So this painting was what had first led him to meet that woman.

Lionel turned to Robert, the man who served closest to Eden, and asked bluntly,

“Winter Wood. Has Eden been seeing that painter for a long time?”

Rumors had spread far and wide, but no one seemed to know exactly when their relationship had begun or how long it had lasted. Everyone had their own theories.

His father, who had spoken with Eden in private, appeared to have some knowledge of the matter.

However, he had never shared any details with Lionel.

“That is…”

Robert lowered his head, his expression troubled.

He was obligated to answer the Crown Prince’s question, but he could not reveal something the Duke himself had not chosen to disclose.

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

Looking down at the loyal servant of House Mayer, Lionel nodded slightly, finally understanding.

Even so, certain memories lingered in his mind.

If the painter had started visiting the estate in spring, their relationship must have begun by then at the latest.

And if that was true…

Could the unusually bright smile Eden had worn last summer have been because of her?

The thought suddenly made perfect sense.

After all, it was Lionel himself who had teasingly asked his cousin if something good had happened during a royal banquet.

At the time, Eden had offered no real explanation.

But now, the answer seemed obvious.

A quiet silence settled over Lionel.

After one last glance at the portrait, he slowly looked away and continued down the corridor, lost in thought.

***

It was well past midnight when Eden roughly ran a hand through his hair.

His mind was already plagued by regrets that he had relived countless times.

These relentless thoughts wound around his heart like a massive serpent, tightening their grip with every passing moment.

The day he said goodbye to Winter played out in his mind over and over again.

‘If only I could turn back time to the moment I stood before you.’

‘No… if only I had realized sooner what truly mattered to me.’

“So it was all just my own misunderstanding.”

“It couldn’t have been a misunderstanding…”

His gaze lingered on the empty space in front of him and the corners of his mouth turned down in quiet misery.

The opportunity to tell Winter that those words had never been true had gone forever.

He had loved the time they had spent together. He had loved the woman who continually drew his attention.

And as those moments accumulated, so did his feelings.

What had begun as simple interest had gradually grown into something far deeper — something he could no longer control.

Yet before he fully realized just how much Winter meant to him, he had destroyed everything with his own hands.

With a bitter smile, Eden pushed his glass aside and pulled the sketchbook closer.

There was one illusion he desperately wanted to cling to, even if it meant relying on alcohol.

He wanted to see Winter again, if only in a dream.

But even that small comfort was denied to him.

No matter how much he drank, Winter never appeared.

Not once.

Not even in his dreams.

Eden lowered his gaze to the sketchbook. His bloodshot eyes fixed on the portrait of himself on the otherwise blank page. He stared at it as though it were the only thing left connecting him to his past life.

‘After ruining everything…’

‘Even when Winter was dying while carrying my child, I didn’t even know.’

A crushing wave of self-loathing threatened to consume him completely.

The fact that nothing could ever be undone was almost too much for him to bear.

He missed Winter.

He longed to hear her gentle voice call his name one last time.

Nothing else mattered anymore.

Most of all, he wanted the chance to tell Winter the words he had never managed to say: that he wanted to be with her.

Unable to endure the pain any longer, Eden slammed the sketchbook shut.

At that moment, the cover tore beneath the force of his grip.

Something fell out.

Hidden within a concealed compartment that had gone unnoticed while he was flipping through the pages, several items spilled across the table.

Through his blurred vision, he could make out a few neatly folded sheets of paper and a square envelope.

His eyes briefly passed over a note that appeared to contain the date of an appointment with a client, then settled on the envelope.

Any hesitation about opening a letter that did not belong to him had long since disappeared.

With trembling hands, he opened it.

Then he froze.

The moment his eyes landed on the first line, he lost the ability to move.

Written across the pristine white paper was his name.

__

[My beloved Eden,

It took me a long time to write even this first sentence.

My heart raced as though I were about to confess my feelings.

Recently, I have found myself growing happier with each passing day.

Just being by your side is enough to make me smile.

I know it’s foolish.

I nurture these feelings, telling myself that I expect nothing in return.

The time I spend with you makes me happier than words could ever express.

And yet, it frightens me.

Deep down, I know that one day it will all come to an end.

Above all, I hope that these feelings will never be a burden to you.

Once I have finished writing this letter, I plan to fold it carefully and hide it deep within my sketchbook.

It’s not because I don’t want to give it to you.

