Revenge Comes with Interest - Chapter 21

Lea’s plan to draw the attention of the honored guests at the banquet was a success.

The only issue was that the line of men asking her to dance became overwhelming. It was not as if she had danced with every one of them.

“Grace, look only at me.”

Terran stayed by Grace’s side the entire time the music played. If any man approached her for a dance, even while he was in conversation with someone else, he would immediately reach for her hand and lead her away.

“This feels a little improper.”

At a formal ball, it was customary to change partners between dances.

However, Terran hated the thought of another man’s hand touching Grace’s soft back.

“Who cares about etiquette? It’s not strange for a man to dance with his own fiancée.”

“That may be true, but still…”

Lea could not say she disliked his overwhelming attention.

But Terran’s attempt to guard Grace began to fall apart.

As the Duke of Lubeck, he had many people to greet, including the Emperor and foreign dignitaries.

During those moments, Lea had to dance with several men.

I need to make some changes to the back of this dress.

She did not enjoy the feeling of unfamiliar hands touching her back.

Adding a row of gemstones or a layer of mesh that matched her skin tone might help. That would make it feel less uncomfortable.

Her thoughts were full of how others were reacting, what felt uncomfortable, and what needed improvement. Then she felt sharp gazes directed at her.

At least I succeeded in drawing attention.

Groups of women huddled together, hiding their faces behind fans while glaring at Lea. They were probably gossiping, convinced she had stolen all the men’s attention.

She had expected this kind of reaction, but it still made her face flush with heat.

At that moment, as the music changed, a stranger approached Lea.

“May I have the honor of this dance, beautiful lady?”

He was a striking young man with red hair and a handsome face. He still had a hint of boyishness, but his movements and tone made it clear he was a grown man.

“The honor is mine.”

Lea took his hand and stepped onto the dance floor.

He was of average height and had a neutral voice. His charm was very different from the masculine presence of Terran.

“My name is Salame Roberto.”

“I am Grace Vizak.”

Roberto was a surname used by the royal family of Galdensia. That meant the charming man standing before her might be one of its princes.

She had heard that Emperor Theresa had many sons and daughters, but she did not know which one this was.

“I have been waiting to dance with you ever since I arrived.”

Lea responded to Salame’s compliment with a gentle smile.

There was something captivating about him. After thinking about it, she realized what it was.

He is more beautiful than most women.

“I heard you are engaged to the Duke of Courtois?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“What a shame that such beauty belongs to someone else.”

“I believe other ladies might say the same thing.”

“Say what?”

“That it is a shame someone else already has a man as handsome as you, Lord Roberto.”

At Lea’s words, Salame laughed out loud. His laughter was so lively that nearby dancers glanced their way.

“I wish the woman who had me was you.”

“You have quite the sense of humor.”

He flirted smoothly without sounding crude, even though she was engaged. Maybe it was because of his neat appearance and calm attitude.

“You are exactly my type, Lady Vizak.”

You are bold.

He was confident, even with a woman who already had someone. That kind of confidence could be seen as charming or slightly troubling.

“I will take that as a compliment.”

“I do not flirt with just anyone, you know.”

Lea was unsure how to respond, but the song ended at that moment.

The ballroom quieted briefly. The guests sipped champagne and exchanged polite conversations.

Lea thanked Salame politely and walked toward the ladies’ lounge.

Most of the women were probably fixing their makeup or slipping off their painful heels by now. But Lea could not even bring herself to go inside.

From behind the long curtains, she heard her name.

“Lady Vizak is clearly desperate for attention.”

“I know, right? She came here determined to seduce every man.”

“And that vulgar dress? What was she thinking?”

“I felt embarrassed just looking at it. No elegance at all.”

“Poor Duke Courtois must have been humiliated.”

Lea could not pretend nothing was wrong and walk in. Maybe the dress really had been too bold.

The gossip continued, filled with harsh comments and criticism.

“She wore something only a prostitute would wear to a royal ball.”

“She’s just starving for attention. She can’t even think straight.”

“She probably thinks the men are staring because the dress is beautiful.”

Lea quietly turned around and walked away. It seemed her plan for the evening had completely failed.

In her eyes, her dress had been the most striking one at the banquet. More than anything, she did not agree with the idea that it was vulgar.

This is a work of art. They must have eyes on the soles of their feet.

