Cry, Even Better if you Beg

Chapter 18. Emerald (1)

“Uncle, this is… too much.”

Leyla, who looked into the box with wide eyes, said in a trembling voice. Bill couldn’t find a suitable rebuttal. He too was surprised.

“How much did you spend?”

Leyla gave Bill a look of reproach.

“No. That’s…. Well…. I’ve spent enough! You care too much about everything.”

Bill barely came to his senses when he answered back. The dress Mrs. Mona prepared had arrived at the cabin on the day of the party. Bill believed the mailman would bring the dress in, but a young man who seemed to be an employee of the dress shop delivered it himself.

Bill thought Mrs. Mona must have paid special attention to the dress well enough for the nicely dressed employee to deliver it directly to them. When Leyla opened the box, the dress was beyond Bill’s expectations. Even in Bill’s eyes, who didn’t know a thing about women’s clothes and accessories, the white dress stitched with gold threads looked very luxurious and heavenly. The same was true of the shoes, gloves, and the necklace.

How much did I pay Mrs. Mona again?

Bill calculated with his fingers folded.

But did she take the money for the necklace?

Bill was puzzled and had calculated again while Leyla firmly covered the box lid.

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“No way.”

“Then why?”

“Let’s return it. I can’t let you spend this much money on a party that lasts for just one day.”

Unlike Mrs. Mona’s assurance that the gift would thrill her, Leyla simply looked worried.

“Leyla, if you don’t wear this to the party. I won’t ever see you again.”

Bill’s face suddenly turned cold.

“You always don’t want to be indebted to me. I know your reasons, but Leyla, you shouldn’t draw a clear line between me and you.”

“Uncle…..”

“If you don’t take it, I’ll just use it as a firecracker. And I’ll never see you again, Leyla.”

The red-faced Bill stepped out of the front door as if he was running away. As he circled around the flower bed and smoked, his mind was filled with late regrets for saying such mean words to the child. He didn’t mean it when he said he’d never see her again.

While Bill was wondering if he should go back in, Kyle walked in from the other side of the road in his tailcoat. Bill used to believe Kyle was just a little boy who always pretended to be an adult, but seeing him dressed up so nicely, Bill realized that he was all grown up now.4

“Mr. Remmer. What about Leyla?”

Kyle excitedly asked.

“Well. I don’t know.”

“What? Leyla’s not home? The party’s about to begin.”

“Not really, but……”

While Bill hesitated, not knowing how to explain the situation, the front door creaked open. The two men inadvertently turned their heads and gasped.

An unfamiliar Leyla stood there.

~~~~~

“Kyle, don’t I look weird?”

Leyla asked with a grimace.

“I feel so awkward wearing these clothes…..”

“You’re pretty.”

Kyle, who had barely been able to speak for a while, decisively cut Leyla’s words.

“You’re beautiful, Leyla. I mean it.”1

Kyle said once again with conviction. His childlike smile disappeared as his face turned red. He was aware that Uncle Bill was planning to prepare a gift for Leyla, but he had never imagined it would be this much.

He was really worried about Bill’s eye for picking tacky things, but this was……

“Wake up, Kyle Etman.”

Bill clicked his tongue and patted Kyle’s flustered back.

“You’re going in my place today.”

Bill looked at Kyle with a serious look.

“That means you have to take responsibility and protect her. You can do it, right?”

“Of course, Mr. Remmer.”

Kyle replied emphatically.

“I’ll make sure to protect her!”

Bill burst out laughing when he watched Kyle vow with a crimson red face. In the meantime, Leyla took a cautious step towards Kyle. Kyle relieved his beating chest with repeated deep breaths and reached out his hand in a dignified manner.

“What’s this?”

Leyla confusedly asked about his hand, but Kyle didn’t panic.

“Today’s the party. And we’re partners.”

“Yeah.”

“So.”

Kyle mustered up his courage and led Leyla’s hand over his arm.

“It’s what it’s supposed to be. Being your partner for the party.”

Kyle was so nervous, he almost stammered.

Leyla, after being lost in thought for a while, nodded assiduously and lightly linked her arms around Kyle’s.

“Let’s go, Kyle.”

The moment Leyla smiled brighter than the sun, Kyle thought.

I will never forget this moment for the rest of my life.

Leyla Lewellin appeared with the doctor’s son.

When Matthias was greeting the guests, he suddenly turned his eyes and saw Leyla entering the hall under Kyle Etman’s escort.

Hessen had proved himself to be the most competent butler through Leyla’s appearance. Leyla Lewellin was gorgeous with the outfit Hessen picked. Matthias believed she would still be beautiful, even with the shabby gift the chef had chosen for her.

Matthias’s gaze shifted from her shoes, her dress, and then to the necklace that adorned Leyla’s white, slender neck. It was a stunning necklace pieced together by pearls and emeralds. Hessen prepared the dress and shoes, but Matthias chose the necklace. It was unexpected. He was on his way to the hotel because he had an appointment and saw the necklace in a display window near the hotel. The lucid green color of the emerald, delicately crafted, was quite impressive. While he was returning to his estate that day, Matthias had instructed Hessen to buy the necklace.1

Leyla noticed Matthias’s gaze as she suddenly turned her head. Her eyes, resembling the lively summer forest, stopped exactly on Matthias’s face. Leyla seemed to recognize who he was only after she squinted her eyes.

Unlike Matthias, who looked at her with an unwavering stare, Leyla avoided eye contact in surprise. She tightly held the boy’s arm and hid behind him.

“Long time no see, Duke Herhardt.”

Matthias turned away after a familiar face gave a greeting.

With a modest smile, he welcomed the guest and exchanged brief regards. Although his mind was in a different place, Matthias was able to perfectly accomplish his job.

When Matthias turned his eyes again, Leyla and the boy were moving away to the other side of the hall. Kyle Etman triumphantly escorted Leyla. He led that woman and acted as if she was his.

