Chapter 52 (1/2)

‘Would it be okay to dress up like this?’

Annette looked carefully around her dress. The dress made of high quality blue fabric sprinkled with diamond powder, sparkled like a star in the night sky. Her blonde hair was braided to the side and was decorated with a blue velvet rose hair corsage to highlight her golden tresses. The overall color tone was calm, but the details made it look rather colorful, so it seemed a suitable dress to meet Raphael’s benefactor.

After finishing her final inspection, Annette entered the party with a smile on her face. After a formal greeting with the host of the party, Count Lucini and his wife, she looked around, but she couldn’t find Raphael. Annette looked around with a puzzled look.

‘I told you to go first.’

Although she had agreed to attend the party on Raphael’s request, she found it burdensome to be alone with him in the carriage. Annette always became weak when it came to affection and became even more weak when it came to Raphael, with whom she had been married for five years in her previous life. If he hadn’t taken good care of her when she was sick in her previous life, she would have left him long ago. Annette was afraid that if she became close to Raphael again, she would fall for him.

So that’s why Annette encouraged him to attend separately. Fortunately, Raphael had no experience attending a couple’s party, so he readily accepted her request. He wasn’t the type to stray away without informing, so he must have arrived at the ball first. But she couldn’t see Raphael at all. A man with such a prominent appearance like him should be easy to find.

“Annette Bavaria?”

Just then, someone called out Annette’s name. Annette blinked and looked at the strange gentleman. The man wearing a dark blue suit with a mahogany cane in one hand looked quite old. Nevertheless, his well-kept short beard and solid body frame made him look very sophisticated.

“Oh, I see you don’t know who I am. I usually stay abroad a lot. I am Count Harold Evans. It’s my pleasure to meet such a great lady like you.”

The old gentleman, who introduced himself, was very polite despite his age. Annette became quite fond of Harold because of that. She happily smiled and gently holded Harold’s hands.

“Oh, so you’re Count Evans. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Annette Bavaria Carnesis.”

Harold Evans was once considered as the most mysterious man among Annette’s previous generation. No one knew exactly about his life in detail or what business he did abroad. But all the rumors about Harold were amazing. It seemed like hearing about beans sprouting in drought. He had tracked down traitors, caught many people who had escaped to other countries after committing felony and so on.

Although Harold was now retired and confined to his estate, the mystery around him did not fade. So Annette looked up at the old legend with twinkling eyes. Seeing this, a chuckle almost escaped out of Harold’s mouth.

“You are more lovely than what I thought. If I was now my twenty years old younger self, I would have given Raphael a good competition. Alas! It’s quite unfortunate.”

“Do you know my husband?”

“Hmm I know. I’ll let you in on a secret.”

Looking around, Harold lowered his voice and gestured to Annette. Annette was captivated by his mysterious behavior and unknowingly leaned closer to listen to him. Then Harold, with a serious look on his face, whispered in her ear.

“It’s a secret I’ve never told anyone. I’m the person who had changed the blankets that he peed on.”

“What? Raphael peed on the blanket. I’m sorry?”

“He was pretty cute back then. He couldn’t even say that he peed, but he cried and held on to the bottom of his pants. In those times, I really tried my best to hold back the corners of my mouth from rising. Haah! I didn’t expect that cute little thing would change to such a bad and boring guy. Who would have known?”

Harold pretended to be disappointed. At first, Annette was alarmed at the shocking revelation of Raphael’s childhood. But soon a smile came on her face. In Annette’s memory, Raphael had always been a big, violent, and mean man. She couldn’t believe Raphael had peed on his blankets when he was young.

Annette, who was listening to Harold, smiled and realized something. Looking around, she lowered her voice and asked Harold.

“Sir Evans, you must be Raphael’s benefactor, right?”