Early morning.
Dahlia rubbed her eyes and looked out the window as she forced her sluggish body to rise.
Perhaps because she was pregnant, she found it especially hard to wake up today, nodding off several times even while sitting up.
The chirping of birds outside the window snapped her out of her drowsiness as she lightly slapped her cheeks.
"This is no time for this. I can't just stay in my room sleeping!"
Now that she was confirmed pregnant, how she spent each day would determine the course of the next eight years.
Shaking her head briskly to wake herself, Dahlia suddenly realized she hadn't spoken with the Duke recently.
"Now that I think of it, I haven't even seen his face lately, let alone talked to him."
Was the last time I saw him when I picked up that cat a few days ago? The last memory I have is the Duke's cold stare in the first-floor lobby.
"That didn't end well, did it...?"
Back when Clayton escorted her to the party, she had thought winning over the male lead wouldn't be a problem. Lost in what felt like a distant memory, Dahlia sighed deeply.
"Maybe I should casually suggest having a meal together first."
It might be a good opportunity to start by apologizing for the cat incident while we eat.
After all, they say people are most vulnerable during meals.
Isn't it true that people often get to know each other in the relaxed atmosphere of a shared meal?
"Yes, let's start with having a meal together. It's only natural for a husband and wife to eat together!"
Believing that frequent encounters are more important than dramatic events in fostering affection, Dahlia pulled the bell cord.
Soon, a knock was heard, and Samantha entered the room. She seemed surprised that Dahlia was up early and began chatting right away.
"My Lady, did you call for me? You're up early today. You've been sleeping in more often lately."
"Maybe it's because I've been going out a lot. Haha… Anyway, I was thinking of having breakfast with the Duke for a change. Could you ask him for me?"
At Dahlia's words, Samantha clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Oh my! That's a great idea! You two have been spending so little time together lately. I'll go ask him right away! Wait just a moment!"
Samantha, responding as if she had been entrusted with an important mission, hurriedly left the room.
"What should I talk about during the meal?"
While Samantha was away, Dahlia finished getting ready and leaned back on the sofa.
She sat there alone, pondering how she could bring about a cheerful atmosphere with the ever-stoic male lead.
Unlike when she left, Samantha returned with slumped shoulders.
Samantha carefully gauged Dahlia's reaction before speaking.
"My Lady, the Duke said he won't be having breakfast today…"
"Really? Then how about lunch?"
"About lunch… also…"
"What? He won't eat lunch either?"
Instead of answering, Samantha just nodded.
Breakfast was one thing, but lunch too? Feeling something was off, Dahlia tilted her head and asked about dinner, only to receive the same answer.
What was this? It felt like being rejected even before confessing. Could it be…
'Is he avoiding me?'
Crossing her arms, Dahlia pondered for a long time, trying to figure out why Clayton refused her meal proposal.
Unable to come up with a reason, Dahlia nervously bit her nails.
'Still, we're married, and yet sharing just one meal is this difficult?'
At such a critical moment when every second mattered, she couldn't just sit idly after being turned down.
'If he refuses to meet me, then I'll just have to go to him!'
With that resolve, Dahlia strode toward the Duke's office.
Just as she reached the office, she ran into Jason, who seemed to be heading to Clayton as well.
On the tray he carried was a fragrant tea, seemingly meant for the Duke.
"Jason!"
"My Lady?"
Jason's eyes widened as if he hadn't expected to see Dahlia there.
Without asking any further questions, Dahlia grabbed the tray from Jason's hands.
"Give it to me. I'll take it to the Duke."
"What? My Lady! Wait…!"
Ignoring Jason's attempt to stop her, Dahlia knocked and entered the room.
The room was so dark it was hard to tell whether it was morning or night.
In the dimly lit room, Dahlia saw Clayton working by candlelight.
He hadn't noticed that it was Dahlia who entered and gave an order.
"Bring the tea over here…"
"It's me, Your Grace!"
But Clayton looked up at Dahlia's cheerful voice, announcing her presence.
"Sigh."
Realizing that it wasn't Jason but Dahlia who had entered, Clayton let out a sigh mixed with annoyance and irritation.
'That reaction stings a bit.'
