While lost in these thoughts, the carriage arrived at the grand ducal residence and stopped. Soon after, the door opened, and an elderly butler in neat attire bowed his head. He was taller than expected, with impressive smile lines that appeared when he smiled.

“Welcome, Miss. I am William, who serves His Highness the Grand Duke.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Kayla.”

“Hoho, you are far more beautiful than I had heard. Here, take my hand and step down carefully.”

William politely extended his hand to Kayla. Kayla got out of the carriage with William’s escort. The moment she raised her head, a breathtaking sight unfolded. Golden gleaming pillars, a vast garden, and the subtle fragrance of flowers carried on the breeze. At the end of the garden stood a statue of the Grand Duke’s father, the Emperor. Kayla closed her eyes. It was a moment when the breath that had been constricted with tension seemed to release for the first time.

“I will guide you to your room, Miss. Please forgive me for calling you ‘Miss’ as you are not yet married.”

“Oh, no! Thank you… um…”

“You may call me William comfortably. After all, you will become the mistress of this mansion.”

At those words, Kayla’s cheeks turned peach-red. She nodded her head carefully. The inside of the mansion was even more impressive than its exterior. Though not flashy, it had an elegant and neat atmosphere. A jade-green carpet covered the staircase that spread out in the center.

“Welcome, Miss! I am Martha, who will be attending to you from now on!”

A girl with red hair and lovely freckles greeted her cheerfully. Martha smiled brightly at Kayla, who was bewildered by the unfamiliar welcome.

“I’m so happy to serve you, Miss! Please feel free to call me whenever you need anything!”

“Hoho, Martha’s mother also worked here for a long time. She’s a bright and diligent child who will serve you well.”

“Ah, nice to meet you…! I’m Kayla.”

“Miss Kayla! I was so surprised by how beautiful you are! Now, you must be tired? Let me show you to your room right away.”

Martha smiled sweetly as she guided Kayla to the second floor. The room was prepared with everything from new bedding to books, art supplies, and even musical instruments.

“We didn’t know how you’d like to spend your time, so we were instructed to prepare everything.”

“Um, Martha. Say, do you know why His Highness the Grand Duke…”

Kayla spoke hesitantly to Martha, hoping to resolve some of her questions, but Martha just smiled brightly and answered:

“Hehe, I can’t tell you anything! I don’t really know either! You should hear that story directly from His Highness the Grand Duke.”

“Ah…”

“And please speak comfortably. Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Martha blinked her eyes with a slightly pouty expression. Her small nose and sparkling eyes were truly cute and lovable. Kayla smiled faintly and shook her head.

“No, not at all! It’s just… things have been difficult for me lately…”

Martha didn’t ask further. She simply smiled as if she understood and would wait.

“If you wish, Miss, I’ll stay by your side until the end.”

At those words, Kayla suddenly felt something rising in her throat. When was the last time she had such a kind conversation?

“Thank you, Martha…”

“Don’t mention it! I’m truly fortunate to have such a kind person as my mistress!”

Amidst countless question marks, Kayla cautiously embraced her first exclamation point. Perhaps this place could be where she would start anew. For the first time, she shed tears filled with joy.

Martha kindly arranged Kayla’s shawl and asked in a bright voice:

“Miss, would you like to take a bath first? Lunch will be ready when you finish!”

Perhaps because of the hectic morning, Kayla had been feeling neither hunger nor fatigue, but now she suddenly became aware of her hunger. At that moment, a gurgling sound rumbled from deep in her stomach. Her face flushed hot.

“I’m very grateful. Oh, no. I mean thank you, Martha.”

“Hehe, then I’ll draw the bath, so please wait a moment! Let’s finish bathing quickly and have a meal!”

Martha left the room with a bright smile and quick steps. Watching her leave, Kayla suddenly thought:

‘Could I ever smile like that…?’

