The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

”Miss Wolanski, are you alright?” the maid asked anxiously as she hurried over and found Rosaline on the floor, clutching her side and whimpering softly in pain.

Before Rosaline could gather herself, Louis stepped forward and picked up the small box that had slipped from her hands. His eyes briefly fell upon her before his expression settled into one of restrained disapproval.

”Miss, you cannot wander into this wing of the residence whenever you please,” Louis said in a firm yet courteous tone. ”The Duke does not permit anyone to enter these chambers without his approval.”

The maid gently helped Rosaline to her feet. Still unsettled, Rosaline reached out, attempting to retrieve the box from Louis’s hands.

Louis lifted it slightly out of her reach and studied it for a moment.

”I presume this is meant as a gift,” he said calmly. ”Since His Grace and Her Grace are away from Varos for the time being, I shall keep it in safekeeping. When they return, it will be delivered to them.”

Rosaline forced herself to remain composed, lowering her hand. ”It is for my sister, my lord,” she replied humbly. ”I had obtained the Dowager Duchess’s permission to place it in Eilika’s chamber.”

Louis’s expression hardened slightly.

”Invoking the Duchess’s name so casually is inappropriate, Miss Wolanski,” he said. ”I will place this in Her Grace’s chamber myself. You must remember—she is no longer simply your sister. She is the Duchess of Varos, the wife of the Duke.”

Rosaline’s lips tightened. A faint frown crept across her face, but she quickly lowered her gaze.

”My apologies, sir,” she murmured.

Louis gave a brief nod before turning his attention to the maid.

”Escort Miss Wolanski out,” he ordered.

With no room to protest, Rosaline silently followed the maid through the long corridors of the mansion. Louis walked ahead of them, the box still in his possession.

Moments later, she stepped into the waiting carriage outside. As soon as the door closed behind her, she struck the floor sharply with the heel of her shoe.

”I thought the Duke would never love her,” Rosaline muttered bitterly to herself. ”With a face as dreadful as hers... how did she manage to win his affection? And now they have even gone on their honeymoon.”

Her expression twisted with irritation as the carriage finally began to move.

~~~~~

Roman glanced at his father and mother from across the breakfast table. Unlike the previous morning, both of them were unusually quiet. The silence made even the five boys seated with them feel uncomfortable as they ate.

”Roman, why haven’t you drunk your milk yet?” Eilika asked gently, noticing his untouched glass. ”Look at your older brothers. They have already finished theirs.”

Roman wrinkled his nose and pushed the glass slightly away from him. ”Mama, I don’t like the taste of milk,” he complained.

Eilika gave him a patient smile. ”Then how will your bones grow strong?” she asked softly. ”Drink your milk, and after that you can go play with your big brothers.”

Roman pouted stubbornly, his small lips jutting out as he stared at the glass.

At that moment, Damian suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up.

”I’m done eating,” he said curtly.

Eilika did not respond. Her attention remained entirely on Roman, as if she had not heard him at all.

Damian’s brows drew together in a faint frown. For a moment he lingered, waiting, perhaps expecting her to say something, but when she didn’t, he turned away without another word and quietly walked out of the dining hall.

”Is Father not talking to you, Mama?” Roman asked, tilting his head curiously.

”No.” Eilika shook her head lightly. ”Why would you think that?” she said with a soft chuckle.

”Because you two were so quiet,” Roman replied.

After a moment, he reluctantly picked up the glass of milk. Scrunching his face, he shut his eyes tightly and gulped the entire drink down in one go.

Eilika smiled faintly at the sight.

”Your father simply prefers eating in silence, Roman,” she said. ”Now that you’ve finished your milk, you may go play outside. But first, all of you must brush your teeth.”

At her instruction, two maids stepped forward and gently led the boys away. The remaining servants began clearing the table and tidying the dining hall.

Once breakfast was over, Eilika returned to the bedroom. As she entered, she saw Damian stepping out of the washroom, drying his hands.

The moment their eyes met, she shot him a sharp glare before walking straight past him without a word.

Inside the washroom, she picked up her toothbrush and began brushing her teeth. Yet her mind was anything but calm.

’He could have apologized,’ she thought bitterly. ’But his pride is far too large for that. Does he not feel even the slightest guilt toward me?’ Her grip tightened around the toothbrush.

’He didn’t even come to the wedding hall on the day we were supposed to get married. What woman would want such a marriage? And still, I stayed... convincing myself that perhaps this was simply my fate. And then he had to mention his first wife in front of me as if reminding me of what she wanted.’

Eilika stared at her reflection in the mirror before bending forward to rinse her mouth with water.

Dabbing the towel gently across her mouth, she stepped out of the washroom. As she entered the room, she noticed Damian lounging in the recliner near the window, a document held loosely in his hands as he read through it.

She didn’t spare him another glance. Turning toward the door, she began to walk out, determined to ignore him entirely.

”Don’t you think you’re being a little too stubborn?”

Damian’s voice stopped her midway.

Eilika slowly spun on her heels, her eyes flashing with restrained anger.

”And what exactly are you being?” she shot back. ”I understand that you’re still buried in thoughts of your first wife. I truly do. But have you considered that you’re hurting me as well?”

Damian lowered the document and placed it on the side table beside him. His gaze hardened slightly.

”So you’ve started expecting more than you should,” he said calmly. ”You knew the conditions of this marriage, Eilika. You knew exactly why I cannot return the feelings that are growing in your heart.”

His voice carried a faint note of disappointment. ”I believed you were different.”

Eilika let out a short, humorless chuckle.

”Is it wrong for a woman to dream of having a happy marriage?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly despite her effort to remain composed. ”Fine.”

She folded her arms across her chest.

”I’ll live like a stranger beside you if that’s what you want. It was foolish of me to think that one day I might change your heart... that you might actually come to care for me.”

Damian didn’t falter seeing her tears that began to appear in her eyes.

”Mama, let’s play with the ball,” Roman ran into the room with a ball in his hands.

”Play with your father,” Eilika said and walked out of the room in anger. She wiped the tears from the edges of her eyes and ran out of the cottage, not wanting to stay near Damian.