She hadn't expected him to welcome her, but to sigh so openly?
Though hurt by Clayton's blunt reaction, Dahlia reminded herself this wasn't the time to dwell on it and approached him with a bright tone.
"Tea is nice, but wouldn't a proper meal be better? You seem very busy."
"As you can see. And I don't recall asking you to bring tea. Where's Jason?"
At his sharp tone, Dahlia placed the tea on the table beside him.
"I told him I'd bring it to you. It feels like it's been so long since we had a proper conversation."
"Has it?"
The atmosphere was as cold as if winter was nearing rather than spring.
"Yes. So I thought we could have a meal together for a change, but you seem busy, so I came directly."
Despite her soft and polite tone, he didn't even bat an eye as he responded.
"So, what is it you want to say?"
"Pardon?"
"You must have something to say if you came to find me."
His expression seemed to say, "If you have something to say, say it and leave."
Though his consistently cold demeanor annoyed her, even after she had mustered the courage to visit him directly, Dahlia didn't show it.
Instead, she maintained her smile, like dealing with a difficult customer.
"I just… wanted to apologize."
"Apologize?"
Clayton looked her in the eye, seeming a bit surprised.
"The cat. Not only did I bring it without your permission, but I also insisted on keeping it. I didn't realize you disliked it so much. I'm sorry; I wasn't thinking."
Clayton remained silent for a moment after Dahlia's apology before he finally spoke.
"So, what happened to the cat?"
"What?"
"The cat. Jason told me you said you entrusted it to someone reliable through the Dowager."
Dahlia's eyes widened, not expecting the conversation to shift in that direction.
"But it doesn't seem like the cat is being kept in the annex. If it were, I would've already heard about it."
His piercing remark made Dahlia flinch, and she quickly began to make excuses.
"Th-that's because the Dowager said she'd entrust it to someone she knows…"
"Who?"
"Uh… Let's see. She said it was a longtime friend? Haha, I suddenly can't remember…"
Why was he suddenly asking so many questions? Dahlia's mouth went dry as she struggled with a lie that wasn't even convincing.
"A longtime friend."
Clayton quietly repeated her words before asking another question.
"Then, you…"
"Yes?"
"Dahlia, do you even have anyone you'd call a close friend?"
"Uh…"
The conversation kept going in unexpected directions, leaving her at a loss for words.
It was a good sign that the conversation was continuing, but still…
'Why does this feel like an interrogation?'
It felt like she was a criminal being interrogated by a detective.
But since she had finally managed to get the conversation going, she couldn't bring herself to end it. She carefully continued, avoiding mentioning Lloyd.
"I recently became close with Lady Roman. We met for the first time at Louise's dress shop."
"And who else?"
"Someone else...? Other than Lady Roman, there's no one."
Realizing she could only call Rachel and Lloyd her friends, Dahlia scratched her cheek, suddenly embarrassed by her narrow social circle.
Because of her embarrassment, Dahlia didn't notice that Clayton's expression had grown even colder.
'I shouldn't be wasting time on such meaningless conversations right now.'
At this rate, the conversation would end with her having endured an unproductive interrogation.
'It'd be better to open the curtains, let some sunlight in, and then try again!'
Since creating a romantic mood seemed hopeless, she decided to resort to physical action.
And so, Dahlia moved to execute the plan she had only been imagining in her head.
"More importantly, the room is too dark. It's such a nice day—why are the curtains drawn so tightly?"
Feigning ignorance, she pulled back the curtains, letting sunlight flood into the room.
The sudden brightness caused Clayton to frown and rise from his seat.
Seizing the moment, Dahlia moved closer to Clayton.
'Huh?'
But her foot caught on something, causing her to stumble violently.
'I'm falling…!'
Someone once said that people show ingenuity in moments of crisis. The same was true for Dahlia.
Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Clayton, pulling him toward her—a move that turned out to be the right one.
Instinctively, Clayton caught Dahlia in his arms and twisted his body to shield her.
Thud.
A heavy sound echoed through the room.
Expecting the pain of hitting the hard floor, Dahlia had squeezed her eyes shut, but when the impact was less than she imagined, she cautiously opened them.
What she saw was Clayton's broad chest right in front of her.