Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 23

At the sound of that startled voice, every woman in the room turned to look at the ring. Then they all blinked, doubting what they had just seen.

Only moments ago, it had clearly appeared to be an emerald. But now, it looked unmistakably like a ruby.

How could that be?

No one could speak. They stared in confusion, trying to make sense of it. Cheryl finally let out a quiet sigh.

“I never thought I’d be given a chrysoberyl.”

The other noblewomen, unfamiliar with the name, hesitated to ask and simply pressed their lips together.

“Draw the curtains again,” Cheryl said to the maids.

They quickly moved into action, opening the heavy curtains and letting the sunlight pour back into the room. As the light filled the space, the ring’s color shifted once again, turning back to a brilliant emerald green.

Gasps of surprise echoed throughout the salon. From that moment on, no one saw the ring as ordinary.

Cheryl looked closely at Juliana, who sat calmly with a gentle smile on her face, as if everything had gone just as she expected.

She was no longer just a graceful young lady. In a short time, she had become someone far more experienced. And now, she appeared to be a strategist, someone who knew exactly what she was doing.

What should I do with her now?

Cheryl hesitated for a moment.

The Siren’s Tear, which the Empress had promised her, was a blue-colored diamond. It was rare because it belonged to the royal family, but colored diamonds themselves were not impossible to obtain.

The chrysoberyl Juliana had offered, however, was truly unique.

The stone itself was so rare that even those who wanted it could not simply buy one. It was a gem that people talked about but could rarely ever find. When she thought of it that way, there really was nothing to debate.

Cheryl wasn’t afraid of the Empress. She followed the rules and expectations of human society only because she lived among them. But she did not fear them.

I’ll just say I tried to ruin her reputation and failed. That’s the truth anyway.

With that simple thought, she smiled slightly.

“What should I do with such a precious gift?”

Cheryl slipped the ring onto her finger and held her hand up, admiring how it looked as she turned it back and forth. It looked even more beautiful now that she was wearing it.

“A precious gift? Not at all,” Juliana replied politely. “Please consider it a small expression of my appreciation.”

She believed that if one gemstone could win someone’s favor, it was more than worth the cost.

Winning someone’s heart was never simple. Some hearts could never be won, no matter how hard you tried.

But if one jewel could earn someone’s trust, then that was a gain too valuable to ignore.

“And you speak so sweetly, too,” Cheryl said with a slight smile.

After smiling softly, Cheryl began to pay special attention to Juliana.

From that point on, whenever conversations took place in the salon, Juliana was always given the first chance to speak. The maids, noticing Cheryl’s attitude, moved quickly and made sure Juliana was served before anyone else.

The other noblewomen and young ladies had no choice but to follow along.

When Cheryl offered to host a dinner in return for the precious gift, Juliana couldn’t refuse and stayed at the mansion for the evening meal. By the time dinner ended, it was already late.

“I really enjoyed today. I’ll be inviting you again, so I hope you’ll come,” Cheryl said warmly.

“Of course. I’d be happy to. Thank you for the lovely dinner,” Juliana replied with a smile.

After expressing her gratitude, she got into the carriage and returned to the Barnett estate.

But just as the carriage reached the entrance, it came to a stop.

“My lady, I’m sorry to trouble you, but someone is here to see you,” came the voice of a servant from outside.

Juliana opened the window with a puzzled look.

“Lord Everett has been waiting for some time now,” the servant explained.

“Out here?”

“Yes. We tried to invite him inside, but he insisted on waiting here.”

Juliana looked up. In the shadows beneath the trees, she saw Felix standing silently. She let out a quiet sigh and opened the carriage door.

“I’ll speak with him before I go inside. You all may go ahead.”

She sent the carriage and her attendants into the estate and slowly walked toward Felix.

“Lady Barnett,” he said.

He stepped forward, but stopped before leaving the shadow of the trees. He couldn’t move any closer.

She was no longer someone he could approach freely, whenever he wished.

She was now a noblewoman with a fiancé. Meeting her in secret at this hour could easily cause damaging rumors.

He could have waited until morning and formally requested a meeting, but he couldn’t wait that long.

Ever since discovering the truth about her birth, he hadn’t been able to rest for a single moment.

“What brings you here?” Juliana asked, her voice unusually cold.

He wished she would take just one more step toward him.

But Juliana stood firmly in the light, refusing to enter the shadows where he remained. Even though it was just a line cast by a tree’s shade, to Felix it felt like a boundary dividing them.

He tasted bitterness in his mouth.

“I came because… I know everything.”

His words came out clumsy and rushed.

A shadow passed over Juliana’s eyes.

Though she stood beneath the lamplight, her gaze looked dark, as if it carried its own shadow.

Felix felt his heart race. He needed to break through that darkness, and he needed to do it now.

“What exactly do you mean by ‘everything’?”

“That you’re not the biological daughter of Count Barnett.”

Juliana blinked, her expression calm and unreadable. Her eyelashes fluttered gently, like butterfly wings.

