After following the cold-hearted Reily for several days, Theo began to take care of her.
The reason he was worried was because he heard that she couldn’t eat properly and couldn’t sleep.
It was Theo who was in trouble if she said she didn’t want to be here and left.
Theo’s daily presence prevented her from sending letters to her sister, even though she had a maid to do so. With each passing day, her blood ran dry. She couldn’t wait to find out how she was doing.
“Madam, why don’t you eat some of this?”
“I’ll take care of it, so please leave.”
No matter how much delicious food was offered, Riley didn’t give him a second glance.
Eventually, Theo realised that there was only one way to get her to move, but he was helpless because no matter how many letters he sent, she never responded.
Ignored once again by Riley, he returned to his office and sighed.
“I guess I’ll have to go and see her.
He had a lot of work to do, and he couldn’t do it right now. Theo checked his schedule and decided to go to Riley’s sister, Leta, in person.
Theo had been working in the office, but he’d been chasing after Riley whenever he had time, so naturally, Anna had been neglected.
Ding.
There was a knock on the door and it creaked open. A sullen-looking Anna didn’t enter, but leaned against the doorframe and looked at Theo.
“I thought you were busy, so I came to see for myself. Oh, I’m sorry-“
It was clear from her behavior that she was quite upset. he hadn’t come to see her, so Theo looked away and returned to his papers. He felt himself getting tired, and his body stiffened.
Theo smiled and looked at Anna with a gentle gaze.
“I’m sorry, I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. For the time being, I’ll be…….”
He stiffened his expression into an uncharacteristically apologetic one as if trying to make her feel better. Seeing this, Anna came over to him with her hands behind her back.
“I’ve brought something I think the Duke would like to see, and you won’t even look at me?”
Anna waved the letter in her hand and smiled. The colour and pattern of the letter in her hand made Theo jump out of his seat.
“Give it to me.”
Theo’s hand reached out for the letter. Anna quickly hid the hand holding the letter behind her body, her sudden action causing Theo’s brow to quirk slightly.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“That’s what I’m asking. Do you realize you’ve been so hard on me lately, and all you can see now is the letter?”
“I’m sure it’s from me.”
Theo’s words made Anna shake her head. It wasn’t his. Gently, she put her hand around Theo’s neck and leaned in close.
“I wrote you a personal letter to make you feel better.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. I saw that you were having a hard time, and I didn’t feel good about it……. I saw that you were busy too, so I took the opportunity.”
“Anna, you really…….”
Theo could feel the love in Anna’s eyes as she stared at him in her arms. Not only had she solved his problem, but she was being so sweet to him, and it made his throbbing headache go away.
As long as she wasn’t greedy, she was fine. As a mistress, of course.
“Now that I solved your problem, you are coming with me today?”
“First of all, the letter….”
“You can send the letter through the maid. You’re not going to leave me alone and go to your wife, are you?”
Anna sobbed and instantly moistened the corners of her eyes. Tears were formed in my eyes that seemed to fall at any moment.
“Oh dear, this is going to be quite troublesome.
Theo wrapped his arms around Anna’s waist and patted her back.
“Just give me a minute. I have to tell her this, and only then will she feel better.”
“Then I’ll be gone in a minute, just a minute.”
“Anna, this isn’t something you can force…….”
Theo couldn’t finish his sentence. He was interrupted by Anna, who pressed her lips to him and held him close, pressing against his body as if she really wasn’t going to let go.
“Are you really going to let me go like this?”
Pushing away slightly, Theo looked at Anna clinging to him, The red cheeks and eyes, along with the slightly open lips, were somehow stimulating my mind.
Unable to resist Anna’s seduction, Theo summoned a maid and handed her a letter.
“Tell your lady that I give her the letter she has been waiting for.”
“I understand.”
“Tell her I was busy and could not deliver it myself.”
