Chapter 9

- Oh, Your Serene Highness, you've already arrived. - She greeted him with a soft smile on her lips, as if she had been waiting for him for a long time.

It was a pretty innocent smile for a woman who hid from him all day.

- .... I need to talk to you.

Lennox took her hand decisively and led her to the balcony. Juliet calmly followed him without resisting.

Despite the cold weather, Juliet was dressed in an elegant dress that opened her shoulders and back. His fabric was deep blue and seemed to twinkle the floor with moonlight, contrasting sharply with her smooth white skin.

But for some reason, this species has now affected his nerves.

"You apparently had a white fur cape on your shoulders that fit this dress. So, where did you leave her?" Lennox thought annoyedly, staring unconsciously at her neckline.

Then his attention was attracted by a rather luxurious necklace that decorated Juliet's neck, which consisted of two rows of exquisite diamonds.

This necklace was very suitable for her dress, and he had already seen her wear it several times with other outfits.

Lennox's face is smooth.

This is not the necklace he gave Juliet this morning.

Why didn't you put on the Tears of the Sun, what I sent you?

He's never cared about the further fate of his gifts before.

He never wondered if his mistresses sold these gifts or gave them to anyone.

But today it seemed especially important to him.

After all, instead of putting on his gift, Juliet brought him back to the mansion without even touching him.

- I sent you a necklace this morning. Didn't you get it? - Lennox asked, consciously pretending he didn't know what fate the necklace had befallen.

- Got it.

- Then, where is it?

Instead of answering, Juliet slightly bowed her head sideways and looked at him carefully, as if trying to understand why he was asking about it.

Lennox Carlisle, whom she knew, was neither a delicate nor caring person to pay attention to what his mistresses did with his gifts.

- I'm asking why you didn't put it on?

These words even seemed quite ridiculous to him after he said them.

The Lennox Carlisle, whom he always considered himself, never asked such questions.

He knew that such behavior was completely unusual for him and it must look very strange from the outside.

Don't I act like some infantile child now?

It was he who always took the initiative in their relationship in the same way as in any other. He never gave up to anyone the role of leader.

But suddenly doubt crept into Lennox's thoughts imperceptibly.

Has there ever been a leader in our relationship at all?

Meanwhile, the woman he was now acting so strangely, suddenly smiled softly and said:

- The necklace you sent me is very beautiful. Thank you for the gift.

It was like trying to calm a dissatisfied child.

- But it looked so luxurious and expensive that I sent it back to the mansion, afraid to lose it. Also, I already chose a dress and accessories for today's banquet a few weeks ago.

Juliet's answer made sense.

Lennox found nothing wrong in her words. Nevertheless, Juliet's calm attitude affected his nerves.

He remembered the handkerchief she gave him a few years ago.

Juliet embroidered his name on him with her own hands.

So this handkerchief was still stored in the depths of the drawer in his desk standing in the office.

Then Juliet said to him,

"You can throw it away if you want. I don't care even if you give it to someone else.

But he didn't do it.

And for that reason, he now wanted to ask Juliet: "Why don't you value the gift I gave you?

But Juliet was the first to open her mouth and talk.

- Your Serene Highness.

For a moment, she stopped talking as if she was swaying and then proceeded.

- I want to ask you something...

- I'm listening to you.

- Do you remember what you gave me for my birthday last year?

Last winter?

Lennox wondered why Juliet was so reluctant to ask this simple question.

- Mine in Alger.

To be exact, he gave a lapis lazuli mine, where the precious mineral lazuli was extracted.

- Yes. You remember.

Juliet laughed heartily.

But Lennox decided for some reason that this wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.

- I have something for you, too.

Juliet had a small silk bag on her wrist, which usually contained a small ladies' fan. However, what she got out of it wasn't like a fan at all.

- I want to give it back to you.

- What is it?

She handed him a rolled-up piece of paper.

Lennox, taking this document from her hands, unintentionally revealed it.

He was a little surprised when he saw what was written there.

It was a contract they signed seven years ago.

In secular society, the marriage contract was widespread and considered only if married, but Juliet asked him to do so, saying that she would only agree to become his mistress if he met this condition.

