Chapter 4

His eyes were a deep blue.

They resembled the twilight sky just before dawn, dark and indifferent. Those deep, detached eyes swept over Velita’s face, appraising her as if she were an object. As his gaze traveled from her forehead down to the bridge of her nose, it felt almost as though an invisible hand was brushing against her skin.

“Velita, this must be your first time meeting my brother, right?”

Unaware of Velita’s inner turmoil, Selina asked cheerfully, oblivious to any discomfort her maid might feel.

It wasn’t their first encounter, but it was the first time Velita had seen his face. The night before, she had been too overwhelmed to look at him properly.

Velita nodded quietly, bowing her head in acknowledgment.

“What do you think, brother? Isn’t Velita pretty?”

Still keeping her head lowered, Velita stole a sideways glance to gauge his reaction. Jeremy, now holding his teacup, withdrew his gaze from her and smiled faintly at his sister’s words.

“She’s quite pretty.”

Though his words agreed with Selina, his eyes were on her, not Velita, making it seem like a compliment directed at his sister.

The brief intensity of his gaze had been so unnerving that Velita dreaded the possibility of it returning to her.

Fortunately, their interest in Velita didn’t last long. The siblings, reunited after some time apart, quickly shifted their conversation to other topics.

“How have you been, brother? Did you meet new people?”

“Do you think it’s appropriate for someone who was exiled from home to go around meeting new people?”

“But you weren’t exiled! You went abroad to study.”

“Well, officially, yes.”

Everyone knew the truth—that his “study abroad” was nothing more than a punishment for his debauchery—but no one dared say it outright.

Selina glanced at her brother nervously, worried she might have upset him, but Jeremy didn’t seem particularly bitter about his circumstances.

“I met plenty of new people,” he said casually.

“But none of them were interesting enough to share stories about.”

“At least I envy you, brother. I don’t even have the chance to go outside…”

“What’s with the long face? Once you’re healthier, your brother will take you out as much as you want.”

For someone at the center of so many sordid rumors, Jeremy was surprisingly gentle with his sister. At his affectionate reassurance, Selina blushed and nodded, clearly flustered.

Perhaps it was because they were seeing each other after so long, but Selina seemed particularly excited. Her cheeks flushed from time to time, and Velita wondered if, in a household that kept her confined, her wayward brother was her closest friend.

“It’s been so long. The estate feels unfamiliar to me,” Jeremy said, steering the conversation elsewhere.

“Maybe it’s because so many people have changed?” Selina suggested.

“More like Father just sent away everyone who used to work under me.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Those people didn’t stop me when I was fooling around with random women, nor did they report me to Father. If anything, they helped me. It’s no surprise they were dismissed.”

“Brother…!”

Selina’s voice rose in embarrassment at her brother’s blunt admission.

“Selina.”

This time, Jeremy’s voice was tinged with an unexpected melancholy.

“No matter how recklessly I behaved, Father getting rid of all my people like that…”

“…”

“…It makes me feel lonely.”

Selina’s shoulders trembled slightly, as if her heart was wavering. It was hard not to feel sympathy. Whether he was secretly meeting Emma Collin or acting as the caring older brother, Jeremy exuded a natural arrogance. But now, with his brows furrowed like a dejected puppy, he seemed oddly vulnerable.

“The remaining staff must be cautious around me because they’ve seen too much. No one’s going to approach me as a friend.”

“…Brother.”

“I need someone I can talk to casually.”

“…”

“Do you think there’s anyone like that?”

At that moment, Velita was still oblivious.

“How about her?” Jeremy said suddenly, pointing at Velita.

She hadn’t expected to be dragged back into their conversation.

Selina flailed her hands, clearly startled by the suggestion.

“Velita’s a wonderful girl, but she’s still new and makes mistakes sometimes.”

Velita felt an odd pang of frustration. To her knowledge, she’d never made any mistakes in front of Selina. Still, deep down, she was relieved Selina was defending her. The last thing she wanted was to be assigned to serve Jeremy.

‘My lady, please don’t send me to that libertine…’

Jeremy stirred his tea with a teaspoon, a faint smile crossing his lips as if he’d just thought of something amusing.

“Father asked me an interesting question. He wondered what would happen if your illness were to relapse.”

“…”

“He’s worried that, because you’re such a warm-hearted girl, you might get too attached to someone again and end up hurt.”

“…”

“Are you going to worry Father again?”

Velita couldn’t make sense of the conversation. The meaning was lost on her, but one thing was clear—Selina seemed hesitant.

Though Velita wanted to object, she didn’t dare speak up. Instead, she anxiously stared at Selina’s back, silently pleading. But Selina’s next words weren’t what Velita had hoped for.

“You just need someone to serve you, right?”

“Of course. She’s your treasured maid, after all.”

