Chapter 6

“This woman…… is Brielle Selinger……?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Michael, the secretary, spoke up in place of the bewildered hospital director. He cautiously observed Kaiden’s expression, wondering if there was some hidden backstory he didn’t know.

“I’d like to be alone for a while……”  

A wrinkle appeared on Kaiden’s forehead as he calmly gave the order. Everyone was surprised by the resolute command, but Michael was the most flustered.

Kaiden’s face was cold and calm. Yet Michael could sense it clearly. His master was in utter confusion.

Since Kaiden had become Duke, it was the first time he had been so shaken. Even with the unprecedented declaration that he would remain alone in the hospital room, Michael couldn’t say a word.

Those present quickly left, sensing the atmosphere.

Ssshhh.

As the surroundings grew quiet, the sound of rain lashing against the window became even louder.

Darkness seeped into the bed beneath the storm clouds. Even though the light was on, the interior was so dim it felt like night during the day.

Kaiden stared at the woman lying before him, clenching and unclenching his fists. After repeating this for a while, blood began to circulate through his stiff body. His cluttered mind gradually cleared.

Of course, it might not be her. But still—

He gazed at the pale face for a long time, then carefully reached out his hand. With hesitant fingers, he stroked the shimmering golden hair. As he gently lifted the blonde hair, a long neck and delicate facial line were clearly revealed.

His trembling fingertips stopped at the two moles behind her left ear. For a moment, it felt as if lightning struck above his head.

As—

The name that rose to his throat churned inside him. Memories he had pressed down burst out uncontrollably, clawing at him.

Yes, this woman could be no one else. Astrid Hamilton, the owner of his heart and the lover who had cruelly abandoned him.

Haa. His hand, which was caressing his slightly crooked pinky, trembled.

As he confirmed one by one the evidence that Brielle was Astrid, his sigh turned into a resigned silence. His heart pounded so hard he couldn’t collect himself.

Astrid was alive. And she had appeared before him as Brielle Selinger.

Realizing this, the boiling inside Kaiden began to cool.

He still didn’t know what had happened in those three years, but, in any case, Astrid had fallen into his grasp.

“You’re back.”

Murmuring to himself, Kaiden immediately opened the hospital room door. Michael, who had been pacing anxiously in the hallway, quickly bowed his head.

The competent secretary seemed to have sensed his master’s unusual mood and had already cleared the area.

At Kaiden’s nod, Michael entered the hospital room. Glancing at Astrid, who was lying down, the secretary spoke carefully.

“Are you all right?”  

“Find out everything you can about what happened on the train the day of the landslide. Every witness, every trivial detail.”  

“Yes, Master.”

As Michael bowed and stepped back, Kaiden swept his hair back. His rough hand disheveled his hair, but he didn’t care at all.

Rumble.

Lightning flashed, followed by thunder shaking the sky. Sensing the rain growing heavier, Kaiden spoke.

“They said Miss Selinger has a personal item, correct?”  

“Yes, Master. It’s a locket pendant.”

Though his voice was cold, Kaiden’s eyes were tinged with red. Michael pretended not to notice his master’s agitation and handed over the locket.

Only after quite some time did Kaiden open the lid and gasp.

Because it had been buried in earth, the picture inside was faded, and it was impossible to make out the features clearly. But he could tell the woman inside had blonde hair and fair skin.

Were her eyes green?

Imagining the picture wiped clean of dirt, he gripped the locket so tightly it nearly broke. The memories and news he had collected so far tangled together, stretching his nerves taut.

Kaiden turned to Michael. The secretary, overwhelmed by the duke’s icy air, bowed his head.

At last, a cold command was given.

“Strengthen the security of the hospital room. And…… as soon as Miss Selinger wakes up, inform me.”

* * *

On the day Astrid woke up, a neatly dressed woman greeted her.

Marie introduced herself as the caregiver, but Astrid, still drowsy, couldn’t exchange more than a few words before closing her eyes again.

After that, the time she spent awake gradually increased. It seemed that someone other than the doctor had come to see Astrid, but her consciousness was so hazy she couldn’t recognize them.

A few days passed, and finally her head cleared. But her whole body hurt just as much. When she checked the date, a month had passed since the accident.

“Today, Master will be coming. He plans to speak with you, Miss.”  

“……Who is this Master?”  

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you anything.”

Marie checked Astrid’s condition with her eyes lowered, then reported to the guard outside the hospital room.

Meanwhile, Astrid looked around the lavishly decorated hospital room and then gazed at her own reflection in the window.

Her complexion was pale, and her long blonde hair was plainly visible. Astrid bit her lip anxiously.

Who could that Master be?

When she first woke up, she was bewildered by the unfamiliar hospital room, but her mind felt foggy, as if shrouded in mist, so she couldn’t think of anything.

Since regaining consciousness, she had asked several times who had saved her, but Marie kept her lips tightly sealed and simply did her job.

Could it be that Declan found me and admitted her to the hospital?

But Astrid soon dismissed the ridiculous idea.

She knew all too well the state of the Mason Merchant Guild, so that couldn’t be. Besides, if it were Declan, he would have rushed to the hospital room as soon as he heard Astrid had come to her senses.

Then, could it be Andrew who found me?

Her heart pounded as she thought of her younger brother, now Marquis Hamilton. Flustered, she glanced at Marie, but the caregiver calmly took out some cosmetics.

“Do you prefer the scent of roses? Or violets?”  

“Marie, who is coming that you’re dressing me up like this?”  

“You’ll know everything once Master arrives.”

There was tension in Marie’s gaze. Realizing she would get the same answer no matter how many times she asked, Astrid stopped questioning.

On the day of the train accident, she had rolled on the ground, holding Brielle. When the memory of the pouring earth and people’s screams came back, Astrid squeezed her eyes shut.

Memories she had hidden deep in her subconscious muddled her mind. Her chest throbbed, and her breathing grew rough.

“Miss, are you all right?”  

“Let’s keep the makeup simple.”  

“Yes……”

Marie, withdrawing her worried gaze, began to work with her hands. While she neatly braided Astrid’s blonde hair, Astrid looked down at her own thin fingers.

If Andrew had found her, she needed to escape immediately, but she couldn’t move at all. In this condition, she would be caught by the Hamilton family before she even made it out of the hospital.

What should I do.

Both her body and mind were broken again. The pieces she had barely managed to put back together now seemed to be scattering. Astrid clenched her teeth and swallowed the tears rising up.

“All done.”

Sitting like a broken doll, Astrid’s eyes slowly regained focus. First, she needed to assess her situation as she used to.

Gathering the fragments of her memory, Astrid spoke.

“Do you have any of my belongings?”  

“Master has taken care of all your personal items, Miss.”

Again, Master. Astrid’s eyes sharpened at the title, which seemed fit for the head of a household.

The caregiver, Marie, sat upright and dressed stylishly, so it seemed her master was no ordinary person.

“Is that Master…… a meticulous and responsible person?”  

“Yes. Everyone respects him.”

Marie blushed. At least, since her master didn’t seem to be Andrew Hamilton, Astrid felt a small sense of relief.

Soon, the person called Master would come, so she decided to wait.

Astrid picked up a hand mirror and checked her appearance. It had been a long time since she’d been with someone in a guise other than a merchant guild employee.

It was also the first time since her Academy days that she’d braided her hair, so it felt new. When she worked at the Mason Merchant Guild, she always tried to look a little older.

“He has arrived.”