She might have whined about wanting to go home about twelve times. Whenever she wore clothes, he took them off, and even if she lifted a sock, Claude just ambushed her. It was now afternoon. Canillia couldn’t take it anymore so she took clothes and quickly ran into the bathroom to get dressed.
Claude was absent for a phone call for a moment and when he came back, he saw her dressed. He frowned and put down new clothes in front of her.
“I told you to stay in the palace for ten days.”
“I can’t. I need to go. Pepe will be worried.”
“She probably knows you’re in the palace already.”
“Even so… Just let me go. Tomorrow! I’ll come back tomorrow.” She blushed while she said tomorrow.
Canillia looked at scoffing Claude and scanned the messy room.
“Fine, I’ll allow it. But… Take my car. You’re going to tell your maid that you’re fine and coming back. This time, not to the palace, but to my townhouse. There are too many people interrupting here.”
She looked sad when he said to come back immediately.
Claude held back his laughter as her expression changed to his every word. Canillia nodded in the end and he kissed her on the forehead.
“Good.”
***
Pepe saw Lia coming out of the car and ran out bare feet.
“Y, young master!”
She teared up in relief as she saw Lia.
The police came by in the morning and just a moment ago the inspector and chief came by to ask Canillia’s whereabouts. That wasn’t all. There was a mystery flower delivery.
“Are you ok? What happened.”
Pepe was about to spill everything but she kneeled in surprise as she saw the Grand Duke come out.
“My Lord the Grand Duke.”
Claude was wearing a black suit with black gloves.
He scanned the mansion sharply and nodded.
“Did someone come by?”
“Ah, the police kept looking for the young master.”
“So?”
“I wasn’t told that he was in the palace… So I told them I don’t know…”
“You didn’t hear the news?”
“Yes.”
Claude wrapped his arm around Lia’s shoulder, who was frozen not knowing what’s going on. Pepe’s eyes widened at such gesture.
“I heard that Marquis Gliad’s place was robbed last night. They took diamonds and the Marchioness is saying you’re the culprit.”
“…Pardon?”
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“It was the anarchists. They bribed people to say that they saw you near Louvre. But I don’t know why they’re after you.” He kissed the top of her head while mumbling. “But since you were with me last night, you can’t be the culprit.”
Pepe looked like she was going to faint.
Canillia was lost at words as she let go of Claude and went into the house. She then looked around the drawing room.
The anarchists attacked the Marquis’s townhouse?
But why did the Marchioness claim that I’m the culprit?
She was looking around the drawing room with mixed emotion and saw a flower vase. More like the jasmine that was in the vase.
“Pepe…. Pepe!”
Lia shouted sharply and pointed at the vase full of jasmine and asked.
“What is this?”
“Some men brought it with the vase…”
“Men?”
“They were…. Someone who knew your actual name. They said to give it to you…”
The men that knew Canillia Vale.
Lia covered her face with her hands.
The anarchists that attacked the Marquis townhouse at night.
The Marchioness that indicated her as the culprit.
And the jasmine.
’46 Brill Street. On the day full of jasmine.’
Lia remembered the message the doctor left. She felt nauseated at the smell of jasmine. She wanted to burn all the purple and white flowers there.
That moment, Claude picked up the vase of jasmine. He frowned slightly.
“It’s heavy.”
Much heavier than a normal vase.
Claude broke the vase against the marble wall.
The vase broke with water pouring. But Canillia saw diamonds instead of water.
The diamonds that were in the vase spill on the floor with water. There were a few hundreds of diamonds the size of an adult thumbnail.
“This is…”
“They seem like the diamonds that were stolen.”
“What is…”
“Someone really wants you to be the culprit. Maybe the Marchioness. Or… Someone else in your mind.” Claude patted Canillia’s head as she stood there looking blank. His calm eyes stared at her and asked, “Do you want me to help? Canillia.”