Chapter 60
Bartholomew could not believe his own eyes.
Alexander Faraday.
The real son of the Duke of Faraday.
The true person who had driven Bartholomew into suffering.
That man was now spending cheerful, friendly time with Lucy.
His heart began to pound violently.
“Why are you here?”
Why—
“Why are you standing next to Lucy?”
Bartholomew wanted to rush inside right away and confront him.
He wanted to grab Alexander and shout at him.
“Of all people, you.”
Even Lucy—
you’re going to take her from me too?
Anger and betrayal surged through Bartholomew like a tidal wave.
He could endure anything else.
He could bear everything.
But losing Lucy too—
that was something he could not endure.
“Just one thing.”
Isn’t it okay if Lucy is mine?
Not forever—
but isn’t it okay if at least Lucy remembers me?
Bartholomew’s breathing grew rapid.
He could not breathe properly.
His heart felt like it was about to burst, yet something was blocking it, keeping it from exploding.
“If I die and disappear like this…”
What would happen to Lucy?
Would Alexander take his place?
He probably would.
Alexander was someone born to steal everything from Bartholomew.
Bartholomew squeezed his eyes shut.
He could not calm the storm of emotions inside him.
When he closed his eyes, he saw the two of them smiling happily at each other.
Lucy’s bright smile—
the one he believed she showed only to him—
was now turned toward Alexander.
And Alexander was smiling back at her.
Slowly, Bartholomew opened his eyes again.
The violently shaking eyes filled with emotion were gone.
His blue eyes had sunk into a darkness deeper than ever before.
Lucy was chatting casually with Alexander.
They asked about each other’s well-being, then the topic naturally moved to books.
Lucy asked something she had been curious about.
“What happened to the book you said you would lend me?”
“Oh.”
Alexander lifted his lips from his teacup, as if he had just remembered.
“Are you that curious about the book?”
“Well, now that I know about it, it caught my interest.”
Alexander smiled faintly.
“Let’s meet here again next week. I’ll lend you the book then.”
Lucy’s eyes widened.
“Is it okay to meet here?”
She had always thought Alexander did not like crowded places.
Reading her question, Alexander smiled.
“It should be fine next time.”
After thinking for a moment, he added,
“When we meet again, I’ll be able to show you a new side of myself.”
“A new side?”
Alexander only smiled and did not answer.
Lucy tilted her head, but did not press further.
“I should get going now.”
She had to prepare for Bartholomew’s birthday party.
As Lucy stood up, Alexander said they should meet again next time.
Lucy nodded and left the dessert shop, feeling that something about him had subtly changed.
When Lucy headed back to her residence, she met the servant who had been waiting for her.
“Sir Bartholomew left a message for you, Your Highness.”
“Bartholomew?”
Lucy was puzzled.
They were supposed to meet today—what could he want to say?
“He asked that you come to this location.”
The servant handed her a piece of paper with an address written on it.
“He hopes to meet you there.”
Lucy took the paper.
They had planned to hold the birthday party at Lucy’s residence, but the place Bartholomew invited her to was a mansion in the capital.
It was nearby, but Lucy could not understand why he suddenly changed the location.
“Is it more comfortable for him to meet there?”
Or was this place special to Bartholomew?
It was his birthday, after all.
He probably wanted the day to have some meaning.
Lucy nodded and asked the servant to give the paper to the coachman.
Then she ordered another servant to bring the gifts and the cake she had prepared for Bartholomew.
Lucy got into the carriage and headed to the place Bartholomew had asked her to come to.
Before long, the carriage arrived at the mansion.
The elegant-looking building was quiet.
No servants came out to greet her.
“Is this the Faraday family’s temporary residence?”
Lucy carried the gifts and cake herself and walked toward the mansion.
She knocked on the door, but there was no response.
After hesitating for a moment, Lucy stepped inside.
Creeeak.
The heavy door opened, revealing a dark interior.
“This smell…”
Blood.
The unfamiliar, unpleasant smell startled Lucy.
“Did something happen to Bartholomew?”
That thought made her forget to look around.
She put the cake and gifts down and hurried inside.
As she walked down the long hallway toward the reception room, the smell of blood grew stronger.
Lucy hesitated.
Some instinct was telling her not to go any farther.
But her worry for Bartholomew was stronger.
When she finally entered the reception room, Lucy’s eyes widened.
Bartholomew stood in the center of the room, looking down at a man collapsed at his feet.
The middle-aged man bleeding on the floor was someone Lucy also recognized.
“…Bartholomew?”
Lucy called his name in a faint voice.
Bartholomew lightly shook the blood off his sword and slid it back into its sheath.
There was no excitement, no anger—
only calm, composed movements.
After removing his gloves, he brushed his hair back and looked at Lucy.
When Lucy fully saw his face, her eyes widened.
Bartholomew was smiling.
The gloom that had always lingered in his blue eyes was completely gone.
The smile on his usually stiff lips carried satisfaction.
“Lucy.”
His smile deepened.
Beep—!
A warning sound rang out, and a system window appeared.
[Error detected!]
[A critical error has occurred in the existing scenario.]
While Lucy stared at the system window in shock, Bartholomew stepped forward.
As he approached, Lucy unconsciously stepped back.
Seeing her reaction, Bartholomew tilted his head slightly, as if he did not understand.
As Lucy continued stepping back, her foot tangled, and she fell to the floor.
“Lucy?”
Bartholomew immediately came closer and knelt in front of her.
“Are you okay?”
Lucy carefully lifted her gaze from the floor.
Bartholomew was genuinely worried about her, without any trace of deception.
“When I look at him like this, he’s just the same Bartholomew as always…”
Just as Lucy’s guard began to lower, a sharp warning sound rang out again.
[The original scenario can no longer be maintained.]
[The system is becoming unstable.]
The system window flickered and began to distort.
Lucy forced herself to keep looking at Bartholomew and asked,
“Bartholomew. Did you do this?”
Bartholomew did not answer.
Growing anxious, Lucy asked again,
“No, right? There must be some misunderstanding.”
Beep—!
[Changing the scenario to stabilize the game system.]
[Application rate: 10%]
What in the world is happening?
At that moment, Bartholomew reached out his hand.
Lucy flinched instinctively, her shoulders trembling.
[Application rate: 32%]
Bartholomew’s hand paused briefly in midair, then moved again.
His hand went toward Lucy’s hair.
He gently brushed her loose hair back.
[Application rate: 56%]
His touch was extremely soft.
That made the smell of blood coming from him feel almost unreal.
After tucking Lucy’s hair behind her ear, Bartholomew slowly slid his hand down along her hair.
[Application rate: 74%]
He lightly wrapped the tip of her hair around his finger and pressed his lips to it.
With his eyes closed, he looked like a knight kissing his king’s foot in a vow of loyalty.
“I did it.”
[Application rate: 88%]
Bartholomew slowly opened his eyes.
“The head of the Faraday family is me now.”
[Application rate: 97%]
“So,”
His clear blue eyes looked straight at Lucy.
“Try seducing me too, Lucy.”
Ding!
[Game scenario change complete.]
“No way…”
[‘Bartholomew Faraday’ has become the new male lead.]
[‘Bartholomew Faraday’ has been added to your romance targets.]
