Chapter 2
The moment I reached the terrace, clutching the hem of my dress tightly and whipping my head from side to side in a frantic search for the Duke, my eyes darted restlessly.
My heart raced with the anxious fear that I might have missed him. As I hurried forward, the slightly loose ring on my finger, which had been nagging at me all evening, finally betrayed me. It slipped from my hand with a sudden clatter, rolling across the floor with a mocking ting-ting-ting before vanishing somewhere out of sight.
“Oh, no! My ring…!”
It spun away so swiftly that keeping up felt nearly impossible. Just as I began to despair, the ring abruptly halted, spinning in place with a final flourish before settling on the floor. A sigh of relief escaped me, and I rushed forward, bending down to retrieve it. But as I crouched, a polished dress shoe appeared directly in front of the ring.
It was just a shoe, yet my heart began to pound at a dizzying pace. My radar had kicked in—the one that could spot beauty from a mile away.
Could it be…?!
Clutching my chest to steady my racing heart, I lifted my gaze with a mix of hope and anticipation. When my eyes met his, they widened in awe. The face before me could shift anyone’s tastes. Dark eyes like a starless night sky, a sharp jawline that seemed carved by a sculptor’s hand, and a chilling gaze that could cut through steel if I dared open my mouth carelessly. He was the embodiment of perfection, standing there as if tailored to my every desire. In an instant, I knew—this was the Duke I’d been searching for, Axel Valentione.
My mouth fell open, and words tumbled out before I could stop them.
“Please, go out with me!”
Oh, I’ve lost it.
“Have you finally gone mad, Lady Judith?”
His voice, a deep, velvety rumble, sent shivers down my spine. It was so captivating it raised goosebumps. Even his voice was flawless. How could such a person exist in reality? The idols of my past life, the ones who’d once haunted my thoughts, faded into oblivion. A new obsession had just claimed its throne.
Perhaps it was the faint smile curling my lips, so at odds with the stern expression on Axel’s face, but he arched an eyebrow, his gaze turning colder as a mocking smirk tugged at his lips.
“Are you mistaking me for the Crown Prince? Judging by your state, Lady Judith, it seems your mind… isn’t quite sound. You don’t seem entirely yourself. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
With that, Axel moved to brush past me. Snapping out of my daze, I shed my starry-eyed expression and grabbed his arm. I couldn’t let my sincerity be twisted like this.
“Wait, please! Your Grace, I’m perfectly sane. I meant it!”
Axel paused, turning to look at me over his shoulder.
“You meant it? Meant what, exactly?”
“My feelings for you, Your Grace! They’re genuine!”
Beaming, I winked at him with a playful flick of one eye—an impulsive move my body made before my brain could catch up. Axel’s face darkened, his brows knitting together as if my words were utterly deplorable. He spat out his response with a snarl.
“You expect me to believe that nonsense? Do you think I’m fool enough to fall for such a ridiculous lie?”
“It’s not a lie! It’s the truth—”
“The same Lady Judith who, mere days ago, was chasing the Crown Prince like a lovesick puppy, now claims to fancy me? Not even a passing dog would believe that.”
His words dripped with scorn, openly mocking my sincerity. Before I could argue further, Axel stepped closer, leaning down until his face was mere inches from mine. I gasped, my breath catching in my throat.
The proximity of such a breathtakingly handsome man set my heart thundering, my cheeks flushing crimson. For a moment, he studied me intently, his gaze piercing. Then he straightened, stepping back to his original distance, leaving me with an inexplicable pang of disappointment.
“I don’t smell alcohol,” he said coolly, “so… Lady Judith, are you on something?”
“Drugs?! No way!” I blurted, my eyes widening in shock.
“Who’s to say? You never know until you’re tested. Word is, drugs are all the rage in the capital these days.”
Axel’s voice was as cold as ever, his expression unchanging as he casually tossed out the accusation. A high-ranking noble like Lady Judith could easily get her hands on such things, he implied.