“Velita is a sweet girl. But…”

“I’ll just borrow her until she gets used to the estate.”

Selina turned to Velita, her usual lovely smile gracing her face.

“Velita, you heard him, right?”

No, my lady… please don’t…

The words were stuck in her throat. Instead, Velita nodded weakly, her head bowing in silent agreement.

“Well, I have a meeting to attend,” Jeremy said, checking his pocket watch. He set his teacup down and stood from the sofa. Selina, still seated with her teacup in hand, offered her brother a warm smile.

Standing behind them, Velita froze. Should she remain where she was, or follow Jeremy?

The decision was made for her when Jeremy opened the door. If Selina had sent her to him, then for the time being, she was now Jeremy’s maid.

Velita bowed to Selina before silently following after Jeremy. His stride was long, but his pace was unhurried, allowing her to catch up easily.

Just as Velita quickened her steps to fall in line behind him, Jeremy abruptly stopped and turned around. She nearly collided with his chest and stumbled back, her feet slipping slightly on the polished floor.

“Ah!”

Fortunately, Jeremy grabbed her wrist, steadying her before she fell.

“You seem like the clumsy type,” he remarked.

“…”

“You fell with quite a crash last night too.”

His tone was playful, like someone teasing a child. Thinking back, Velita realized that Jeremy had never actually been harsh with her, even after last night’s mishap.

Though his casual reference to “borrowing” her from Selina had been far from pleasant, now that they were alone, Jeremy seemed surprisingly approachable. Still, the rumors surrounding him left Velita uneasy.

She gently pulled her wrist free from his grip, doing her best to keep the gesture polite but firm. Fortunately, Jeremy didn’t resist or try to hold onto her.

“Your name is Velita, right?” Jeremy asked, his gaze locking onto hers.

“My name is Velita Grandel.”

“As Selina mentioned earlier, I don’t expect anything grand from you.”

“…”

“Just help me adjust to the estate. I’m the type who gets lonely and could use a friendly companion.”

“…Yes.”

Velita didn’t understand why someone like him would look for companionship in a maid, but she wasn’t foolish enough to voice her thoughts.

Her polite response brought a satisfied smile to Jeremy’s lips.

“Go ahead. I’ll call for you if I need you.”

That meant, for now, he didn’t need her. Velita couldn’t have been more relieved. She bowed slightly, then turned and walked away. Her steps grew faster the further she got from him.

It wasn’t until she reached the bottom of the staircase that she exhaled a long breath of relief.

Perhaps it was because their first encounter had involved something she should never have witnessed, but being in Jeremy’s presence made her unusually tense.

He didn’t seem to have any intention of tormenting her over their first meeting, so why was she so on edge?

‘Maybe it’s because of what Janice said…’

Janice’s comment that Emma Collin might feel threatened because of her looks had likely made Velita even warier of Jeremy.

To others, such thoughts might sound self-absorbed, but Velita understood the value of her beauty all too well.

As a child, many unscrupulous wealthy men had tried to take her as a bride. It wasn’t uncommon to see young girls from the slums sold off in such ways. Velita had witnessed it often enough to know the going “price” for a girl her age.

Her own mother had dressed her in their best clothes—though they still smelled and were frayed at the cuffs—whenever she brought her before potential buyers. Most men didn’t hesitate to accept her mother’s absurd prices, and as more men competed for her, her “value” only increased.

The desire to be a man’s first wife, to claim the innocence of a young girl, had driven those men into a frenzy.

That was why Velita felt an inherent fear and revulsion toward the greedy gazes of men. It was also why she instinctively recoiled from Jeremy.

‘Although, young master Jeremy didn’t seem the least bit interested in me.’

His decision to take his sister’s maid was unsettling, but beyond that, he hadn’t shown her any undue attention. His demeanor, though playful at times, had been surprisingly straightforward and restrained.

For someone with a reputation as a notorious rake, he seemed more composed than she had expected. Perhaps her expectations had simply been far too low.

‘Don’t overthink it.’

Maybe young master Jeremy truly wasn’t interested in her at all.

Self-awareness is important, Velita Grandel. Don’t let your thoughts run away from you.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Velita quietly placed dozens of letters onto the tea table in front of Jeremy. They were all addressed to him.

Jeremy lazily opened a few, scanned them with little interest, and then, with an elegant flick of his hand, tossed every letter bearing the family seal into the trash.

“Are you sure that’s all right?”

Velita spoke up cautiously.

“These are letters from nobles who heard of your return, young master. Wouldn’t it be wise to at least acknowledge their efforts?”

It had only been two days since she’d started serving Jeremy, and she still felt awkward around him. But if Jeremy truly wanted her to act as a companion, she couldn’t simply remain silent.

“They’re all just stuffed with flowery words that don’t reflect their true thoughts. Is it really worth wasting time on them?”

