Eilika stepped out of the bathroom and saw Roman was fast asleep on the bed on his stomach. She lowered the towel onto the chair and went to bed. Leaning close to the boy, she carefully made him sleep straight on the center of the bed. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Your Grace, I tried to–" Joanna couldn’t finish as Eilika hushed her down.

Tucking Roman inside the duvet, Eilika planted a soft kiss on the middle of his forehead. She caressed his hair for a few moments before getting down from the bed.

Gesturing to Joanna, they both walked out of the chamber, shutting its door.

"You should have rested too," Joanna said.

"I feel a strange ache in my back probably because I slept a lot," Eilika stated. "Also, from now onwards, Roman will sleep with me. He must have missed his mother so much," she murmured.

"The Duke never told his son about his mother," Joanna replied as she saw Eilika sit on the sofa of the drawing room. "But the Young Master always demanded for it from the Duke," she added.

"Hmm. That’s why he has married me," Eilika said. "How did the Duke’s first wife die? I heard it was excessive bleeding while conceiving Roman," she added.

"Yes, Your Grace. The Duke didn’t want Roman, but the late Duchess kept telling him that she needed this child. The medical complications were detected earlier in the pregnancy. The Duke wanted to choose the life of his wife over the baby in the womb. It was quite a chaotic time," Joanna said, feeling worried after recalling that time.

"Is this the reason Damon stayed away from Roman?" Eilika asked.

"Yes. He refused to see the boy because of whom his beloved died. That’s what we all know," Joanna affirmed. "Your Grace, it’s the time you should make efforts to win his heart too. I think Roman is that key."

"Joanna, Roman is a boy. Regardless of my relationship with Damian, I’m going to keep my focus on the boy rather than a man who wants to live in the memories of his beloved late wife. I don’t have any complaints about that," Eilika asserted.

Joanna was quick to sit across from Eilika on the chair. "Your Grace, don’t be naive. If others find out how you and Duke are living a separate life even after the marriage, they will question you more than him. And you have no idea how many proposals have come for him in these past four years. I heard a princess also had sent a proposal for him a few months ago. The Duke is only twenty four."

Eilika furrowed her brows together and contemplated for a moment before answering, "The Duke doesn’t want anyone in his life. I’ve told you earlier too his love for his late wife is too deep."

"I agree with you. But the former Duchess wasn’t as nice as the Duke thinks," Joanna stated.

"We shouldn’t speak ill about the dead," Eilika told her.

"Forgive me," Joanna said. "But there was a rumor that she was cheating on the Duke."

Eilika’s eyes widened slightly before she reprimanded her. "Joanna, don’t ever mention it to me. Rumors are rumors for a reason. Whoever spread such a rumor must have done grudge against her."

"Please forgive me," Joanna lowered her eyes, apologizing to her.

"I’ll rest in my chamber. You should take some rest too." Eilika stood up and walked inside to be with Roman.

~~~~~

Louis placed a file onto the mahogany desk. Damian, who had been deeply engrossed in a separate set of reports, lifted his head with a sharp gaze.

"You didn’t knock," Damian noted, a single eyebrow arching in a silent reprimand.

"I must have forgotten, Your Grace. Forgive me," Louis replied, his smile remaining perfectly calm and gentle.

"What is this?" Damian asked, his attention shifting to the file Louis had just presented.

"You need to go to Netham," Louis stated, sliding the document across the desk until it tapped against Damian’s hand.

Confused by the sudden urgency, Damian picked up the file. As he scanned the contents of the report, his eyes widened, the stoic mask he usually wore beginning to crack. "Is this really happening?" he asked.

"It is," Louis confirmed, nodding toward the papers. "And that is exactly why the Crown Prince is requesting your presence in Netham immediately."

"The Crown Prince sent this to you!?" Damian looked utterly bewildered, his eyes darting between the official seal and his friend. They had spoken just yesterday, and the Prince hadn’t breathed a word of this.

"Yes, it arrived just this afternoon," Louis replied smoothly, maintaining his composure. "And I strongly advise you to take the Duchess with you."

Damian’s frown deepened, a sharp line forming between his brows. "Why on earth would I take her to Netham? It’s a mission, not a vacation."

"Don’t you know?" Louis asked, leaning against the desk. "The particular... Talents of your wife? Ah, I forgot, you’ve made it a point to know absolutely nothing about her."

"I am not taking her anywhere," Damian snapped, closing the file with a heavy thud.

"Listen to me, Damian. The Duchess was responsible for the arrest of a nobleman last year who was involved in child trafficking. That is exactly how your mother first noticed her. She has a gift for connecting with children and extracting information that hardened guards never could," Louis explained. "If you go alone, you’ll find the criminals, but you may not find where they’ve hidden the children. She is the key to their rescue."

Damian leaned back in his chair, his expression turning cold. "You underestimate me, Louis. I don’t need a woman to help me do my job."

"That’s bad. Do you truly underestimate women now?" Louis mused, a teasing glint in his eyes that didn’t quite mask his seriousness.

"That is not what I mean," Damian countered, his voice hardening as he searched for a more solid defense. "I don’t want to take Eilika with me because Roman needs her here. This case is complex; it could take a month to resolve."

"Then take Roman as well," Louis stated simply, as if it were the most obvious solution in the world. "He is only four, but he deserves to see the world beyond this mansion’s walls. He shouldn’t be confined to a place where he doesn’t even friends."

Damian opened his mouth to argue, but Louis stepped closer, his voice dropping to a somber, more personal tone.

"Damian, do you really not want to live a life anymore? It’s been years. Don’t you realize that by staying frozen in the past, you aren’t just punishing yourself? You’re punishing Eilika, and worse, you’re punishing Roman."