Chapter 110
“Ah, no…”
It was the moment Cesare stammered in confusion.
The courtesan threw herself into his arms, letting out a coquettish voice.
“Your Highness, let’s stop hiding it anymore. I don’t even ask for the position of your official consort. I just want to stay by your side.”
Her face was that of a woman deeply in love. Combined with what Cesare had said earlier, no one doubted the relationship between them.
“Even His Highness can’t resist a woman, it seems.”
“But falling for a courtesan, of all things. Ahem. Youth is something else.”
It was common knowledge that a noble who fell in love with a courtesan was treated like a fool.
People sighed at the news that the prince, who had only recently arrived in the capital, had become smitten with one.
Sensing things going awry, Cesare raised his voice.
“What are you talking about! Get away from me!”
“But earlier, you were groping my body like that.”
The courtesan pretended it was an accident as she pulled down the blanket, exposing her shoulder.
“You insisted on undressing me, saying you couldn’t wait even though I said not here.”
“Aaaah!”
Cesare screamed as if he couldn’t bear to hear it.
People whispered that he was mad with love.
‘This damned…!’
He’d never felt such humiliation in his life.
It had been a perfectly set table, ready for him.
Just then, his eyes met Alferen’s.
Alferen was coldly glaring at him while shielding Rodellia’s eyes protectively.
Seeing that composed gaze, Cesare felt a wave of shame.
It was clear this whole setup was Alferen’s doing.
Caught neatly in the trap, Cesare had no choice but to shove the courtesan away and hastily flee the scene.
‘Just you wait. I won’t let this go.’
It was a moment when his rage toward Alferen and Rodellia surged to new heights.
* * *
I watched Cesare fleeing with his tail between his legs and inwardly applauded with fervor.
‘Serves you right!’
Then, I secretly gave a thumbs-up to the courtesan as she gathered her clothes and dressed.
My heart was pounding.
Truth be told, my heart had shrunk with nerves just from the moment we lured Cesare in.
If he’d noticed the switch in people, everything would have gone to waste.
But thanks to the courtesan’s quick-witted acting, Cesare had fallen for it completely.
‘Who would’ve thought she’d extinguish the light right there.’
I was admiring her brilliant improvisation when it happened.
“But in this case, shouldn’t she apologize for spreading those false rumors?”
“Exactly. Lady Miranda spoke as if it were a fact, but it turns out she was just jealous of a courtesan.”
“Come to think of it, weren’t the two of them close as children?”
“Oh my, is that why the lady didn’t bother denying the rumors and just stayed silent? Goodness, but then Lady Miranda…”
The whispers shifted toward Jessica Miranda.
Jessica, who had been frozen at Nanael’s side, finally sensed the atmosphere and flinched.
From her expression, she seemed confused too.
‘She must have thought it was really me.’
Given Cesare’s audacity, it made sense that even Jessica had been fooled.
In an instant, she looked like a woman who’d tormented an innocent lady out of rage over her lover’s affair with a courtesan.
Jessica clutched the hem of her dress, silent.
Her face said she’d rather die than apologize.
I stepped in front of her and said,
“I still thought of you as a friend. Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed.”
Starting with informal speech to seem friendly, Jessica twisted her face into a venomous expression.
“…Disappointed? I’m the victim here! I never imagined His Highness would give his heart to some courtesan!”
Jessica’s sharp, resentful retort made the surrounding faces crease in disapproval.
“How can she not even apologize…”
“Honestly, the one who’s suffered the most here is Lady Peris. Come to think of it, she was subtly badmouthing Lady Peris last time too.”
“Isn’t this just one of those petty rivalries among ladies? It seems like Lady Miranda is jealous of Lady Peris.”
Everyone speculated, dissecting Jessica’s thoughts. The more they did, the redder her face grew with humiliation.
I deliberately didn’t refute what they were saying.
‘Honestly, I was hoping Jessica would barge in.’
It was surprising she was staying put, but it seemed Nanael had warned her.
I saw him firmly pressing down on her flinching hand, so it was certain.
Nanael wore an expression as if debating whether to help Jessica out of her corner or not.
Even that felt utterly ruthless. Especially since he knew she’d lured Alferen here to solidify the rumors in the first place.
The crowd, already buzzing with dopamine from the scandalous scene, was letting their tongues wag freely.
If someone stepped in to caution them, things might change, but no one opened their mouth to scold.
It was then that Jessica reluctantly spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
She must have sensed the situation was turning dire.
But a single apology was far too little to cover the damage I’d suffered.
Besides, that wasn’t a genuine apology born of remorse, was it?
I didn’t need a fake one just to escape the crisis.
With my arms crossed, I tilted my head to the side.
“What are you sorry for? Treating me like a woman from a brothel? Or almost killing me eight years ago?”
In that instant, Jessica’s eyes widened in shock. Since she believed I’d lost my memory, it hit her even harder.
I’d actually planned to reveal it at an appropriate time. Preferably in front of a large crowd.
‘The birthday banquet would have been perfect, but I missed that chance and regretted it.’
But this was even better. There couldn’t be a more dramatic moment than now, with Jessica exposed for treating me like a whore.
‘In this situation, everyone will think Jessica spread the rumors deliberately out of lingering grudge from the past.’
Sure enough, reactions erupted from all around.
“She almost killed the lady? Something like that happened?”
At first, they were shocked by the belated revelation of the past.
“But didn’t she say the lady chased her out for no reason? Claiming it was jealousy.”
“If the lady’s words are true, isn’t it the opposite? She got kicked out for her own wrongdoing and has been playing the victim all this time?”
Then, criticism poured in for spreading the false rumors.
“She held a grudge against the lady and spread the rumors on purpose!”
“Oh my goodness. No shame at all.”
The whisperers glared at Jessica.
The lies Jessica had told were turning into a massive wave, crashing over her.
Sensing things going wrong, Jessica protested.
“N-No! That’s not it! Almost killing you? What are you talking about?! You can’t twist things like this without evidence!”
The reason she brought up evidence was obvious. She thought the contract had vanished, so she was raising her voice first.
“Why wouldn’t there be evidence? I remember everything.”
“…Your memory came back?”
Jessica blurted out in surprise. It would have been better for her to brazenly deny it all.
It seemed her mental recovery from the Cesare incident was still lagging.
With my arms still crossed, I said,
“You must have enjoyed watching me tremble in fear in front of you. Seeing you stoop to such dirty rumors like this. You really haven’t changed at all, have you?”
“No, that’s not it. It’s really not…”
Cornered, Jessica glanced around, repeating only that it wasn’t true.
Unaware that her vehement reaction was actually proving my words to be the truth.
It was at that moment.
“Hm, this doesn’t seem like something to discuss here.”
With Nanael’s single remark, the crowd fell silent.
After all, Jessica was her personal maid.
Faces dawned with belated realization that she wouldn’t stand by while her own person was openly slandered.
Some even shot covert glares at Nanael for interrupting just as things were getting interesting.
Given the tear-jerking love story involving Cesare moments before, the gazes toward his sister Nanael were particularly cold.