Velita couldn’t help but worry. Even if the Ryles family had the imperial family’s favor, wasn’t this kind of behavior reckless?

Yet, part of her envied Jeremy.

The ability to act however he pleased without consequence spoke volumes about his power and privilege.

Jeremy probably didn’t even realize that the freedom to dismiss these letters so casually was a luxury afforded by the influence and authority he was born into. For him, it was second nature, something he had held effortlessly since birth.

Only those who lacked such privilege could see its true value—and feel the sting of envy.

“I’m going out. If Father or Selina asks about my whereabouts, tell them I’ve gone riding.”

Velita suddenly recalled the conversation Selina had once shared about Jeremy—the one about how his staff, who had turned a blind eye to his affairs, had all been dismissed.

Most of those people had been better off than her, so she didn’t feel the need to pity them too much. But being dismissed from one’s job was never a good thing, no matter the circumstances.

Still, Jeremy hadn’t shown even a flicker of concern for them. And Velita knew that if she were to be dismissed for covering for him, he wouldn’t care about her either.

“I can’t lie for you,” she said, clasping her hands tightly to steady her nerves.

Jeremy, in the middle of putting on his jacket, turned to her with a slight frown.

Fear crept in. Had she gone too far? Was this the moment she would be dismissed for daring to defy him? After all, Jeremy was the sole heir to the Ryles family.

No matter how much the count loved Selina, handing the title to a frail daughter with no worldly experience was out of the question. The reason so many letters arrived for Jeremy, despite his reputation as a libertine, was simple: everyone knew he was the next head of the Ryles family. Even their feigned courtesies reflected that fact.

But Velita couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she shouldn’t simply go along with whatever Jeremy wanted.

A strange premonition lingered in her mind—if she blindly obeyed him, something would inevitably go wrong.

“A lie?”

Jeremy’s question made her shoulders instinctively hunch. She glanced at him nervously, only to see him pause with his hand on the doorknob, his expression a mix of amusement and something unreadable.

“Why do you think that? It’s not a lie.”

“But…”

Velita carefully replayed Jeremy’s earlier words in her mind.

[I’m going out. If Father or Selina asks about my whereabouts, tell them I’ve gone riding.]

The ambiguity of his tone and the way he avoided specifics made her uneasy. She suspected his “riding” was just a convenient excuse for something else entirely.

Velita hesitated, torn between the urge to speak up and the fear of overstepping her bounds. Jeremy’s casual demeanor only deepened her unease, as if he were daring her to question him further.

“…”

He had only asked her to pass along his whereabouts, not to lie on his behalf.

But based on his usual reputation, Velita had instinctively assumed he was up to something other than horseback riding. The realization made her face flush with embarrassment. How could she admit to Jeremy that she thought that way about him? Anyone—even a noble—would be offended if a mere maid suspected them of deceit.

Jeremy’s gaze bore into her, unrelenting and inquisitive. Velita couldn’t avoid his attention forever. Staring awkwardly at his luxurious outfit instead of his face, she stammered an excuse.

“You’re just… so elegantly dressed…”

“Oh?”

“I thought you might be heading to a party…”

“Guess I’m all style and no substance, huh?”

“No, of course not, young master! You’re very… impressive…”

It was obvious he was teasing her, but Velita couldn’t withhold the answer he wanted to hear. Her embarrassment burned so intensely it felt like her brain might catch fire. She couldn’t think straight.

Jeremy’s sudden burst of laughter jolted her back to reality.

His amusement lit up his face like a mischievous child who had just pulled off a clever prank. Velita found herself staring at him. Though his expression should have irritated her, it was oddly cheerful, contrasting sharply with his otherwise sharp and composed features. It was… disconcerting.

“You’re such a suspicious little maid, doubting your master like that.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“What can I do? A dashing man like me must be understanding.”

“…”

“Don’t you agree?”

Jeremy’s relentless teasing made Velita want to bite her tongue. His grin remained intact as he tilted his head toward the door.

“Come with me.”

“Pardon?”

“I need to earn the trust of this doubtful maid.”

Jeremy strode out ahead. Startled, Velita hesitated for a moment before scrambling to follow.

Dressed in her work uniform, Velita soon realized that Jeremy truly intended to go horseback riding. He entered the stables and confidently led out a horse. While the stable hand saddled the animal, Jeremy gently stroked its mane, sharing a quiet moment with the animal.

The sight caught Velita off guard, drawing her attention more than she expected.

Once mounted, Jeremy extended his hand toward her.

“You’re… going to let me ride with you?”

“Do you plan to keep up on foot while I gallop across the plains?”

“I couldn’t possibly ride a horse with you, young master…”

Seeing her reluctance, Jeremy chuckled silently—that same mischievous laugh.

“Fair enough. Then hold my jacket for me.”