Sincerely, without fear of anything. Without frowning, without tightening her chest. She couldn’t clearly remember when she had last smiled genuinely. Kayla felt sorry that she hadn’t fully expressed her gratitude. After Martha left, she looked around the room carefully. Though not as splendid as the Grand Duke’s mansion, the beige-toned furniture and soft curtains wrapped the room in warmth. Above all, this room was much larger than the one she had used in the baronial residence. No, it was five times larger. The suddenly expanded space even felt awkward. Kayla approached the bed and gently touched the blanket. It had been a very long time since she’d felt such soft, clean bedding. Moreover, the bed was large enough for four people to lie on. On the table beside the bed, a bouquet of white roses was beautifully arranged in a vase.

“Such large, fully bloomed white roses… they’re really pretty.”

Kayla brought her face closer to smell the flowers. The subtle fragrance of roses tickled her nose. It had been a long time since she’d smelled the scent of flowers. She regretted the springs she had passed with her head bowed. Those were days when she always had to hurry along, feeling as if someone was watching her. For her, feeling the seasons was a luxury. At that thought, a fleeting sadness crossed her expression.

“Miss, may I come in?”

Just then, a careful voice was heard from outside the door. It was Martha.

“Yes, come in.”

“The bath is ready. Shall we go?”

After moving to the bathroom, Kayla flinched and avoided Martha when she tried to undress her. Their eyes met in midair.

“Miss, what’s wrong?”

Martha asked in surprise.

“Well, you see…”

A brief silence. Kayla’s words trailed off, but Martha calmly read the fear in her eyes and nodded.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything without your permission.”

Martha stopped her hands and spoke in a quiet but firm tone. There was something reassuring about the trust contained in that small frame.

“Thank you, Martha. I’m okay.”

As Kayla let down her guard, Martha untied her dress strings with delicate hands. When she was n*ked, Kayla wrapped her arms around herself and carefully entered the water. As the warm water embraced her skin, her tension finally melted away. It felt as if the wounds accumulated over time were slowly dissolving. The warmth of the water soaking her body after so long made her feel like she was melting to the tips of her hair.

‘Do I deserve such treatment…’

When she closed her eyes in the water, such confusion suddenly crossed her mind. Martha carefully washed Kayla’s body and was silently shocked by the traces of ab*se left on her skin. Bruises, wounds, scratch marks. Though her anger rose at the wounds that were much worse than expected, she asked gently with an unaffected face:

“How’s the water temperature?”

“It’s good, warm…”

“Your skin is so fair, Miss. Now, let me soap you up.”

Martha brought a sponge, lathered it up, and gently placed it against Kayla’s body.

“Please tell me if it hurts. Understood?”

“Mm-hmm. Hey, Martha.”

“Yes?”

“…Aren’t you surprised? I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable…”

At those words, Martha’s eyes suddenly reddened. Her heart felt heavy. It was unbearable that such small, delicate shoulders were saying such things.

“…The ones who should apologize are those who hurt you, Miss. The ones who should apologize are someone else entirely.”

At Martha’s resolute voice, Kayla’s eyes reddened. A tear fell.

“Martha…”

“From now on, rest assured that such wounds will never happen again, Miss!”

Though tears welled up in both their eyes, they forced smiles. Between laughter and tears, a quiet, warm bond blossomed.

“Miss.”

Martha called to her as she carefully continued her ministrations.

“Yes?”

“Do you know what white roses symbolize?”

“No, I don’t.”

“They mean ‘new beginnings.’ His Highness the Grand Duke personally instructed us to prepare them.”

Kayla quietly raised her head.

“His Highness the Grand Duke?”

“Yes, His Highness the Grand Duke said they were the flowers that suited you best.”

Kayla couldn’t continue speaking. Today, she recalled Theodore’s hand extended in the sunlight. The gaze he had silently given her and the warmth of his fingertips flashed through her memory.

‘He said they suit someone like me… best?’

Something slowly stirred deep in her heart. Even amid anxiety and fear, a very small kindness shone.

“A new beginning…”

“Yes. Congratulations on your new beginning, Miss.”

Kayla turned her gaze toward the window. White roses in the garden danced gracefully in the wind. The petals seemed to be telling her: from now on is the beginning of your life. And in that beginning… that man would be with her.

After enjoying a good bath for the first time in a long while, Kayla changed into a dress with Martha’s help. The dress had been prepared in advance by Theodore. Though made of expensive fabric, it conveyed elegant dignity rather than flashiness, which made her stand out even more.