* * *
Sloane spotted Adam walking off somewhere.
He appeared to be heading toward a more secluded area.
Sloane stood up abruptly, a spark igniting within his jealousy-ridden heart.
His eyes sharp, he began to follow Adam.
Meanwhile, Adam was making his way toward a small hill, trailed closely by Lily and Dean.
“Adam! Where are you going?”
“Up there. I think we’ll be able to see the butterflies better from the top.”
He responded kindly to the young maid and manservant.
“They say there’ll be fireworks later too. Let’s sit here and watch them together.”
“I’d love that, but… what if one of the dukes starts looking for you?”
“It’s fine. I told them I was heading to the restroom.”
In truth, Adam was completely worn out.
He had already danced several times despite lacking confidence.
The Carlisle brothers, oddly enough, seemed to enjoy Adam’s awkward charm.
They kept him close until the sun began to set.
“They kept feeding me, kept asking me to dance, even played a few card games…”
He gave a sheepish smile at the thought.
He was grateful for their attention, but he was also utterly drained.
All he wanted now was to collapse into bed and sleep.
“Let’s take a break while the fireworks are going off, okay? I really need it.”
“Ugh, alright.”
Lily gave a helpless shrug.
The three of them huddled together on the hilltop.
Above them, a single silver star twinkled into view.
“What if they think you’ve been gone too long?”
“Hmm… we’ll say we got lost.”
That made Lily and Dean giggle.
“You must’ve been really nervous today. But you danced so well, Adam. We were both shocked. You’re not the same person from before.”
“Really? That’s a relief… My legs still hurt from how tense I was.”
Adam sighed in relief and stretched out his legs.
The butterflies above danced in the sky, and the breathtaking sight made it feel as if he were dreaming.
“Beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you, though,” Lily said sweetly.
“Come on…”
“No, really. You were the most beautiful thing tonight. You sparkled like sunlight. Even when you were talking to that scary teacher or dancing with the dukes—you were glowing.”
Her voice, as clear as a lark’s song, made Adam shake his head with a bashful smile.
Even Dean chimed in, clenching his fist with an enthusiastic, “She’s right!”
“Even the other nobles were in awe, you know?”
“Thanks. I just hope I didn’t embarrass the dukes.”
He let out a deep breath after finishing the sentence.
Now that the tension had lifted, sleepiness began to wash over him.
As he leaned back, hazy with drowsiness, thoughts floated through his mind.
“Will the ball end after the fireworks? I should make sure to find Madam Simoneee before that. I need to thank her—she made this evening possible. I wonder how Lord Isaac and Lord Chester are feeling. Did they enjoy today?”
“I hope so…”
Adam murmured to himself, his voice filled with quiet warmth.
Just then, he heard someone approach from behind.
He instinctively turned his head.
“Why are you sitting here?”
A voice rang out.
Adam stood up, frowning slightly.
The man approaching him slowly looked oddly familiar.
“Who…?”
“Don’t recognize me?” the man asked, feigning disappointment.
“Got too successful and forgot your old classmates? That’s cold. I recognized you right away.”
“Who…?”
“It’s me—Sloane. From the academy. Your old classmate.”
Only then did Adam realize who he was.
A sharp discomfort prickled in his chest, as if a thorn had lodged itself there.
Sloane had never been a good person.
He used his status as an Alpha and his noble background to look down on others.
He even earned the ire of many by constantly harassing female students.
If he hadn’t been a noble, he’d have been expelled long ago.
“I never thought I’d see him again.”
Swallowing his unease, Adam offered a polite greeting.
“It’s been a while. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“You didn’t expect me here?” Sloane smirked.
“What, did you think someone like me wouldn’t be invited by the Carlisle family? That I’m not worth their time?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Clearly, Sloane hadn’t changed.
Adam didn’t want to argue.
He was far too tired already.
But Sloane wasn’t ready to let go.
“Nice outfit, Adam. Your face looks a lot better too. Oh, right—I remember. You used to struggle so much, taking care of your sick little sister.”
At the mention of his sister, Adam’s fingers curled into a fist.
His brows drew together in quiet anger, and Sloane grinned smugly.
“Your old classmates would be shocked to see you. Someone as brilliant as you…”
Sloane paused briefly, clearly wanting his next words to land with impact.
“To think you’d end up as Carlisle’s puppet.”
“…….”
“That’s right. A doll. A pretty little showpiece for all to see. The dukes truly have no shame. They must not see you as human at all.”
“Watch your words.”
“I can’t help it, Adam. It hurts to see a classmate treated like this. Why else would I have chased after you the moment I saw you?”
Sloane’s eyes scanned Adam meticulously from head to toe.
Up close, Adam looked more captivating than ever—his lustrous red hair and smooth skin made him resemble an elegant nobleman’s son.
‘Not that it matters. He’s no better than a courtesan now.’
His boiling inferiority complex cooled, giving way to a sense of superiority.
Sloane extended both arms with a mockingly sympathetic gaze.
“How did it come to this? Don’t tell me it’s because of your sister again? Tsk, tsk. She’s really got you shackled, hasn’t she?”
The color drained from Adam’s face.
He could take a lot, but insulting his sister crossed the line.
What was the point of this confrontation?
Why show up just to twist a knife?
Suddenly, Chester’s words came to mind:
“There’s no one here who can treat you with disrespect. If there is, they’ve lost their sense of fear.”
By Chester’s standards, Sloane had lost his fear.
That thought made Adam chuckle.
How amusing, that a classmate who once thought himself untouchable had now fallen so low.
“I am someone who’s received the grace of the dukes. Whether they see me as a person or a doll doesn’t matter. As long as I can repay their kindness, I’ll do whatever is needed.”
Spoken with calm composure, Adam’s words made Sloane’s face twist.
He seemed both confused and angered by Adam’s unshaken demeanor. Adam added quietly:
“So do yourself a favor and enjoy the ball. No need to concern yourself with me.”
A heavy silence fell. Lilly, her expression resolute, suddenly turned and ran off.
The two men were too absorbed in their standoff to notice.
“You’ve gotten cocky, Adam.”
It was Sloane who finally broke the silence.
“Then again, you were always like that. Acting all high and mighty for a fallen noble. What made you think you were so special? You’ve been reduced to nothing more than a tool for bearing heirs.”
“And you haven’t changed a bit either. Still picking fights with those you think are weaker.”
“What did you say? Picking fights?”
Sloane’s face reddened.
“You… You’ve disgraced the honor of our school. Yet you stand here without shame!”
“Sloane. Mind your tongue.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your words just now insult the Dukes of Carlisle.”
Adam took a step forward.
His green eyes gleamed with a rare sharpness.
* * *
