Where Julietta was now was the residence of Maribel, found in the innermost area of the Eileen Theatre. 

It was also the place where Stella, who had been ousted from her mistress’ position, had stayed with young Julietta until she had died. Julietta, who visited Maribel’s secret quarters that were full of bad memories, was negotiating with her and plucked up the courage to bargain. 

“Oh no, no, you’re still so naive. Why did you believe it was going to stop at just once? If Duke Miguel likes you, his relationship with me will continue to be very good. Either way, if the Duke ended up with just one night, wouldn’t there be other nobles? You’re a rare beauty.”

“Theatre owner, I’m not naive. I think you’re the one who’s naive. If I were to be endowed by Duke Miguel, I’d whisper into the Duke’s ears and I will not leave you alone. I’m sure it’s the same in the arms of another noble. You’ll always be anxious about how I’m going to seek revenge behind your back but wouldn’t it be better to prevent harm with one another?”

Maribel clicked her tongue as she watched the shabby and tacky Julietta who was wearing a brick colored wig and had changed her face to a dull color. “You don’t even know the grace I’ve raised you with. You know who’s responsible for your safe growth so far and you’re being so cocky? And just call him Duke. Why are you so careless, what if someone hears about it?”

“It’s just a matter between the owner of the theatre and me. I’ll be careful elsewhere. And I’m just being polite because I know how to be grateful to you. I am doing this to pay you back the virtue that you have given me in the meantime. Why don’t you tell me what I owe you?”

Julietta’s cheeky remark made Maribel snort and lift the pipe again and took a long draw. “If you say so, I’ll show you my sympathy. It’s five thousand coins. What do you think? It’s bigger than you thought, right? I didn’t even present you to him in person but it was very generous of him to offer such a large sum of money just because I recommended you.” 

Julietta was devastated as she watched Maribel squint her eyes and smile contentedly. She never thought it would be so much money. But she could not show her disappointment in front of the owner of the theatre, so Julietta dropped her presumptuous attitude and said politely, “Thank you for your words. I’ll try my best.”

Maribel was surprised to see Julietta turn around and refuse to budge, even though she actually called out twice the amount she had been offered. She had thought the girl was not normal since she was a kid but even she had an open mind. She would be an excellent actress if she were to go on stage but she had to give that thought up because she thought the Marquis’ wife would not let her go.

‘Who would like their husband’s lover’s daughter who should be dead, be alive in front of her? That's too bad.’

Julietta left Maribel’s quarters, not revealing her inner thoughts as much as she could, after hearing the amount that Maribel said. She hid herself in the storage room next to the prop room, pulling herself from getting depressed and began to agonize seriously.

A few days ago, when she had told Maribel that she was leaving the theatre, she had told her of her plan. At Julietta's upcoming seventeenth year old coming-of-age ceremony, she would sell Julietta’s virginity to Duke Miguel, thus repaying the grace she had given her so far. She added that Julietta’s life would be in full bloom if she was pleasing to the eyes of the Duke. 

‘Don’t be ridiculous! My life would be in full bloom? Even if he is a Duke, I can’t sleep with a man older than my biological father, it’s never going to happen. I feel like I’m going to throw up at the thought of it. If I throw up on that noble’s face in bed, I will be done for. I don’t want to be dead at the age of seventeen. My life is mine. I think living in disguise for the rest of my life is better than dying naked in bed. I’ll never live a life that’s held in the hands of others.’

Julietta clenched her fist and glared into the theatre, determined. And today, a few days later, she visited Maribel again and offered her opinion.

If she can raise the ransom money that had been offered, she could try to ask for the money from her biological father, Marquis Anais. Although the Marquis had never looked for her or her mother, and never offered any help since he had kicked them out when she was five years old, he must know that Stella had died not long after she had entrusted herself to the theatre and that their illegitimate child was growing up there.

Mrs. Anais and her children had often visited the theatre and enjoyed opera but the Marquis had never been here since, even though it was his favorite place to meet Stella when he was courting her. Maybe he knew she was there and was avoiding her.

But the day before, Morgan, who managed the opera’s VIP seats, told her that he would prepare his favorite wine and refreshment because the Marquis would be attending the next performance on opening day.

Julietta thought it was an opportunity from heaven. In fact, if the Marquis didn’t visit the theatre, she had to try and meet him by all means. For the first time since she had started living in the theatre, she heard that her biological father would visit. She thought that this incident was a sign that things might go well. 

But the amount Maribel had told her was bigger than she thought and she was disappointed. 

‘Will the Marquis want to pay that amount? Isn’t that a big sum for the nobles?’

Julietta, who had lived in the theatre almost all of her life and had never touched money, could only see that it was a huge sum but could not realize how big it was.

“I have no choice but to bump into it whether it works or not. If I don’t want to be held in the hands of a lascivious man, I need to stay alert and get the money.”

Julietta waited for the day the Marquis would arrive, determined not to be depressed. 

➽───────────────❥

“Morgan, is that Marquis Anais?”
 
“Yes, that’s him. It’s been ten years since I saw him when he was young but he’s still handsome. I guess he’s not even that old.”
 
As Morgan spoke, the man dressed up in a grey coat was escorted to his seat. It was refreshing to see the aristocratic figure walking with the guide in an elegant manner while hidden in the corner.
 
Although she was told that he sometimes visited and played with her when she was a child, she barely remembered seeing the Marquis since she was five years old when her soul was put into this body. At first glance, she remembered the much younger Marquis but she couldn’t remember anything in detail. Since then, he had stopped going in and out of his lover’s home due to the birth of his successor.
 
A light-skinned pink-tinted blonde with green eyes and an unpredictable , sleek and solid body, could hardly be believed to have a child of Julietta’s age. That man in front of her was the one who had abandoned her and her mother irresponsibly. 
 
She felt bitter when she thought about it but she missed him.
 
Julietta was determined not to be weak. This man was a heartless man who left his young child alone. Parents are the ones who should take responsibility for having children. Since he had so far abandoned his duty, it would not be too much to ask him to offer 5000 coins for herself. 
 
Julietta kept an eye on the man with a throbbing chest, looking for a chance to ask for money.
 
“Father?”
 
She was looking at the back of the Marquis who was going to the opera box but a lady with gleaming brown hair lovingly stretched out of the box seat and welcomed him. Julietta, who had seen them, hid in the dark shade again.