Assuming he meant to hand her his jacket, Velita reached out to take it. Instead, Jeremy grabbed her arm and pulled her up onto the horse with surprising strength.

“Ahhh!”

With a small yelp, Velita found herself hoisted onto the horse. Despite his slender build, Jeremy’s grip was unexpectedly strong. As the horse moved, Velita reflexively wrapped her arms around Jeremy’s waist when he tugged on the reins and increased their speed.

The horse bolted out of the Ryles estate, galloping through the streets without slowing. Velita clung desperately to Jeremy, afraid of falling.

The wind stung her skin as it rushed past, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. It felt like it might burst from the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, Jeremy slowed the horse, pulling it to a stop on the open plains.

“Whoa—easy now.”

He turned, grinning. “You’re not crying, are you?”

Velita realized her trembling hands were still gripping his waist tightly. Her body was stiff with tension, and she struggled to relax. Forcing herself to loosen her hold, she looked up at him with a desperate plea.

“Please… let me down. I feel sick…”

“Hold it in. I really don’t want to see my beloved horse defiled,” Jeremy said with a faint smirk as he helped Velita off the horse.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she wobbled, unable to steady herself. Thankfully, Jeremy caught her before she could fall, preventing what would have been an embarrassing tumble.

Still trembling from the ride, Velita glanced up at him.

Her heart was still pounding—loud and relentless.

In that moment, Velita found herself wishing she had simply fallen. The prolonged contact made her uneasy, so she quickly pulled away from Jeremy, eager to create some distance.

“Don’t recoil like I’m filthy. That’s rude, even to me,” he said with a chuckle.

“I’m sorry if I offended you, young master. It’s not that I think you’re unclean… I just don’t want any rumors to spread.”

Though the plains were wide and empty, rumors could originate from anywhere and travel far. She was already anxious about being seen riding out of the estate with him.

Jeremy tilted his head, curiosity flashing in his eyes. “Just out of curiosity, why are you so intent on drawing a line between us?”

“…”

“Is it because you think I’m a pathetic womanizer who can’t resist any woman I see?”

His words hit a nerve. Startled, Velita looked up at him.

The playful, mischievous man she had seen earlier now seemed faintly sorrowful.

“N-no, that’s not it, young master…”

“You don’t have to explain. I know the rumors about me better than anyone.”

His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, but his expression carried a trace of bitterness. For a moment, Velita saw a different side of him—someone wounded, pretending not to care.

“But… Emma and you…”

Velita started, only to slap a hand over her mouth.

Jeremy, however, didn’t seem bothered by her slip. Instead, he gazed out at the setting sun, his eyes distant.

“Emma is the only person who seems to truly like me.”

“That’s not true. The count, Lady Selina, and even the staff care about you, young master.”

“Funny. I’ve never felt that way.”

Velita fell silent, recalling how distant the count often seemed toward Jeremy, especially compared to his warmth toward Selina. There were even rumors about Jeremy’s birth—stories that the countess had shown no signs of pregnancy before suddenly giving birth to him.

“Whether it’s true or not.”

Jeremy continued, his voice steady but laced with a hint of melancholy.

“when I’m in the arms of a woman who says she loves me, I feel like I’m worth something.”

“…”

“And Emma… she takes what she wants from me in return.”

“…”

“That’s all there is to it.”

Jeremy’s tone lacked any defensiveness or apology. If anything, he seemed tired, almost resigned.

Then, as if shedding that vulnerability, he smiled mischievously again and leaned closer to Velita.

“This stays between us, all right?”

“…”

“I’d rather be the charming bad guy than the pitiable young master.”

With the fading sunlight casting shadows on his face, his smile was unexpectedly bright, more fitting for a carefree boy than someone of his reputation.

“Why… why are you telling me this?”

Velita asked, her voice rising slightly as she watched his retreating back. She didn’t know why, but she needed to ask.

“And why… why did you pick me as your maid?”

She couldn’t understand why he had singled her out to serve him, and why he was now revealing such personal truths.

Jeremy didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned to look at her, his expression losing its usual playfulness.

“Why do you think?” he asked, his voice soft but pointed.

Velita opened her mouth to reply but found herself speechless. Jeremy gave her no further explanation, instead resuming his casual demeanor as they walked side by side.

As they spoke, Jeremy shared anecdotes from his time abroad—about the people he met and the life he led there. Velita found herself learning far more about him than she had expected.

His untidy appearance, which she had once attributed to arrogance, seemed instead to reflect a man yearning for freedom. And beneath the surface, this man—who seemed to have everything—was starved for genuine connection.

Even long after they dismounted and walked back, Velita’s heart remained unsettled.

Thump. Thump.

As the sun painted the horizon crimson, Velita’s gaze lingered on Jeremy’s face. She couldn’t help but feel a strange, inexplicable flutter in her chest.