Juliana felt as though she had just awakened from a night of fitful sleep and realized that she was sitting at the parlor in a daze. She was back to that time when she was having tea with her husband before she skipped the evening meal to go to her room alone to ponder on her predicament.
Was it morning already?
Everything seemed dreamlike so Juliana looked around. She wondered if she had traveled back into the past. The parlor looked exactly the same as yesterday, including her husband who was calmly drinking his tea.
Juliana thought with her eyes closed.
…ah, this is a nightmare.
The teatime encounter at the parlor with Evan was a nightmare for Juliana Auburn.
If it goes on like this, she will be misunderstood as talking about poisoning her husband with one of her stupid lovers, and Evan will have Villain Number One executed out of self-defense. Just thinking about this kind of future made Juliana think that this was some kind of nightmare.
Uh, certainly.
“Juliana.”
“…y, yes?”
She had just taken a sip of the tea and then choked a little on it because she hadn’t expected Evan to talk just then. This was truly a great nightmare.
“Is this what you like?”
“What?”
Juliana shook her head. In the midst of this nightmare, she trembled at the memory of what had happened earlier. There’s no need for me to see such a mistake again in my dreams!
“Um. The servants made a mistake. Evan, I’m sure you don’t like these teacups so I told them to take it away. I really did!”
The damn teacups prepared by the servants were a set of teacups presented by one of Juliana Auburn’s various lovers who had childishly engraved his and Juliana’s initials on them.
In the past, Juliana Auburn didn’t act like a married woman. As a woman and a villainess who considered herself a victim of a political marriage, she has received a barrage of gifts from the lovers who dedicate themselves to her. She even had a room that she used to openly display all of her lovers’ gifts.
This sort of behavior gave rise to lots of rumors outside the mansion but Juliana paid no attention to that type of thing.
But now, having been trapped by her own past actions, Juliana sweated buckets nervously as she faced her husband’s cold eyes even in her dream.
“I’ll throw it all away right now.”
“You don’t have to.”
Is it because this is a dream? Unlike yesterday, it seemed as though there was an expression of sadness on his face.
Juliana hurriedly explained herself, “After all, I’m a married woman. We’ve been married for two years now—.”
“If you mess with me even more, I’m not sure I will have the strength to endure.”
“W, What are you saying?”
Juliana stared at him. Evan, who had been speaking with an expressionless face, closed his mouth as though he had nothing more to say.
Ting—. The teacup was softly put down and he said softly, “Juliana.”
“Yes?!”
Like a well-disciplined soldier coming to attention, Juliana straightened her back. Even in her dream, as she stared at her husband’s deep blue eyes, she saw a hint of sadness in them, just like yesterday afternoon.
“It’s a little hard to bear. I didn’t want you to be ashamed of me so I went to battle the barbarians. Didn’t you say that someone from a humble background must work hard to achieve fame? The only way to do that is to kill people for the Empire. You said, ‘It would be glorious if I could become the widow of a war hero.’”
“Oh, my. Did I really say that? I, I don’t—.”
Although she denied it, Juliana did remember saying that. She clearly remembered all the cruel words she had said to him.
…ugh.
Juliana covered her mouth with her hands nervously.
Evan leaned back on the sofa with a relaxed look, making Juliana unable to figure out what he was really feeling. With one hand he brushed the surface of the teacup. His movement was as gentle as though he was caressing Juliana’s cheek.
“But…”
“…” Juliana bit her lip anxiously.
For the first time, Evan smiled brightly as he stared at Juliana biting her lower lip. “How could I widow a lovely wife like you?”
Juliana silently raised the white flag at once, frightened by the implied threat. “I’ll throw them all away right now.”
“What?” He glanced up as though he didn’t know what she was talking about. Nonetheless, he drew his nails across the smooth surface of the porcelain teacup that was a gift from a stranger to his wife, leaving a long scratch like a wound.
“…you know what.” Juliana tried hard to keep her voice even. Even though she now remembered her past life, it was still difficult for her to forget the time when she had lived as a vicious woman. Juliana, who was about to die of suppressing her temper, tried not to confront Evan.
Evan looked at Juliana’s twitching lips. “You’re acting strangely.”
“Huh?” Juliana pretended not to know what he was talking about and hurriedly drank the black tea. It tasted quite bitter to her.
Evan looked at her cautiously and muttered, “I can’t even imagine what kind of cruel thoughts are in your mind right now.”
“I just don’t want to upset you,” Juliana grumbled.
Evan replied with a strange smile on his face, “However, it doesn’t matter how cruel you are. Juliana, whatever you do, I can bear it.”
“You’re saying that again,” said Juliana lightly, as though she was joking. Then she drank all of the tea that she couldn’t discard.
Evan said, holding the teacup that was a gift from her lover, “Juliana, you already know that I can do that.”
Oh, my God…
Juliana felt discouraged.
Even in a dream flashback, he was still so honest about being crazy about her, saying stuff like ‘I will love you no matter how you insult me.’ In some ways, it could be considered a pure love but it could also be viewed as an obsession.
Because of this dream, when Juliana rose from her bed the next morning, it was as though she hadn’t slept at all.