The duke of hayes duchy stared at his wife, who held onto her belly protectively while her blue eyes did not leave his figure. Her gaze was sharp, and her gesture felt like she was protecting the unborn child from him, even if he was the father.
Her words made him feel stunned. His eyes slightly widened, and he parted his lips to answer her immediately, but he...just could not.
What should he say?
'I was with my lover whom I met four years ago.'
How foolish could he be to tell his now-pregnant wife that?
In the end, he closed his lips and unconsciously avoided her empty gaze like a child who had something very bad.
It was the first time since his affair that he felt guilt upon deceiving his wife with his infidelity.
Normally, he could boldly look at her expressive blue eyes and lie about his whereabouts. She unconditionally trusted him and always believed his words, no matter what.
But now…
He couldn't look at those eyes. Those eyes pierced through his body, peeling off his layers of flesh and looking at his bared soul...almost like she knew everything, especially his affair. Those eyes that did not reflect the familiar emotions he used to see every time he was with his wife.
Why is the guilt that did not come up during the last four years appear now?
Why did he avoid her eyes when he could tell his lies without batting an eye?
Why is she looking at him like that?
All these thoughts circled in his head as he looked at the lavishly detailed interiors of the room.
''If the duke has nothing to say, please leave my room,'' Isla's voice broke the heavy silence that reigned in her bedroom. Turning her back to the duke, she continued watching the flowers, ''I have to rest as the cause of my bad state was you, duke.''
Not feeling her unfamiliar gaze on his figure, the duke turned in her direction, only to meet with her back. His brows scrunched into confusion at her words, and then he asked, ''...What do you mean by that?''
Isla did not answer him. Her stare did not shift from the flowers. Since she had told him to leave then, he should leave her room. He should not ask her another stupid question.
Seeing his wife ignoring him like air, the duke stood temporarily like a lost lamb without saying anything else, then quietly left the room.
Even after the door closed, Isla did not move an inch from her position. One of her hands had dropped from the stomach, and the other gave a gentle rub. Her gaze remained serene.
''He didn't even ask about you, my son.'' A sad smile, then a sneer appeared on her lips, ''How ruthless of him.''
----
'As the cause of my bad state was you, duke.'
The duke hayes stood outside the closed door. His wife's words echoed in his head, and the guilt in his heart intensified more.
He tightly shut his eyes, then took deep breaths to calm his pounding heart..
''What are you doing, Dante?''
''It's like you regretted meeting Annalise, and that is not true.''
'Dante..' The melodic voice of his lover resonated in his mind as if she was just beside him and his chaotic mind slowly calmed down. A warm smile came onto his lips and his red eyes revealed themselves.
His troubled gaze returned to normal, and he turned away from the door like he had done many times.
''Yes, that is not true. Annalise is the love of my life, and duchess would be someone who will eventually leave my life very soon.'' He whispered to himself.
Like magic, the heaviness in his heart disappeared like it was never there, and the duke left the duchess's room as if nothing had happened.
----
''My lady, here is another invitation from countess shelton, '' Amelia held out a small silver tray carrying an exquisitely sealed envelope.
Under a pavilion, Isla dropped the spoon about to enter her mouth and tiredly sighed, ''Amelia...I thought I said to burn all these invitations.''
''But, my lady..'' Amelia lowered the tray, and her voice expressed her grievance for her master,
''You worked hard to gain recognition in the society. Ignoring their invitations like this...Can't you tell them about your pregnancy, my lady?''
''No,'' was Isla's immediate response.
Isla picked up the spoon with her soft, spongy vanilla pudding and put the tiny scoop into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she said, ''They only want to know about my life with the duke and possibly mock me for not having a child yet.'' She picked up her teacup, ''Sometimes it is tiring to keep up the pretense.''
She sipped the tea afterward.
Amelia observed her lady saying words that she would never said before. As a servant who grew up in the Elrod Grand-duchy, she knew her lady best. When she puts her mind to something, her lady will achieve it no matter the difficulty. In this case, her lady wanted the duke's love.
Going to tea parties and banquets, wearing luxurious clothes and pieces of jewelry, enduring ladies' insults about her infertility, working tirelessly as the duchess, everything was for just the duke to notice her.
Amelia had watched her lady struggling for the past five years in the duchy and wholeheartedly supported her. Finally, as if the heavens were satisfied with the lady's honesty and sacrifices, she became pregnant.
Amelia was happy and thought maybe the duke would notice her lady's hard work and unconditional love.
However, something did not feel right after the first month of her lady's pregnancy.
Her lady, who would always try to be with the duke, especially at breakfast or wait for the duke at night regardless of the late hour, eats in her room without catching a glimpse of the duke. She doesn't even try to see him off, which could be disrespectful to any nobleman. But her lady seems nonchalant about his attitude.
Not only that, but her lady does not wear her beautiful gowns or pieces of jewelry anymore. She wears plain and simple but elegant dresses.
Ever since her lady knew of her pregnancy, it's like she became someone else entirely. The usual gentle aura of her lady disappeared into thin air.
Amelia was sure she was not the only servant that noticed the change. Just like her lady's appearance, She appeared unreachable and distant from everyone.
The only time Amelia sees her lady smiling or surrounded by that familiar gentleness was during her moments with the unborn child.
Just like now, her lady continuously rubs her belly and watches the flowers surrounding the pavilion with a warm smile.
It seemed to be a current habit of her lady.
Either in her bedroom or the pavilion, her lady sometimes talks, hums, or silently rubs her belly.
''If that's what my lady wishes, then I have no say,'' Amelia did not say anything. Whatever her lady wants, she will obey.
Isla turned her gaze to her personal maid, still with that soft smile, ''You never change, Amelia.''
''Huh?'' Her words confused Amelia.
Isla's smile did not drop and she continued to admire the flowers, still preparing to bloom.
Her personal maid behaved the same way, just like in her second life.
Amelia is ten years older than her age. She did not get married and stayed with her from birth to marriage and even when her father sent her to recuperate in the villa on the outskirts of the Elrod Grand-duchy after her divorce.
Amelia was her rock after her son's death, but the latter died earlier than her due to a sickness that she hid from her. Amelia only told her minutes before she left the world.
''Amelia, have Lily do a thorough medical check of your body. I must get the result by the following week.'' Isla said without looking at the latter.
''...Yes, My lady.'' Amelia was once again confused by the lady's words.
Not a moment later, a shout came from afar, ''Your Grace!''
The two women turned to Spencer, the butler, dashing in their direction.
Amelia quickly dropped the tray on the table and helped the old man to calm down once he entered the pavilion.
''What is so important for you to rush like that, Spencer?'' Even Isla did not like Spencer's actions. The downward turn of her lips said as much.
Spencer was someone who stood by her in her second life when the servants did not see her as the duchess of Hayes after her husband's lover was pregnant and had married into the duchy. She liked and respected him more than her husband.
With Amelia patting his bending back, Spencer stood upright and silently thanked her before concentrating on the matter at hand.
Upon noticing the envelope in his stretched-out hand, Isla's frown deepened as she had an idea of Spencer's abrupt actions.
''The imperial palace sent an envelope, and her imperial majesty's maid of honor was the person who delivered it.''
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