If I hadn’t attended the banquet at the imperial palace that day, would Eddie still be alive?
I couldn’t come to terms with Eddie’s premature death.
Of course, Eddie, who was six years old, wasn’t in perfect health.
From birth, he had been frail and prone to illnesses.
But he wasn’t so weak that he could suddenly die without warning.
Now, I began to think something was strange. A creeping suspicion settled in—had someone orchestrated my child’s death?
Of course, this suspicion could simply be the result of a grieving parent refusing to accept reality.
And yet, I wish that were the case.
If my child had been murdered, I could place the blame on the killer.
I could direct my hatred toward an evildoer for causing his death.
But tragically, there were no signs of poisoning or foul play in Eddie’s death.
‘But what if they killed him using a discreet method?’
I recalled hearing something at the banquet the day before.
There was talk of a sorcerer who could kill without leaving a trace.
This sorcerer, they said, used “curses” to kill people without laying a hand on them.
But who would have done such a thing, and why would they target my child? Especially in the highly secure estate of a duke…
Even though my relationship with Henderson had soured, I was still the duchess.
And my precious Eddie was the young lord of the house.
Eddie was warm and sociable, loved by everyone. Not a single servant had ill feelings toward him.
If anything, the servants pitied me, the duchess, who had lost her husband’s affection, and subtly disregarded me.
‘I can’t just leave it like this. I have to talk to Henderson and tell him that Eddie’s death doesn’t feel right.’
Of course, given his attitude at the funeral, I knew better than to expect much from him.
I got out of bed, draped a shawl over my shoulders, and dragged my weary body to his room, which wasn’t far from mine.
“Henderson, it’s me. May I come in?”
Even after knocking a few times, there was no response.
‘Is he asleep?’
Just as I was about to turn back, I heard footsteps approaching from the far end of the hallway.
Thinking it might be Henderson, I was about to call out to him.
But he wasn’t alone.
Beside him was a woman I hadn’t expected to see.
She was Helena, a striking beauty with long red hair and crimson eyes, a woman of sensual allure.
Helena was also Eddie’s tutor.
As I stood there in shock, they entered Henderson’s room, unaware of my presence.
I froze in place, breathing shallowly.
What could they be discussing?
Especially at this late hour—on the very day of Eddie’s funeral.
Suddenly, a flood of memories rushed back to me—things I had once dismissed as unimportant.
“Riley. Would it be alright if I entrusted Eddie’s education to someone I know?”
It was Henderson who had brought Helena, the daughter of a count, into our home.
“Madam, I’m not sure if I should say this, but I saw Lady Helena and the master together in the garden. I thought you should know…”
Several people had seen Henderson, who rarely got close to others, especially women, having a secret meeting with Helena.
Despite everything, I never doubted the relationship between Helena and Henderson.
Helena was clearly an intelligent and beautiful woman, someone who seemed perfect for the role of tutor. As a well-bred lady from a count’s family, I couldn’t imagine her forming a romantic bond with Henderson, who had a child.
I simply assumed that the two of them met occasionally for Eddie’s sake—at least until his death.
But now, I couldn’t help but question their relationship.
That doubt quickly turned into suspicion.
‘Could Henderson have fallen in love with her?’
Is that why he asked to sleep in separate rooms? Is that why they were meeting secretly in the dead of night?
The realization left me breathless, suffocated by a conclusion I didn’t want to accept.
The familiar pain in my chest, which had been absent for some time, returned and tightened around me.
I slowly walked towards Henderson’s room, my hand trembling as I placed it on the doorknob.
Just a little more pressure, and the door would open.
But I couldn’t turn it.
I didn’t have the courage to face them.
Instead, I pressed my ear against the door and started eavesdropping on their conversation.
Soon, their conversation became clear.
“…The day we’ve been waiting for is almost here.”
It was Helena’s seductive voice.
She continued, “We’re so close to the goal, but then Eddie’s died… Aren’t you going to tell the duchess the truth?”
“No, I won’t. I can’t. Not after coming this far.”
Henderson’s voice carried a hint of irritation.
It was clear they had a “truth” that I wasn’t aware of.
“Keeping the duke’s position is really difficult. You’re looking more and more worn out. Is it frustrating not being able to tell the duchess the truth?”
“I can’t help it. How can I tell Riley? She would feel betrayed.”
“Henderson, if it’s too hard, you can lean on me. We’ve promised each other a future.”
After that, I couldn’t hear Henderson’s voice anymore.
Perhaps he was seeking comfort from Helena, exhausted in body and mind.
I finally pulled myself away from the door, recalling what I had just overheard.
The betrayal I would feel upon learning the truth.
The future that Helena and Henderson had promised each other, which I knew nothing about.
Henderson’s refusal to share a bed with me for the past year.
Even without stepping inside to see for myself, I understood their relationship from their conversation.
‘They’ve fallen in love with each other.’
I sank down helplessly, heat rising to my eyes.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
There was much speculation about the marriage between Riley Vale Lopez and Henderson Graham.
Many found it hard to believe that the youngest princess of the Lopez Empire would marry into the seemingly insignificant Graham dukedom.
Riley, with her lovely pink hair and clear green eyes, was inundated with proposals.
Marrying her would not only provide a strong connection to the imperial family but also bring a gentle and beautiful woman into one’s life.
Yet she ruthlessly rejected countless offers, leading to rumors that she had someone she cared for.
No matter how handsome, wealthy, or admirable a man might be, Riley had never shown interest.
Yet the man she chose was surprisingly Henderson, who had just become a duke after years of living abroad.
Moreover, Henderson was the illegitimate child of the duke, which meant he wasn’t in a position to inherit the title, so he had been living in another country.
To put it bluntly, he had been exiled.
However, when the rightful heir and the previous duke died unexpectedly of an epidemic, he suddenly became the duke.
As a newly appointed duke, he had nothing. His status as a bastard led the duke’s retainers to disregard him, and other nobles refused to acknowledge him.
Yet it was Riley who took his hand and supported him, becoming his solid backing.
Riley Vale Lopez.
That was my name, too.
I stopped reminiscing and looked at the person who had spoken to me.
“Lady Riley, you don’t look well. I’m afraid I shouldn’t have come to see you,” Helena said, concern etched on her face.
She was the one who had shattered me the night before.
“The Emperor can be so indifferent. To send the duke away at a time like this…”
Her words, meant to comfort, felt hollow, making my stomach churn.
I bit the inside of my lip.
As Helena said, Henderson had boarded a ship bound for a foreign country early that morning. He wouldn’t return for a week.
‘If I had known he was leaving so early today… I would have at least tried to talk to him.’
The shocking events of last night had kept me tossing and turning until I finally fell asleep at dawn.
I didn’t think Henderson’s early departure was cruel, as it was the emperor—my father—who had ordered it, clearly not favoring him.