I simply don’t believe I have the right.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I find myself wondering what it would be like to be a young lady from a distinguished family — someone worthy of standing at your side, Your Grace.

I couldn’t picture what came after that.

Perhaps that was only natural.

If that happened, she would no longer be Winter Wood.

One day, in the distant future, these memories will feel as distant and unreal as a dream.

Maybe then I’ll finally be able to take out this letter and read it.

I love you.

Of all the days we’ve spent together, today — when you seemed most like yourself — is the warmest and happiest day of my life.

On a summer’s day, when you fell asleep before me.

Winter.]

__

It was a letter she had never been able to give him.

For a moment, it felt as though Winter’s gentle voice was whispering in his ear.

***

Count Lindal clicked his tongue in utter disbelief.

In the late afternoon, Crispin, the operations manager of the Lindal Company, accompanied him on his horseback journey.

“So you’re telling me the Duke of Mayer broke off the marriage talks because of a single woman? I thought it was nothing more than idle gossip people liked to spread. It was actually true?”

The Count frowned as he looked up at the sky, unable to comprehend what he could see.

The Duke of Mayer would have been an ideal match for his daughter.

There was nothing left to question or evaluate.

Moreover, the proposal had come from the king himself, who was eager to see his nephew married.

After all, marriage was arranged according to the interests of noble families.

The wishes of those involved were little more than a formality.

‘That was why the match had been as good as settled.’

He had naturally gone to the royal palace in the hope of securing Eden Mayer before the opportunity slipped away.

The king listened sympathetically and seemed to understand his concerns, but ultimately just shook his head.

“Lord Lindal, I deeply regret how things have turned out as well. But once a bond has already been broken, isn’t it difficult to piece it back together?”

“Your Majesty speaks wisely. However, if you could arrange just one meeting with Duke Mayer…”

“If the opportunity arises, I shall introduce Lady Lindal to a husband better suited for her. Let us end this discussion here.”

The king had made his position clear.

He wanted no further discussion on the matter.

Ultimately, Count Lindal was forced to return empty-handed, never discovering the true reason why the marriage negotiations had fallen through.

Had the Duke of Mayer really called off a nearly finalized marriage arrangement because of a mere woman?

The fact that she was not even a noblewoman, but a commoner and a painter, was laughable to him.

Riding beside him and carefully gauging his mood, Crispin hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Yes. Winter Wood was also one of the victims who lost their life in the Eastern Railway accident.”

“Hmph.”

Seemingly dissatisfied with the response, the Count clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

It was a habit of his whenever he was displeased.

The elderly nobleman rode in silence for a while, lost in thought, before suddenly asking in a probing tone.

“That woman’s family received their settlement and compensation properly, I trust? We can’t have anyone changing their story later.”

“Of course. There should be no issues going forward. As per your instructions, we worked closely with both the hospital and the rescue teams to ensure the situation was resolved as quickly as possible.”

“Good. That’s how it should be.”

Although he nodded in agreement, a hint of displeasure remained around the Count’s mouth.

Having his marriage proposal rejected had bruised his ego.

But that was nothing compared to the stories he heard afterwards.

He had also now learned that the woman in question was one of those who had received compensation from the Lindal Company.

For some reason, the entire situation left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The Duke of Mayer had no reason to suspect the truth behind the accident.

Nevertheless, the matter needed to remain buried in the past, never to be uncovered.

Smoothing away any hint of tension from his expression, Count Lindal adopted a casual demeanor and broached the subject as though it were idle chatter.

It was time to ensure that the man who had overseen the aftermath of the accident day and night would keep his mouth firmly shut.

“Let’s take one lap around before heading back. We can have dinner together afterward. There’s something important I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Yes, Count. I have no issue with the time, but… is there something specific you wish to speak about?”

“You’ll find out once we return. I’ve prepared something for you in recognition of all your hard work.”

Count Lindal gave the startled man a friendly pat on the shoulder.

When it came to managing his team, he believed that offering generous rewards and paid holidays was the most effective approach.

Of course, he had no intention of providing either.

As he quickly calculated how much money would keep the manager satisfied and quiet, he finally loosened his grip on the reins.

The horse, which had been moving at a leisurely pace, snorted and shook its body.

Its hooves struck the ground lightly at first, finding a steady rhythm.

A moment later, it surged forward into a gallop.