When Daphne asked in return, Gabriel’s pale blue eyes sparkled. It was the look of someone who had discovered an enormous treasure vault.

Gabriel’s lips, which hadn’t touched her before, now descended on Daphne’s fingertips.

“I’ll do my utmost to ensure you won’t regret choosing me, my lady.”

“I want someone who works exactly as much as they’re paid. Too little is disappointing, and too much makes me suspicious.”

Hearing this, Gabriel paused as he withdrew his lips from her fingertips.

That was his own belief and motto. How could Daphne, whom he was meeting for the first time, know this?

As Daphne nonchalantly pulled her hand from his grasp, Gabriel opened the door for her with another picture-perfect smile.

The old man twitched his beard when he saw Gabriel escorting Daphne to the pawnshop entrance. He had watched over Gabriel since he was a snot-nosed kid but had never seen him escort a client out.

After finishing the farewell, Gabriel ordered the old man:

“Put someone on that woman immediately.”

The old man furrowed his brow. He sensed a faint excitement from Gabriel, which was an extremely rare occurrence.

“For surveillance or protection?”

“Both!”

Many clients purchased protection, but it was rare for Gabriel to give direct orders, so the old man’s curiosity was piqued.

“And find out everything about that woman. From her eating habits to her routines, especially any recent changes… Get me everything!”

“Since that lady isn’t under surveillance, it will take time…”

“You have two days.”

The old man snorted in disbelief, but Gabriel shot him a warning glance before heading back down the corridor.

Unlike Gabriel, deep in serious thought, Daphne’s heart fluttered with relief and joy as she headed toward the carriage she had left in front of the dress shop.

In her past life, information he provided had helped her save Werner and Ludwig. Now she would even help her maternal family, making her future path much more secure.

‘Gabi, should I save your life this time around?’

Daphne pondered briefly.

Gabriel truly was someone who worked exactly as much as he was paid and would sell anything if it benefited him. That included Daphne.

‘I went through quite a lot because of you.’

But he had died trying to keep his promise to her. After some consideration, Daphne decided to be generous.

‘Let’s consider your debt to me repaid with that.’

Above all, he was an extremely useful talent.

‘So be good to me, Gabi.’

Upon returning home, Daphne took a lamp with gold filigree and went to her father’s office.

“They say if you light a lamp on the windowsill, it helps someone return safely.”

When she spoke with a bright smile, the guards opened the door with expressions that suggested they couldn’t stop her.

‘I should tell Father to tighten security.’

Daphne returned the documents to their proper place and gave the guards another bright smile as she left.

⁕⁕⁕

While Daphne was busy moving about, Leonhardt’s house was in complete disarray.

Duke Gustav Mücke quietly said to his wife:

“Fix this somehow.”

Duchess Barbara cautiously replied while watching her husband’s mood:

“Leonhardt must be very upset too. He’s never drunk like this before.”

“Why should that boy be upset?”

“He must have been quite confused himself.”

Hearing this, Gustav snickered.

Barbara swallowed dryly. That laugh meant he was furious to the tips of his hair.

She unconsciously began to stammer:

“Y-Your Highness, getting angry won’t solve anything. Daphne is still young, so she might not understand some things.”

“From what I know, Daphne is far more mature than him. She preemptively broke off the engagement when her longtime fiancé even had an affair. Doesn’t that show she’s acting her age? That inadequate boy turned to alcohol he shouldn’t touch just because Daphne didn’t react as he expected. He can’t even manage himself, so he’s completely lost.”

Gustav strode over, grabbed her arm, and roughly pulled her up.

“Your head is meant for thinking, not just for dyeing your hair! If Daphne doesn’t change her mind, this won’t end with just compensation.”

“Marquis Werner won’t break off the engagement carelessly either. In the end, it’ll just be Daphne making a fuss by herself.”

“Do you really think so? You know how proud Werner is. No, you probably know that better than I do…”

Gustav mocked her thoroughly. Barbara closed her eyes tightly as if every word and his heavy breathing were unbearable.

“While he’s away at sea, even someone like Leonhardt caused talk of breaking the engagement. What do you think Werner will do when he finds out?”

Gustav grabbed Barbara’s arm and headed toward the main door of his office.

