In other words, the Amber family was dirt poor – nobles in name only.

So it was only natural that Violet Amber was excited about the room Kaiden had given her.

Kaiden seemed a bit surprised.

“You’re quite clever.”

“I’ll make good use of it.”

Violet repeated the question he had asked her earlier.

“You seem to know a lot about the ways of the nobility.”

“To an extent.”

“I’m glad you like the room. It’s getting late, so you should go inside and rest now.”

Violet called to Kaiden just as he was about to go inside.

“Wait a minute.”

“What is it?”

Violet stepped closer and examined the area around his eyes. Under the candlelight, the redness around his eyes was more pronounced than it had been during the day. It was proof that what she’d seen at the grave – him sobbing – hadn’t been her imagination.

“Where have you been?”

His expression hardened.

“Why do you ask that?”

“Can’t a close younger sister ask such a thing?”

“Are you trying to act like a younger sister now?”

“You were the one who first called me Letty, Your Grace.”

“That is true.”

After looking around to make sure no one was nearby, he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

“From now on, I will not answer any personal questions about myself.”

“…….”

“Go to sleep now. It’s quite late.”

Leaving those last words behind, he returned to his room.

Left alone, Violet found her thoughts becoming even more confused.

Was asking where he had been really such a sensitive question that it counted as “personal”?

‘If not, did the fact that he had gone to my grave warrant such a strong reaction?’

But she quickly gathered her thoughts and went back to her room.

Kaiden himself had said that he wouldn’t answer personal questions.

So it was better for her not to think about him anymore.

But even after lying in bed, Violet couldn’t fall asleep.

It wasn’t because of Kaiden.

Her thoughts were with her family, who were probably having a sleepless night of their own right now.

‘Mother, father, brother Philip…’

She hadn’t been able to wipe away her tears at her own funeral.

She hadn’t even been able to offer the most common words of consolation – that Olivia Grosvenor had gone to a better place.

That was the kind of relationship she had with her family now – so distant that she didn’t even dare to stand in front of them.

‘I wonder if Mother’s okay.’

Knowing her mother’s fragile nature, she was likely grieving so deeply over her daughter’s death that she could barely bring herself to eat.

And then she wondered – what if something happened to her mother?

But such thoughts were in vain.

No matter how much she thought about her family from here, her voice would never reach them.

Still, there was a glimmer of hope.

‘If I make my debut in society as Violet Amber, maybe one day I’ll be able to talk to my family again.’

But even that faint hope did nothing to lift her spirits.

Olivia sat up, leaning her back against the headboard and hugging her knees to her chest.

Perhaps it was because she finally felt safe from Eric – but the tears that hadn’t come at the orphanage now began to fall.

She sobbed quietly until dawn, only managing to fall asleep as the first light crept in.

***

“You look like a mess.”

It was late afternoon when Kaiden, sitting across from Violet, clicked his tongue as he looked at her.

From crying until late the night before, Violet’s eyes were swollen like a fish.

“You miss your family, don’t you?”

His tone was no different than usual, but for some reason Violet felt he was mocking her.

Her reply came out sharper than she intended.

“I just didn’t sleep well in a new bed, that’s all.”

“Sure.”

But even that sounded like a silent “Yeah, right.”

“Why are you…”

Violet was about to protest when something suddenly struck her as odd.

‘Is this really the same Duke Arendt I knew?’

The Kaiden she had known did not quite fit the public image of a cold-blooded man.

He knew how to smile gently, and they had shared easy, casual conversation.

But the man before her now felt subtly different.

His demeanor was more cynical than she remembered, and his expression was stiffer.

And yet he still didn’t seem like the heartless, unfeeling man the rumors had made him out to be.

Still, he didn’t quite fit the rumors of being completely heartless.

He had been unexpectedly gentle with Violet, even though he hadn’t known her long.

So what was the real Kaiden Arendt like?

While Violet wondered, Kaiden asked.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Just then, a waiter placed a salad in front of them.

As always, Violet picked up the salad fork that was at the end of the cutlery.

Kaiden crossed his arms and silently watched her movements.

As she pierced the vegetables, her fork made no sound against the plate.

She didn’t open her mouth too wide while eating, nor did she make any smacking noises.

Only when she had completely swallowed what was in her mouth did she take the next bite.

It was the perfect display of noble etiquette.

Caiden’s eyes narrowed.
‘Was that just a coincidence?’

People unfamiliar with proper etiquette often get flustered when confronted with so many forks.

But Violet hadn’t shown the slightest sign of hesitation.

What followed was just as natural – her movements flowing smoothly, without any awkwardness.

Sensing his gaze, Violet quietly swallowed the vegetables she was chewing and asked.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Do you know which one is the salad fork?”

“Ah…”

Violet pointed to the ceiling with the tip of her fork, playing innocent.

“This is the salad fork?”

“You didn’t know?”

“Nope. It was just on the outside, so it was the easiest to pick up…”

Still, Kaiden’s expression didn’t soften.

It seemed her excuse hadn’t been all that convincing.

Violet gave an awkward little smile and poked at her salad again.

Clink—a sharp, high-pitched sound rang out.

“Oh, I guess that’s not the right way to eat it, is it?”

She asked as she chewed her salad, her demeanor completely different from earlier.

Kaiden’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Right. And keep your mouth closed when you eat.”

“Sorry-ah.”

As Violet began to speak again, she quickly covered her mouth with her left hand and chewed diligently on the vegetables.

Gulp – a rather loud swallowing sound escaped her, and she opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Then, with a soft smile, her eyes widened slightly.

“It’s just so delicious, I couldn’t help but eat it in a hurry. It’s my first day, so I hope that’s forgivable?”

“Fine. And remember, you use the forks from the outside in.”

“Okay.”

Just as he said, Violet used the outermost fork with each course that followed.

Until the end of the meal, Kaiden’s eyes never left her.

***

‘That was close.’

Back in her room, Violet let out a breath and placed a hand over her chest.

No matter what she looked like on the outside, the person inside was still Olivia Grosvenor – the same Olivia known for her impeccable poise, practically the textbook example of noble etiquette.

It was almost laughable, but the moment she let her guard down, those polished manners would slip out.

That was probably what had raised Kaiden’s suspicions.

‘Still, I got something out of it.’

One thing was clear now – Kaiden didn’t trust her completely.

He had accepted her as his partner in revenge out of necessity, but he was still wary of her.

‘Well, that’s only natural.’

Even she had to admit that there were a lot of suspicious things about her.

Sure, she claimed to have been in the Vinter Forest that day, but she somehow knew about Eric and Scarlett’s affair, knew that Eric had killed Olivia, and had even risked showing up at the funeral and causing a scene.

Too many things didn’t add up.

If she’d been in Kaiden Arendt’s shoes, she’d have been suspicious of herself, too.

Besides, Kaiden was no fool.

He was sharp, dangerously sharp.

If she wasn’t careful, he might find out that Violet was lying.

‘I have to be more careful from now on.’

Violet made up her mind.

And so began the precarious balancing act between Kaiden and Violet.