Chapter 15
When she saw the gift, Yulia initially wondered why the word mistake had come up. Her mother’s reasoning soon made it clear.
“You know how clueless men act. Instead of just apologizing, they sneakily send gifts. No wonder he already sent over a personal maid in advance.”
So Cayente had sent this instead of apologizing for something he did wrong?
“That can’t be right.”
No way… That wasn’t possible. This carriage was clearly sent because he couldn’t let the Countess’ family ride around in one that looked like it could lose a wheel at any moment. Like how he had sent Lucy, this new carriage also served a clear purpose—something elegant enough to attend an imperial banquet.
“Come on, stop hesitating and let’s ride it. I wonder how beautiful the inside must be. Should we take a ride around Seton Lake? I bet he sent horses with it too. Daeke! Where are you?”
“Mother, calm down. The shoemaker who came to fit sister’s shoes is still waiting inside.”
“Oh dear, I completely forgot. That’s right! I was even planning to sneak in a pair for myself. Let’s go for a ride as soon as the shoes are done. Sound good?”
“That’s a great idea, Mother. Sis, you’re coming too, right?”
No matter what this carriage symbolized, its value alone was equivalent to a commoner’s entire house. Could she really just accept it without hesitation? While Yulia was still debating, her mother insisted on taking a look inside and opened the carriage door.
“Huh? What’s this box?”
Without anyone to assist, her mother jumped into the carriage and kept exclaiming in awe. Soon she came back out, holding a small box.
“Mother, what’s that?”
“It was on the seat. Looks like a jewelry box, doesn’t it? What could be inside? Yulia, open it up.”
The box her mother handed over was small—about the size of two palms—with a surface wrapped in navy velvet. It opened from one side, confirming it truly was a jewelry box.
“Oh my! Pink diamonds?!”
When Yulia carefully opened the lid, inside was a set: a necklace and earrings adorned with pink diamonds.
“There are pink diamonds too? I’ve never seen them before. How much would something like this cost, Mother?”
“Oh, sweetheart, you can’t even imagine. Even if we sold our mansion at a great price, we wouldn’t be able to afford just this necklace.”
The necklace had several teardrop patterns that decreased in number as they went downward, forming an inverted triangle. Three layers of chains wrapped around the neck, each decorated entirely with pink diamonds—enough to make one wonder if it would strain the neck from the weight alone.
Pink diamonds were mined exclusively from Mount Humen, making them rare even among nobles. The extravagance of this gift made her mother’s words about selling the mansion seem not too far-fetched.
“This won’t do, Yulia. You must ask Cayente to make time for you.”
“Make time?”
“You can’t just receive something this precious and do nothing. Even if it’s a bit much, we should at least treat him to a proper meal.”
Yulia had thought it was ridiculous that he would send something out of guilt. But now, staring at the dazzling pink diamonds, her resolve wavered. The jewels—unlike the carriage—were far too stunning to be explained away as a mere gesture to uphold the dignity of a future countess.
Could it be that… he really did feel remorse for holding her like that?
“I’ll stop by this afternoon.”
She had to meet him properly—hear an apology, get confirmation. Was there really any human decency left in him to feel sorry after time had passed? Was it okay to hope for even the tiniest chance that this marriage could still turn out alright?
Henry had managed to purchase a mansion, hire staff, and even secure an office within a short period not just because he was capable—but because he had money. With money, anything could be done so easily.
The textile business Cayente had set his sights on faced no real obstacles either. Within less than a week, they had bought more than enough cotton fields. Near-bankrupt textile mills had also been easily acquired.
“You’ve changed your tune, haven’t you? You should pay extra for the weaving machines. Do you know how much those cost?”
“I don’t know what you mean by changing tune. The contract clearly states that the building includes the equipment within the factory.”
“When you said ‘equipment,’ I thought you meant electrical systems and such! Who would’ve thought it included movable weaving machines?”
“Then I recommend you look up the definition of ‘equipment.’ Don’t take it out on me.”
Just because he had money didn’t mean Cayente spent recklessly. If there was any way to save money, he did. The idea of his money being used to line someone else’s pockets kept him awake at night.
“You mean you won’t pay any more?”
“Why should I? The contract states the agreed-upon price. Asking for more now is foolish—especially from someone who’s run a business.”
“No wonder there are rumors… Everyone says not to deal with Clue Textiles…”
Cayente was well aware of what people said about him. But unless such talk affected his business, he didn’t care. After all, there was no other textile producer on the continent that offered that level of quality at such a price.
Not paying a little extra for some worn-down weaving machines wasn’t a big deal. The workers hired to produce such quality at those prices were likely suffering more, but no one ever mentioned that. What did it matter to nobles how commoners lived?
“Who’s that?”
“Miss Yulia has arrived.”
The contract was clear, and there was nothing more to argue about. As Arin, the former owner, begrudgingly left, Henry stepped forward and informed Cayente of Yulia’s arrival.
“She came here?”
“She stopped by the office but came here after hearing you were at the factory.”
As always, Cayente had prioritized his own gains over others’. It wasn’t something to boast about, but it wasn’t shameful either. And yet, he found himself strangely uneasy. What if Yulia had overheard his conversation with Count Arin? She was the type who might side with the other person, saying it wouldn’t hurt to be more generous.
“When did she arrive?”
“She just stepped off the carriage. Shall I bring her closer?”
Trying to calm his suddenly fraying nerves, Cayente walked over to meet Yulia without another word.
“What’s the matter?”
“Sorry for interrupting while you’re busy. Mother really wanted to express her thanks and asked me to find out when you’d be available.”
In Yulia’s eyes, he could see a mix of emotions—nervousness, maybe even shyness—but not the wariness he expected. Had she already forgotten how he slapped her the other day?
As Cayente looked at her for a while, he noticed the carriage behind her and suddenly understood both the unexpected meal invitation and the reason for her visit.
“The carriage arrived today, didn’t it?”
“Huh?”
“The one I ordered. It arrived today, right? So… you came to thank me?”
“Ah…”
Yulia seemed to catch on to what he was about to say—
