The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

”But why exactly were you so curious about that matter?” Damian asked, shifting his posture to lean back against the edge of his mahogany desk, his eyes fixed intently on her.

”The son of the merchant... He was always quite kind to me,” Eilika replied softly, her gaze dropping to the floor for a brief moment.

”What?” Damian knitted his brows together, a sudden tension tightening in his chest.

”He was the exact same age as me. I must say, he was one of the very few people back then who never humiliated or judged me for bearing this scar on my cheek,” she asserted, lightly touching her face. ”I was only eighteen at the time. When the news broke, it was absolutely devastating. I couldn’t bring myself to eat for two whole days. The news deeply troubled me.”

Damian stared at her, the initial spark of jealousy giving way to a quiet realization. Eilika had always possessed an incredibly tender heart, and it made perfect sense that a gentle soul like hers would be profoundly affected by the sudden loss of good souls.

”Will this case never be resolved then?” Eilika asked.

”The investigation was never officially closed. However, sufficient evidence could not be gathered, so no definitive conclusion was ever reached,” Damian replied.

”Then let us conduct the investigation once more. We need to find out the truth of what happened to them,” Eilika urged, looking at him with an earnest plea in her eyes.

”They had no known enemies. That was the most baffling aspect of the entire case,” Damian explained, his voice dropping to a serious tone.

”I personally interrogated their close associates and neighbors, and the answers were always identical. Sebastian and his family maintained no enmities with anyone. Yet, that very fact is what always made me uneasy. The fire originated from the storage shed in the backyard where the winter firewood had been stacked. According to the surviving household staff, that particular room was locked and only meant to be opened during the winter months, not in the height of summer.”

”Which means someone intentionally set the fire,” Eilika stated.

”Yes. But as for who did it and for what purpose, those answers were never uncovered,” Damian replied.

Before she could speak another word, the heavy double doors swung open, and Maurice stepped into the office, his expression unusually tense.

”Your Grace, Prince August has arrived,” Maurice announced quickly.

”What?!” both Damian and Eilika exclaimed at the same time, turning toward the entrance in unison.

Right on Maurice’s heels, August walked into the grand room. He offered the couple a brief, polite smile along with a humble bow of his head.

”Why are you here?” Damian demanded, straightening up completely from his desk as a deep frown formed on his forehead.

August pulled a red scroll from the inner pocket of his overcoat and held it out for them to see.

”Father has officially appointed me as an administrator here at Varos,” August announced, gesturing toward the document. ”My mandate is to investigate the unresolved cases within the territory and assist the Duke.”

Damian strode forward and snatched the scroll directly from his hand. As his eyes scanned the text inside, and a chuckle escaped his lips.

”I distinctly recall telling you never to set foot here again,” Damian said, his usual stoic composure cracking entirely. In a flash, he reached out and grabbed August tightly by the collar of his coat.

”Why? Are you deeply concerned that I might seize your position?” August asked, merely arching an eyebrow at the display of aggression.

”My position? You do not possess the merit to even dream of it,” Damian retorted, his grip tightening significantly against the fabric.

Seeing the situation rapidly escalate, Eilika rushed across the room toward them.

”Let him go, Your Grace,” she urged her husband, placing a hand on Damian’s arm to defuse the tension.

”Stay back,” Damian ordered, his voice laced with a dangerous edge, not breaking his stare from August.

”Brother, you really ought to listen to your wife when she requests something of you,” August stated smoothly, clamping his hands tightly over Damian’s wrists to anchor himself.

”I am not your brother,” Damian spat back.

August simply rolled his eyes at the declaration just as Eilika intervened again, her tone more demanding as she firmly asked Damian to pull his hands back.

To August’s mild surprise, Damian actually listened to her this time. He released his grip and stepped back, smoothing down the front of his own vest. ”Are you here to pull another stunt to destroy my life?” Damian demanded, his eyes narrowing.

”Are you seriously going to argue about the past right here?” August asked, arching a single eyebrow as he glanced around the Duke’s grand office.

”Cease this immediately, both of you,” Eilika commanded sternly as she glanced sharply between the two men.

”I was perfectly calm, Eilika, but your husband is the one who seems entirely intent on initiating an argument with me,” August stated, adjusting his collar with innocence.

”Do not address her so familiarly by her name,” Damian argued back.

”Very well. My apologies. I shall address her as the Duchess,” August stated, offering a mockingly compliant incline of his head. ”Now, allow me to carry out my assigned duties and designate my personal office space. I am quite eager to begin reviewing the territory’s unresolved cases.”

”The fire incident!” Eilika suddenly interjected, her eyes lighting up with an immediate idea.

”What about that particular matter?” August asked, turning his full attention toward her.

”Prince August shall begin his duties by working on that specific case,” she answered, looking firmly at Damian to signal that the matter was decided.

”I’ll talk to the King myself first. I am not particularly interested in giving any duty to Prince August,” Damian pronounced, glaring at August.

”Father has given his official decree. Can’t you see the stamp at the bottom?” August asked. ”Don’t act like a child, Damian. We are grown ups.”