Chapter 24 (1/2)

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Chapter 24

She looked for Eric because she thought she’d have to greet the Duchess by his side. It would be better if she and Eric went together because she personally knew the Duchess.

And she found him, tilting his champagne glass as he was talking to Theo. Chloe approached from behind them, but the moment she tried to reach out to Eric—

‘So sick and tired.’

‘A terrible woman.’

She heard something she couldn’t wrap her head around. Without realizing it, Chloe faltered.

She listened more, thinking that the next words would clear this up.

‘She’s driven me crazy ever since I saw her at the academy.’

Chloe ran away as soon as she heard this. If she were to listen to more, her heart would shatter entirely.

She already knew that Eric didn’t like her.

But she didn’t know that he hated her.

She just thought that she was being treated as though she wasn’t there.

‘So sick and tired.’

She couldn’t believe he thought of her like this.

’Horrible’

She couldn’t believe he thought of her as a horrible woman.

Chloe was so heartbroken that she couldn’t even shed tears. Instead, she laughed in vain. What sin did she commit for her to hear this?

She wished to love someone.

So she loved him.

Was this love so wrong?

“Why…”

Then why did he embrace her?

Why was he being so considerate of her?

He shouldn’t have done anything at all.

Chloe crouched down, her face between her knees. She didn’t want to think about anything.

Forever.

People were gathered in the long gallery. This was to see the world-famous painter Monte’s paintings, which Duke Antre had bought a while ago.

As a surrealist¹ painter, Monte enjoyed painting subjects that couldn’t be seen in this world.

That was also something he somewhat had in common with Eric, who was continuously inventing things that previously did not exist in the world. That’s why Eric, in his own way, liked Monte’s paintings.

He wasn’t very interested in the art itself, however, it was necessary to be versed in cultural arts so he could talk to people in high society, so he refined himself. Of course, Chloe must know more than he did. He thought that would be good if Chloe could talk to the Duke, so he looked around to find her.

“You’re here.”

Finally finding Chloe, Eric stood next to her naturally. Then, he whispered into her ear.

“Do greet the Duke soon.”

Since it was Chloe, she would have understood what he was saying even if he said only this much. Because she was a smart woman.

But today… she was being odd.

Chloe kept staring at a painting. Without paying attention to Eric.

“Chloe?”

Eric placed a hand over Chloe’s shoulder, but she soon shook him off and stood up straight. The lace on her waist fluttered.

“…This painting.”

She slowly opened her lips.

“It’s nice.”

In the painting, a man who had a rose for a face was standing over a pile of machines, trampling them.

To Chloe, it seemed like the rose was crying. No—was it that the rose was crying and laughing at the same time? She pondered over it.

“Yeah, of course. Any of Monte’s paintings would cost the same as a decently sized mansion.”

“…Money again.”

Ah. Eric shut his mouth.

He shouldn’t have brought up money in front of Chloe. It was clear that this would only place him under a bad light.

He was ashamed of himself. He must look lowly.

“Why, is it too vulgar for you?”

And so he answered sarcastically because he felt defensive.

“No. That’s not what I think.”

Chloe calmly intertwined her fingers and responded. But Eric did not believe her words. He looked at Chloe, his gaze carrying suspicion.

If she had met his eyes, Chloe would have stayed silent. But she didn’t look back at him.

“If I pay back all the money that my household borrowed, you can buy one of Monte’s paintings, right?”

That’s why she could say this.

Because she didn’t see the frustration and helplessness in Eric’s expression.

“…You.”

With his gaze distorted by anger, he scowled at Chloe.

“How long will you look at me as though I’m a beggar?”

However, Chloe only stared back at him. Eric looked straight into her blue eyes.

“If I talk to you about money, you say I treat you like a vulgar man. If I don’t talk to you about money, you say I treat you like a poor man.”

“You’re wrong. I’ve never done that.”

“Then I wonder what you’re doing right now.”

Eric managed to rein in his voice. There were a lot of people around them, so he couldn’t make a commotion.

Huu. He exhaled heavily. Shame flooded over his entire being. He swept down a palm over his face.