“Jeremyon, are you inside?”
As I called to him beyond the office door, his response came immediately.
“Mother? Please come in.”
When I quietly entered, it seemed he had risen hurriedly, perhaps to greet me.
“Jeremyon.”
As I approached with purpose, he looked tense, likely noticing the seriousness in my expression.
“Has something happened, Mother?”
“Indeed. If you call it a problem, it’s a big one.”
I slapped my hands onto his mahogany desk, my voice more serious than ever.
“Listen carefully, Jeremyon.”
“…Yes.”
Gulp. He swallowed nervously.
I looked him straight in the eyes and said,
“It’s time for me to start reaping the benefits of having such a good son.”
“…What?”
His voice reflected his confusion.
This boy. He still hadn’t caught on to what I was saying!
“You’ve received the invitation, haven’t you? The victory banquet is fast approaching.”
“…That’s right?”
“‘That’s right,’ you say? Jeremyon, this is not something you should be saying so casually. Don’t you understand how serious this matter is? Hmm? Did I raise you to be so clueless?!”
“…Please, Mother, speak so that I can understand.”
He touched his forehead as if trying to process the confusion.
Hoho. I chuckled and got to the point.
“I’ve heard everything. Something new was discovered in the diamond mine, wasn’t it?”
“How did you hear that? It hasn’t been announced yet, and it’s been kept secret.”
“Hmph… Do you really think there’s anything in this world that I don’t know?”
“Well, you do have an uncanny way of knowing things, Mother.”
“You rascal. Don’t go calling your mother a ghost!”
Though we exchanged playful banter and I laughed confidently, I understood his reaction. They had hidden it so thoroughly that I hadn’t heard any rumors myself.
But I knew about it because…
‘In the original story, that blue diamond played a significant role.’
Not only in the empire, but nowhere on this continent had the existence of colored diamonds been publicly known.
It was the same in the original story.
No one in the world had ever imagined that colored diamonds existed.
But one day, from the Winder family’s mine, the first blue diamond was discovered. And it was a large one at that.
When Jeremyon announced this discovery in the original story, the social world was naturally thrown into an uproar… Everyone was fascinated by the blue diamond.
A neighboring king even offered 30 billion shillings to buy the uncut stone.
Who would become the first owner of the world’s first blue diamond? Everyone buzzed with excitement, but the actual owner turned out to be someone no one expected.
Lilliana Locke.
Instead of auctioning off the diamond, Jeremyon had it crafted into a necklace and ring and proposed to her.
A luxurious proposal like no other. The empire was filled with voices envious of their passionate love.
‘Though, in truth, that was just for show…’
In the original story, Jeremyon only came to realize his love long after their marriage.
But that wasn’t the important point now.
A gemstone with the brilliance of blue.
The fact that such a unique jewel was now in Jeremyon’s hands was all that mattered.
“So… are you asking for the blue diamond?”
“Now you’re starting to understand. I’ll pay you well, so hand it over to me.”
At my demand, his eyes took on an unreadable expression.
“…Are you planning to give it to Lilliana’s?”
“Well, something like that.”
“In that case, there’s no need for payment. I intended to give it to her from the start.”
Jeremyon, as if already prepared for this, handed me a small box.
His actions were so natural, as if he had planned this from the beginning.
And then I realized.
‘He hasn’t given up yet.’
To be honest, I hadn’t been able to figure out what was on Jeremyon’s mind lately.
He hadn’t been as persistent in seeking out Lilliana as before, and he hadn’t mentioned her, so I vaguely thought he had given up.
But clearly, I was wrong.
Well, it makes sense. How could he easily forget the first spring that’s ever come into his life?
As I watched him with a mix of sympathy, Jeremyon, sensing my gaze, began to explain, seemingly flustered.
“I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you’re having, but that’s not it.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“….”
He sighed deeply and fell silent. Oh dear. The more he acted like this, the more my heart ached as his parent. Seeing him so dispirited.
Noticing my concerned gaze, Jeremyon showed signs of discomfort.
“There’s no need to look at me with such pity.”
“I was just looking at you.”
Since when did this boy become so good at reading my expressions?
It seemed I would need to be more mindful of my expressions in front of Jeremyon from now on.
“…I’m not asking you to give it to her because I want to get back together with Lilliana. It’s not because I have any lingering feelings… It’s just that I think it would suit her well. And, I feel guilty about many things, so it’s just my way of apologizing. So… please, don’t misunderstand.”
“….”
I’m sorry, Jeremyon. The more you explain, the deeper the misunderstanding gets.
After all, strong denial is often a strong affirmation.
I can tell you still want things to work out with Lilliana, and that you have lingering feelings.
But I didn’t voice those thoughts. Saying them out loud would only cast a darker shadow over Jeremyon’s face.
“…You don’t have to tell her it’s from me. If she knows it’s a gift from a man she’s broken up with, it might only burden her.”
“Hm… Fine, I’ll handle that part myself.”
Taking the box Jeremyon handed me, I left his office.
The moment I closed the door, I looked around, and then opened the box to check its contents. I was curious to see how beautiful the accessory, praised so highly in the original story, really was.
But what I found made me laugh.
“This boy…”
Inside the box was the dazzling blue diamond necklace, neatly stored.
According to the original story, Jeremyon had prepared both a necklace and a ring, two items.
It wasn’t hard to figure out what that meant.
***
“So much for no lingering feelings…”
In the now quiet office, after Vanessa had left, Jeremyon hung his head in frustration at himself.
He had decided to give up. Yes, he had resolved to let Lilliana go.
Because their feelings were clearly different.
While he wanted to hold her hand every day and whisper sweet nothings in her ear, Lilliana only saw him as a friend, nothing more.
And he had no one else to blame for that; he was the one who made it that way.
That’s why he had decided to put his feelings aside…
But.
Why, then, did I hold onto this ring?
Jeremyon took a small case from his coat and opened it.
Inside was the brilliantly shining blue diamond ring, so beautiful it reminded him of Lilliana’s eyes.
The problem was, that brilliance wasn’t directed at him.
The fact that this realization stabbed at his heart… It was because, despite the countless times he had resolved to give up, his heart still couldn’t let her go.
‘…I don’t want to give up. But is it right for me to keep holding onto her like this?’
He had already caused her enough pain.
When she had struggled with her family’s issues, he had wielded money as a weapon to control her.
When she had yearned to reconcile with mother, he had selfishly kept her by his side, using that as an excuse.
If, after all those terrible things he had done, he still wanted to keep her close… That would be nothing but a selfish choice.
Unable to calm his chaotic thoughts, Jeremyon closed the ring case and carefully tucked it back into his coat.
‘…Time will make things better.’
With that thought, he returned his attention to his paperwork.
But even after two days had passed, the turmoil in his heart showed no signs of settling.
As frustration mounted, Jeremyon stood up from his desk.
“Count, you have a visitor.”
“Who is it?”
It was rare for someone to visit him unannounced without a scheduled appointment.
Could it be Lilliana?
A faint hope sparked in him, but…
“It’s Miss Saira Benden.”
The visitor wasn’t Lilliana.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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