Chapter 8
Cake, delicious cake (3)
He quickly excused himself before being killed by the Duke.
“Ah! Of course, it’s just my opinion… Ah! Should I ask the lady first? Haha.”
“Hmm.”
The Duke cupped her chin. His piercing gaze traveled to Bonita, and the way his eyes relaxed upon contact was remarkable.
“Bonita, what do you think?”
“… Yes?”
“Why don’t you give Dad a chance to share this wonderful gift with you?”
‘Oh my god.’
It was like watching a vicious killer say to his dog in a cute tone, “Did you do a great job?”
Of course… Of course…! I’ve heard stories that when the Duchess was alive, the Duke used to chase her around with his tail wagging like a dog. But it was even more shocking for Ed, who hadn’t seen it since he joined the ducal family five years ago.
Meanwhile, Bonita was gradually opening her heart to Luke’s consistent attitude.
In fact, the reason Bonita was reluctant to meet Luke was because of his appearance and his hostile reaction to Aria.
However, Bonita also had great curiosity about her changed environment and the newly appeared ‘father’. She’s just cautious to show it, as most repressed children are.
Bonita glanced at Luke with round eyes, then turned her head in Aria’s direction.
“Bonita?”
“Can I stay with my mother too?”
Luke froze for a moment at the title ‘mother’. But he didn’t want to lose any points by correcting her.
He had no choice but to agree.
“Of course. You can do whatever you want.”
“Then… Yes!”
With the kid’s permission finally granted, Luke breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his stomach.
*****
As soon as the Duke’s order was given, the subordinates became busy. Most of the servants and maids were delighted to hear that the Duke and the new Princess of the mansion were having tea time together.
“I guess the young lady is finally opening up to the Duke!”
“Your Excellency’s face has been a bit weird these days. He’s been so eager to be in the lady’s room.”
“That’s to be expected after seven years, but it’s very good.”
The maids were busy setting up tables and a huge awning in the garden while chatting. In any case, the precious young lady’s skin should not get sunburned.
However, when the Duke and the Princess came out into the garden, the maids who were chattering like sparrows looked at the group with strange faces.
The reason, of course, was the blonde beauty carrying Bonita in her arms.
They whispered.
“That woman is that Aria, right?”
“I’ve never seen her before.”
“I heard she used to work for Madam.”
“The young lady followed like her mother.”
Sure enough, Bonita was picked up by Aria like a baby kangaroo.
The young maids with little experience looked at each other.
“Still, isn’t that common in noble families? After all, the previous madam died six years ago.”
“No, the lady called her mother. Usually nannies are called nanny, but that’s not the case. I don’t know if it’s a remarriage.”
“Uhm. That’s definitely true….”
“Come to think of it, you said Miss Aria was from a noble family, didn’t you?”
“Have you ever heard of the last name Hilton?”
“Maybe she is from Baron. It’s the same family that died from a plague about seven years ago.”
“Oh, I heard that too when I was young.”
The three were silent for a moment.
Although they didn’t say anything, their imaginations were probably similar.
Of course, their thoughts and the atmosphere of the three people were completely different. To be exact, the Duke does not know the truth about Aria.
“Bonita, do you want me to feed you?”
“Ye-yes!”
“Now, ah-”
“Ah-”
Luke was looking at the mother and daughter, who were getting along well, with an uncomfortable expression. Aria’s side, to be exact.
He tapped his foot unconsciously. Although there was barely a sound, Bonita, who was astute, quickly sensed Luke’s anger and flinched.
Seeing her reaction, Aria glared at Luke, who felt the stares directed at him and looked puzzled.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I think there’s something you don’t like?”
“Of course-”
Luke, who was about to shoot back, soon saw a second gaze staring at him.
“-Ah, no. Miss Aria seems to have a lot of imagination.”
He quickly changed his words.
Aria, reading his mind, smirked. She had a mischievous smile.
Luke narrowed his eyes as a feeling of déjà vu approached him.
“You seem completely different. I never knew you had that kind of personality.”
“People change when something triggers them.”
Aria added with a meaningful expression.
“Or it could really be someone else.”
“Nonsense.”
“Your Excellency, have you never heard of such magic?”
