In the servants’ break room of the Tordell Duke’s mansion—
“What’s the point of scrubbing and polishing like this? It’s not like anyone’s even around to see it.”
One of the maids grumbled as she dropped the rag she was holding onto the floor.
The strict head maid had ordered them to clean thoroughly, leaving not even a speck of dust behind, but most of the servants had grown weary. No matter how hard they worked, there was no recognition, making the labor feel utterly pointless.
“Sigh, maybe it’s because the house is empty, but lately it feels like I’m working in a haunted mansion. Gives me the creeps.”
It had already been quite a while since the Tordell estate was left deserted by its master.
Though the servants were still being paid on time, the atmosphere in a home without its owner felt unsettling.
“When is the master coming back?”
“No idea. I heard he’s in Central every day now.”
“Then why doesn’t he come by the mansion? Where’s he sleeping?”
“Beats me. You might as well check the papers—maybe the tabloids are covering it.”
The young, handsome, and wealthy Duke Tordell was popular and frequently featured in the news.
Stories covered how successful his business was, how enviable his marriage seemed, how many women were falling for him in hopeless infatuation.
Reading those trivial stories had become a small source of entertainment for the mansion’s staff.
But even that fun had recently become scarce.
“There’s nothing. Lately, none of the papers are publishing stories about the Duke.”
“Really? Why’s that, I wonder?”
“Maybe it’s because of that mess after they printed an article about the Madam? You know, that day when the Master…”
“Shh!”
The break room fell silent.
These days, anything related to the Madam was considered taboo in the Tordell mansion—ever since they had witnessed the Duke’s explosive rage.
But the silence didn’t last long.
“But do you really think the Madam will come back?”
Among the group of servants glancing nervously at one another, one particularly bold attendant continued speaking.
“I mean, come on! She left like that and hasn’t returned since. What if she never comes back?”
“Maybe it’s not that she won’t come back—but that she can’t.”
That quiet comment made the servants flinch.
It was too intriguing a topic for these gossip-loving staff to stay silent for long.
Besides, with the Duke, having not been seen for quite a while, the reason they’d all been so tight-lipped—, the fear they once felt had considerably faded.
One by one, the servants began chiming in.
“Honestly, even if just one of the rumors going around is true, there’s no way she could ever come back.”
There were all kinds of rumors surrounding the sudden disappearance of the Duchess of Tordell.
The tabloids had blown the story up. Strangely, all issues of the paper printed that day were recalled and destroyed by midday—but the copies already sold had made their rounds, spreading the gossip far and wide.
Because of that, everyone in the break room already knew the swirling speculations about the Duchess.
“Do you think the one about her running off in the middle of the night with her lover is true? A romantic elopement—that’s kind of dreamy!”
“Dreamy? You call that dreamy? She abandoned her family! That’s shameless!”
“Still, that would be better than the other story—that she got pregnant by her secret lover and ran off to hide it—”
BANG!
The murmuring stopped instantly as Jenna slammed her hand down on the table and stood up abruptly.
“I can’t listen to this any longer.”
Her voice was icy as she looked around the room.
“You all seriously think this kind of talk is okay?”
The once-talkative servants all avoided her gaze as soon as they made eye contact.
They knew very well that Jenna had been the Duchess’s personal maid and had long enjoyed her trust and confidence.
If, by any chance, the Duchess did return and Jenna dropped even a hint of what had been said here, everyone in the room would be in serious trouble.
Only then did fear return to the break room, and the servants fell silent.
But Jenna’s anger did not subside.
“I can’t stay here a moment longer. The stench is so bad I can’t even breathe!”
Jenna stormed out of the break room, trembling with fury. The door slammed shut behind her with a loud bang, but she didn’t look back.
“I can’t stay here any longer. I have to leave!”
Muttering to herself, Jenna headed for her room.
Unlike the other servants, Jenna’s room was not located in the servants’ quarters but in a small space near the Duchess’s bedroom. She had been given a neat single room so she could easily attend to her mistress as her personal maid—but Jenna knew the real reason was because Lyla had wanted her to be comfortable.
With rough hands, Jenna began to pack. As she stuffed clothes and belongings into her suitcase, it quickly filled to the brim—it was nearly the size of her own body.
Now, only one thing remained in the room.
Click.
Jenna opened a small box where she kept the things she treasured most.
Inside were candies, a small hairpin, earrings—all gifts from the Madam.
As she looked over each item one by one, her eyes welled with tears. They were far too precious for someone like her to own.
What made them even more meaningful was that each one held the heart of her mistress, who had given them with genuine affection.
