Chapter: 6
For several days, Theo kept trailing after the cold and distant Rayleigh, starting to look after her himself.
The reason he was so anxious was that he’d heard she wasn’t eating properly and barely sleeping.
If she couldn’t endure life here and decided to leave, the one who would be troubled would be Theo.
Because Theo stuck close to her every day, Rayleigh couldn’t even send a separate letter to her younger sibling through a maid. With each passing day, she felt her blood running dry. She desperately wanted to know how her sibling was doing.
“Madam, please try eating at least this much.”
“I’m not hungry. I’ll eat on my own, so please leave.”
No matter how delicious the food placed before her, Rayleigh didn’t so much as glance at it.
In the end, Theo realized there was only one way to get her to move. But no matter how many letters he sent, there was no reply, leaving him with no clear solution.
Ignored once again by Rayleigh, Theo returned to his office and let out a sigh. With a throbbing headache, he rubbed his face with dry hands and looked over the documents.
Should I go there myself?
With work piling up, leaving immediately was difficult. After checking his schedule, Theo decided he would go see Rayleigh’s younger sibling, Leta, in person.
Since Theo spent whatever free time he had following Rayleigh around, it was inevitable that he would become neglectful toward Anna.
Knock, knock.
There was a knock, and then the door suddenly opened. Anna, wearing a sulky expression, didn’t enter but leaned against the doorframe, looking at Theo.
“You seem busy, so I came to check for myself. Ah, how disappointing.”
Judging by her behavior, she was clearly upset. Since she’d never come to see him like this before, Theo pretended not to notice, turning his gaze back to the documents. His body felt stiff, as though fatigue were settling in.
With a faint smile, Theo looked at Anna with a gentle gaze.
“I’m sorry. There’s been a lot I need to deal with lately. For the time being—”
As if trying to placate her, he forced an apologetic expression that didn’t quite suit him. Watching this, Anna hid her hands behind her back and approached him.
“I brought something you’d be happy to see, Your Grace. Are you really not going to look at me?”
Anna smiled as she waved the letter she was holding. When Theo saw the color and pattern of the envelope in her hand, he sprang to his feet and strode toward her.
“Give it to me.”
Theo reached out to take it. Anna quickly hid the letter behind her back. At her sudden action, Theo’s brow creased slightly.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“That’s what I want to ask you. Do you know how unfair you’ve been to me lately? Even now, all you can see is that letter.”
“It’s a letter addressed to me.”
At his words, Anna shook her head. It wasn’t his. She lightly draped an arm around his neck and pressed her body close.
“I sent a separate letter myself, hoping to earn your favor.”
“Is that true?”
“Of course. Seeing how distressed the Duchess was made me feel awful… and you looked busy too, so I decided to step in.”
“Anna, you really are…”
Theo found Anna, gazing up at him from his arms, quite adorable. Not only had she resolved a headache-inducing problem, she was now acting cute as well, making his pounding headache feel as though it were fading.
She would be a fine woman—if only she weren’t greedy. Of course, as a mistress.
“I’ve taken care of one thing, so you’ll look only at me today, right?”
“First, the letter—”
“You can just have a maid deliver it. You’re not going to leave me like this and go to the Duchess, are you?”
Anna’s eyes quickly filled with tears, her lashes trembling as if the tears might fall at any moment.
This is going to be troublesome.
Theo wrapped an arm around Anna’s waist and patted her back.
“Please wait just a little. I have to be the one to deliver this—only then will her heart ease.”
“Then just a little. Stay with me, even for a moment.”
“Anna, even if you insist like this—”
Theo couldn’t finish his sentence. Anna pressed her lips to his and pulled him close. As if she had no intention of letting him go, she clung tightly to him.
“Are you really going to send me away like this?”
After gently pushing her back, Theo looked at Anna clinging to him. Her slightly parted lips, flushed cheeks, and reddened eyes stirred something in his heart.
In the end, Theo couldn’t resist Anna’s temptation. He called for a maid and handed over the letter.
“Deliver this to the Duchess. Tell her it’s the letter she’s been waiting for.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And say I couldn’t deliver it myself because I was busy.”
The maid nodded at Theo’s words. Through the open doorway, Anna could be seen. She smiled leisurely at him, the corners of her lips lifting.
