[CHAPTER 52]
“Lovely lady, only 5 Terso for a seat!”
It was a young man trying to attract customers.
He handed her a flyer.
Lowering her head weakly, Meyna accepted it and saw it was a pamphlet for a stage play.
“Why on earth do I love you?”
Under the strangely familiar title, the place and time were briefly written.
Perhaps mistaking Meynaâs muttered words for interest, the young man eagerly followed right behind her.
“Itâs a play based on last yearâs bestselling novel, which sold a hundred thousand copies!”
Ah, so thatâs why.
Meyna nodded.
It had been a long time since she lived such a busy life that she couldnât even enjoy reading anymore, which she once loved, but she still maintained her interest in books.
She had often seen that same title on bookstore stands and in newspaper articles.
“Why on earth do I love you.”
It had left an impression because it was an unusual title for a romance novel.
Considering printing limitations, selling one hundred thousand copies was truly remarkable.
“Every young man and woman in the city has read it at least once! You look very intelligent too, so Iâm sure youâve read it, right?”
The young man smirked, pretending to adjust his glasses.
He was imitating Meyna, who was wearing glasses.
“No, I havenât. Iâve been too busy with work.”
Meyna answered with a polite social smile.
She was already exhausted and distressed, and having someone trail her trying to recruit her drained her energy, but she couldnât frown or show displeasure.
“Thatâs even better! Youâll be able to enjoy the play with a fresh perspective!”
The clueless young man shouted loudly with a broad smile.
“You wonât regret it! Really!”
As though he suddenly remembered something, he clapped his hands.
“The youngest daughter of the famous Marquis Beririch bought tickets for todayâs performance just moments ago!”
“Lady Gigi?”
Recognizing the name, Meyna reacted subconsciously, and the young man nodded confidently.
“She bought two tickets because sheâs watching it with her new lover!”
Meyna smiled quietly, as if to say it made sense.
Gigi changed lovers the way some people tried out famous restaurants.
The man she had seen recently was good-looking and wealthy, but he was her height and ten years older.
Gigi had complained each day that seeing him age and wrinkle made her feelings fade.
“By the way, my lady.”
“Yes?”
“Shall I tell you something interesting?”
“Haha⌠sorry, but Iâm busy, so I should go⌔
“Do you know who Lady Beririchâs new lover is?”
How would I know that?
Meyna answered inwardly, frowning.
“Oh?”
The young man walking with her pointed somewhere.
“There she is right now!”
Following his excited gaze, Meyna saw Gigi standing a short distance away.
Wearing a bright red dress and matching gloves, she stood out more than anyone else on the street.
Beside her was a tall man, and the moment Meyna saw his face, she froze.
No one could mistake him for anyone else.
It was Caliph.
Startled by the unexpected encounter, Meyna quickly turned her gaze away.
At that moment, Caliph noticed her.
“What theâŚ?”
More precisely, he was reacting to Meyna laughing and chatting in the middle of the street with what looked like a shady guy.
Caliphâs expression turned as cold as if hit with rapid-freezing magic.
But Gigi didnât notice at all.
“What do you think, Sir Lennox?”
“âŚâŚ”
“The pamphlet says you can bring coffee and alcohol into the theater!”
The eyes of a woman blinded by a handsome man are devoted, like a servantâs.
Already oblivious, Gigi was completely lost in her sweet date.
“Why on earth do I love you.”
It was the title of the play they were seeing together on their very first date tonight.
The young recruiter had boasted that the novel sold 100,000 copies last year, but for Gigi, who barely cared about books, it was irrelevant.
She simply liked the title and bought the tickets.
“Why on earth do I love you.”
Isnât that exactly what I always think when I see Sir Lennox?
He was a man who never gave his heart easily, which only made him more irresistible and tormenting.
A rose covered in thorns.
The reality that he agreed to go on a date with her felt dreamlike.
“Sir Lennox?”
Gigi lightly grabbed Caliphâs arm with a cute, whiny voice.
“Watching a romance play with wineâhow romantic is that?!”
“âŚâŚ”
“I know a winery nearby that sells the best wine and whiskey⌠aaagh!”
Caliph flicked his arm like swatting an annoying fly, and Gigi fell down, unable to withstand the force.
Meyna covered her mouth after watching the whole scene.
“Gasp.”
She had only turned her head, but she had been nervously observing them from the corner of her eye.
Eventually, she and Caliph made eye contact.
Ignoring the fallen Gigi completely, he started walking straight toward Meyna.
Seeing him charge like a furious bull, she felt as though she had seen this somewhere before.
“When have I seen thisâŚ?”
As the distance closed, forgotten memories surfaced naturally.
It was because he was glaring fiercely at the young recruiter.
“The day of the party at Lennox Manor.”
That day, Caliph had heard some ridiculous rumor and accused me of secretly meeting other men.
Half a year has passed, and yetâŚ
“You.”
He was the same.
“What are you doing here?”
Caliph grabbed her arm tightly as if to break it, glaring.
People on the street began turning their heads at the sudden commotion.
“Let go.”
“Answer me.”
“I said let go.”
But the furious Caliph, as always, didnât care about othersâ eyes.
“Do you want another scandal? Huh?”
Meyna whispered, small but furious.
[Does Caliph Lennox also have weaknesses? Disrespect toward staff, allegations of abuse, âTop starâs personality controversy.â]
[Ten-year best friend? Or just a show friend? Caliph Lennoxâs personal lawyer, Mr. K, investigated closely!]
Countless headlines flashed in her mind.
“A scandal?”
“Yes. A scandal.”
“Since when have I cared about that?”
“âŚWhat?”
“Covering news was your job, wasnât it?”
“âŚâŚ”
“You hated it and dumped me.”
Caliph smirked coldly.
“Oh, wow⌠Ump.”
The young recruiter, who had backed away quickly, sighed and covered his mouth.
Meyna finally realized he was the famous Caliphâs secretary.
“Too many eyes are watching. Letâs go inside and talk.”
Meyna gritted her teeth and spoke.
She knew rumors of conflict with staff were far more damaging than rumors about love affairs.
“Sir Lennox! Meyna!”
Gigi, who had run over on her own, greeted Meyna cheerfully.
Caliph didnât even glance at her.
“I didnât know you two became best friends behind my back.”
He smirked, eyes fixed solely on Meyna, as if no one else existed.
