The sudden knock startled me, and I stifled a silent scream, clutching my pounding heart.
Almost gave me a heart attack!
“I-Ian?”
“Yes.”
A composed and calm voice answered from behind the door as I stammered.
“May I come in?”
“J-just a moment!”
In a rush, I shoved the divorce papers into a drawer and hastily tidied my disheveled hair.
“Ahem, come in.”
As soon as I gave my permission, Ian opened the door and stepped inside as if he’d been waiting for it.
“Are you busy?”
“No? Not at all!”
I waved my hands emphatically, only for Ian to tilt his head slightly as he stared at me.
“…Is that so.”
Did I just sound super suspicious, like I was hiding something?
Feeling guilty, I could almost feel the sweat forming on my brow. But fortunately, Ian didn’t press further and nodded with his usual calm expression.
“If you have time, I thought we might take a walk in the garden.”
“A walk? Sure! Let me tidy up first; it’s a bit messy here…”
“I’ll help.”
Ian started moving toward my desk, ready to assist, and I panicked.
“N-no! It’s fine!”
Don’t come over here!
Desperately, I shoved the divorce papers and books I hadn’t yet hidden under the desk, shaking my head.
“On second thought, I don’t have much to clean up.”
“…Eloise?”
“Never mind, let’s go.”
Before Ian could say another word, I hastily pushed in my chair and strode across the office, linking arms with him.
He looked at me curiously, his gaze lingering on my flushed cheeks, but I brushed it off and dragged him out of the office.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Your Grace, you need to sign this docu—what is this?”
That evening, Kyle froze mid-step as he entered Ian’s office with his usual light gait.
Ian’s office had always been dark and subdued, but today, the atmosphere was twice as heavy, filling the room with an oppressive tension.
Naturally, the source of it was none other than Ian, who sat at the desk with a deeply serious expression.
Kyle raised an eyebrow, then shook his head quietly.
Here we go again.
Lately, Kyle had become quite skilled at reading his master’s mood, and judging by the weighty expression, it undoubtedly had something to do with the duchess.
“So, what’s the issue this time? Another lover’s quar—” Kyle caught himself, clamping his mouth shut.
The threatening “advice” Eloise had given him recently resurfaced in his mind.
With a cough, Kyle cleared his throat and silently placed the documents on the desk.
“What’s troubling you so much that you look so grim, Your Grace?”
At last, Ian, who hadn’t spared Kyle a glance, lifted his head.
“Kyle, don’t you think something’s off?”
It was typical of him to omit the subject, but Kyle had grown adept at deciphering his master’s cryptic remarks.
“Well, let’s see… I have been running into Her Grace quite often lately, but I haven’t noticed anything strange. Though, now that I think about it, she has been spending more time in the office and library recently. She seems to be looking for something, though I haven’t delved into it. And outside of that, she spends most of her time with you, doesn’t she?”
As Kyle rattled off his observations, Ian narrowed his eyes.
Unlike Kyle’s nonchalant attitude, Ian had been sensing a subtle dissonance in Eloise’s behavior recently.
He’d felt they had grown closer after her birthday celebration, but at some point, Eloise had seemed to be deliberately maintaining a certain distance.
Like earlier in her office…
It was as if she had been hiding something.
Ian rubbed his chin as he recalled the events of the day.
And during their afternoon walk, she had stuck close to him yet kept sneaking glances at him, as if gauging his reaction.
Ever since becoming fully aware of his feelings, Ian’s thoughts revolved entirely around Eloise, making him acutely sensitive to any changes in her demeanor.
“……”
Kyle, noticing Ian’s deepening frown, rolled his eyes.
Now that he thought about it, there were a few peculiar things about Her Grace.
Her random comments to Vivi in the greenhouse, asking Kyle about Diana, and the mysterious letter she received before meeting Roger Duke at the Olson estate—all things she’d instructed him to keep secret from Ian.
A few theories flitted through Kyle’s mind, but so did the instinctive warning that meddling could very well cost him dearly.
Best to stay out of it.
He recalled the old adage: never get involved in a lover’s spat.
It didn’t take long for Kyle to settle on his crafty conclusion.
“Well, it doesn’t seem like a lovers’ quarrel. Whatever it is, why don’t you ask Her Grace directly?”
With a casual toss, Kyle placed the documents on the desk, his demeanor calm and nonchalant.
“Well, whatever the issue is, it’s still an issue. But this needs to be handled by tomorrow. There’s less than a month left until the succession renouncement announcement. Once the news
breaks at the banquet, things are going to get hectic for a while, so we need to wrap up the big tasks beforehand.”
“…….”
“You heard me, right, Your Grace?”
Even as he repeated himself, no answer came. Instead, Ian’s face remained locked in deep contemplation, his expression growing graver by the second.
Kyle’s gaze flicked between the documents lying on the desk and Ian’s conflicted expression. He rolled his eyes again.
Is it really okay to just ignore this?
His last shred of conscience prodded uncomfortably at his chest.
In the end, Kyle, unable to resist his well-meaning instincts, scratched his cheek. His meddlesome tendencies were bound to stick with him until the day he died.
“…By the way, wasn’t Lady Lawrence supposed to attend the banquet as well?”
“What about it?”
Ian’s response was not only indifferent but cold.
At that moment, Kyle silently thanked his luck that Ian didn’t know he had been the one to author the article in The Aria about Diana Lawrence’s return.
He’d kill me if he found out.
“Well, it’s just… Her Grace seemed to be quite curious about it.”
“Why would she be?”
“…Who knows? It might just be bothering her.”
Ian frowned, his expression puzzled.
“Why would that bother her? I told her clearly it wasn’t worth her concern.”
“…Surely you’re not unaware of how things stood between you and Lady Lawrence before your marriage?”
Even if it had been a one-sided affection on Lady Lawrence’s part, Kyle doubted Her Grace wouldn’t know about it.
“And besides, it’s only recently that the two of you have grown closer. Of course, Her Grace might feel a little unsettled. Isn’t it common to feel anxious when you care about someone?”
Kyle shrugged casually.
“She’s the type to always keep things to herself, so it would be faster if you addressed it first, Your Grace. Didn’t I tell you? You’re the only one who stands to lose if you get divorced.”
“Kyle…”
“Apologies! I take that back.”
Kyle quickly bowed his head, and Ian’s dangerous expression softened.
Ian slowly opened and closed his eyes before letting out a deep sigh and waving a hand dismissively.
“Fine. Just leave.”
“Yes, sir. But don’t forget to sign those documents.”
Recognizing that lingering any longer would only bring trouble, Kyle swiftly exited the office.
As Ian stared at the space where Kyle had been standing, he rose from his seat less than ten minutes later.
He’s not entirely wrong.
Eloise had always been the type to silently endure and overthink. Perhaps it was time to clear things up once and for all.
Crossing the corridor, Ian stopped in front of Eloise’s office and knocked lightly.
“Eloise.”
No response.
“Eloise?”
He knocked again, but the silence on the other side of the door was deafening.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Ian quietly opened the door and stepped inside.
As expected, there she was, slumped over her desk, fast asleep.
Her back rose and fell steadily, and the soft sound of her breathing filled the room.
Ian couldn’t help but smile.
Walking over on silent footsteps, he sat on the edge of her desk, gently brushing back the strands of hair that had fallen across her cheek.
“Why are you sleeping here instead of in your room…?”
Time seemed to pass as he watched her, his expression softening with affection.
But then, something caught his eye.
Under her arm, partially hidden, was a sheet of paper.
Ian’s smile disappeared in an instant.
It was divorce papers.
• • •
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