Chapter Title: Woman is Fickle
"Please take me."
At Adèle's words, the man's perfectly shaped eyebrow raised. It was only then that Adèle realized what she had just said.
Oh my God. What did I just say?
Adèle's face turned pale.
Beg for forgiveness right now, Adèle Bibi, and say you misspoke.
But contrary to her thoughts, her mouth calmly uttered the next words.
"Please assign me to the role you mentioned. Take me. I will become the most expensive lady in Santnar."
Sweat beaded in her palms, dampening the shoe-shining cloth she was holding.
That's how desperate she was. The question was whether that desperation reached the man in front of her.
"…"
The man had hair as dark and blue as the night sea. His blue hair, resembling the sea or perhaps bronze, suited his distinct features perfectly.
The man, who had been staring at Adèle blankly, quietly took a puff of his cigar.
The most leisurely smoke rose. Adèle could soon smell the scent of almonds and dark chocolate.
Did he not hear?
"I…"
Just as Adèle was about to speak again, she met cold golden eyes through the smoke.
Her breath stopped.
The man's eyes were a fresh, sharp gold. Thanks to his refreshing gaze, they seemed like the summer sun.
However, mere color was not enough to hide his ruthlessness.
He seemed to be a person who had taken only dignity from the sun and thrown away all the warm parts. Those were his eyes.
He was a man who had received the utmost love from fate and from God.
A phrase often used by gossipers to describe the Cesare Bonaparte in front of her. Adèle instantly agreed.
Cesare Bonaparte.
A man who, at such a young age, had already become a prior of the Signoria.
On his father's side, he inherited the blood of the grand nobles, the Bonapartes, and on his mother's side, he was royalty from Orqueenia across the sea.
Even by blood alone, no one in Santnar could match him, and fate and God had also bestowed upon him an outstanding appearance.
A man whom all the ladies of Santnar longed for and all the gentlemen envied.
Adèle belatedly realized how ridiculous her actions had been. Her dirty clothes, stained with shoe polish, became drenched with cold sweat.
But even if she could turn back time, Adèle would have made the same choice.
"I need a woman."
The moment she heard his words to his friend.
"A woman to deceive Della Valle by pretending to be a Bonaparte."
Adèle realized it was the last chance given by the sea goddess. She was that desperate.
"Abel. I hear you're actually a girl?"
The spiteful voice of old Nino was still vivid in her ears.
Old Nino was the elder overseeing the street shoeshine gang. Any shoe shiner in Fornatie had to work under him.
"You've fooled us well until now. Damn girl. Are you really mute?"
"…"
"Whatever you are, you'd better watch out. I'm not one to show mercy to girls. If you can't pay the protection fee, be prepared for the consequences."
His greasy gaze swept over her chest.
Eventually, she got caught. Not only that she wasn't a man, but also that she wasn't mute.
Everyone knew that old Nino had connections with the pimp in the back alleys of the slum, Kimora.
Adèle could easily imagine her future being dragged into those back alleys.
If only she could pay the protection fee, she could avoid it, but from that day on, other shoe shiners stopped including her as if by agreement.
She survived on a single piece of black barley bread for several days. Today, she hadn't eaten even that. But the money was far from enough, and tomorrow was the deadline for the protection fee payment.
When Adèle got to shine the shoes of the head of the Bonaparte family at Sanzarina Plaza, she sincerely thanked the sea goddess.
And when she realized that the goddess's blessing wasn't merely a few gold coins, her heart pounded.
"Are you serious? You really want to deceive Della Valle?"
"We're already looking for a suitable woman. Searching through fallen nobles, but it's not easy."
"I knew you were crazy, but I didn't think it was to this extent."
To Adèle, it sounded like madness.
But to a desperate shoe shiner on the verge of going mad, it was like divine revelation.
You can do it.
The moment Cesare finished speaking, a small whisper filled Adèle's mind, pushing her forward.
"I will be sold."
Adèle threw her life away.
Cesare narrowed his eyes slightly, as if measuring something. Even the slight wrinkles around his eyes looked as if drawn with a fine brush.
In the next moment, the man with the perfectly handsome face spoke.
"Are you a virgin?"
His golden eyes blinked lazily as he asked. It was a clean gaze, devoid of any vulgarity.
Thanks to that, Adèle immediately understood the intent of the question.
"I am a virgin."
"Hmm."
Cesare, who had hoped Adèle would withdraw herself, frowned and laughed.
"It's surprising that a shoe shiner in Fornatie knows what chastity is."
Though his words could have sounded sarcastic, his tone was not aggressive.
Adèle hesitated for a moment, then replied.
"I think I know better than Giacomo."
Cesare burst into laughter.
Giacomo was famous as a playboy of the century and was a nobleman.
It meant that status doesn't make one different.
"I don't know it myself."
The prodigal son of Bonaparte spoke in a cheerful tone. His smile remained on his lips.
Adèle couldn't help but notice that his smile was, as rumored—no, even more charming.
The deep dimples that matched his large mouth, the eye smile that hid his cold gaze, and the small, coy tear mole at the end of that eye smile.
Even with such incompatible elements gathered, he was terrifyingly attractive. It was understandable why so many ladies longed for him.
"Did you hear that, Jude? This shoe shiner seems to speak better than Lucrezia."
The splendid man spoke to his friend sitting beside him.
"Miss Della Valle only stutters in front of you, Cesare."
"I am quite charming. But that doesn't mean she's not a fool."
Cesare said, puffing on his cigar.
The man sitting next to him, Jude, laughed incredulously.
"She should know that your character is like this."
Jude. Jude Rossi.
He was someone Adèle also knew. The newspapers usually introduced him as "Cesare's friend."
But the one easily overlooked was also the heir of the great noble family Rossi in Fornatie.
The heir of the Rossi family, who had neatly swept back his brown hair without leaving a single strand, finally turned to Adèle.
"Miss, are you really willing to be part of this scam?"
"My name is Adèle Bibi. And yes, if you let me."
Jude Rossi's green eyes gleamed with disbelief.
"Miss Adèle Bibi. Cesare may not have said it, but this isn't an easy task. I'm not doubting your intelligence, but are you sure you understand the situation?"
It was definitely noble-like to say everything while claiming not to doubt her.
Adèle glanced at Cesare before answering.
The prodigal son of Bonaparte was watching their conversation with his typically cold eyes but with a pretense of amusement.
Thinking that dealing with Jude Rossi would be better, Adèle spoke clearly.
"First, I apologize for eavesdropping. Then, may I tell you what I heard to check if it's correct?"
"Huh… Well, go ahead."
"The origin is an agreement between the Bonaparte and Della Valle families."
Adèle continued, careful not to let her voice crack.
"Long ago, the heads of the Bonaparte and Della Valle families made a promise. To marry Bonaparte's daughter to Della Valle's son."
"Yes, they did."
"But the marriage did not take place at that time, and the promise has been passed down in written form."