Chapter 29
============================================================
============================================================
Chapter 30: At The Center of Every Misunderstanding Is Always This Man.
Classie delivered a sharp, icy retort and moved past him without a second glance. The dismissal was so sudden and effortless that Dernick remained frozen, his mind struggling to catch up.
Never had he been brushed off with such speed. As the seconds ticked by, the realization dawned on him that he had been rejected once more. This marked the second instance of this particular woman shutting him down.
Dernick hurried to Classie’s side, lengthening his stride to match hers while voicing his grievance.
“Tell me why, this time?”
His assessment was entirely accurate. Classie, however, offered no reply.
Undeterred, Dernick continued to plead his case aloud.
“You are aware now. My reputation is untarnished, and my background is as respectable as your own rigid morals, Lady Classie. Given that, what is the problem? Why must you refuse me again?”
The sheer audacity of his persistence left Classie speechless and flustered. It was obvious that Dernick had no intention of relenting until he received a justification.
She maintained her pace down the hallway, refusing to acknowledge his constant chatter.
She hoped that by simply ignoring him, he might eventually lose interest and depart.
Fortune was not on her side. As they moved further along, the previously deserted corridor began to fill with couples seeking privacy for their trysts. Unfortunately, these onlookers recognized Dernick immediately.
Giggles and hushed whispers broke out as they watched Dernick trailing behind the woman. Finding herself the unwilling subject of public curiosity, Classie felt a heat creep into her cheeks.
“You truly never stop talking!”
“I am as gifted at conversation as you are at maintaining silence. Please, enlighten me. Even if the answer is no, I believe I have earned an explanation.”
To her irritation, Dernick synchronized his movements with hers perfectly. When she stopped abruptly, he did the same, turning to face her with a fluidity that suggested they had been dance partners for years.
Classie took a heavy breath as she noted his uncanny coordination. She recalled their first encounter, when this eccentric man had managed to slip onto the driver’s seat of a moving carriage without making a sound.
She realized then that she should have been more cautious. His drowsy expression and constant talking had led her to underestimate his true capabilities.
A dull ache began to throb in her temples.
She wondered how to handle the situation. Merran was the firstborn and successor of a marquess, and her father was the man to whom Dernick owed a great debt. If the Archduke and his wife favored their son’s happiness and Merran played her cards right, a union between the two was entirely possible.
Consequently, Classie needed to decline his proposal without being so harsh that she created a permanent rift. There was a chance he might one day be part of her family.
Searching for a plausible deterrent, Classie finally spoke.
“It is because of your friendship with Sir Kishin. I cannot accept for that reason.”
Dernick looked genuinely confused.
“What possible relevance does that have? Kishin was the one who turned you away, wasn’t he?”
“Your history with him was brief. The two of you never even reached the stage of being lovers before it ended. Why should that stop us?”
Classie felt a sharp pang of sadness in her chest.
If even Dernick spoke this way, it confirmed that Sir Kishin had truly extinguished any spark of affection for her.
Her features softened into a look of genuine melancholy. She cast her eyes downward and let out a soft, grieving whisper.
“The truth is, my heart still belongs to Sir Kishin.”
“How could I possibly enter a marriage of convenience with his close friend while I am still in love with him? Surely you see how improper that would be?”
Her strategy hit the mark. Dernick’s brow furrowed as he questioned her further.
“That contradicts what you told Kishin. You claimed those feelings were dead.”
“I said that to save face. I refused to look miserable in front of the man who chose to leave me. I would never have confessed this to anyone if you hadn’t brought up this contract.”
The spark of interest in Dernick’s eyes vanished instantly. It appeared that once Classie no longer viewed him as a fellow rogue or a kindred spirit, his fascination evaporated.
She marveled at his fickle nature. Despite her inward annoyance, she couldn’t help but think that Merran and Dernick might actually be a perfect match.
After all, Merran had spent her time acting the part of a social butterfly specifically to sabotage Classie’s prospects. If they wed, they would be the most notorious pair of flirts in the kingdom.
The ordeal seemed to be over. From the look on Dernick’s face, he was finished pursuing her for a business-like marriage.
Feeling a sense of relief, Classie turned to walk away, only to find Kishin standing a short distance off. His expression suggested he had overheard every word of their exchange.
Though his face was a mask of stoicism, a flicker of uncertainty moved in his eyes.
Panicked, Classie tried to turn back, resulting in an awkward, full circle on the spot.
“What is the matter with you?”
Dernick asked, watching her clumsy spin. Classie gestured with her eyes toward the figure behind her. Dernick turned and spotted Kishin immediately.
“Well, look who it is. How long have you been standing there?”
Classie wished the floor would open up and swallow her. Kishin closed the distance between them, stopping right behind her as he answered.
“Long enough.”
A heavy silence fell over the three of them. Classie felt the color drain from her skin before a wave of humiliation sent it rushing back.
Dernick seemed irritated for a moment, but then a smirk played across his lips as if he found the drama hilarious. Since his proposal had been a matter of logic rather than passion, he was more amused than hurt.
Classie squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to ask a question.
“Sir Kishin… at what point did you arrive?”
“When the conversation turned to our friendship.”
He had heard the most incriminating part. Classie fought back the urge to cry. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw the two men observing her with wildly different intentions.
Kishin, at the very least, was not laughing at her. In fact, he looked remarkably solemn.
Finding a small spark of resolve, Classie straightened her posture. It was then that Kishin spoke.
“Do you truly love me?”
The directness of his question left her reeling.
“How can you ask something so blunt?”
Kishin tried again, his tone more probing.
“If those are your feelings, why did you inform Lady Merran that your interests lay with Dernick?”
Classie’s face burned a deep crimson. She fidgeted with her hands before snapping her head up to look at him.
“You were listening to that as well?”
Dernick chimed in to explain.
It all made sense now. Following that day, the behavior of both men had shifted. Dernick had become strangely attentive, while Kishin had grown distant and cold.
Classie had been baffled by Kishin’s behavior, wondering why he acted like the injured party when he was the one who had ended things. Now the truth was clear: he had believed she was playing both of them at once.
Struggling to find the right words, Classie finally managed a response.
“Merran has no affection for Sir Kishin. I only made those claims to provoke her.”
Dernick tilted his head, looking skeptical.
“I fail to see the logic. How does that provoke her? If she dislikes Kishin, wouldn’t it be more effective to say you loved him even more?”
Classie faltered. For a man who played the fool, Dernick was uncomfortably perceptive.
However, Kishin possessed an even sharper mind. His experience in the palace guard had trained him to spot missing pieces in a narrative, and he immediately deduced what Classie was omitting.
He realized Merran harbored feelings for Dernick.
When that piece of the puzzle was added, the entire situation became transparent.
Merran loved Dernick and despised Kishin. To get under her skin, Classie had pretended to share her affections for the former.
Kishin chose not to voice the secret Classie was trying to protect. He had no desire to cause her further embarrassment, and he felt nothing but indifference toward Merran.
He looked down at Classie’s blushing face, noting how the light caught the smooth curve of her brow. The tightness that had gripped his heart every time Dernick’s name was mentioned seemed to vanish.
Kishin felt a sudden warmth, which was strange given the heavy snow falling around them. He extended his hand toward Classie with a soft request.
“Could I have a moment of your time, in private?”
