August stepped down from his carriage, his eyes sweeping over the facade of Varos administration building.

Just as he turned to make his way inside for his meeting with the Duke, the low rumble of an engine caught his attention, and he paused, watching a motorcar sweep through the main gates.

"Wait! Was that Prince August?" Eilika asked, quickly turning her head toward the window to catch a clearer glimpse.

Before she could be certain, however, her line of sight was cut off as a member of the security detail stepped directly into her view, obscuring the figure.

"Where?" Damian asked, shifting his gaze slightly toward the courtyard. "I suspect you are mistaken, Duchess. For what reason would August come to Varos? He has no business here."

Eilika offered a hum and looked back ahead, though the lingering certainty remained that she had indeed caught a glimpse of August’s profile. Shaking the thought from her head for the moment, she waited quietly as the vehicle came to a final halt.

As the motorcar came to a halt, the attendants hurried forward to open the door.

Eilika took Damian’s hand as she stepped down, slipping her arm through his as they began walking back toward the main entrance.

She maintained a graceful composure, offering a warm smile to the various officials and staff members who bowed as the couple passed by.

Far across the courtyard, Rosaline paused in her task, her fingers tightening around the rough wood of her broomstick.

Catching sight of the effortless elegance and the respectful murmurs that followed Eilika, a bitter, burning jealousy flared deep in her chest.

"Did she come all this way just to mock me? To see me reduced to this?" Rosaline muttered under her breath, looking down at her drab, stained cleaner’s uniform and the dusty stone beneath her boots.

"What are you standing around blabbering for?" the head of the cleaning staff shouted from across the pathway, glaring sharply at her. "Get back to work!"

"Nothing, ma’am," Rosaline murmured quickly, lowering her gaze to hide the resentment in her eyes as she hurriedly focused on sweeping the dirt away.

~~~~

On the other hand, Eilika was pleasantly surprised upon entering the grand office space reserved for the Duke. The room was expansive, featuring towering windows and dark wood paneling that commanded authority.

"Welcome, Your Grace," Louis said, stepping forward with a vibrant bouquet in his hand. He offered a humble bow, extending the arrangement toward her in greeting. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Eilika reached out to accept the flowers, but Damian’s hand intervened, catching the stems first. "And when exactly did you discover we were coming here, allowing you the time to prepare a bouquet?" Damian questioned, his tone sharp as he immediately directed his steps toward the executive desk.

"Well, I happen to keep my eyes and ears everywhere," Louis remarked. "Now, if you please, return the bouquet to the Duchess. It was meant specifically for her."

"She doesn’t like lilies," Damian stated flatly, without looking back.

"No, I quite love lilies," Eilika immediately corrected him, her voice cutting through the tension.

Damian paused, glancing back. "Really? I was under the impression you only favored roses."

"Them too. But whatever made the Duke think that I dislike lilies?" Eilika asked, already walking over to the desk. She took the bouquet directly from Louis with a gracious nod. "They are beautiful. Thank you, Louis."

Damian’s brow furrowed into a deep frown as he watched the genuine smile Eilika offered his friend.

Louis noticed the strange expression on the Duke’s face and allowed a smirk to play on his lips.

"The Duke doesn’t often present you with flowers, does he?" Louis remarked, casting a knowing glance back at Eilika. "I suppose he has yet to learn from his young son, who took the care to prepare a bouquet for you once."

"Ah, yes, Roman did do that," Eilika recalled, nodding softly at the memory. She then looked toward Damian, her expression entirely neutral. "I think the Duke simply isn’t fond of giving me flowers. But really, why are we even discussing this matter?"

Damian felt a sharp prick of irritation and unease at her casual dismissal. It wasn’t just that she hadn’t received flowers from him, it was the fact that she clearly never expected him to give her any in the first place.

Why did she hold such low expectations of him as a husband?

But then, when was he ever husband to her?

"Louis, you shall take your leave now. Attend to your duties," Damian commanded, directing a sharp glare toward his friend.

Louis merely bowed, a faint trace of amusement still lingering on his face, and walked out of the office, closing the grand double doors securely behind him.

Eilika walked over to a small table near the window and carefully arranged the fresh lilies into an empty porcelain vase. "Whoever ends up marrying Louis will be quite fortunate," she remarked softly.

"And why is that?" Damian asked, his tone clipped as he sat at his desk.

"Because he clearly understands how to court and take care of a woman," Eilika answered simply. She then wandered over to the large bookshelf, admiring the rows of neatly arranged leather files.

"Even I know how to do that," Damian mumbled under his breath, though his voice was too low to reach her ears.

"The fire incident?" Eilika read aloud, tracing her finger along the faded gold lettering on the spine of one of the older files. "Is this the one that occurred five years ago?" She turned around to look at Damian, awaiting his response.

"Are you speaking of the tragedy in which the entire family of the merchant Sebastian was wiped out?" Damian asked, his attention shifting completely from his papers to her.

"Yes, exactly," Eilika answered, pulling the folder slightly from the shelf. "Did you conduct a private investigation into it? What conclusion did your men reach? I was always curious about the details. I have a suspicion that someone had them killed intentionally."

"It remains an unresolved case. That is precisely why the file lays there, apart from the closed archives," Damian replied.