After the ball, Jeff Bertrand headed to the Madame Harper atelier, located in the very center of Delmez.
All the employees had already gone home, and only Rachel, who had stayed late, met him.
“Did something happen?”
"No. Everything went perfect.”
“And I thought that you came to complain. So why are you here?”
“I need to take over your office.”
Rachel blinked a few times, processing his words.
Jeff was one of Madame Harper's investors, and given that the office was empty, she had no objections. Moreover, she herself was going to spend the night in the workshop - she needed to finish a wedding dress for Adaline.
“Just keep in mind that if you start spattering blood, there will be trouble. I just received the highest quality silk from the Kingdom of Tveita. This is a special order for Her Highness, the Imperial Princess. It cannot be damaged. And drag somewhere in this state too.”
“Who do you take me for? Just a conversation."
“Okay then. Come on in."
They met while studying in Tveit. They were friends, business partners...and briefly lovers. They parted quickly, realizing that they would never be able to put each other first.
Although Rachel still has something left in her soul.
“Who are you dating?”
"With a rat."
"…OK. Good luck. Pee-wee."
Realizing that he didn't want to go into details, Rachel didn't ask. Instead, she turned the conversation:
“Well, how do you like Adaline’s ball gown? He didn’t take his eyes off her, right? Honestly, this is my masterpiece."
“My sister is already beautiful. Naturally, everyone was watching.”
“Well, I don’t argue with that...But my creation played a role.”
“Adaline is beautiful in any outfit.”
"..."
“Since she came back, her complexion has become better. She became even more beautiful.”
"This is true. I used to see her from afar, well, because you are her brother. But it was impossible to say hello. To be honest, she looked... unimportant back then. Bruises under the eyes, always tired.”
“Miracle The Saint works miracles.”
“It’s a miracle, is this some kind of elixir now? And in general, I still don’t know whether to believe in it or not.”
"Trust me, Rachel."
He habitually turned the handle of her office, as if he were entering his own room. Rachel followed him, carrying a candelabra.
"Anyway, Adaline is back."
"Yes, it's true."
“And now you see her yourself. What doubts can there be?
“It’s just...it doesn’t make sense. I know the Saint is incredible. Everyone knows this. Without it, we would have suffocated in this dirty land. But she is a purifier, not a resurrector.”
Jeff shrugged.
“Maybe it has such a function.”
“Do not compare the Saint with a mechanism. She is a treasure of humanity."
“That’s what she said about herself.”
Rachel sighed heavily.
“Okay, I don’t have the strength to argue. I’m busy, I’ll go to the workshop.”
“Just don’t ruin your work from fatigue.”
"You're such an asshole."
She gave him a reproachful look.
He spoke with tenderness only about his younger sister, saying that she was beautiful in any outfit. But with Rachel he allowed himself blasphemous jokes. It was annoying.
But that's why she broke up with him.
Rachel was the first to realize that she would never have a place in Jeff's priority system.
[He was a cold-blooded businessman.]
[Behind the cheerful smile and ostentatious ease was a man who did not take into account other people’s circumstances and never missed an opportunity.]
[He was smart, lucky, but his main fuel was a fierce sense of purpose.]
[Constantly traveling around the continent for his business, Jeff visited Delmez only once a year - on the anniversary of his sister's death.]
Rachel once even calculated: [if she lives to old age, she will see him dozens more... a couple dozen times at most.]
[Not every visit of his will include a meeting with her.]
That's why she was truly happy about Adaline's return.
[Because in her presence Jeff laughed again.]
[Was alive again.]