Eilika entered her chamber only to find Roman was waiting for her.

"Roman!"

"Mama!" He scrambled off the recliner, abandoning his storybook to run toward her. She knelt to catch him, her arms wrapping around his small frame while his tiny hands circled her neck.

"How was your day, Mama?" he asked, his eyes wide with curiosity as he tilted his head back to look at her.

"It was very good. Your father took me out for a visit," she replied, smoothing back his hair. "What about you? Did you enjoy your time at your cousin’s home?"

"Yes, I had a lot of fun there. Grandma and I returned in the evening. I rested for a bit, then came here to wait for you," Roman explained.

"Forgive me for making you wait so long. Have you had your supper yet?" she asked.

"Yes, an hour ago," Roman answered. He looked up at her with a hopeful expression. "Mama, can I sleep here with you? I don’t want to sleep alone tonight. Please?"

"Of course, baby. I’ll freshen up and change my clothes first. Go ahead and get into bed," Eilika told him.

Roman’s face lit up with a wide smile, and he dashed toward the large bed. As Eilika watched him, Joanna stepped forward and leaned in to whisper something urgently in her ear.

"Please tell the Duke that I won’t be with him tonight," Eilika whispered. Joanna bowed respectfully and exited the chamber, leaving Eilika to head into the dressing room.

After changing into her comfortable nightclothes, she spent a few minutes in the washroom. When she finally emerged, fresh-faced and finished with her evening routine, she was surprised to find Damian already in the room.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, the storybook open in his hands, narrating a tale to Roman.

Damian lifted his gaze, his eyes lingering on Eilika for a brief, silent second. He didn’t say a word about the message she had sent through Joanna. Instead, he simply looked back down at the pages and continued reading.

Roman looked content, tucked under the covers and hanging onto every word of the story.

Roman was hanging onto every word of the story until his eyelids grew heavy.

Eilika moved to the edge of the bed, her hand gently caressing his hair. The boy turned his head slightly to offer her a sleepy smile before drifting off.

The exhaustion of the day finally caught up with her. The long walk through the school and the emotional weight of the afternoon took their toll; before she knew it, her body gave in to the fatigue, and she was pulled into a deep slumber beside her son.

When Damian eventually lifted his gaze from the pages, he found them both asleep. A soft smile touched his lips at the sight. He quietly placed the storybook on the bedside table and leaned over Eilika, carefully pulling the duvet up to her shoulders to shield her from the evening chill.

After turning off the lamp, he slid into the bed on the other side of Roman.

But despite the quiet room, sleep evaded him.

His mind remained restless, churning with the events of the day. As the silence stretched on, his thoughts drifted back to Liliana, the memories of the past beginning to cloud the reality of his present.

He kept tossing and turning until he could no longer stay still. Leaving the warmth of the bed, he stepped out onto the balcony, where the cool night air greeted him like a sharp wake-up call.

Damian rested his hands on the balustrade, gripping the cold stone as he took deep breaths to steady his racing heart.

"I need to accept reality. I promised myself that I would move on," he whispered to the silence, his voice barely audible over the rustle of the trees. "Now, when the time has come... I am wrapped in her haunting memories again. This isn’t right."

He looked up at the dark sky, which was vast and filled with millions of shimmering stars.

He thought back to the way Liam had spoken, the fierce protectiveness in his voice and the demand that he cherish Eilika.

It was clear now that Eilika was the apple of many eyes, a woman held in high esteem by those who actually knew her heart.

The weight of his own ignorance pressed down on him; he was the one who held the title of her husband, yet he was the one who knew her least.

Moving on wasn’t just about forgetting the past; it was about finally seeing the person standing right in front of him and for him.

~~~~

The next morning, Damian was already dressed in his formal Duke’s attire. He stood in his study, deep in conversation with Louis and Maurice as the early light filtered through the tall windows.

"Will August truly stay quiet?" Louis asked, his brows furrowed in skepticism.

"I believe so," Damian replied, his voice low. "He seemed more disturbed and heartbroken than I was when we spoke about Liliana."

"Don’t let that pouty face fool you," Louis countered, his frustration evident. "He caused you an incredible amount of trouble. I still don’t understand why you didn’t ask the King to have him arrested. He’s the one who poisoned you."

"He didn’t poison me," Maurice intervened, stepping forward. "It was someone else’s doing. I’ve finally found a solid lead."

"Then share it," Louis urged.

"The maid in question used to work in the Count’s household," Maurice explained. "She took a leave of absence three months ago. Shortly after that, she was hired here as part of the external mansion staff."

Damian’s expression hardened as the pieces fell into place. "So, Elias tried to have me killed because I’ve been investigating his operations."

"Yes, Your Grace. But we must confirm it was Count Elias beyond a doubt," Maurice asserted. "Once I have proof that the poison used against you originated from his estate, we can finally end his game. The problem is that he has covered his tracks so well that I haven’t found a single physical link yet."

"Then it is time to activate my most capable spy for this mission," Damian stated, his tone final.

Louis leaned in, his voice dropping to a curious murmur. "Who? I’ve always wondered who this person was, but you’ve kept their identity a complete secret, even from me."

"I have my reasons. I cannot risk their identity being exposed," Damian remarked. "That is why I won’t be meeting them here at the mansion. We will meet in private, elsewhere."

"Take Maurice with you. Do not compromise your security," Louis insisted, his concern growing. "Even yesterday, you left with the Duchess without any protection."

"I will," Damian replied shortly. After a brief pause, he added, "I met Eilika’s friend yesterday."

"Who? Is she gorgeous? Set me up, Duke," Louis said, a grin spreading across his face.

"Her friend is a man," Damian answered.

"A man? Really?" Louis laughed suddenly, leaning back. "A man and a woman can never be just friends. Tell me, did you feel a sting of jealousy? He must know far more about Eilika than you do."

Damian glared at him, arching an eyebrow in challenge. "Why on earth would I feel jealous of her friend?"

"Because you don’t know your wife well," Louis countered. "You were so focused on Liliana that you never even realized she was cheating on you. I still can’t believe she—" He cut himself off abruptly, realizing it was poor taste to speak ill of the dead.

"He told me to cherish Eilika," Damian said, ignoring the slip. "It’s clear he has feelings for her, though he never told her. But his feelings are irrelevant now, because Eilika is my wife."

The possessive weight of the words "my wife" didn’t go unnoticed. Maurice and Louis exchanged a quick look, both of them unable to suppress a small smile.

"Feelings are dangerous, Duke," Louis said, his tone shifting to a more serious note. "But since he never confessed his feelings to Eilika, it seems he valued their friendship too much to risk breaking it. And I suspect Eilika never saw him in that light, which is likely why he stayed silent."

"Perhaps," Damian replied, looking thoughtful. "But I’ve realized that Eilika is no ordinary woman. She was educated in such a small, modest school, yet her values are immense. Her heart is even larger. I never thought any woman would truly understand me after Liliana, but Eilika has proven me wrong at every turn. She has shown me the kind of life I’ve been craving for years. I didn’t think I would ever say this, but I can actually see a future with her–a true, happy family."

Both Louis and Maurice smiled at his words.

"Then, you need to open your heart, Your Grace. It’s the time you do and embrace Eilika. I would say she has understood you beyond your late wife ever did," Maurice said this time.