The maid nodded at Theo’s words. She could see Anna’s figure through the open doorway. She looked quite relaxed as she smiled up at him.
poor madam.
Since Anna’s arrival at the duke’s house, the lady’s fortunes had turned overnight. Even with the Duke’s child in her belly, she was a worthless wife.
‘Well, what can we do,’ said the maid.
The maid turned to Anna a stare. Anna shook her head slightly, but as Theo turned away, her expression quickly changed and she smiled brightly.
She headed straight for the garden. She went to visit Riley, who had gone outside to get some fresh air because she was feeling stuffy in her room.
Once inside, she found him leaning back in his chair.
“The Duke asked me to deliver this to you.”
The maid handed the letter to Riley, whose eyes were closed. The shadows in front of her opened her eyes and she saw the envelope in the maid’s hand.
“A letter from ……?”
“Oh, he said he had a lot going on and couldn’t deliver it in person.”
“I see you don’t know anything. Poor thing, but I have to survive, so I can’t help it.’
She felt sorry for Riley. But she didn’t say anything. She was Theo’s hired servant.
Unfortunately, she had no authority in the Duke’s house.
“Okay, you can go now.”
Riley said, her eyes were still on the letter.
“I’ll be off then.”
She gave Riley a curt bow and left the room.
It wasn’t until the maid was gone that Riley straightened up and sat down. This was the reply she’d been waiting for.
The maid turned and glanced back at Riley as she walked away, and when she saw that she was checking her letter, she stepped inside the manor.
Riley stared at the letter for a long time, unable to open it. Then she made up her mind and began to tear it open with trembling hands.
“Please don’t let anything happen.”
She took a deep breath and swallowed dryly before opening the envelope and unfolding the paper, her tightly closed eyes fluttering open.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and read the letter.
[Dear Sister Li.
Sister, I’m sorry I didn’t send you an invitation, but I got married in a hurry, and I was forced to leave home like I was running away from home because of my marriage and my father…….
The Earl of Herriond has been very good to me. I hear you worry a lot, but I’m doing well here, so don’t worry too much about me, and take care of yourself, sister].
She sounded rather stiff. However, She didn’t have any doubts about the word “li” because it was a nickname his younger sister used to call her.
Moreover, if he’d taken my warning to heart, he would have written directly to Leta this time.
‘Thank goodness, really…….’
After checking on Leta’s situation, Riley held the letter in her hands and burst into tears. They were tears of relief. she had always felt guilty for her sister, for running away on her own.
If she had stayed at Duke Trailla’s until the end, she might have been as happy as Leta. she could have met the love of her life, started a family, had children, and lived happily ever after.
It was useless to think about it now, but she couldn’t stop thinking about how different things would have been if Leta had stayed with her until she was an adult.
Both herself and her sister.
Maybe they would have been happy, or maybe they would have been even more unhappy. Regardless, Riley regretted the past.
Wouldn’t they have been better off together than alone? Wouldn’t they have been more supportive of each other through the pain?
“……leta, are you sure you’re okay?”
The tears kept rolling down her cheeks. An unknown anxiety kept shaking her and crushing her. There was no point in wiping away the tears as they kept coming.
“You have to be strong, so you can survive this.”
Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, Riley read and reread the letter, thinking of her sister, missing her. There was no place or time left for hesitation.
“I’ll take care of you. Leta, I hope you and your husband are doing well too…….’
It might be the last letter. The “take care” at the end seems like a way of telling her not to worry about herself anymore.
Maybe I’ll be able to see Leta when I’m well enough? Yes, I’ll be able to see her.
Riley felt hopeful, and wanted to believe that the day would come when they would see each other again, smiling and happy.
Looking at the blue envelope and the seal of Count Heriond stamped on the opening, she folded the letter and slipped it into the envelope, careful not to tear it.
“What is this?”
Riley’s eyes widened as she sealed the letter.
The beeswax that had been stuck to one side of the envelope was slightly distorted.
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