Meanwhile...
Jax rubbed his eyes before looking through his binoculars again. The tree he was hiding in gave him a clear view of the villa and the surrounding area, including the courtyard. 'Who is that goddess wrapped in the blanket?'
Her long hair was loose, falling down her shoulders in a mess of waves. Her features were delicate, almost dollish, but the way she carried herself oozed regalness. One that made her look bigger than the world, and the world beneath her small and petty in comparison.
'Lady Celine,' he read the words from one of her servants' lips and choked on air. He almost fell from the tree, his hands tightening around the branch he was sitting on.
Lady Celine?
The "Celine"?
The "She-devil"?
How? When? Why? What?
Jax's mouth hung open. Was it the lack of fine clothes, the simple hairstyle, or her clean face? How was this the same woman who was rumored to be a vile witch with a snake's tongue, a heart made of stone, and a soul that crawled out of the pits of hell?
He couldn't believe it. He refused to believe it.
He continued to observe her reaction to his gift, her expressions, and her movements. The way she tilted her head to take a look, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she examined the snakes and the spider; her expression of disgust that lasted a fraction of a second before turning into amusement.
"Give them the care they need, and if they are edible, add them to the menu," he read her lips.
'She wants to eat them?!'
Jax's stomach churned. Alright, now he actually started to believe that she was the same wicked woman he met during the banquet. But, how could a person so gorgeous have such a foul character and strange appetite?
And then it was Lucian's gift turn. Her expression turned blank, the only thing that gave her thoughts away was the way she tightly pressed her lips together and the slight frown between her eyebrows.
It wasn't anger or disgust that she was feeling, it was something else. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. And then it hit him. It was recognition.
She recognized the owner of the gift, and she recognized the message behind it.
Jax was there when Lucian went through the darkest days of his life. He was there to see him fall apart, and to see him pick himself back up. He was the one who was there to see the worst of his friend's suffering, and to see the best of his achievements.
Lucian had always been secretive. He liked to keep his cards close to his chest, and even closer to his heart.
Most of the time, he would send his people to care for the nobles' gardens, but sometimes, he would take the job on himself for whatever reasons.
Jax gulped. Was there something between Lucian and Lady Celine, a secret they kept from the public?
All Jax knew was that she accused Lucian of stealing and lashed out on him until he collapsed in pain from his wounds. That was it.
There was no way for her to ever have a thing with a commoner much less with a bastard like Lucian, who had no status to his name. Right?
Lucian showed no interest in women either. Even now, he was helping Jax to take revenge for him, not because he cared about her.
That was right.
Maybe she didn't recognize the sender. Maybe she tortured so many poor souls in her lifetime her conscience was finally gnawing at her, and the guilt was eating her alive.
Yeah, that must have been it.
They didn't fit each other at all! There was no way those two had a history. No way.
Jax mentally slapped himself for having such a ridiculous thought that showed pure disrespect toward Lucian─he knew the man, and his tastes were far above anything as low as that. Lucian would never fall for a woman like Celine, he was smarter than that.
After watching Lady Rochefort for a while, Jax noticed that everyone seemed happy to serve her. Even the guards, who usually looked bored, had smiles on their faces as they moved the gifts, and her servants didn't look like they had to fear her.
It was pure respect, and maybe even admiration.
'What spells and mind control is she using on them?' Jax wondered, 'Are they forcing themselves to act that way? Are they afraid that they would lose their job or something?'