Me? Drugs? I didn’t even touch them in my past life! All I did was fangirl and live quietly!
But despite the indignation burning in my chest, I had no defense to offer him. My lips pressed into a tight line, and after a moment, I muttered under my breath, “Aren’t you a high-ranking noble yourself, Your Grace?”
“Indeed,” he replied, his tone sharp and cutting. “But unlike some, I don’t throw myself at others proclaiming love without a shred of reason. Unlike you, Lady Judith, there’s no room for suspicion with me.”
“…”
“So whatever scheme you’re playing at, you’d best drop it. Next time, I won’t let it slide so easily.”
With a curt, “I’ll take my leave,” Axel turned on his heel and strode away, leaving the terrace behind.
I stood there, staring blankly at the spot he’d occupied, my mind reeling. Only after a long moment did I snap out of it, pressing both hands over my mouth. My face burned as if scorched by the midsummer sun. In a tiny, trembling whisper, I murmured, “How… how can someone like that even exist?”
His appearance was perfection, yes, but it was more than that—every detail about him aligned flawlessly with my tastes. His voice, sharp at first listen, carried an underlying warmth and gentleness, paired with a meticulous attention to detail. And that fleeting smile, barely visible between the slant of his lips just before he turned away—it lingered in my mind, refusing to fade.
The scene replayed in my head over and over, an endless loop. If this had been a short video clip, I’d have been doomed to watch it on repeat forever.
I could’ve lived my whole life trapped in that tiny screen…
This wasn’t just the usual “fangirl meltdown” I’d experienced countless times before. This was something else entirely—a feeling so profound it defied words, piercing my heart like an arrow.
My chest pounded as if I’d been running up a steep hill without pause.
Standing there, face flushed and hands covering my burning cheeks, I made a vow to myself.
No matter what it took, I would make Axel Valentione mine.
***
The peaceful afternoon tea time was shattered when I dropped my bombshell.
“I’m going to get married, Father.”
“Pfft—!”
Duke Melberine choked on his tea, hastily wiping his mouth with a napkin as he sputtered, his voice thick with alarm. “M-married? To whom, exactly? Don’t tell me… the Crown Prince?”
“No. To His Grace, the Duke.”
The wrinkles in my father’s brow deepened, his expression growing graver by the second.
“Just to be clear, Father, I’ve given up on the Crown Prince. I’m in love with Duke Axel now.”
“But, Judith, my dear…” he faltered, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Didn’t you… didn’t you say you couldn’t stand him?”
“Me?”
My eyes widened, and I stared at him, dumbfounded. He nodded cautiously, continuing, “Yes, just a few days ago, you said you didn’t like men like Duke Axel—too cold, too… unapproachable.”
It seemed the original Judith’s tastes were the polar opposite of mine. How could anyone look at a man that breathtaking and call him unappealing? But that didn’t matter now.
This body was mine now, and I was determined to marry Axel Valentione.
Clenching my fists, I declared with fierce resolve, “People’s tastes change, Father. I’m going to marry the Duke, no matter what!”
Meeting my fiery gaze, Duke Melberine’s eyes flickered nervously before he asked, his voice laced with skepticism, “And… I assume His Grace has agreed to this? Judith? My dear?”
His hopeful stare was met with silence. I grinned, the corner of my mouth curling upward as I held his gaze.
“Nope! I’ll just have to convince him from now on!”
“Ohhh…”
With a groan, my father clutched the back of his neck and collapsed. The butler and a nearby maid rushed to his side.
“Eek! My lord!”
“The Duke has fainted! Quick, fetch the physician! The physician!”
In the end, I struck a deal with my father. If I couldn’t win Axel over within three months, I’d agree to meet one of the suitors he’d chosen for me. He added, with a weary sigh, that he could no longer bear to watch me wreak havoc in high society.
But I was confident in this wager.
This was fate.