She realized she was not someone who could easily accept harsh criticism. Instead of agreeing, her pride pushed back.

Still standing in front of the lounge, Lea turned and headed back to the ballroom. A crowd of men was waiting for her. Their eagerness to dance was overwhelming.

One man reached for her hand boldly.

“I have been waiting, Lady Vizak.”

He looked much younger than the others, but his confidence was unmatched. Maybe it was because he was a prince.

However, before they could even take a few steps, Salame was stopped.

“Would you return my fiancée now?”

As he spoke, Terran had already taken Grace back to his side. Salame smiled awkwardly and stepped away.

“Terran, I am tired. I want to go home.”

“Of course.”

When he saw that Grace did not look well, Terran immediately led her out of the ballroom.

Even inside the carriage on their way back to the duke’s estate, Lea remained silent. The harsh words from the noblewomen about her dress lingered in her mind.

“You shouldn’t wear that lace dress again.”

“What?”

Terran’s words made Lea’s anger flare up. She could not understand why even he felt the need to upset her.

“Why? I thought it looked beautiful.”

“I wanted to tear it to pieces.”

“What? How could you say something like that?”

It was even more humiliating than being called a cheap prostitute or an attention-seeking lunatic.

Did Terran really see her the same way those noblewomen did? Lea stood up abruptly and moved to the seat across from him instead of staying by his side.

She turned her face toward the window, completely ignoring him. She did feel sorry for putting Terran in an awkward position because of her dress.

Still, saying he wanted to tear it up was too much.

“Are you angry?”

Lea didn’t respond. She felt like saying anything would lead to a full-blown argument.

Terran sighed and rubbed his forehead with one hand. It seemed she had taken his blunt desire as something shameful.

Lea had been the most radiant woman at the ball. Even the Empress had come over to speak with her.

“Lord Courtois, it seems a new queen of Lubeck’s social scene is about to rise.”

“That is too generous of you, Your Majesty.”

“It is rare for women to truly understand their own charm. But Lady Vizak displays her beauty boldly without being excessive. It’s admirable.”

Terran barely registered the Empress’s praise.

Even while he spoke with other guests at the ball, his attention was constantly pulled back to Grace. That had never happened to him before.

His anxiety and possessiveness had been so intense that he found no joy in the event at all. It felt like a beast was living inside him.

What he really wanted was to take Grace away immediately, tear off that flimsy lace, and release the desire burning inside him.

I want you so badly it drives me insane.

The problem was that his feelings for her were growing stronger every day. So strong that he could no longer control his own reason.

“It seems like you’re the one who’s angry, not me.”

Lea finally spoke, her face puffed with frustration.

“Because Grace broke her promise.”

“What promise?”

She tried to recall if they had made any promises at the ball. No matter how hard she thought, nothing came to mind.

“You promised to look only at me.”

“What?”

Oh no. Was he really being this unreasonable?

“Did you look only at me too, Terran?”

“I did.”

“You did?”

“You may not have noticed, but I was watching you the entire time.”

Lea felt her heart skip a beat and her skin break into goosebumps. She could not tell if this was really the same cold, quiet Terran she knew.

She was confused. Was he an expert in love who knew how to stir a woman’s heart, or was he just inexperienced and honest with his feelings?

“Still, saying you wanted to tear up my dress was too much.”

“I still want to.”

“What?”

Before she could react, Terran pulled her into his lap. His hand gently stroked her back.

“I want to tear it to shreds and make you mine completely.”

He whispered in a low voice.

Lea’s eyes widened with confusion. If he really tore her dress off, what was he planning to do next?

Does he even feel desire the way other men do? Biologically, is that even possible?

It was all so strange. The way Terran looked at her, like he was ready to devour her, made him seem like a wild beast. But from what she knew, he couldn’t possibly be one.

“Let me go.”

Lea felt a sense of danger coming from Terran.

His behavior was that of a man completely overtaken by passion. His possessiveness felt overwhelming, even frightening.

“You can’t… do that, can you?”

Lea quickly returned to her original seat.

“What do you mean I can’t?”

“It’s nothing. Forget it.”

She needed to choose her words carefully. If she wasn’t careful, she might hurt his pride deeply.

“Tell me. What is it you think I can’t do?”

Terran pushed for an answer.

“You are a gentleman, aren’t you?”

“What?”

All the gentlemen in the world must be dead, he thought, letting out a helpless laugh at her response.

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