Following the death of the previous duke, his son became noticeably colder towards the duchess.

Having long been aware of the strained relationship between the duke and his son, the butler, Hans, could only assume that the marriage had also been forced upon the duke by his late father’s will. He had never believed that they loved each other.

Even on the day she died, the Duke and Duchess had been on their way to the Imperial Palace to finalise their divorce.

However, after the Duchess’s death, the Duke was no longer the man he used to be. The cold precision and tireless pursuit of perfection that had once defined him vanished.

He couldn’t sleep without medication. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol. He withdrew completely from his responsibilities, ignoring the household he had once prioritised above all else. It was as if the family name, which had once meant everything to him, now meant nothing at all.

He had crushed House Ballesten without mercy, sparking whispers across society. Nevertheless, no one denied that the Ballesten family deserved retribution for their role in the Duchess’s death.

Three years had passed.

And yet, nothing had truly changed

If things continued like this, the household and Claude himself might be lost forever.

Hans could no longer stand by and watch.
‘My master needs a family.’
He finally made up his mind to speak.

“But… isn’t it time to welcome a new mistress, Your Grace? You must also consider securing an heir…”

Claude’s cold gaze locked onto him.

“Hans.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Bear with me… just a little longer.”

“……”

His voice was flat, void of any emotion.
Hans lowered his head in silence.

“You may go now.”

Clink!

The sharp sound of the glass being put back down on the table echoed through the room.

Yet Hans remained rooted to the spot, unable to bring himself to obey.

Finally, he parted his lips with great difficulty.

“I was out of line.”

With a devastated expression, he left the room.

The study fell silent once more.

Claude remained by the window, still pacing quietly, with the same posture and expression as before.

Through the dimming twilight, the small garden and greenhouse came into view.

His gaze settled on one of the garden paths where Brianna and Prince Louis had once walked.

The way they held hands, the gentle smiles they exchanged, and the warmth between them —

— were all things that had nothing to do with him.

At least, they should have had nothing to do with him.

And yet…

With one hand tucked into his pocket, he leaned against the window frame.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel bothered.

“… An heir, they say.”

A quiet, self-mocking laugh escaped him.

If he had ever wanted an heir, he would have got Diana pregnant a long time ago.

That was exactly what his father had always wanted from him.

But even back then, he had never wanted it.

In fact, he had even bought medicine to prevent her from getting pregnant.

He had no intention of passing on his misfortune to a child.

Yet, looking back now, it feels as though he simply passed his own misery on to Diana.

“……”

How long had it been since his wife died?

He tried to measure the time that had long since lost any meaning for him.

His eyes slowly closed.

Three years.

Over time, the emotions that had once threatened to overwhelm him had gradually dulled.

For the past three years, he had relied on alcohol during the day and sleeping pills at night.

He engaged in behaviours that he would never have imagined before losing Diana —

— wasting his life on drinking and gambling.

Hans, the estate’s long-standing butler, naturally took charge of all household affairs, while he only involved himself in the most critical decisions.

He couldn’t bear to live.

Even in his dreams, she haunted and tormented him.

The thought that he would never see her again, not even once, that overwhelming sense of loss he had never imagined continued to shake him to his core.

Just when he thought he was finally beginning to recover—

‘Why does seeing Brianna Elwin always remind me of Diana?’

Claude lowered his gaze bitterly.

“Diana Estelle Felix… it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The first day he met Diana—it had also been spring, much like today.

They were alone together in the outdoor tea room of the imperial villa, with attendants waiting at a distance.

The woman in the blue dress had hair like moonlight and was unlike any other royal.

She kept her gaze lowered as though she had never dared to look anyone in the eye before, and her voice was so quiet that one had to listen carefully to hear her.

She was a woman who had lived her entire life in a greenhouse.

The abandoned princess.

The illegitimate child of impure blood.

He had long heard such phrases used to describe Diana Estelle Felix.

It was well known that she had been mistreated in the imperial palace, and observing her behaviour that day, he immediately understood why.

“I am Claude von Cassel of House Cassel.”

That was the first time their eyes met.

In her mysterious violet eyes, he recognised emotions that only he could understand:

Loneliness, sorrow, resignation and guilt.

Emotions that he had also struggled with all his life.

“… As they say, you are truly beautiful.”

He kissed the pale, fragile back of her hand, which she offered hesitantly as if it might crumble at the slightest touch.

Diana had briefly met his gaze, but quickly lowered her eyes back to the ground.

Her expressions meant nothing to him.

Their marriage had been arranged by his father.

She existed solely as a tool in his father’s scheme to ruin his life.

Therefore, there was no possibility that he could ever love her.

He had to endure every moment, forcing himself not to show how disgusted he was.

He had to appear as though he were deeply in love with her.

That was his duty. His father’s order.

“The weather is beautiful today… just like your smile.”

“Claude! Look, a flock of birds is flying by!”

She found joy in the smallest things, like a child seeing the world for the first time. She laughed and beamed brightly.

As the days passed and they continued to meet with marriage in mind, her expressions grew noticeably more radiant.

Though it was all just an act, he felt ridiculous for having been deceived by it.

He didn’t dislike it, though.

“Diana Estelle Felix, will you marry me?”

“…”

“Diana? Are you crying?”

“Sniff… Yes, Claude. I’m sorry. I’m just… so happy.”

They had arranged to meet with the intention of getting married, and when the proposal came as scheduled, she looked as though she had won the lottery.

“Do you, the groom, solemnly swear to love and honour your wife for the rest of your life?”

“Yes.”

“Do you, the bride, vow to devote your life in love and obedience to your husband?”
“Yes!”

A radiant smile spread across her face.

His gaze darkened as he revisited those memories.

Diana had changed after meeting him.

Whether he liked it or not, he had to admit that he was the cause of the change.

Despite supposedly being treated badly at the Imperial Palace, she had such a laid-back nature.

‘Is she being foolish? Can a forced marriage really make her happy?’

‘Or is she, like me, good at hiding how she really feels?’

On the night of their wedding, they consummated their marriage.
Her body felt unbearably delicate, as though it might break apart if he held her too tightly.

The night stretched on, but not once did Diana show her pain.
Even as her body trembled with the strain, she endured it in silence, stifling even the faintest whimper—determined not to let a single sound betray her suffering.

‘One day, she will surely take off that mask.’
Or so he had thought.
But even as time passed, Diana remained unchanged.
And that, too, irritated him.

‘I never intended to love you. So why must you always remain in the same place, at the same distance.’

“Damn it.”

A low curse escaped his lips.
He sank heavily into his chair, resting both arms on the desk and burying his face in his hands.

‘Even back then, I knew it. I knew that marrying me was your only way out. I knew you loved me.’

“My lady, if you’re feeling well enough, may I walk with you?”
“My lady, it’s quite cold—please wear my gloves.”
“My lady, I…”
“…I love you.”

Bang!

Claude slammed his fist down on the desk, creating a sharp echo that reverberated through the study.

The wine in his glass splashed over the papers, staining them.

‘I was the one who pretended to love you so perfectly.’

‘And I was the one who changed in an instant.’

“How long are you going to stand there?”

“Get out of my room. Now.”

Memories crashed over him mercilessly, causing his brow to furrow.

‘I never thought you would die so suddenly.’

‘I never imagined that I would lose you so unexpectedly, without having the opportunity to say goodbye properly or to fully comprehend what was happening.’

‘I never expected to be left behind with nothing but these unbearable, lingering regrets.’

Claude pulled the bell cord impatiently.

Before long, Hans the butler reappeared.