…
The next day, Juliane woke up with a slight headache. As she felt the softness of the bed and the warmth of the blanket, she instantly sat up on the bed, her eyes widening as she glanced across the room's striped purple and gold wallpaper.
"Great, you're awake," Amon's deep voice said, making Juliane turn to the side. The young master stood there, holding a newspaper. When their eyes met, he dropped it onto the marble table. Approaching her bed, he told her, "The kidnappers were caught… and the spy as well."
Remembering what happened yesterday, Juliane burst into tears. She recalled the fear of not knowing what the kidnappers might do to her. She had been terrified that she might be tortured or worse, not make it out alive. What if Amon hadn't saved her?
"Thank you, sir… for saving my life," she whispered.
"I only did it because we still have a deal to fulfill," Amon replied curtly.
Ah, yes, there was still much to do regarding their deal. As Juliane thought about it, a random realization struck her.
"Wait… who changed my clothes?" she asked suddenly.
"The head maid, of course," Amon replied.
Why had she even asked? Despite his rude demeanor, Amon was well-bred and wouldn't do something improper to a lady like her.
"I must thank her," Juliane sighed. "And I want to thank you too, sir, for letting me borrow your coat yesterday—"
"Correction, miss," Amon interrupted. "I didn't let you borrow the coat; you took it while I was not around, and you don't have to return it. You can throw it away, for all I care. I dislike others touching my belongings." inang yan apaka suplado naman nitong si Amon hahaha
As Amon left, Juliane glared at his back. He acted as if she had some kind of disease! How bad was she at judging people that she'd thought Amon was a kind person?
A few moments later, the head maid entered, carrying a pile of new clothes. "Good morning, Ms. Johara. Did you manage to get any sleep?"
"Yes, although I have a bit of a headache right now," Juliane replied.
"Perhaps you're hungry and thirsty," the maid suggested, placing the clothes on the bedside table. "Let me get you some breakfast."
"Wait, please," Juliane said quickly. "I'd like to ask you something."
The head maid turned to her. "I'm all ears. What is it, Ms. Johara?"
"How did I get here? I mean... The last thing I remember, we were at the police headquarters."
"Oh, about that... The young master brought you here. He carried you."
Juliane gaped in surprise, her confusion deepening. Her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment at the thought of Amon Midas carrying her himself. Maybe he's actually kind...?
She recalled their recent interactions. Nah, maybe not. Perhaps he carried her because of their unfinished deal. For someone like the young master of the Midas family, it wouldn't be surprising if handling the kidnapping incident was just business.
Juliane had breakfast in bed: a thick sausage, toasted bread with butter and sugar on top, and jasmine tea. After breakfast, the head maid, Iona, gave Juliane a thorough bath. She was dressed in a lightweight, short-sleeved baby blue summer dress, her blue hair tied in a half ponytail. Iona also gave her a pair of sapphire earrings to wear.
Soon after, Juliane stepped out of the mansion. Amon, dressed in a simple khaki-colored suit and pants, waited for her by the gate. When he saw her dressed appropriately, a smile appeared on his lips, but he quickly turned away when their eyes met.
"You don't have to give me new clothes every time... and these earrings—"
"Those things are cheap, it's just 1 gold coin worth. You don't need to worry; I won't add them to your debt list," Amon replied as he climbed into the automobile. "What are you waiting for? Let's go."
Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Juliane got into the front seat. As soon as they buckle their seatbelts, they left the Golden Mansion.
"I'll drop you off at Grythwill City Hospital," Amon mentioned as he drove. "You can stay with your sister until I find you a husband."
"You know, you're like Cupid, but the grumpy one. Mister Grumpy Cupid, please get me a good husband!" Juliane said, playfully teasing Amon.
"Shut up, I'm driving."
"Sorry, I was just joking..." she muttered, wondering why Amon didn't want any conversation. Was he easily distracted while driving? Thinking about it, Juliane blurted out, "You know, if you hadn't kicked Tom out, you'd be relaxing in the back seat right now. Why don't you hire him again?"
Ignoring the talkative Juliane, Amon stayed focused on the road. A few minutes later, they arrived at the hospital.
"Thanks for everything, Mister Grumpy Cupid," Juliane said with a smile, but Amon didn't even glance in her direction.
After ensuring that Juliane had entered the hospital, Amon drove away. He couldn't stop thinking about the conversation they had during the ride. Wasn't the lady too comfortable with him? She was even giving him ridiculous nicknames!
"Mr. Grumpy Cupid?" It made him smirk; somehow, that nickname fit him. But he still had some urgent tasks to accomplish before he could play Cupid for Juliane.
That day, while Juliane was busy looking after her sister, Amon was also occupied with his business deals. In addition to setting up the new Fruits and Vegetables Trading Center, he had to manage the Midas Jewelries. This included overseeing mining operations, supervising the creation of gem-studded jewels, and deciding the trading routes within and outside the Eudaemora region.
While finding a husband for Juliane was at the bottom of his priorities, an unexpected newspaper headline shocked the entire region the next day:
"Amon Midas and the Mysterious Woman...!"
"Did Amon Midas Finally Find the Lady Who Melted His Icy Heart?!"
"Like the Male Lead in a Fairy Tale: Amon Midas Personally Saved His True Love from the Kidnappers!"
These gossip newspapers fell into the hands of none other than Amon, who instantly crumpled and threw it into the crackling fireplace. Judging from the angles of the photographs used in the articles, it seemed like the reporters had hidden in the bushes across from the mansion gate. Could there still be spies in the Golden Mansion? Or had some of the maids and butlers sold information?
How troublesome. He was already very busy, but now, because of his involvement with Juliane, he had to manage this unexpected damage control. Perhaps it was time to put her marriage at the top of his priority list, before more ridiculous rumors about them spread.