Finally, the day of the party arrived.

Water shot up refreshingly from the central fountain at the Linderto ducal mansion.

Carriages of the capital’s nobility arrived one after another at the entrance.

Lights twinkled fantastically inside and outside the duke’s residence, where romantic music echoed.

“My goodness. What a beautiful party.”

Rosana fidgeted in the waiting carriage.

Watching her stepmother unable to keep still her bottom or her eyes, Ellin inwardly snickered.

“Be careful not to disgrace our family.”

When did she ever act so proper?

Ellin, who had remained expressionless throughout, quietly turned her gaze out the window.

Despite her worries, even before reaching the duke’s residence, carriages lined up in long queues around them.

‘They said all the capital’s nobility were invited. It seems true.’

Seeing this, she became convinced she wouldn’t encounter the duke at the party. Finally, she felt somewhat relieved.

‘Please let tonight pass quickly.’

She prayed there would be a quiet place in the mansion where she could breathe alone amid the crowd.

When the party began, Duke Linderto stood in front of the central staircase in the hall.

With his hair neatly swept back and wearing a navy blue suit, he looked taller and more handsome than usual.

Dominic quickly scanned the people who continued to enter.

Then at some point, his golden pupils recognized someone and began to gleam brilliantly.

“She’s finally here.”

Ellin entered the party venue with a tense face, surveying her surroundings.

In the crowded hall, whenever she spotted a young man with a build similar to the duke’s, she quickly covered her face with her fan.

‘Phew, it wasn’t him.’

Even while lowering her fan, she didn’t stop watching her surroundings.

Unaware that the duke was watching her every move from somewhere.

Hmph.

Dominic smirked watching her, looking like someone who had returned to the scene of a crime.

He didn’t rush.

He wanted to leisurely enjoy the amusing sight of the nervous Ellin Nilson for a while.

Just then, Silvia approached him, exuding a luxurious fragrance.

“Why did you wait until now to host such a splendid party? Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”

She smiled, handing him a glass she had brought.

Red wine swirled in the tall glass.

Dominic looked at it with suspicion before accepting it. Then he immediately placed it on a passing servant’s tray.

“I’m glad they’re enjoying themselves.”

He answered halfheartedly, showing little interest in Silvia’s passionate gaze.

“His Highness the Crown Prince was eagerly looking for you earlier.”

Silvia’s lips pouted slightly at the duke’s indifferent words.

“I’ve already seen him. Do you have nothing else to say to me?”

She didn’t hide her feelings, showing her disappointment.

“I’m wearing a red dress for the first time today. Don’t you think it matches well with your suit?”

Dominic shifted his gaze to her dress at her words.

“Indeed. It suits you very well.”

He gave a brief compliment before turning his attention elsewhere again.

Ellin Nilson, who had been in his sight until just now, had disappeared while he looked away.

When the duke scanned the hall as if searching for someone, Silvia also looked around with curious eyes.

“Who are you looking for?”

He continued scanning people quickly with his gaze, seemingly deaf to Silvia’s question.

“Then enjoy your evening.”

The duke finally kissed the back of Silvia’s gloved hand lightly and left first.

“Duke!”

When she called out, he turned back and didn’t forget to add one more comment.

“The highlight of tonight’s party will be you dancing with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Watching the duke leave her behind, Silvia’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“Silvia?”

Almost as if he had been waiting for this moment, the Crown Prince appeared before her again and politely asked her to dance.

Silvia, noticing people’s gazes, took Jonathan’s outstretched hand.

Just as Dominic had said, the scene of the Crown Prince and Silvia dancing captured everyone’s attention in the hall.

Dominic quickly scanned the venue while exchanging eye greetings with people. Ellin Nilson had vanished in an instant.

Meanwhile, Ellin approached the area where food was laid out.

“I should be able to catch my breath here.”

Everyone was so busy socializing that only servants moving food around were busy near the tables.

‘How pretty.’

She chewed on a cute, bite-sized dessert.

“Ellin?”

Startled by a gentle voice calling her from somewhere, she choked.

Ellin touched her throat as she coughed and turned her head to find a welcome face.

“Charlotte!”

It was Charlotte, a friend she had grown up with.

She was delighted to see her friend who had married early and gone far away with her husband.

“I didn’t know you’d be here. You wrote in your last letter that you were at your great-aunt’s house.”

“Yes. I came back. What about you?”

“My husband went abroad briefly for business. I’m staying at my parents’ home in the meantime.”

“That’s great. I’m so happy to see you again.”

The two held hands and rejoiced as if they had returned to their childhood.

“I saw Janice earlier. She was stuck to Royce like a pair of cockroaches.”

Charlotte, who had cursed Royce as despicable for marrying Janice, seemed even more upset than Ellin.

Ellin couldn’t help but laugh seeing Charlotte like this.

“How is Edward?”

“The same. But he seems much more at peace than when he was at home.”

Understanding the implication, Charlotte turned to look at Rosana with a troubled face.

“You must be very distressed.”

“Let’s stop talking about such depressing things. Tell me about yourself.”

Ellin deliberately changed the subject and chatted happily like other young ladies her age for the first time in a long while.

* * *

While Ellin met Charlotte and talked at the edge of the party venue, Rosana searched for Ellin.

