since she did, I followed her to stop her and… it ended up like this. It might be hard to believe, but…”
“I know, sweetie. Because I saw it.”
“You saw it?”
“Yes. And I handled it… appropriately.”
His expression turned freezing cold in an instant.
The face with a hint of laughter was nowhere to be found, replaced by an incredibly cold face.
Aiden rolled his eyes as if recalling the woman who had come up earlier, then immediately looked at Carolyn.
“It’s late. You probably want to look at this face more, but go back now.”
Carolyn nodded.
It was time for him to go to sleep as well, wasn’t it?
As she turned her body to leave the room and was about to close the door, she remembered words she hadn’t said.
“Ah.”
“?”
Leaning against the wall, the man who was waving both hands raised his eyebrows.
“Make sure to wipe the water off well after washing. You’ll catch a cold.”
He made a strange expression.
‘Was I being too nosy?’
Carolyn hurriedly closed the door.
And she headed to her room with quick, small steps.
Because she was nervous, she fell asleep quickly, but her dreams were troubled.
Unable to wake up even at the sound of the servant waking her for breakfast, Carolyn skipped the meal.
‘It must be because I was too surprised yesterday. I couldn’t wake up on time.’
The tea party began in the late afternoon in the garden in front of the mansion. The garden was filled with a pleasing light green color, and bees and butterflies flew around occasionally. It seemed they had paid a lot of attention to its aesthetics.
All the guests had arrived earlier than her and sat looking like machines. It was a bizarre scene that did not suit the beautiful scenery.
The beautiful women were dressed exactly the same as the first day. She tried to find any minute changes in their hairstyles or makeup, but it was useless.
‘They are completely identical.’
They were sitting upright with the exact same attitude from the first day in the first-floor hall, without a single change in expression.
To the point where one would think they weren’t human. Carolyn felt a sense of strangeness whenever she looked at them.
“I will pour the tea.”
A servant holding a pale pink teapot appeared and filled the cups of the tea party guests. Of course, there was nothing in front of Carolyn. Once again, a seat for her was not prepared.
What was most bewildering was the fact that no one noticed the absence of two people.
‘Why? Two people are missing.’
The red-haired woman who had boldly headed to the third floor last night, and another person. There were only six people sitting at this gathering.
Unable to just watch, Carolyn asked.
“Um, it seems two people haven’t arrived…”
“What do you mean, guests haven’t arrived? Lady, aren’t all five guests here?”
You seem to be mistaken. Aiden Darebell said so. Calmly pouring orange juice, with his eyes curled into a smile.
“Five people?”
Even when Carolyn pointed it out again, the man’s expression did not change. He repeated the same words like a benevolent adult treating a child.
“Yes, Lady.”
“Th-the red-haired woman, don’t you remember? She isn’t here…”
“I do not know what you are talking about, Miss Carolyn.”
At the gentle yet firm tone, Carolyn stopped speaking.
She couldn’t understand it at all, but the other party seemed to truly firmly believe it.
‘But…’
Didn’t he say he saw her yesterday, that woman?
‘I know, sweetie. Because I saw it.’
‘And I handled it… appropriately.’
Moreover, he even knows the number.
‘I sincerely welcome the seven guests who have come here.’
He definitely said seven people last time.
Forgetting the existence of Carolyn, making it one less, was still the same. Because there are six people now. But why is he forgetting the fact that two people disappeared?
Time passed, leading into tea time.
Aiden Darebell seemed to have no intention of bringing up or being conscious of meeting Carolyn on the third floor yesterday. Did that have anything to do with his unyielding claim that there were five people?
In such an incomprehensible state, tea time took place in the garden.
Seven people sitting in a circle under the soft sunlight. Aiden, holding a teacup comfortably, began to speak.
“Deciding to retire was not an easy decision. My contemplation continued until I finished , the first and last piece in which I took the leading role.”
“Is it true that your mother passed away while you were performing ?”
“?”
With a face that looked like she had been struck, Carolyn looked back at the owner of the question.
It wasn’t a question a person in their right mind would throw out at this moment. The tragic news had already been covered by the newspapers once.
‘Is she crazy?’
What is the reason for scratching at Aiden’s heart by reciting that in a mansion she was invited to as a fan?
She had heard stories of terrible fans who sent box cutters and blood, wanting to be remembered even if by such means.
‘Is she that type?’
However, Aiden answered calmly.
“Yes, that’s correct. It was a tragic event.”
It was as if he was talking about someone else’s affair.
And perhaps because of that, forgetting any shame, another question flew in.
“I heard your mother was your greatest muse and teacher, actor. Did you not feel a hindrance in your acting when such a person passed away?”
It was appalling.
It had been less than a month since Aiden Darebell finished the play . In other words, they were digging into his mother’s death, which had occurred not even two months ago, like this?
However, Aiden was focused on a different point.
“…A muse and a teacher. That is a good question.”
‘Who on earth is this a good question for?’
Carolyn was appalled.
“My emotional agitation was great. However, thanks to that, I think I was able to focus better on my acting. Should I say I felt more empathy for the character, James?”
“Were there any changes in the play as a result?”
This time, it was another woman.
Carolyn, who looked over there while suppressing the flare of her temper at the sheer absurdity, felt as if her mind was going completely blank.
Next to every woman’s teacup, except hers, were a pen and paper. They had written down everything that had come out of Aiden’s explanations so far.
The astounding part was that their handwriting was all exactly the same. The speed at which they wrote was also all similar, to the point where the pens were practically invisible.
‘Is this even possible? What on earth…’
Are they people from gossip magazines disguised as fans to dig up provocative stories?
‘It’s creepy.’
A strangely inhuman feeling that couldn’t be explained by them merely being persistent journalists.
Carolyn chewed on her lip.
“The direction of the script itself was not changed.”
“You said your mother was your muse and teacher for your acting, in exactly what way did she influence you?”
It wasn’t a conversation, but questions and answers.
The women threw questions as they pleased, and Aiden answered with a dry face.
The papers on the table were filled quickly.
It was like a tennis match where the speed grew increasingly faster, frantic only to rally back and forth.
It was hard to even realize what they were trying to ask. What was the purpose of this conversation?
‘Aren’t they all crazy?’
Bang!
“Stop it already!”
Eventually, Carolyn, unable to hold it in, slammed her teacup down hard and shouted.
