The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

”Rosaline, why have you returned so late?” Susan asked, walking into the chamber with a maidservant closely following behind, a silver tray balanced in her hands.

”I went to see Eilika,” Rosaline replied.

”What? The Duke has specifically instructed that none of us are to set foot near her,” Susan answered, her voice laced with sudden anxiety. She quickly gestured to the maidservant to begin setting the dining table to dismiss her attention.

”I went to Roman’s academy first,” Rosaline stated, her tone entirely devoid of her usual pride. ”I wanted to apologize to her, Mother. All my life, I viewed myself as superior. I truly believed that my unmatched beauty could win over anyone. But after everything that has happened, I finally realize that a pretty face is not enough to secure a good man. Perverts are everywhere, but a truly honorable man looks for more than just beauty and a body. I hurt Eilika every single year I lived under the same roof as her. In truth, we all treated her terribly.”

”Oh, my dear.” Susan pulled her into a side-hug, offering a comforting squeeze. ”Yes, we did treat Eilika poorly. But please, do not let your heart grow heavy with regret now.”

”Mother, I can never simply forget the misery I am suffering at the moment,” Rosaline replied, gently pulling back. ”All of this hardship is what finally made me understand the depth of Eilika’s pain. Tell me, did you actually apologize to her when you went to see her with Father?”

”Yes, I said I was sorry,” Susan murmured, looking away slightly. ”But she became quite upset after your father and I remarked that it was a blessing no permanent blemish was left behind on her face.”

”Why on earth did the two of you have to say something like that?” Rosaline asked, shaking her head in disbelief. ”I truly do not understand you both sometimes. The sole reason we are in this wretched condition today is because you and Father always insisted on cutting her down with such harsh words.”

She stood up abruptly from her seat, her entire body trembling. She turned around to face her mother, her voice cracking. ”Do you have any idea how terrible I feel whenever I hear the servants and the nobles whispering about me? No, you don’t.”

Rosaline shook her head sharply, using the back of her hand to wipe away her spilling tears. ”Do not dare blame Eilika for my situation, Mother. She—she tried so hard to be a good daughter to you and a good sister to me. I finally understand why the Duke and young Lord Roman love her so much.”

Susan watched in stunned silence, entirely helpless in the face of her daughter’s sudden, desperate breakdown.

”I understand, my girl. Now, please, will you stop crying?” Susan pleaded, stepping forward to wrap her arms around her.

Rosaline instinctively took a step back, trying to maintain her distance, but Susan closed the gap anyway. She pulled her daughter tightly into an embrace, affectionately caressing her head to soothe her trembling frame.

~~~~~~

After lunch, Eilika and Damian traveled directly to the imperial prison to confront the maidservant who had been arrested for triggering the explosion at the estate.

When the iron lock of the cell was turned and the door swung open, Eilika stepped inside first, followed closely by Damian and Maurice.

”Your Grace, please forgive me!” the woman begged immediately, remaining on her knees upon the cold stone floor. Her head hung low, utterly unable to meet their gazes.

”Why did you want to kill me? What if there were more who could have gotten hurt in that explosion? How long have you been planning, Celine?” Eilika demanded.

”Your Grace, I made a mistake,” Celine sobbed, her hands trembling against the floor.

”It was not a mistake,” Eilika snapped sharply, stepping closer. ”You clearly made a calculated plan before executing it that day. At the very least, have the courage to speak the truth now. What did I ever do to make you so angry that you decided to kill me?”

”Turns out you want your entire family to be punished,” Damian threatened.

”No!” Celine shook her head vigorously, her chains rattling against the floor. ”I was upset with the fact that the Duke moved on from the mistress I served. Even Young Lord Roman accepted the Duchess as his mother. I—I know it was wrong of me to think like that. Please forgive me, Duchess. I had lost my mind.”

Damian clenched his fists, the knuckles turning white, and stepped forward to place his frame directly between the culprit and his wife.

”If you wanted to harm someone, then it should not have been Eilika. Your complaints should have been with me,” Damian growled, his gaze piercing through her. ”You will never see the sun again, Celine. You will die miserably in this prison. Know that.”

He turned to take Eilika out of the damp, suffocating place. Grasping her wrist gently but firmly, he guided her straight out of the prison house.

Once they reached the center of the vast, empty courtyard, Eilika stopped in her tracks. Damian turned back to look at her, his brow furrowing.

”No one should have any complaints about you,” she argued, her eyes searching his. ”You always deserved a second chance at love. Your response to her should have been different.”

”Not to that culprit,” Damian replied. ”Why should I explain myself to someone whom I’m not considering pardoning, Eilika?”

She nodded slowly. ”I cannot believe she even despised the fact that Roman accepted me as his mother.”

”Some people are simply incapable of accepting change,” Damian whispered, stepping closer to soften his stance. ”But believe me, Eilika, far more people appreciate the genuine way you love Roman. You have never let him feel the absence of a mother and I love that about you from the beginning.”

She smiled softly, the tension finally leaving her shoulders as the two began walking again.

”I wanted to ask you if you will help Prince August,” she said, looking up at him.

”I do not think he needs my help. He is far more capable than I am,” Damian replied, keeping his pace steady beside her. ”Though Sylvian is always suspicious of him.”

”Their family dynamics have never been great. Perhaps that is why,” Eilika explained gently. ”Prince August never received any love from the Queen, so he harbors many grievances against them. But Prince Sylvian, at least, should have understood. He’s a man with clear thoughts.”

”He is, but after everything that has transpired, it is difficult for him to trust August again. Although, I did ask him to try seeing his half-brother in a different light,” Damian stated.

He took a deep breath, gazing up at the expanse of the sky for a moment as if weighing his next words.

”I used to think I had lost so much,” he continued, his voice lowering. ”But when I spoke to August one day, I realized he had lost even more than I. He was entirely alone. He loved Liliana deeply. Even now, with all that has happened, his resentment toward her cannot overshadow the love he still carries for her. It made me feel that we all wronged him in some way.”

Eilika hummed softly in agreement, her expression turning somber. ”His heart was played with by a woman who also manipulated you. Let us not speak of her anymore. Her true nature must never come to light, because the one person who would be severely affected by all of this is Roman. I refuse to let that happen. He must never know the truth about his mother.”

Damian admired her selflessness and the genuine care she held for Roman.

”I am lucky to have you,” he murmured. He lifted her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles, before planting a soft kiss on the back of it. ”Let us head back inside. Roman must be awake by now, and he is bound to be searching for you.”

”Yes, but Roman is mature for his age,” Eilika replied. ”He is likely doing his homework right now. Besides, he has a sports event coming up soon, and I want to be there to cheer for him. I want it to be a memorable day for him,” she remarked, a bright smile lighting up her face.

Damian’s gaze lingered on her glowing face. Unable to resist, he stepped forward and cradled the back of her neck, pulling her into a deep kiss right there in the open courtyard, completely unbothered by anyone who might see them.

Maurice, who had just approached the courtyard with a squad of guards, stopped dead in his tracks and raised a hand to halt the men behind him.

”The Duke is...” One of the guards lowered his head, a knowing smile breaking across his face as they all quickly turned their gazes away.

Maurice felt happy seeing them and asked the guards they should take other route.