# 43
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Meeting Shane was a coincidence.
Jimmy had many clients for investment, as well as in publishing. That's why some of them, from time to time, would give him a book as a gift.
He disdained those uess gifts and threw them in the hallway, and there Dana picked up that poetry collection.
‘How strange... a book of poetry by an investor. A romantic man then.'
That night, she did not blink an eyelid, so she opened the divan.
Since then, she has loved Sheen's poems, full of solace and kindness.
He was not a famous poet, nor was his language exquisite, but his poems gave Dana a silent solace unlike anything else.
She used to open it whenever she felt the horror of loneliness.
Even in the north, when she was working on the battlefields, the Diwan remained her companion.
She took it at first for herf, but then she read from it to the patients all night.
'Then I gave it to that man.'
The man left alone is engulfed in smoke.
Her only friend, the man who disappeared one day without a trace.
'There is no doubt that he is dead.'
A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
Since that day, she no longer reads Sheen's poems. This brought that man back to her memory, and a suffocating darkness filled her heart.
'But... how did Edwin get this divan?'
An unknown poet, known to no one but her.
Since their first meeting at the fountain, Edwin had been holding the diwan in his hand. He hugged it the day it got wet because of it, as if it were an inestimable treasure.
'Did someone give it to him?'
Why was he so proud of him? Her mood unintentionally dropped.
'Why do I feel this way?'
It was a strange, confusing feeling.
'Was there another lover in Edwin's life?'
When her thoughts reached that point, her strength faltered.
Yes...it was jealousy.
When she realized this, her heart was ashamed. It was an unpleasant feeling that she did not want Edwin to see.
Then a gentle voice came over her head.
“Dana, the food is ready.”
She gasped, and the divan fell from her hand.
“Sorry... I'll take it right away.”
"decent."
Edwin preceded her, bent down and picked up the book, gently blew the dust off it, then returned it to its place on the shelf, with a gesture that suggested he was dealing with something precious.
Dana hesitated a little, then stammered.
“Edwin... How did you know this collection? I knew it by chance, and I did not find anyone else who knew it...”
She hid her jealousy between her words so as not to reveal it.
Edwin was silent for a moment, as if something was flowing through his memory, and then warmth spread over his face.
“I received it from a dear person... someone who saved me.”
That smile curved his features, as if he were returning to that time.
That smile was directed at that person.
A painful tingling shot through Dana's chest.
“...Were you two close?”
The question came out with slight confusion.
Edwin saw the darkness in her eyes, and a brief astonishment appeared on his features, then his smile was colored with joyful serenity.
“Are you jealous?”
Dana's eyes widened.
No matter how hard she tried to get around it, it didn't work. She only showed her confusion.
She blinked twice without a word, then curled her lip.
Since the matter has been revealed... there is no escape from honesty.
“Yes, Gharrat. I didn’t like you talking about him so badly.”
The spontaneity of the sentence made Edwin laugh lightly.
Dana's eyebrows rose in disapproval.
“What makes you laugh?”
“Because you're funny, and because you're beautiful when you're jealous.”
“Are you going to tell me, or not?”
His laughter died down, and he moved closer to her.
He touched her cheek tenderly, and his voice came softly:
“That person... saved my life. The person who made my being here possible.”
“As if you're saying he's... your savior?”
“But more than that.”
He was ready to give that person his whole life without regret.
He extended his hand to her.
“Shall we go to dinner?”
She did not extend her hand, but intertwined her arm with his, leaning her body against him gently.
And Edwin received her warmth with a full heart.
His savior gave him that much pure emotion.
***
Jimmy remained in the hall after everyone had gone, ignored the lying Viscountess carelessly, and then grabbed the papers with a trembling hand.
The papers listed the crimes he had committed over the past period, and the compensation amount that Dana had proposed.
“If the compensation is not paid within the specified period, the case will be referred to court and the ruling will be implemented...”
He laughed a short, nervous laugh as he pushed his hair back.
The deadline for payment was scandalously short.
In other words: This was a veiled order to go to prison.
“Why was the trial date set so quickly?”
Unless the aggrieved person was a high-ranking noble, the trial day could not be set so quickly.
At that moment, the door opened violently, and the Viscount burst in.
“Those damned banks! How dare they all ignore Viscount Hartwyn?!”
Jimmy paid no attention to him.
What business does Pete Hartwin have to get preferential treatment from the banks?
He stared at the papers, his eyes shining sharply.
“But... who did you marry?”
He was an astute lawyer.
Dana's name was mentioned repeatedly from beginning to end, but he never revealed her surname.
Dana's life was very narrow in scope.
You only move between work and the palace, so how do you meet someone new?
“Is it a co-worker?”
Jimmy thought and concluded. Most likely he is a commoner or a lower-ranking noble.
If he knew his family name, he would have stormed his house immediately.
His father asked without any expectation.
"Dad, haven't you noticed anything strange about Dana lately? Someone she's been meeting... a man, for example?"
The Vicomte entered the dining room panting with rage, picked up the rest of the wine and gulped it down.
"I don't know! He must be a worthless person! We should have sold her to Viscount Hamburn before our reputations were tarnished!"
Unable to contain his anger, he threw the cup on the ground.
The glass shattered, and the Viscountess, who was lying unconscious, took notice.
“What is this… my head hurts, stop making this noise. Emily, hurry up and clean up the place.”
She put her hand on her aching head and stood up.
She expected the maid Emily to come running to dry the floor, but she did not appear.
What madness is this? She muttered wearily, then called another maid.
“Sophie, you clean up the place. Get drinking water.”
A suspicious silence fell over the palace.
Only then did the three of them start looking around the halls.
The two maids disappeared.
They are not in the dining room, nor in the main hall, nor on the stairs.
“Where did they go?”
Among the tea bottles, the Viscountess found a small piece of paper.
“Slut!”
The Viscountess shouted as she tore the paper, stomping violently on the ground with her heel.
“You dare ignore me?! You did this because we have no money?!”
Even the maids realized that this house was worth nothing without Dana.
Jimmy looked at his agitated parents as if they were pitiful, then muttered sharply.
“This is not the time to go after the maids! The trial date is very soon!”
"What?"
The faces of the viscount couple turned pale.
Jimmy relayed the summary of the situation to them through gritted teeth.
“If we don’t pay the compensation this week, all three of us will go to prison!”
"No! I can't live there!"
"Is this crazy? Is there a bed even?"
Jimmy pleaded inwardly for the two of them to wake up, then slammed the table.
The voice shook, so the parents dropped everything and looked at him.
“This is not the time to get emotional! I will arrange the money... and you, try to woo Dana!”
“Is it possible to meet her?”
“You will attend the trial day. Admit your mistake without discussion!”
“Why do we do that?”
Even in the worst of circumstances, they still cling to a shred of empty pride.
Jimmy calmed them down, giving a mischievous smile.
“First we must cancel the trial. Then we will win over Dana... then we will take her by force and present her to Viscount Humbern.”
“But she is married now.”
“This can be circumvented. The important thing now is to save ourves.”
They were finally convinced and moved their heads.
"Good. Jimmy, you're a really smart boy."
“If you realize this...then give me all your money and jewelry.”
His eyes sparkled.