No wonder he’s bewitched. The Duchess really is pitiful.
Since Anna had arrived at the ducal estate, the Duchess’s position had changed overnight, as if a hand had been flipped. Even while carrying the Duke’s child, she had become a Duchess in name only.
Well, what can we do? You have no choice but to please whoever you can.
The maid exchanged a subtle glance with Anna. Anna slightly inclined her head, then, as Theo turned away, instantly changed her expression into a bright smile.
She headed straight for the garden, intending to find Rayleigh, who had gone out for some air, saying the room felt stifling.
Further inside, she saw Rayleigh sitting back in a chair, leaning against it.
“The Duke asked me to give this to you.”
The maid handed the letter to Rayleigh, who had her eyes closed. Sensing a shadow before her, Rayleigh opened her eyes and saw the paper envelope in the maid’s hand.
“…A letter?”
“Yes. He also said he couldn’t deliver it himself because he had many matters to attend to.”
She looks like she has no idea. I feel sorry for her, but I have to survive too.
The maid felt a twinge of pity for Rayleigh, but said nothing. She was, after all, someone employed by Theo.
Sadly, Rayleigh held no authority whatsoever in the ducal estate. Being “in name only” was not an exaggeration, but the truth.
“Alright. You may go.”
Rayleigh spoke without taking her eyes off the letter.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
The maid gave a perfunctory greeting and left.
Only after the maid had gone did Rayleigh straighten her posture. It was the reply from Leta—the letter she had been waiting for so desperately.
As she walked away, the maid glanced back at Rayleigh. After confirming that she had begun checking the letter, she headed back into the mansion.
For a long while, Rayleigh couldn’t bring herself to open it, merely staring. Then, as if steeling herself, she began tearing it open with trembling hands.
“Please… let nothing be wrong.”
Before unfolding the paper, she took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Her tightly shut eyes quivered.
Slowly opening them, she read the letter.
[To my beloved sister, Ri.
I’m sorry I couldn’t send an invitation. Things moved so quickly that I ended up getting married without telling you. It all happened so suddenly, and because of Father, I had no choice but to leave home as if I were running away…
Count Heriond has been very kind to me. I heard you were worried about me a lot, but I’m doing well here. So please don’t worry too much, and take care of yourself too.]**
The tone was somewhat stiff for Leta. But the name “Ri” written in the letter was the nickname her sibling used when calling her, so Rayleigh had no particular doubts.
More than anything, she thought that if he had truly understood her warning, he would have sent a letter directly to Leta this time.
Thank goodness. Truly…
After confirming Leta’s situation, Rayleigh clutched the letter and burst into tears—tears of relief. Along with her guilt, she had always felt sorry toward her sibling for having escaped alone.
If she had endured until the end at the Trialla ducal estate, perhaps Leta could have been happy. She imagined her sibling meeting someone she loved, building a happy family, and living peacefully with children.
Thinking about it now was pointless, but the thought wouldn’t leave her mind: if she had stayed together with Leta until she came of age, things might have turned out differently.
For both herself and her sibling.
They might have been happy—or perhaps even more miserable than now. Even so, Rayleigh regretted the past.
Being together would have been better than being alone. Enduring the pain together might have given them strength.
“…Leta, you’re really okay, right?”
Tears kept falling. An inexplicable sense of unease shook and pressed down on her. The tears kept welling up until wiping them away felt meaningless.
“I have to stay strong. Only then can I endure this place.”
Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Rayleigh reread the letter again and again, thinking of her dearly missed sibling. She had no room left for hesitation or rest.
I’ll be fine. Leta, I hope you’re living well too…
This might be the last letter. The final words—take care—felt as though they were telling her not to worry anymore.
Once her body recovered, might she be able to see Leta? Yes—she could meet her.
Rayleigh held onto that hope. She wanted to believe that the day would surely come when they could meet again, smiling happily at each other.
Looking at the blue envelope and the seal of Count Heriond’s house stamped on its flap, she carefully folded the letter and placed it back inside, afraid it might tear.
“Hm? Why is this like this?”
As Rayleigh sealed the envelope, her eyes narrowed.
The hardened imprint of the wax on one side was slightly distorted.
