# 18
---
After the jeweler had left, Ian accompanied me to the tea-room, saying we should have tea.
“You seem very pleased.”
Ian commented as she placed the jewelry box on the table comfortably, before the servant arrived with tea.
“Yes, I am very happy.”
But the truth is, it was more about my plan going smoothly, not the pin itf.
“You, on the other hand, don't look very pleased.”
I said, remembering his nonchalant attitude all day.
He nodded without any attempt to hide it. Then, again, he uttered something discouraging.
“To use your words, I see no reason to go to such extremes by wearing matching accessories.”
He seemed completely unimpressed.
"I still don't understand why wearing the same accessory is so important. I've never heard of redefining relationships through something as trivial as a piece of jewelry."
If someone who truly loved Ian was sitting here, they might faint in shock at his shocking honesty. I was lost for words for a moment.
If she left him like this, he might keep spewing the same nonsense in front of Diana as well.
I looked down at the velvet box next to me before asking him,
“By the way, is this why you're not wearing a wedding ring?”
"It's exhausting. Besides, we never agreed on such a thing."
seriously? If you're going to make a fuss about wearing a brooch, it may be better to write a contract and stamp it with a fingerprint.
"Well, why don't you take a moment to think about it then? Why do people exchange rings or share similar symbols?"
Ian continued to look at me with a dissatisfied expression, clearly still confused and unwilling to think about it.
'I expected too much from him'
As I looked at him, an image of Diana appeared in my mind – her trembling hands offering Ian a brooch. My heart sank at the thought.
'Poor Diana. 'You have everything, but your taste in men is absolutely terrible, my dear Diana.'
I had to force my clenched fists to relax.
“As I said, if it has no meaning, why do lovers exchange rings, and why do close friends share identical accessories?”
“This is because feelings are invisible.”
Ian frowned. "What do you mean?"
“People want to show that they have a special connection to someone, and that their relationship is solid. But since feelings, love and relationships are invisible, they replace them with something tangible.”
I shrugged lightly and pointed between me and him with my hand.
“Simply put, it is a way of saying, ‘This person and I are connected.’”
I looked at him, waiting to see if he understood.
Ian stared at me for a moment before lowering his gaze to the brooch case.
“Is that why you made this suggestion to me?”
As if that were true.
“Our situation is a bit different, isn't it? The Duke and I don't like each other.”
"As I mentioned, in our case...it's just a show. Whatever our actual relationship is, it will appear to others as a symbol of our connection."
I gave a clear explanation, tilting my head slightly for emphasis.
“Does this make sense now?”
After a short pause, Ian nodded.
“…I understand, for now.”
“I'm glad you understand.”
I smiled and added, “Well, if you find someone you really care about in the future, you might remember my words.”
Ian shook his head firmly, as if he rejected the idea completely.
“You are making meaningless assumptions.”
“Well, you never know what might happen,”
I replied with a sly smile.
But I knew exactly what would happen: He would eventually fall in love with Diana and walk away completely.
When Ian saw the happy look on my face, he leaned back slightly, an uncomfortable expression on his face.
“…I don’t know what you’re thinking, but this will never happen.”
Ah, for someone who didn't know what was coming, he was definitely fierce. Sometimes it's not just prickly; Rather, he is arrogant like an angry cat.
“Yes, for now, let's just say so.”
I replied lightly, smiling slyly. Ian frowned at me.
Just as he was about to say something else, several servants entered, pushing carts laden with tea and refreshing drinks.
As they placed a cup in front of me, I remembered something and spoke.
“Oh, by the way, about the party.”
"Help yourf."
“I realized that it wouldn't be necessary for you to stay with me all the time.”
Ian looked momentarily taken aback by my cheeky, playful smile.
“…Didn’t you ask me to accompany you to the party?”
“You did, didn't you?”
I responded with a shrug, completely unfazed.
My plan at the party is to evaluate the people, including the princess, who might be helpful or harmful to me. But I can't do that if I'm stuck next to Ian all the time.
Why am I telling him this now, you ask?
Because if I simply asked him to walk me to the door and leave, he wouldn't agree to match the brooch. And I won't miss this opportunity to annoy him a little.
“After further thought, I realized that you must be very busy with work. Besides, I have some personal matters to take care of. So, I just need you to accompany me to the party venue. Does that sound good?”
Ian's expression turned somewhat complicated at my kind suggestion.
“Is there anything else you want to say?”
“No,” he answered after a moment and raised his teacup in a low voice.
“Would you like a cup of tea before I leave?”
“I'll go now.”
“As you wish.”
I replied as I watched Ian get up without hesitation. I raised my teacup, watching him retreat.
The scent of dried flower tea seemed particularly fragrant today.
❖ ❖ ❖
After parting ways with Eloise, Ian went straight back to his desk and sat down. In his hand was a brooch box identical to Eloise's.
He leaned back in the chair with a blank expression and held up the navy velvet covered brooch box. He still didn't quite understand why it had gotten into his hands, but what stayed in his mind the most was Eloise's behavior.
Ian remembered the expression on her face when they had been sitting together a short while ago.
“Well, if you find someone you really care about… maybe you'll remember my words.”
She said with an unusually bright smile.
“Since when did you change like this?”
The Eloise he once knew was just as guarded as he was, someone who rarely revealed her true feelings. She wasn't the type to act strangely or deliberately provoke him.
And Ian never realized that Eloise could smile like that.
Not only had she changed suddenly, but her recent behavior had been full of oddities. She talked about improving their relationship and working on their marriage, only to draw a clear line when it mattered most.
She made a fuss about the matching brooch, but the next moment, she was talking about someone else. She asked him to accompany her to the party, but quickly changed her mind, saying that they didn't need to spend the entire evening together.
Was she really planning to get married again and move on? But that didn't seem right, given how much she cared not only about her own reputation but also about Ian's.
Ian hadn't thought much about Eloise before, but now, it wasn't just her changing personality that made her difficult to understand.
Why did her ambiguous attitude bother him so much?
He stared at the box for a moment before opening it.
Inside was a brooch that shone with a brilliant violet light. It was, Eloise said, a gemstone like Ian's eyes.
Tanzanite, if he remembers correctly. It was surrounded by an ornate half-heart design.
“Lover heart, huh?”
He frowned as he remembered the goldsmith's detailed explanation. There could be no such thing as a lover's heart between him and Eloise. In fact, there will never be anyone to share half his heart with.
"prattle".
Was there anything more meaningless to Ian than talk of lovers and love? To say the least, it was an emotion he was sure he would never feel in his life.
As he looked at the brooch without any real interest, he opened the office door. It was Kyle.
“Sir, the documents you requested...ah? What are you doing?”
“You're ten minutes late,” Ian said sharply, closing the brooch box with a loud click. But Kyle's gaze was already fixed on the can.
Kyle blinked in confusion for a moment before belatedly covering his mouth.
“...Oh my God. Are you looking at something other than documents?”
"This is jewelry, isn't it? I've seen it. I've definitely seen it!"
Ian's eyes narrowed at Kyle's surprised muttering.
“Don't overdo it.”
“Was it that clear?”
Kyle shrugged jokingly.
"Well, considering you're acting like a minute of wasted time could kill you, seeing you so distracted is pretty shocking. Wait, don't tell me…"
“Are you trying to win back the Duchess with a simple piece of jewelry now?”
The veins in Ian's hand, which was holding a pen, began to show.
“Kyle Elzer.”
"I'm sorry!"