Just then, Janice quickly approached and grabbed Rosana’s arm.

“Mother. There’s the count’s daughter over there. Let’s go greet her together.”

“Silvia Muas?”

“Rumors say she’ll soon become the duchess. They say the duke held this party for her today.”

Hearing her daughter’s words, Rosana’s eyes widened as she nodded.

“Then let’s go see. We should definitely greet the future duchess.”

Rosana forgot about looking for Ellin and approached Silvia with her daughter.

Silvia looked at the mother and daughter rushing toward her with annoyed eyes.

“Silvia. You look so beautiful today.”

“Isn’t this a wonderful party?”

Silvia scanned the mother and daughter who addressed her with tired eyes.

Though they wore the latest fashion dresses, the color combinations and jewel decorations were incredibly tacky.

“Is that so? Thank you. I hope you both have a good time.”

She smiled slightly with her eyes and turned away abruptly as if they weren’t worth her time, leaving the mother and daughter’s faces slightly distorted.

“How cold.”

“Mother! Don’t say that. We should be grateful she even greeted us.”

Janice spoke while gazing at Silvia’s back as if she were an object of envy.

“She’ll soon become the duchess. How wonderful that must be.”

An envious sigh escaped her lips.

At that time, Ellin, who was alone again after Charlotte left to greet other people, began to slowly explore the duke’s residence.

“Count Muas’s mansion was impressive last time, but the duke’s residence is incomparable.”

Perhaps because she thought the duke wouldn’t recognize her among so many people, things she hadn’t noticed before caught her eye one by one.

The magnificent ceiling painted with beautiful pictures, the massive marble columns, the golden-painted arched staircase.

What took her breath away immediately was the romantic terrace where statues were placed like works of art.

‘What would it feel like to wake up to this every day?’

Looking at the fountain spraying from the garden outside the terrace, Ellin felt this moment seemed unreal.

The sound of people talking and music playing from the hall seemed like they were coming from a distant dream.

At that moment,

“Are you waiting for someone to come here alone today too?”

A man’s low, deep voice came from very close.

When Ellin turned around, she froze like a statue.

Duke Linderto stood leaning slightly against the wall with his arms loosely crossed, looking at her.

“D-Duke!”

He couldn’t help but laugh seeing the woman with innocent green eyes wide open in surprise.

In the greenhouse last time, she had initially worn such a frightened face but later provoked him.

The woman who spent a passionate night with him and then disappeared without a trace like a midsummer night’s dream.

This time his large body blocked the path between her and the hall, as if ensuring she had nowhere to escape.

“It seems we have something to talk about.”

Ellin blamed herself for foolishly letting her guard down. She should never have come to this party.

But the water was already spilled. Now she needed to manage this maddening situation rather than run away.

‘How much does he remember about that day? He might only remember meeting me in the greenhouse. He might want to ask about his lost memories.’

Though she tried to be hopeful, the duke spoke as if he had entered and exited her mind.

“I remember everything. Even how you seduced me.”

Ellin’s legs weakened, and she tightly grabbed the nearby curtain.

‘What should I do.’

“T-that day, it wasn’t me but you who was very drunk…… I didn’t intend anything, and suddenly you appeared in the greenhouse……”

Her words kept faltering.

As she retreated step by step to avoid the duke, she found herself outside on the terrace.

The cool night breeze cooled her heated face and ruffled the duke’s hair as it passed.

Only then did Ellin regain some clarity of mind.

‘Don’t act like a fool. Don’t run away, just speak honestly!’

Calming her bursting heart, she spoke calmly to the duke.

“I had to leave first because I heard people approaching. I’m sorry for disappearing without a word, but I thought my presence would put you in a more difficult situation.”

It wasn’t a lie.

And it wasn’t just the duke who would be in trouble. She herself was honestly afraid of being caught up in uncontrollable rumors.

“Why didn’t you think of finding me another day?”

“You didn’t look for me either.”

“So you thought I didn’t remember and planned to keep the secret to yourself forever? Or did you have other intentions?”

Ellin’s eyes widened at his words.

“Other intentions? If you were worried I might spread rumors, your concern was unnecessary. I would never do that, not even until my death.”

Her face, offended by the misunderstanding, looked quite honest.

“That’s fortunate then.”

“I’m sorry about what happened that day in many ways. If you could erase it from your mind, I would also treat it as if it never happened……”

“I don’t think I can do that.”

“What?”

Her round eyes looked up at him, filled with bewilderment.

“Since that day, my once peaceful daily life has become a complete mess. I can’t focus on work because I keep thinking about you.”

Ellin, who had been continuously backing away, found her back against the terrace railing with nowhere left to retreat.

The duke grabbed the railing, trapping her within his arms.

His breathtakingly handsome face with golden eyes gazed down at her.

“If you’ve shaken me up this much, you should rightfully take responsibility. Don’t you agree, Miss?”

“Res… ponsibility? What do you mean by taking responsibility……”

The duke had to hold back his laughter seeing her face that looked almost ready to cry.

“Come see me tomorrow afternoon. Let’s figure out together how you should take responsibility.”

He lowered his head close enough to touch her white neck and whispered dangerously into her ear.

* * *