- It doesn't mean anything to you, but it makes sense to me.

At that time, he thought that the contract would not matter, as she was likely to enter it into a financial reward after the breakup.

But what Juliet asked for was completely different from it.

It was a very strange condition.

[If one of the parties, in this case "A" or "B", no longer wishes to continue the relationship, they must terminate it on the basis of a peace agreement between the two parties.]

"If you have another person or want to part for another reason, we will peacefully disperse. That's my condition."

"Peace Agreement."

Although it was a little unusual request, what she asked for was just a calm breakup for both of them. Therefore, Lennox signed it without much concern, despite the fact that he considered this condition somewhat absurd. Besides, he lost nothing from it, so he almost immediately forgot about him.

However, he never even thought she would want to leave him first.

- .... Juliet Montagu.

- Are you angry?

Juliet smiled gently looking at his face.

But despite the fact that she had a smile on her lips, she looked tired.

- Your Brightness seems you forgot about it.

Lennox didn't understand why that happened.

He always thought he was a key figure in their relationship, but in the end it was she who became the person who said goodbye.

And yet why does she have such a sad look and such an unusual expression?

- Why do you want to part?

- Just let me go.

- Juliet.

- Didn't I behave well all this time?

- What?

- I didn't do anything that your Serene Highness didn't like. Ah... well maybe only occasionally when I had to use a butterfly without your permission.

- ....

- I've been trying so hard for you all this time. I've never cried or disturbed you. Besides, I'll be 25 years old in a week.

Juliet touched the necklace on her neck absent-mindedly, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

Meanwhile, Lennox was still tense with excitement, looking at her elegant neck and shoulder line.

- So now I want to live a quiet, normal life, like everyone else.

- ...A normal life?

- Yes.

This unusual word cut his rumor, which involuntarily wrinkled. Isn't it like she was unhappy because there was nothing normal next to him?

- .... But isn't your life normal now?

Juliet looked at him for a moment with a missing look, then suddenly laughed.

Why... are you laughing?

Juliet stopped laughing when she saw his icy expression.

- I'm sorry if I offended you. But you don't even look remotely like an ordinary person.

He didn't understand why, but Juliet's face looked a little sad when she added the following phrase.

- To tell the truth, none of your actions can be called normal.

While Juliet was talking, her eyes were still glowing smoothly with soft muted light in the shadow of long eyelashes, preventing Lennox from determining what she was thinking.

But then he remembered how some time ago she watched girls of her age in the banquet hall.

She was looking at the girl who was about to get married.

At that point Lennox seemed to understand why Juliet was standing alone in the corner.

She looked with envy at what she couldn't have. This look was exactly the same as if a child who lost his mother looked at the child in the arms of a loving parent.

- So that's what you want?

- Yes.

Getting married and raising children like everyone else? Is this a normal life for you?

Lennox laughed coldly.

Now he knew the reason, so he could relax.

- Don't say anything else. I'll give you what you want.

After these words, he hugged Juliet by the shoulders, and they left the banquet hall.

Juliet, confused by his behavior, walked obediently next to him until she saw his carriage standing right in front of the banquet hall.

She instantly stopped and, looking at him puzzledly, exclaimed:

- Your Serene Highness!

- The party is over.

- Lennox, wait a minute. I haven't told you everything yet...!

(Juliet went into an informal tone from excitement, poor girl, heh)

But, of course, he didn't listen to her.

He put Juliet in a carriage, closed the door and turned to the coachman who was sitting on goats.

- We're going back to the North.

- Lennox!

Frightened Juliet screamed in the crew, but he completely ignored her and continued to give orders to the coachman.

- Tell the others to prepare for their return as soon as you get to the mansion.

- Huh? Today?

- Exactly.

Lennox noticed with the edge of his eyes that his wolves in black armor were already standing next to him and were silently waiting for him.

- As soon as I'm done, I'll follow you, so take care of Juliet and prepare her luggage.

- Yes, sir.

When the carriage with Juliet left, he approached his knights.

- Your Sereneity is ready.

- Where is he now?

- In a safe place in district 8.

- Take me to him.