Chapter 27
Juliette let out a cold snort. “Just a bunch of useless talk. Don’t bother with it.”
Luciana followed up right after. “You
right. You can’t go around helping people for no reason. Haven’t we seen enough stories of people
turning on those who saved them?”
After she finished, Luciana shot Jacob a meaningful glance.
Jacob felt a chill run down his spine like he’d just fallen into a frozen lake. His whole body went stiff and cold. He wanted to move but didn’t dare. ‘Is Luciana talking about me?‘
The words turning on someone who helped you hit Jacob like a blade. All these days waiting for Juliette had been miserable. He couldn’t help but think about how much easier life had been in his previous life.
Luciana came to mind, too. She’d helped him before. But when she was sent to Velmora Empire for the peace marriage, Jacob had personally told the palace servants to put her in an abandoned courtyard, gave her the worst food and water–just enough to stay alive.
And there were countless ways he’d mistreated her after that. Jacob didn’t want to think about it. He’d always felt like he hadn’t done anything wrong–absolutely nothing wrong. He was afraid that if he thought about it too much, he might actually find fault in what he did.
Actually, that was turning on someone who had helped him. But deep down, Jacob didn’t want to admit it. And now Luciana was calling it
out so plainly.
Jacob thought, ‘How can it be betrayal? There’re reasons for what I did to her.
‘Back when I was a hostage prince, I lived just like that. The Duskwyn Empire owed me. And I suffered abuse there. What’s wrong with paying
that back?
‘And why is Luciana? Because it’s her help that led to me getting scolded and insulted by the palace staff. I could’ve had better options back
then.‘
‘If Juliette had helped me instead, none of it would’ve happened. Luciana didn’t save me out of genuine kindness. That’s right—it’s all her
fault.‘
As those thoughts ran wild in Jacob’s head, his expression slowly cleared, and he finally dared to lift his eyes to look at Luciana.
The Luciana he remembered looked nothing like this. She had been tucked away in a corner of the Velmora Empire palace, dressed in rough clothes, skinny and frail, with hollow eyes that had lost all life.
That year, Jacob had been so pleased with himself. He truly understood what it felt like to watch someone else suffer humiliation.
The Luciana in front of him now still felt unfamiliar. Back when she rescued him, Jacob hadn’t even dared to look at her closely.
All Jacob remembered was how untouchable she seemed. Later, his memories of her were full of cruelty.
‘When does that start to change?‘ Jacob’s mind drifted again.
Meanwhile, Luciana and Juliette had already/walked off. Jacob just stood there like a statue, completely consumed by past, forgetting where he even was.
nemories of the
Before long, a few servants from Silverwing Lodge spotted him. They rushed over, shouting and hitting him as they pushed and shoved him back toward the courtyard.
“Prince Hutton, you’ve been acting pretty decent lately,” one snapped. “That’s why we haven’t kept constant watch on you, and you go
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Chapter 27
wandering off into the palace? Do you want us to just lock this door for good?”
“Get in there!” another one shouted, giving him a rough shove that sent the frail Jacob sprawling to the ground.
When he heard them talking about locking the door, Jacob begged quickly, “Don’t lock it. I won’t go out anymore.”
“It’s not that you can’t go out,” one muttered, “just don’t go out too much. There are too many high–ranking nobles in this palace. If you mess with the wrong one, we’ll all be in trouble.”
After venting their anger, the servants finally left in a rush, like they had something else to do.
The places they had hit him were starting to ache. A young servant, the one Dorian had spoken to before, quietly brought him two
sandwiches.
Without him, Jacob wouldn’t even get a clean sandwich to eat.
And even now, the boy didn’t dare bring it openly–just dropped it off and ran, too scared to be caught. He didn’t even say a word.
Jacob had held out all these days just for a chance to see Juliette and begged her to save him.
But Juliette didn’t save him. Now Jacob couldn’t even eat. He wondered, ‘How could she not save me?‘
In Jacob’s head, Luciana’s kindness clashed with the sweet words Juliette had once said to him. Those two images tore at each other inside him. Jacob still couldn’t accept reality.
Meanwhile, Juliette hadn’t taken this little encounter seriously at all. To her, the current Jacob wasn’t even worth noticing. She wasn’t about to show him any kindness.
Her attention the entire way had been to Donovan. Juliette kept asking roundabout questions, trying to figure out where he came from and how long he’d been by Luciana’s side.
Luciana turned her head slightly, giving her a strange look. ‘Is Juliette seriously trying to poach someone right in front of me?‘
Donovan gave Luciana an innocent look, saying, ‘I haven’t done anything.‘
When they got to the place, a servant opened the door and let both of them inside. No one else under punishment got this kind of treatment -but Dorian was different. His mother was the queen, after all. Of course he got special privileges.
The servant had already spoken with Dorian ahead of time, and he was waiting eagerly.
As soon as he saw Juliette, Dorian rushed over, clearly upset.
“I knew you’d come see me.” Dorian’s excitement was written all over his face.
Juliette looked at him with concern, held his hand, and said gently, “I’ve been sick these past few days, couldn’t make it sooner, I just started feeling better today, so I pulled Luciana along to come visit.”
“Hmph!” Dorian shot Luciana a side–eye. “Didn’t you say you were done with me?”
“Didn’t say I wasn’t.” Luciana shrugged with that usual nonchalant tone. “She dragged me here. Otherwise, I’d have already left the palace. I’ve got stuff to do back home.”
Luciana really did. Samuel was making her dessert, and if she went back too late, it wouldn’t taste as good.
Juliette asked quietly, “You’ve got something going on? Did Caleb beg you again to take care of some cat or dog? Or is he asking for something else this time?”
Chapter 27
Dorian’s expression changed. He pushed Juliette’s hand away and stared at Luciana in disbelief.
Dorian knew Luciana had a tabby cat, and he knew it had something to do with Caleb–he’d even seen it before.
But hearing what Juliette said, it sounded like during his house arrest, Luciana and Caleb had gotten pretty close. And Caleb had even ad-
her for things.
“One’s enough. And I already got him everything he needed, no begging required,” Luciaria said with a half–smile, “But Juliette, you’re pretty well–informed, huh?”
Juliette said it right in front of Dorian on purpose. Obviously, she was stirring the pot–and Luciana knew it.
But Luciana wasn’t afraid of any drama. Her relationship with Dorian was already beyond repair. It wasn’t getting better, ever.
Luciana said it all so directly, Dorian’s face darkened even more, and a flash of anger sparked in his eyes.
Dorian thought, ‘No wonder she doesn’t help me or come see me. She’s got another little brother now.
Juliette pretended not to catch on and just laughed. “It’s not that I’m well–informed. Words have already spread across the palace. Everyone’s saying Caleb is sweet and thoughtful–knows just how to win you over.”
Dorian clenched his jaw and cursed in his heart. ‘So I’m not sweet enough, huh?‘
‘The whole palace knows? That meant everyone was comparing me to Caleb during my house arrest. So, Father must’ve heard about it by now?‘
Juliette had only said a few things, but Dorian’s mind was already jumping straight to Trenton.
Luciana blinked like something just clicked. “So that’s what everyone’s saying? Huh. I had no idea. But that’s fine. Caleb’s always getting picked on by palace staff. Now that I’ve got his back, maybe they’ll finally behave a little.”
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