Eilika had wandered some distance away from the cottage before she realized how far she had come. The path eventually led her to a quiet pond nestled among tall trees. The place was peaceful, almost untouched, with only the faint rustling of leaves and the soft chirping of birds filling the silence.

She stood near the edge of the pond, staring blankly at the still water.

After a moment, she bent down and picked up a small pebble from the ground. Without much thought, she tossed it into the pond. Her reflection in the water blurred and wavered.

Eilika watched the ripples carefully, as if her mind had followed them into the water.

She picked up another pebble and tossed it again.

For most of her life, she had never been someone who depended on others. She had learned early that expectations often led to disappointment. Because of that, she had always kept a quiet distance from people, choosing to rely on her own strength instead.

Yet now she found herself doing the very thing she had always avoided. She was hoping for someone to be her shield, too, and it was Damian. That realization made her chest tighten.

’He doesn’t want me,’ she reminded herself again.

When she had entered this marriage, she had made a firm promise to herself: she would remain in the household of Varos only for Roman. She would be his mother, care for him, guide him, and expect nothing more from the man she had married.

But somewhere along the way, that resolve had begun to weaken. Eilika sighed quietly and looked down at the water again. Her reflection stared back at her, distorted slightly by the faint movement of the pond.

"Is it selfish of me to desire the love of a husband?" she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her fingers absently picked up another pebble and rolled it between them.

"Did I aim too high?" she added softly.

"No, it is not selfish."

The unexpected voice behind her made Eilika turn around immediately.

"Maurice?" she said in surprise.

Maurice approached with his usual calm composure. When he reached her, he stopped about a foot away and bowed his head respectfully.

"Your Grace," he greeted. Straightening again, he looked at her with quiet seriousness.

"As the Duchess of Varos, you have every right to expect affection and devotion from your husband," he said carefully. "It is not unreasonable for a wife to hope for love. You are not wrong for wishing for such a thing."

Eilika lowered her eyes slightly, a faint sadness passing through her expression.

"The Duke does not want this relationship," she replied after a moment. "He reminds me of that whenever the matter arises."

She turned her gaze back toward the pond. "He explains again and again why he cannot open the doors of his heart to me. I was aware of this from the beginning... I truly was."

Her fingers tightened slightly around the pebble she was holding.

"But when he began showing small kindness toward me," she continued, "I foolishly believed there might be a chance for us."

She tossed the pebble into the pond, watching the ripples spread across the water once more. "I suppose I allowed myself to hope for too much," she admitted, looking down at the ground. "Perhaps... I simply aimed too high."

Maurice remained quiet for a moment before speaking again. His gaze drifted briefly toward the pond, as if he were choosing his words carefully.

"The Duke is deeply wounded," he said at last.

Eilika slowly turned her head to look at him, studying his expression.

"Yes," she replied after a pause. "He is unable to move on from the past. But at the very least... he should have tried for his son."

Maurice let out a soft breath. "Your Grace," he said gently, "the Duke is hurt in ways that are difficult to explain."

His voice carried a seriousness that made Eilika listen more carefully.

"You witnessed a glimpse of it last night," he continued. "But what you saw was only a small part of it. The Duke has not been the same since the loss of his first wife. His mind is often restless... and his nights are rarely peaceful."

Eilika frowned slightly.

"He has difficulty sleeping," Maurice explained. "Many nights he remains awake until dawn. His thoughts rarely allow him the comfort of rest."

Maurice’s eyes darkened slightly with concern.

"I should also tell you something else," he added. "There was a time when he sought refuge in alcohol."

Eilika looked at him with surprise.

"He drank far more than he should have," Maurice continued. "It was his way of dulling the pain he refused to speak about." He paused briefly before adding, "Fortunately, he managed to leave that habit behind. If he had not... You would have witnessed a far more troubling side of him."

Maurice then looked directly at Eilika.

"Your Grace," he said carefully, "what I am about to say may sound selfish coming from me. But I hope you will try to understand why the Duke became the man he is today," Maurice affirmed. "You may find that he hurts you along the way. The Duke has grown accustomed to pushing people away before they come too close."

Eilika’s heart sank as she kept hearing those details.

"But despite all of that... There is a part of him that wishes to forget. Deep down," Maurice said, "the Duke does want to move beyond the memories of his late wife. He simply does not know how."

Eilika did not blink as she absorbed what he had just told her. Slowly, she drew in a quiet breath.

"Do you truly believe I can do that?" she finally asked. "Last night, he hurt me deeply. Onemomentn, the shows kindness, as though he cares," she continued, her tone growing softer. "And the very next moment, he reminds me that marrying me was merely a favor he granted. It is difficult to understand a man who behaves that way," she admitted.

Maurice listened patiently without interrupting her. When she finished speaking, he nodded slowly, as if acknowledging the weight of her words.

"The Duke has already begun thinking about you, Your Grace," he said.

Eilika looked at him with surprise.

Maurice continued calmly, "The mayor of Netham has been replaced. The order for his removal was issued late last night."

Her brows drew together in confusion.

"He prepared the document himself," Maurice explained. "Just before he was meant to retire for the night."

Eilika’s expression shifted slightly as she processed the revelation.

"The Duke may not always express his concern in ways that are easy to understand," Maurice said gently. "But he does not ignore what affects you. The mayor’s daughter insulted you, so the Duke decided to punish her in such a manner."

Eilika was shocked to learn that. When he said he would remove the mayor to that woman, who was showing off her power, he meant it.

"Mama!!!" Roman’s voice echoed in the air, making her look in the direction from where he came running with the five boys. However, her breath hitched the moment she saw Damian following the kids closely.