But among them, the most precious item of all was tucked carefully at the bottom—a letter.
Jenna gently pulled out the fine paper.
To Jenna,
By the time you read this, I will already be gone. I’m sorry for leaving without a word.
There are so many things I’m grateful to you for. From the very first day we met, you’ve been such a great support to me.
(omitted)
I hope that one day, we’ll meet again. If you welcome me then, nothing would make me happier.
From afar, I’ll always be wishing you happiness.
Your friend.
[T/N : Omitted here and in the novel because it wasn’t important to the plot]
Though she had read it so many times that the edges were worn, even knew every word by heart, Jenna’s eyes still filled with tears as she read it again.
“Madam…!”
She sniffled and wiped her tears with a handkerchief—another gift from Lyla, delicately embroidered by her own hand. The soft, warm fabric felt just like her mistress’s gentle touch.
As she lowered the handkerchief, Jenna’s face appeared, now set with a solemn, resolute expression.
Today would truly be the last day, she thought. The last day she would remain in this vast, lonely mansion without her Madam.
Stepping out of her room, Jenna rushed straight to the butler’s office.
Knock knock!
“Sir?”
She knocked and waited a long while, but no one answered from inside.
“Where could he be?”
She gently touched the paper tucked inside her coat, deep in thought. If he wasn’t in the office at this time of day…
“Could he be there?”
Jenna headed for the wine cellar. As she opened the heavy door, a wave of cool air swept over her.
“Sir!”
At her call, a noise came from within.
At Jenna’s call, a sound came from deeper inside.
Moments later, the butler, Dalton, emerged. His eyebrows twitched slightly when he saw her.
“What’s the matter?”
“I… I can’t do this anymore,” Jenna said, almost spitting out the words.
Dalton frowned.
“…Explain it to me slowly. What happened?”
“No, there’s nothing to explain. I’m quitting.”
Dalton, who had aged and looked more worn out in recent months, let out a deep sigh.
“Quitting? If you leave, who will attend to the Madam in the future?”
“The Madam isn’t here anymore,” Jenna replied in a quiet, lonely voice.
“I’ve waited long enough. I think it’s time. I want to go back to my hometown.”
“Why go back home? Did something happen to your family?”
Jenna shook her head.
“No, that’s not it. It’s just… I don’t think I can serve anyone else with the same devotion I gave the Madam. So I’d rather go home and look for a different kind of work.”
Dalton’s expression brightened at her words.
“That’s a relief,” he said with a pleased smile.
“If you were quitting because of a personal issue, there wouldn’t be much I could say to stop you. But if it’s for a reason like that, then I can accept it.”
Jenna frowned.
“Sir?”
“Just wait a moment.”
“Pardon?”
“Just a moment… a very short one…”
Dalton pulled a pocket watch from inside his coat and checked the time before speaking again.
“Ah, they should be on their way by now.”
Jenna narrowed her eyes at the cryptic words.
Dalton didn’t explain. Instead, he simply shrugged and went back to inspecting the neatly arranged wine bottles.
“What do you mean by that, sir? Am I being dismissed right now? Or not yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Do you remember what kind of wine the Madam prefers?”
Another strange question.
Jenna looked puzzled, unsure why Dalton was acting this way, but she answered anyway.
“She prefers something sweet rather than dry. A smooth finish, something that goes down easily.”
Dalton smiled faintly at her seamless response.
“As expected, you’re truly an indispensable asset to this household.”
“Even if you flatter me, my mind hasn’t changed.”
“I see. If you’re that determined to resign, I won’t stop you. However, in that case… how about completing one last task before you leave?”
“What…?”
“Go check the Madam’s bedroom. Make sure it’s ready in case she were to stay there tonight. If anything needs fixing, see to it immediately.”
Jenna, who had been listening in a daze, gasped as her eyes widened.
“Wait, you don’t mean—?”
Wearing a mysterious smile, Dalton stepped out of the wine cellar first.
“Wait, sir!”
Jenna quickly followed after him.
But Dalton didn’t stop.
“I have a lot to do myself. And you have your job to finish as well. Make sure that by dinner, the room is perfectly ready so the Madam won’t experience even the slightest discomfort.”
“Are you saying… does that mean the Madam is—?”
“Yes. She’s coming back.”
Jenna let out a breathless gasp, her mouth slightly agape.
Dalton gave a small chuckle and asked:
“Do you still feel the same way you did just now?”
Jenna shook her head fiercely.
“…I’ll be heading upstairs. If she’s coming by dinner, there’s not much time left.”
Without looking back, Jenna dashed upstairs. There was a lot to prepare to welcome her Madam back after such a long time.
