‘If he asks me why I’m wearing this necklace, I’ll just say Arrie gave it to me as a gift. What can I do if he knows it’s a lie? Arrie won’t be able to come here today anyway.’
By now, she must be sobbing in her room, clutching her torn dress.
She might want to fit into a ready-to-wear dress, but there’s no time, and there wouldn’t be any decent clothes left to recycle.
Lizzy smiled lovingly as she imagined the despairing figure of Ariella.
So far, no one had shown any noticeable reaction to the ruby necklace. Most were just stealing glances at her deep cleavage, swallowing their saliva.
‘There will be opportunities even after the dance piece ends.’
Just as Lizzy was about to instruct the band to start the dance piece, an unexpected man approached her quickly, mentioning the necklace.
Calum Wrexham. The man Catalina had spent a lot of money to claim.
‘This bastard?’
Lizzy was taken aback and opened her mouth. It was no wonder; aside from his face, there was nothing redeemable about Lord Wrexham.
Even that face was far inferior compared to Aaron or Adam. The combination of his thick double eyelids and large nose was so off-putting that every time Lizzy saw him, she felt like she was chewing on a whole stick of butter.
In any case, it was a good thing for her. If Lord Wrexham was that bastard, she could use Catalina to escalate the situation further.
Catalina was already burning with jealousy just because Lord Wrexham had spoken to her.
Given her temperament, if she found out that Ariella had secretly exchanged letters and gifts with him, she would surely cause quite a scene. The rumors would spread in no time.
No matter how dire her situation was, to fall for such a man was ridiculous. Lizzy clicked her tongue, thinking of Ariella.
However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that the one in dire straits was not Ariella, but herself.
“You accepted my gift…! Ah, to think our hearts are in sync. What a wonderful day this is!”
What the hell is this nonsense?
Lizzy couldn’t hide her astonishment as she looked at the blissfully smiling Lord Wrexham. It was so absurd and bewildering that she couldn’t even muster a retort.
In her stead, Catalina spoke up, her face filled with rage.
“What do you mean our hearts are in sync, Calum?”
Her thin limbs trembled as she spoke. Aaron, standing next to Lizzy, also glared at Lord Wrexham with fierce eyes, demanding an explanation.
As the cold gaze landed on him, Lord Wrexham flinched for a moment but quickly regained his composure and straightened his back. Then, he continued in a booming voice.
“I apologize, Catalina. I also owe an apology to Your Highness. But how can we stop young men and women from exchanging love?”
“So, you’re saying my fiancée and you exchanged love?”
“Yes! You must have heard that the men of Wrexham gift ruby necklaces to the women they truly love. The only woman I wanted to drape a ruby necklace around in my life is Lady Lizzy. By wearing my gift to such a meaningful occasion, Lady Lizzy has revealed that she shares the same sentiment.”
Catalina’s face turned pale, as if she might faint at any moment. Aaron’s expression was equally grim, and the nobles who had heard the commotion began to gather, curious about the unexpected event.
It was only after the situation escalated to this point that Lizzy realized.
This was all a scheme orchestrated by Ariella, and she had foolishly fallen for her trick!
“No!”
Clenching her fists tightly, she shouted in a shrill voice.
“To say we exchanged love, how can you say such disgraceful things…! I think there’s a misunderstanding, Lord Wrexham! I’m sorry, but I have no interest in you. As you know, I have a beloved fiancé, and you have a fiancée as well, don’t you?”
Lord Wrexham looked as if he had been struck by lightning. He hadn’t expected to be publicly humiliated like this. His skin burned with shame.
“How could you wear the ruby necklace I gave you…!”
“I didn’t know it was from you! Because…”
Lizzy quickly racked her brain. The lie she had prepared came out smoothly.
“Because Arrie gave it to me as a gift!”
“…Arrie gave you that necklace?”
When Aaron asked with a furrowed brow, Lizzy nodded vigorously.
“Yes. She insisted I wear it today, so I thought it was a peace offering… But to think it was something you sent with that meaning. I had no idea.”
“W-What do you mean! I clearly sent a gift to Lady Lizzy, so why is it in that woman’s hands…!”
