Dare to Lie [Novel] Chapter 25 – A Date at the Theater

I gave a casual wave to Maya, whose expression had softened considerably, and sent her on her way before plopping down onto the sofa.

Only after I was alone did I have the leisure to reflect on the day’s events.

I toyed with the object that had been on my mind for a while, then held it up before my eyes to examine it closely.

‘Why did he give me this?’

In my hand were the theater invitation tickets I had obtained from Ash MacCallan.

If it were an unpopular troupe, they might hand out free tickets to gather an audience, but the case was entirely different for Glacier. They were a troupe that consistently recorded sold-out shows.

On top of that, it was the premiere of a new production—and VIP seats at that?

These were difficult to obtain even if one offered to pay extra.

‘He would have gained much more by giving these as a gift to someone else, so why to me…?’

He didn’t even seem to like me very much.

I knew the man was inscrutable, but I hadn’t expected such an unpredictable move. Just what kind of information was he trying to dig out of me with these?

Well, there was no point in agonizing over it since I wouldn’t find an answer, so I decided to make good use of the unexpectedly acquired invitations.

I wrote a letter to Arthur Gottfried, asking if he would like to go see a play with me.

He likely wouldn’t refuse.

Arthur was in the middle of being surprised by Rosaline Tesis for the umpteenth time.

Her suggestion that they meet at least three more times had been refreshing enough, but he truly hadn’t expected her to be the one to propose the first of those dates.

He had been worrying about their next meeting anyway, so it felt as if Rosaline had beaten him to the punch.

These were tickets difficult to obtain without significant connections. No matter how decent a date plan he might have devised, it wouldn’t have been better than this.

‘Did Count Brow get them for her?’

His first suspicion fell on her guardian, but it didn’t seem likely. While it was true they were very interested in this marriage talk, they didn’t seem to be putting in enough effort to provide such meticulous coaching.

That meant Rosaline had received them through a personal acquaintance.

‘She’s already built up those kinds of connections? That’s impressive.’

The initial perception he’d held of her was rapidly crumbling, and a positive image was being built in its place.

Contrary to the rumors that she was provincial, ill-mannered, and had nothing to her name, Rosaline was beautiful, witty, refreshing, and charming.

While her manners, common sense, and refinement were admittedly a bit lacking, she was instead very interested in the world, which made for diverse conversation topics. She was proactive about their meetings and, above all, self-confident.

Her words about not clinging to this relationship still came to mind from time to time, making him chuckle. Hadn’t she even said he could see other people while they were seeing each other?

That wasn’t something one could say easily without the confidence that ‘you will end up wanting me.’

Indeed, he was already looking forward to their theater date.

And that story was tearing Brianna’s heart to shreds.

At his words, which subtly defended Rosaline, Brianna realized that Arthur’s feelings had shifted.

He had a very expectant expression, as if his previous gloom over being forced into a marriage by his parents had been a lie.

Even when she had heard about what happened at the Dartmouth tea party, she had sensed that Rosaline Tesis was no pushover.

The fact that she was unfazed by hearing that the man she was being set up with had a deep connection with another woman meant that love was not what was important to her.

It was likely a sense of entering into a sort of contract where what they would give and take was clear.

And that was exactly what Brianna found hard to bear.

‘Arthur is a person who deserves a wife’s infinite trust and affection. He’s not someone to be calculated in terms of a few coins.’

The Arthur she had seen since they were children was steadfast and exemplary, but he was also a man of sensitive emotions. It was only because of his heart, which considered others first, that he hid his easily wounded inner self.

If such a man married a materialistic woman, wasn’t it obvious what his life would be like?

Just as she was lost in these painful imaginings, Arthur turned his head and asked something.

Brianna, snapping back to reality, asked back in flustered confusion. At that, he wore a strange expression and placed a hand on her forehead.

At that warmth touching her so casually, Brianna felt a lump in her throat.

She watched his hand move away with regret and made a vow.

She didn’t have to be this man’s wife.

But she couldn’t let Arthur marry a woman who only calculated his worth in money.

The day to use the invitations I received from Ash arrived.

As expected, Arthur Gottfried accepted my proposal and agreed to pick me up an hour before the performance began.

At the news that I was going to see a play with him, Count and Mrs. Brow did not hide their delight.

They naturally believed that Arthur had proposed this date. Did they think he was pleased with this marriage talk?

In any case, I successfully boarded the Gottfried carriage that arrived in front of the manor at three o’clock.

When I saw Arthur again, he was more dressed up than last time, and perhaps because of that, he seemed even more handsome.

I, too, had chosen and worn the most expensive and beautiful of the outings clothes Mrs. Brow had bought for me.

He was certainly someone who couldn’t manage empty flattery. Usually, one would offer a few more words of praise, but he just left it at that.

Contrary to his genial impression, he was haughty to no end.

But a man who revealed his intentions or feelings like this was better. I could adjust my strategy based on his reactions.

If it were a man like Ash MacCallan, I would have been racking my brains because I couldn’t read his mind.

On the way to the theater, we talked about our outfits, the weather, the troupe’s reputation, and the actors who would appear today. It was a safe conversation for a man and woman beginning to see each other.

However, it seemed there was a separate reason why he led the conversation that way.

So this was what he wanted to say.

It seemed that part had earned me quite a few points. A hint of curiosity and expectation was visible in Arthur’s expression as he asked.

In times like this, it was better to leave a little room for imagination.

It wasn’t a lie, so there was nothing to feel guilty about.

Arthur, like a well-educated man, did not ask, ‘So who is that person you know?’ though he must have been curious.

In the meantime, the carriage arrived at the Glacier Theater.

True to its fame, the road in front of the theater was crowded with carriages, and a large billboard in front of the building featured posters depicting the faces of the three main characters of the play.

‘What would it feel like to act in front of so many spectators?’

The days when I acted on a stage made of canvas for a crowd of country bumpkins came to mind.