Ridit.

Prince Ridit…!

I froze as if I had seen a ghost.

I already knew from Alec that Ridit, who was believed to be dead, was actually alive somewhere.

But I never imagined that Prince Ridit would be brought to our estate, so the shock hadn’t subsided.

Does this mean we need to hide Ridit well from now on?

I calmed my heart and approached Ridit.

“It’s, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Louise Myers, wife of Viscount Wiltsbrook.”

“….”

Ridit finally lowered his guard a little.

He let go of Alec’s hand, stood upright, and wore a dignified expression.

“My name is Ridit. I have been hiding my identity in an orphanage until now. I avoided speaking because I was afraid my identity would be revealed, so my pronunciation is not perfect.”

“….”

Unbelievable.

Though I knew it was improper, I instinctively covered my mouth with my hands in front of the prince.

Prince Ridit had disappeared from the imperial palace four years ago.

If he hadn’t spoken at all since the age of three, his unclear pronunciation made sense.

But for someone who hadn’t lived as a prince, he seemed so dignified.

Just then, Alec cleared his throat and spoke softly.

“His Highness pretended he couldn’t speak until now. He was afraid that he would be discovered and killed because of his accent.”

“My goodness… But he speaks remarkably well.”

Alec nodded once before continuing.

“Fortunately, someone brought him to an orphanage, and he was able to hide safely. Recently, a contact from the informant found him, and somehow, I became responsible for him.”

“…I see.”

I still felt bewildered.

Ridit’s bright blue eyes blinked at me.

They were incredibly clear, but they also had a weary, damp quality, as if they had been worn down over time.

Before I knew it, I found myself speaking emotionally.

“You must have gone through so much…”

“….”

“I heard you disappeared from the imperial palace at a very young age, but you never forgot who you were.”

At my words, Ridit let out a deep sigh.

“That was my father’s only dying wish. He told me to run away and survive no matter what. He said no matter what happened, I must never forget who I am. I… I made a promise to him.”

Ridit seemed to be holding back tears, his round eyes tense with effort.

Was he really remembering and holding onto the words he’d heard at the age of three, even now, four years later?

Though he was a prince, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much emotional turmoil such a young child must have endured.

Is that why he seems so mature?

I stepped closer to Ridit. Lowering myself to his eye level, I carefully extended my arms.

Though Ridit flinched slightly, I pulled the child into my arms.

For a seven-year-old, he was far too small.

“You’ve done so well to come here. From now on, we’ll protect you. You need to return to your home and become emperor.”

“….”

I gently patted his back, as if to soothe him.

With Ridit’s presence, the vast and grand castle suddenly felt full.

Then, unexpectedly, Ridit pulled away from my embrace and extended his hand, as if asking for a handshake.

“Thank you, Viscountess.”

“….”

Surprised by the dignity in his demeanor, I blinked and, almost involuntarily, took his hand.

The young prince’s eyes grew even more moist.

“I waited every day, hoping someone would come and save me.”

***

Evening had fallen.

The dining hall within Wiltsbrook Castle was packed with people.

Candles lit the space like stars, and the peaceful sound of laughter and conversation filled the room.

I smiled in response to the exchanges around me as I continued with my meal.

‘Prince Ridit…’

However, my mind was still consumed with thoughts of Ridit.

Only Alec, Jane, and I knew that Ridit was hiding in the castle’s basement.

Ridit had been brought to Wiltsbrook while we were staying in the capital.

At Alec’s request, Jane had been providing Ridit with meals, baths, and books.

Though I worried about him being in the lightless basement, Ridit seemed to be quite content with it.

Alec and Ridit had apparently bonded over several interactions, and they seemed to have become close.

‘Of course, this castle is much better than the hiding place arranged by the informant.’

I needed to get Ridit out of that basement soon and help him become the sun that shines on the empire.

With a slight tremor of excitement, I took a sip of the hot liquor.

With Harriet here, too, I knew I couldn’t afford to raise any suspicions.

As I set my glass down, I glanced briefly in Harriet’s direction.

At some point, Eloise had cozied up next to him, chatting with a smile.

It was only deep into the night that the banquet finally ended.

I’d had quite a bit of wine, so my head felt a little fuzzy, but in a pleasant way.

When I returned to my room, as soon as the door closed, there was a knock from outside.

“Who is it?”

“…It’s me, My Lady.”

“James?”

I turned to see the butler quietly closing the door behind him as he entered.

“What is it?”

I asked casually, as I removed the thick fur coat I had been wearing.

James spoke cautiously.

“I have something to give you. The dowager specifically instructed me to deliver it to you in secret.”

“In secret?”

“Yes.”

James pulled an envelope from the inner pocket of his coat.

It was sealed tightly, and it caught my eye.

What could my mother-in-law want?

She rarely spoke to me unless it was truly necessary.

“She told me to hand it to you only when you were alone.”

“I see. Thank you.”

I smiled at James as I took the envelope.

With that, James said he would take his leave, bowed, and exited.

Without much thought, I broke the seal and began reading the contents.

There’s something strange about my son. He doesn’t feel like my son. He seems like he is, and yet he isn’t. My suspicions have never been wrong.

“…?”

What on earth is this?

I scanned the letter carefully.

Even after thoroughly checking the envelope, those three lines were all my mother-in-law had written.

‘She doesn’t think Alec is Alec?’

Why would she say something like that out of the blue?

The letter didn’t explain why she had come to such a conclusion.

It seemed so absurd that for a moment, I wondered if someone was playing a prank.

Yet not long ago, she had even expressed excitement to Alec and me about the possibility of us having a child soon.

‘Hmm…’

But no matter how I looked at it, the handwriting was definitely hers.

And James certainly wasn’t someone who would play a joke like this on us.

I folded the letter, holding it in my hand, and flopped onto the bed.

Why had my mother-in-law secretly sent me a letter like this?

‘Does she want me to find out if Alec really is Alec?’

She seemed quite confident in her suspicions.

But at this point, it was still just that—suspicion.

It was as if she was asking me to investigate Alec’s true identity.

Since I was the person closest to him, there was no one else who could do it.

Suddenly, my mind went blank, as if I had been struck by a hammer.

It wasn’t just anyone, but Alec’s own birth mother who had said this, so I couldn’t simply brush it off.

It must not have been easy to harbor doubts that the son she carried for ten months wasn’t truly hers.

‘That can’t be…’

I furrowed my brow slightly as I sat up from the bed.

Could Alec really not be Alec, as my mother-in-law suspected?

If that’s true, what should I do?

Where is my real husband then?

My forehead creased further with the surge of questions racing through my mind.

The Alec I knew now looked exactly like the Alec I’d always known, to the point where no one would ever suspect otherwise.

The shape of his muscles, the feel of his fine hair, the length of his eyelashes—everything.

Even if Alec’s twin had suddenly fallen from the sky one day, there couldn’t be this much resemblance.

Unless… could their souls have been switched?

‘Ugh, I don’t know.’

I suddenly felt a headache coming on and rested my forehead in my hand.

My head throbbed and felt heavy.

I didn’t want to think about the possibility that Alec might not be my real husband.

Even entertaining the thought for a brief moment made my head feel as if it was about to split.

A suffocating tightness gripped my chest, and I found myself struggling to breathe.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, the sound of a knock made me lift my head.

“Who is it?”

“May I come in?”

It was a low, deep voice from behind the door—familiar and calming.

Just hearing it made my heart respond.

“…Alec.”

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories