“Of course, everyone knows your taste is top-notch.”
So lost in her, Aaron stuttered more than usual.
He even dropped his knife like a fool while staring at her blankly during their meal.
Clang.
As the sound of the knife hitting the floor echoed, Aaron snapped out of his reverie and looked down.
Having grown up as royalty, unlike Lizzy, he wouldn’t stoop to the lowly act of bending down to pick up a knife, but for a brief moment, there was a gap in his gaze.
Seizing the opportunity, Ariella reached out.
Swish!
“Oh my!”
The glass she was holding tilted, spilling wine all over Aaron’s arm. Just like at Lizzy’s debutante ball, the red liquid instantly stained his light-colored clothes.
“I’m so sorry, Aaron. I was startled by the noise and accidentally… What should we do? Your clothes are soaked.”
“It’s okay, Arrie. It happens.”
Where had his fiery temper gone? Aaron responded as gently as a true gentleman.
“I’ll be right back; I’m just going to the lounge. Don’t think about going anywhere.”
“Haha, of course. Naturally.”
As he stood up and winked at her, he strode away, disappearing from her sight.
Ariella, wanting to help the staff who came to clean up the spilled wine, lifted her and Aaron’s cups herself.
“There’s no need for that. We’ll handle it.”
“I should do this since it’s my fault. I’m trying to ease the embarrassment, so please understand.”
Despite their protests, Ariella smiled gently and placed the cup on her lap, causing the staff to widen their eyes in surprise.
They whispered that they had never met such a kind guest.
Little did they know what wicked deed she was plotting beneath the table.
Drip. A transparent liquid flowed into Aaron’s cup.
Before long, Aaron returned looking quite dapper. Noticing that he had changed his shirt, it seemed he had sent a staff member to buy new clothes.
“Did you wait long? Let’s eat first, why don’t we?”
“How can you say that? It’s because of me that this happened.”
“How kind of you. The food seems to have gotten cold, so I’ll have them bring out fresh dishes.”
Aaron gestured to the staff and picked up the glass of water in front of him. Perhaps due to the hot weather, he gulped down the water eagerly.
Ariella observed every moment as the transparent cup tilted and the clear liquid flowed into his lips without missing a beat.
I didn’t expect him to down it all like that. She quietly smiled and lowered her head.
After that, a peaceful atmosphere resumed.
They exchanged warm conversations as if nothing unpleasant had ever happened between them, sometimes even sharing jokes and laughter.
Ariella didn’t reveal her knowledge right away but appropriately chimed in with Aaron’s words, sharing opinions on various high cultures.
This sight left a significant impression on Aaron, who had begun to see Lizzy’s innocence as mere immaturity.
‘Yes, if she’s an empress, she should be at least this much.’
He genuinely felt regret.
What if, at that moment when Lizzy claimed to be the real one, he hadn’t supported her? Then Ariella would surely still be his fiancée, and they would have had a wedding without a hitch a few months later.
Although Ariella’s blood was tainted by unknown origins, she was still more beautiful than Lizzy, more mature, and possessed an incomparable grace and knowledge.
If she had a child resembling her, it would undoubtedly be perfect, regardless of blood.
It was quite unusual for Aaron, who was greatly obsessed with noble lineage, to have such thoughts.
He genuinely enjoyed the time spent with Ariella, who smiled beautifully like a flower before him.
However, the cheerful atmosphere soon froze due to a single question.
“Aaron, do you perhaps remember… ‘that incident’?”
That incident. Aaron blinked, not immediately grasping what it meant. Only upon seeing Ariella’s somewhat uncomfortable expression did he recall something.
“…Do we really have to bring that up in a situation like this?”
His previously soft voice quickly turned sharp. The irritation was evident on his face, which had been filled with joy.
Since the day of adulthood, Ariella had mentioned it a couple of times, and each time their relationship had grown colder.
“No, I’m not trying to blame you. It’s quite the opposite.”
Yet, for some reason, unlike in the past, today’s Ariella had no hint of grievance or anger on her face. Her amethyst eyes sparkled like beads, clear and devoid of malice, as if she had no intention of blaming him.
As Aaron raised an eyebrow in suspicion, she added in a small voice.
“I overreacted back then. I was too deeply influenced by my teacher’s words that a proper lady must maintain her purity until marriage… I didn’t expect such an important event to happen that day, and I was caught off guard and shy. I’m sorry, Aaron.”