~~~~

“This is Leyla. She’s my friend.”

Claudine took Leyla to another group of ladies.

“Hello. I’m Leyla Lewellin.”

And Leyla did her part again with a polite greeting. She acted as if she was a doll without any will or emotion.

Claudine gave a gleaming smile and continued to introduce her to other people. Claudine was satisfied with how obedient and kind Leyla was.

“Leyla’s preparing to become a teacher. Isn’t that wonderful?”

The ladies agreed with Claudine’s proud praise in unison and complimented Leyla. Their compliments were a tribute to Lady Claudine, who regarded the poor orphan as her friend. The ladies knew the two couldn’t be real friends, and that reality didn’t impair Claudine’s dignity.

“Oh, Claudine. I heard you’re about to get engaged.”

One of the ladies gracefully changed the subject as if she was done talking about an orphan who was about to become a teacher. Everyone’s interests were now focused on Claudine Brandt’s engagement.

Claudine took a shy and humble attitude. Since the engagement hadn’t been officially announced yet, it was frivolous to act as if she had already become Duchess Herhardt.

“The Duke Herhardt is here!”

Another lady standing in the opposite direction of Claudine gasped in admiration.

Everyone’s eyes moved toward the direction the lady pointed at. Leyla, who had a perfunctory smile this whole time, had widened her eyes along with Claudine.

Matthias brushed past Leyla and naturally stood beside Claudine. Claudine wrapped her arms around his. Leyla’s face, when she glanced at the two, was visibly paler than before.

“They’re my friends, Duke Herhardt.”

When Claudine started introducing them, Matthias greeted them elegantly. Matthias’s gaze, as he looked at one person after another, stopped on Leyla’s face standing at the end of the group.

“It’s Leyla.”

Claudine tightly grasped Matthias’s arm.

“You couldn’t recognize her, right? She so different than usual that I almost didn’t recognize her either.”

Leyla blushed in embarrassment at what Claudine said in the guise of sarcasm. No matter what insults Claudine gave towards the emotionless Leyla, Leyla always seemed to react differently when Matthias was in front of her.

“Um, excuse me.”

A warm voice dissipated the sudden silence. It was Kyle Etman, the boy who had been loitering around with a disapproving look ever since Claudine took Leyla away.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but may I take my partner now?”7

Kyle held Leyla’s hand without hesitation. She seemed a little surprised, but Leyla didn’t refuse his touch. Rather, she looked as if she was a lost child who had found her parents.

“My friends are also eagerly waiting to be introduced to Leyla.”

Unlike his gentle demeanor, Kyle’s eyes on Claudine were firm and cold.

“Then I’ll have to give my permission. We can’t keep holding Leyla on for too long.”

Claudine willingly nodded her head and looked at Matthias. Matthias was watching Leyla and Kyle with insensitive eyes.

“Thank you, Lady Brandt. And Duke Herhardt.”

Kyle bowed politely.

“Let’s go, Leyla.”

It wasn’t until Kyle showed a gentle smile when he saw Leyla’s face. Through his mellow smile, Claudine could tell. That boy loved Leyla.

Leyla looked smaller and thinner next to Kyle, who was as tall as Matthias. The boy seemed to cherish Leyla like a treasure.

What about Leyla?

Claudine carefully examined Leyla with her lightly opened eyes. She was smiling back at Kyle. Leyla Lewellin always smiled in front of Claudine, but it was the first time Claudine had seen her face smiling as comfortable and bright as now. It didn’t seem to be unreasonable to say that she looked like a girl in love.

It was the son of the doctor, not Duke Herhardt?

Claudine was in confusion as Leyla and Kyle turned around.

Then was it him that made Leyla Lewellin into a princess?

“Ah, Leyla!”

Claudine, who had been pondering, impulsively opened her lips. The chandelier light had shined down upon Leyla.

“How pretty you are today. Especially that necklace.”

“What? Ah….. yes. Thank you, miss.”

The bewildered Leyla fondled her necklace. The long necklace that dangled over Leyla’s chest suited her well. The edges of the emerald that gave off the same color of her eyes were meticulously crafted into a flower petal. It looked authentic. The same went for the milky-white pearls. All the jewels were too delicate and alluring to be regarded as imitations.

Can that Kyle Etman, the son of the doctor’s family, afford to hang such a necklace on Leyla?

“Isn’t that right, Duke Herhardt?”

Claudine faced Matthias and smiled.

“Yes. She does.”

Matthias answered without a grain of hesitation. He looked undisturbed.

⊛⊛⊛⊛

Just to let you guys know, Leyla and Matthias were wearing the outfits from the novel cover at the party! If you look closely, you can see Leyla’s emerald necklace.3

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Korean Comments Section✎

⋄That Matthias… He was aware people would grow suspicious of Leyla’s clothes and yet, he still bought it for her. He doesn’t seem to care if people find out.2

⋄Claudine… She dug her own grave. She’s setting Matthias and Leyla up.5

⋄Wow, Claudine… She caught it right away. She knew it was Matthias and played around with him by mentioning the necklace.