It wasn’t Juliana who faltered, but Felix. Her lack of reaction made him hesitate.

“I don’t care about your background or who your real parents are,” he said. “But the Grand Duke of Ortis is different. He’s proud and arrogant. If the truth about your birth comes out, he’ll throw you away without a second thought.”

His voice lowered, smooth and coaxing, like the voice of a devil.

I pity you. No matter who you are or where you come from, I’m willing to accept you. So come to me. Spare yourself the shame. Don’t face that humiliation, just come with me.

Juliana took a step forward. The edge of the shadow brushed the tips of her shoes.

“Do you really think His Grace the Grand Duke doesn’t already know what you’ve discovered?”

Felix froze, unable to respond.

“What? He knows?”

He couldn’t believe it. If the Grand Duke knew, then why had he gone through with the engagement? Why would he promise to marry her?

“Yes. I told him myself.”

Felix’s eyes widened, visibly shaken.

It wasn’t something the Grand Duke had uncovered through investigation. Juliana had told him. She had willingly exposed her own secret. That thought hit Felix harder than anything else.

He let out a shaky breath and dragged both hands over his dry face. He hadn’t realized how deep their relationship really was.

He knew the Grand Duke was interested in Juliana, but he never imagined it went this far. He didn’t expect that kind of devotion.

“I don’t know what you were hoping to achieve by coming here tonight,” Juliana said. “But it seems things didn’t go the way you planned.”

She spoke of disappointment, but her face showed none.

“You know that I found out your secret. Doesn’t that scare you?”

Felix had finally found his voice. This was her weakness. He hadn’t succeeded in swaying her, but at the very least, he wanted her to know that he held something over her.

“Why? Are you hoping to use it against me? Now that you know, do you want to threaten me? Try to make me obedient because I have something to hide?”

Juliana’s eyes grew darker, her expression colder.

Felix couldn’t take his eyes off the bitter smile forming on her lips.

Now Felix finally understood what that shadow in Juliana’s eyes had been.

It was the shadow of a predator, lying low behind tall grass. From the outside, it had all seemed peaceful and beautiful, like a green and quiet field. But hidden inside, danger had been waiting.

The realization sent a sharp thrill down his spine.

So, you weren’t the prey after all. That’s where I was wrong.

Felix felt his heart race.

“Threaten you? Why would you say something so harsh? I’m on your side. I would never reveal your secret.”

He smiled with the most harmless expression he could manage. Still, the warmth never returned to Juliana’s green eyes.

And yet, even that cold and dangerous look stirred something inside him. Was it madness to feel thrilled by her?

Felix didn’t know, and he didn’t care. He smiled.

The next day, Juliana was on her way to meet Braeden in the city as they had planned.

Since her conversation with Felix the night before, his words kept echoing in her mind. He wasn’t just acting strange. He was disturbingly strange.

Where had things gone wrong?

Juliana was lost in thought when the carriage pulled up in front of Fosque Park.

“I told you I could come pick you up,” Braeden said, already waiting. He reached out and helped her down from the carriage.

“I know how busy you are,” she replied.

It was true. Though Braeden was staying in the capital until the wedding, he was still handling all his responsibilities in the North from here, and it left him with little time to rest.

“I needed an excuse to take a break. You were the perfect one.”

Juliana gave a small laugh. When they had first met, Braeden had seemed so distant and serious. Lately, though, he had been cracking jokes more often, and those moments never failed to make her smile.

They began walking together through the park.

Fosque Park was filled with blooming geraniums of all colors. These flowers, which appeared between spring and summer, attracted many visitors during this season.

“How was Marchioness Clemence’s salon?” Braeden asked.

“She was very kind. She even invited me to dinner, so I stayed until the evening.”

Kind? From Mammon?

Braeden almost couldn’t believe it. But he didn’t show his doubt and simply nodded.

They chatted as they walked, enjoying the calm atmosphere. But just as they reached the middle of the park, the sky rumbled loudly.

“It sounds like it’s about to rain,” Braeden said.

As if on cue, raindrops began to fall from the sky.

“It doesn’t look like it’ll pass quickly. There’s a hotel nearby. We should head there,” Lochlan said as he quickly approached and pointed toward a building ahead.

“Let’s go,” Braeden said, taking Juliana’s hand without hesitation.

They hurried toward the hotel, but Juliana, dressed in a long gown, couldn’t keep up with his pace. By the time they arrived, both of them were completely drenched.

“You’ll both catch a cold like this,” the hotel manager said as he rushed out to meet them, then quickly gave instructions to the staff.

Thanks to his help, Braeden and Juliana were soon guided to a large suite that took up an entire floor of the hotel.

Outside, the heavy rain continued, splashing loudly against the windows.

“It’s not even summer yet. Where did this storm come from?” Braeden muttered as he pulled off his soaked jacket and tossed it onto the sofa.

His wet shirt clung to him, revealing the firm lines of his body underneath.

Juliana suddenly felt warm, as if her face had been touched by heat. She reached up and gently brushed her cheek.

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