“This is all because you kept delaying the marriage with your fake illness. So you two take responsibility.”

“It’s not f-fake. I’m really sick.”

“Yet you’re still alive and well.”

Gustav pushed Barbara toward the door.

“Wake up that precious son of yours. Tell him to fix this!”

As Barbara fled from the office, Gustav’s aide closed the door.

BANG!

The loud noise echoed down the long corridor. It was certainly not the treatment befitting a duchess.

Kik kik.

Some maids cleaning the corridor at that moment didn’t hide their snickers.

Familiar anger began to burn in Barbara’s heart, which had been colored by fear.

She held her head high, gritted her teeth, and walked away. The maids not only failed to suppress their laughter but laughed more openly.

This was Barbara’s position.

Despite having given birth to an heir and living as a duchess for many years, her situation never improved. Gustav thoroughly ignored and always mistreated her.

The couple hated each other to the bone.

From Gustav’s perspective, marrying Barbara was practically a fraud. She was a lady with a critical flaw, and he had been pushed into the marriage while stuck in a rural territory.

The two had started off terribly and eventually came to despise each other.

As a result, Barbara’s obsession with Leonhardt only grew stronger.

‘Just wait until our son inherits the title. I’ll definitely repay this humiliation. One, two, three…’

She headed toward Leonhardt’s chambers, imagining breaking the fingers, arms, legs, and necks of the maids who had laughed at her.

Barbara slightly opened the canopy of the bed and called to him.

“Son.”

Leonhardt stirred but kept his eyes closed. Barbara spoke in an even gentler voice.

“Are you having a hard time?”

She stroked her son’s fine, soft golden hair and asked affectionately.

“…I’m sorry.”

Leonhardt sat up.

Barbara observed her son carefully.

His deep green eyes, golden hair, and handsome features—he seemed to resemble his father more with each passing day, making her sigh involuntarily.

“No, it’s not your fault. Daphne is just immature. Men naturally have outward-directed passions, don’t they? These things happen, but she didn’t understand and insisted on making it a big issue. I’m rather disappointed in her.”

Leonhardt rubbed his face wearily, remembering how Barbara would wail whenever his father took a new lover.

“You told her first so she wouldn’t get hurt hearing it from others. She doesn’t even appreciate your consideration!”

Just thinking about it seemed to infuriate her, and her hand stroking Leonhardt’s back tensed. As he subtly pulled away, Barbara, belatedly composing herself, whispered even more affectionately:

“I understand your feelings completely. Love can’t choose its target at will. Being engaged doesn’t mean you can force yourself to love someone.”

Yes, absolutely.

Barbara knew that better than anyone.

“But what you must inherit is also important. Perhaps even more important than people. Your father doesn’t want the engagement broken either. Go soothe her gently and reconcile. Then he’ll forgive everything.”

At the word “forgive,” Leonhardt smiled wryly.

‘Does Father even know what that word means?’

The same went for his mother. It irritated him that she treated him like an ignorant child when she clearly knew everything.

He pushed Barbara away and said:

“I want to be alone for a while. I can’t go to Daphne smelling of alcohol, can I? And the Marquis isn’t even here. Please wait a little—I’ll handle this myself.”

Barbara’s eyelids trembled. Like father, like son? Every time Leonhardt pushed her away, the trauma inflicted by her husband came rushing back.

But her son was her only lifeline. If she lost this too, it would be the end.

She forced the corners of her stiff mouth upward into a smile.

“You’ve never had a good tolerance for alcohol. Drinking like this is… Your body isn’t just yours. Don’t forget that you’re a precious person who will soon become Duke Mücke.”

She coaxed her grown son as if he were a child.

“Don’t be too upset. Daphne can’t resist you, can she? This will blow over soon. Now get some rest.”

Barbara left the chamber, swallowing her ragged breath. As she walked down the corridor, she muttered to herself:

‘I won’t let this go. Who are you to reduce our son to this state? What about the commotion you’ve caused in our family? Wicked girl.’

She had been feigning illness to torment Daphne all this time, but now it was time to stop.

‘Did you want so badly to become my daughter-in-law? You’ll soon taste h*ll.’

Barbara filled her miserable state of mind with fantasies of tormenting Daphne to her heart’s content once the girl became her subordinate for life.