Chapter 14
The party, which had stretched well past midnight, finally ended after the hostess, Harvina, delivered her closing remarks.
Inside the slowly moving car, Adeline reflected on the faces and names of the people she had met that day. These were individuals she would likely encounter often, so she wanted to commit their appearances to memory.
Next to her sat Michael, pressing his tired eyelids with his fingers.
His gaze briefly landed on her hands, neatly folded over her light purple skirt.
Adeline had endured nearly eight hours of curious stares from all sides.
Even in the presence of people who likely discussed her behind her back, her emerald-green eyes remained steady and composed.
It wasn’t an act—this poise seemed second nature to her, a trait developed over the years.
Even now, seated in the car, there wasn’t a hint of disarray about her. Lady Salt, the baron who had assisted with the wedding preparations, shared a similar opinion.
“If Adeline had been one of the debutantes I could help launch into society, I’d be thrilled,” Lady Salt remarked. “There’s no one quite like her in Arden’s social scene these days.
Don’t you agree, Michael?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied.
“A woman with natural beauty, excellent taste, and impeccable grace is a rare gem,” she insisted.
“Is that so?”
“Regardless of how your relationship began, you’re married now.
I genuinely wish you happiness, Michael. Take good care of her—she has no one else to lean on.
Think about how lovely it would be if you had a son who took after you and a daughter who inherited Adeline’s elegance. Don’t you agree?”
Despite Michael’s indifferent responses, Lady Salt continued her long-winded blessing.
For him, discussing happiness or children with Adeline, whose relationship with him might only last a year or two, felt absurd.
He neither agreed nor disagreed, simply offering a faint smile in return.
Lady Salt was right about one thing, though: Adeline maintained a flawless demeanor in public:
her polite smile and engaging conversations on various topics left little room for criticism.
However, when they were alone, Adeline only spoke when necessary.
Michael found it difficult to discern whether her reticence stemmed from caution or was simply her nature.
Breaking the prolonged silence in the car, Michael asked casually, “Are you always this quiet?”
Adeline turned her emerald eyes toward him, weighing his question before responding in a slightly cracked voice, “What do you mean by that?”
“I’m curious,” he replied.
“Curious about what?”
“Whether you’re naturally reserved or if you deliberately choose to say less around me.
I honestly can’t tell,” he said bluntly.
Adeline hesitated, startled by his frankness.
Michael Meitner was hard to pin down. If he had been outright cold or domineering, it might have been easier to interact with him because his reactions would be predictable.
But he wasn’t either of those things. He was both distant and gentle, seemingly emotionless yet occasionally candid.
After a moment of thought, Adeline answered, “I suppose I’ve become more cautious with my words since coming to Kassel.
It’s a foreign language to me, after all, and I’d rather avoid unnecessary mistakes.”
She spoke calmly, accepting her circumstances. Thinking about how she used to be only served to remind her of the confidence and ease she had lost.
But there was something she needed to address with Michael—something she had avoided bringing up since the topic of their marriage was first raised.
Recalling her last meeting with Colin, Adeline’s lips tightened. If she had received even a short reply to her letters, perhaps she wouldn’t feel so unsettled now.
This might be her last chance to speak with Michael before their marriage. She needed to seize it. Lowering her voice, Adeline said, “I have something to say.”
“Go ahead,” Michael replied, his tone light.
Adeline hesitated again, but Michael noticed that her reluctance was due to the presence of others in the car. He found her caution unnecessary but decided to indulge her.
“Mark, pull over somewhere quiet,” he instructed the driver.
“Understood, sir. Please hold on for a moment.”
Soon, the car came to a stop under a streetlamp.
The driver quickly stepped out, leaving them alone.
“You can speak freely now,” he said.
Adeline swallowed nervously. She knew her request might seem excessive, but this was a matter she couldn’t take lightly.
“This is about my nephew, Colin. Bringing him to Kassel won’t be easy, so I want to make sure we’re prepared,” she began.
She handed Michael a small piece of paper from her bag.
“This is the address of the hospital where Colin is currently staying,” she explained.
Michael accepted the paper silently. He had already looked into Colin’s situation but allowed her to continue.
“Right now, Colin’s hospital bills are being covered by Commander Brendan, who is also listed as his legal guardian.
Brendan won’t let Colin leave easily, especially given his political motivations.”
“I see,” Michael said.
“But as Colin’s only living relative, I have the legal right to intervene.
If you, as my husband, support my request, Brendan won’t be able to ignore it.
That’s where I want to start. I need your backing,” she said firmly.
Michael nodded slightly, signaling her to continue.
“Even if we manage to get Brendan to release Colin, there are other things to prepare. He’ll need medical professionals to accompany him during the journey to Kassel, and once he arrives, he must receive proper care at a trustworthy hospital.”
Michael tilted his head thoughtfully.
She wasn’t asking for help with a simple task.
This was about rescuing her nephew from a man who essentially held him hostage.
Brendan wasn’t likely to let Colin go without a fight.
“It’s more complicated than I expected,” Michael remarked, his voice calm.
Adeline held her breath, waiting for his reaction.
“Alright,” he said, at last, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “We’ll handle your nephew’s situation the way you want, Adeline.”
His agreement was surprisingly straightforward as if he hadn’t intentionally kept her waiting for an answer.