“It doesn’t exist.”
He scolded me coldly. His expression was even more determined than before.
‘Tsk.’
Luke clicked his tongue inwardly.
How many priests had approached him this way since Elodie’s death, fake priests who claimed to know how to bring Elodie back to life.
There were countless people who told outrageous stories about that, saying that she was the reincarnation of the dead Elodie, and that she was the one who brought Elodie’s spirit into her. They are all scammers whose intentions are clearly visible.
He quietly put the tea in his mouth.
‘That can’t be possible.’
6 years ago.
After Elodie died, he tried his best to save her. He tried things that didn’t make sense.
However, the three attempts ended in complete failure.
Despite this, he did not want to give up, but perhaps because he acted so radically, he ended up being chased by the royal family. He’s lucky they didn’t recognize him as the culprit.
Of course, even after his tail was stepped on, he didn’t stop. He was gathering relevant information much more secretly and carefully than before.
It was still like that several years later.
No, he will not give up on Elodie even after decades.
If he had to, he would have to revolt.
“Um, Duke?”
“What’s going on?”
The sinister red eyes flashed.
Bonita took one look at Luke, one look at the cake he had just taken a bite of, and hesitantly asked:
“You don’t like it?”
“What…”
Luke’s eyes naturally turned to the cake plate in front of him. He realized his mistake and quickly dipped his fork into the cake.
The next moment, the entire piece of cake on the fork disappeared. Right into Luke’s mouth.
His cheeks bulged like a possum filled with messy cake decorations. Unable to speak, Luke pondered and gave his thumbs up.
“!”
She was startled by his actions, but soon burst into laughter at his inappropriately bulging cheeks and timid hand gestures.
Luke was so moved by the reaction that he almost dropped the fork he was holding.
‘She laughed.’
The Duke was surprised and impressed, though it didn’t show on the outside.
Bonita’s comfortable smile that I saw for the first time was, really…
‘… Looks similar.’
It felt like I was seeing Elodie from the past.
He closed his watery eyes.
Of course, I know.
Bonita is not Elodie.
Although she is her daughter, but children are not replacements or clones of their parents, nor should they be.
In fact, he had just finished a few days of reminding himself not to think of Bonita as Elodie’s replacement.
Bonita is not precious because she looks like Elodie. He would have loved her just as much if she were a boy who looked just like him.
She is the child left behind by his beloved wife.
Bonita was precious to him for who she was.
He didn’t want to expect or put that pressure on his child to look like Elodie.
At that time, Aria passed the fork to Luke.
“What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?”
Aria shrugged her shoulders.
“Every time I feed her something, you look at her with such passionate eyes. I wondered if the Duke would like to try it too.”
“That.”
He was speechless.
It wasn’t because it was absurd, it was because it hit the nail on the head. It was true that he was honestly jealous.
Aria gently grabbed Bonita’s shoulder as she sat next to her.
“Bonita, it looks like the Duke would like to feed Bonita some of the cake. What do you think?”
“Yes? Uh, for me, that’s..”
Bonita looked back and forth between the Duke and Aria like a puppy, her fingers twitching.
“Umm…”
Her small brow wrinkled in thought. Luke waited for his daughter’s answer, feeling like a prisoner awaiting the king’s verdict. It was the fifth tense moment of his life.
Of course, the first through fourth had been all about Elodie. Of course.
And then the little judge’s verdict came. Bonita nodded with a determined expression.
Luke’s face lit up.
*****
The three of them were having a nice afternoon together.
“What? Luke, does she have a daughter?”
The old woman of Lysianthus, who was enjoying a vacation in a secluded mansion, asked sharply.
In a bright, angry tone, the maid who delivered the news quickly explained.
“Yes, madam. It is said that a maid who served the former Duchess brought a girl who looked exactly like the Duchess.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? The baby was stillborn in her womb! It’s not like Luke is the kind of man to take a child from any woman but Elodie!”
“That’s true, but…”
“It can’t be.”
The old woman huffed with an angry look on her face.
“How dare you pull a scam on Lysianthus!! I’m going to go get that fake daughter of yours and kick that foolish Luke’s ass right now!”
