It was the day she wore the new clothes her parents had bought for her at the market. She had braided her hair into two neat plaits, her hands trembling slightly as she prepared to see them again after such a long time.

They told her they were going to meet someone important. She remembered arriving at the grand estate where they lived, her heart pounding with nervous excitement as she stepped into the vast garden.

A refined lady in an elegant dress was seated there, poised and graceful. Across from her sat a boy about her age.

He had golden hair that looked soft enough to touch and bright blue eyes that shimmered in the sunlight. He looked like a little angel stepped straight out of a fairy tale.

“Hello. My name is ——.”

She bowed as she had been taught. Wearing the princess-like dress for the first time and giving the formal greeting both felt terribly awkward, but the lady smiled warmly in welcome.

“Yes, it’s lovely to see you. You’ve grown so much since I last saw you. The older you get, the more you resemble Maria.”

“What’s this little runt?”

The boy jumped down from his chair and looked at me with narrowed eyes. He looked faintly displeased.

“She’s Henry and Maria’s daughter. You’ve seen her before. She used to live in the countryside because of her health, but she’s back now.”

“Is she that girl? She used to have a face as round as a bun and do nothing but cry. She was completely ugly. Well, she’s not exactly pretty now, either.”

Hearing his cold judgement, her spirits sank and she hid behind his Mother. If he thought she was ugly, he could have just said so. What was the point in saying that she wasn’t exactly pretty? She puffed out her lips and peeked at him from behind her shoulder.

“I told you not to speak that way in front of others.”

“Why not? If she’s Henry and Maria’s daughter, then she’s one of us anyway.”

“I taught you that your words and actions should always be dignified. That doesn’t mean you can treat someone carelessly just because they’re ‘one of us’. Now apologize.”

“Oh, it’s quite all right.”

Her father said with a chuckle as he lifted me into his arms. His gentle hand rested warmly against my back.

“We all know the young master is straightforward. Even if she may not match his refined sense of beauty, she is the loveliest daughter in the world to me.”

“Hmph.”

With her arms wrapped tightly around her father’s neck, she glanced down at the boy before deliberately turning her head away. Something about his attitude irritated her, but in the end, it hardly mattered.

She was with parents who loved her this much—and that was enough.

“Our little princess, the young master is offering an apology. Shall we let go of our anger now?”

“…If he gives me a lemon candy.”

“Ha ha! What shall we do? It seems the young master will have to provide one himself.”

Her father burst into hearty laughter. The boy fumbled through his pockets and muttered,.

“I don’t have any lemon sweets.”

Laughter rippled gently around them.

A quiet warmth spread through her chest. It was a kind of love she had never truly known before—family love. Simply watching them filled her heart to the brim. She did not want to wake from this dream.

But Bella knew.

This was only a fragment of a past she had lost—a dream that was never meant to last.

The adults’ bright laughter began to fade. And in the next instant, everything dissolved like an illusion.

***

When Bella opened her eyes, she was crying. Tears had trickled down her cheeks and into the pillowcase.

She wiped them away, slowly pushing herself upright and pressing a hand against her chest where her heartbeat felt strangely distant. Where someone’s warmth had once lingered, a hollow ache remained.

‘What kind of dream did I have…?’

She could not remember. Only the faint sensation of a gentle hand stroking her back remained, like the afterimage of a fading light.

“Bella!”

Joshua entered the room at that moment and saw that she was awake. He hurried towards her. His bloodshot eyes and tired appearance suggested that he hadn’t slept in days.

“Are you all right? Does your head hurt? Are you in pain anywhere?”

He placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature, then examined her carefully from head to toe.

“My back feels a little stiff, but I’m fine.”

As Bella shifted slightly while speaking, the tension that had hardened Joshua’s face finally eased.

“You were unconscious for three days.”

He lowered his trembling hand as he spoke. There was no reproach in his voice, no resentment. Only fear—that he might lose her like this.

“Three days…?”

“Bella?”

She repeated, shocked. Only then did she properly take in her surroundings.

Unlike the servants’ quarters, this room was spacious, with tall windows. A dark, high-quality wooden desk stood neatly arranged. Beneath her was a bed that was far softer and warmer than any she had ever experienced.

Every corner of this orderly room had been touched by her hands. She had cleaned, polished and dusted every surface herself.

“This is…”

“The duke’s bedchamber. He offered the room while you were ill.”

When Bella heard Joshua’s explanation, the little color that remained in her already pale face drained away.

The Duke of Fraser had given up his private bedchamber for a maid.

Joshua went on to recount everything that had happened during the three days she had been unconscious. He and the duke had taken turns to care for her. When word spread that she would remain in the duke’s room until she regained consciousness, Miss Amelia stormed to the door, caused a scene and left angrily.

“How am I supposed to fix this…?”

Bella murmured weakly.

Not only had she failed to work for three whole days, but she had also taken up residence in the duke’s bedchamber. Pressing a hand to her throbbing head, she was overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. While it was a relief to have awoken safely, the thought of the inevitable reprimand made her wish she could simply lose consciousness again.

“By the way, what about school? Didn’t you say you needed to stop by Netherwell and then come straight back? If it’s been three days, aren’t you late?”

Joshua watched her for a moment before answering calmly.

“How could I leave when you were ill? I contacted the school and postponed my return. I told them that the rain had turned the roads into mudbaths, so I might be delayed.”

“You didn’t have to do that. I feel like I’m always causing you trouble.”

Bella felt a pang of guilt. Joshua should have left the estate by now, yet he had delayed his departure because of her. It felt as though she had held him back.

“Trouble? Don’t say something so ridiculous. It wasn’t that important. The term’s nearly over anyway – I have time.”

Trying to cheer her up, Joshua suddenly pressed his hand down on her head. As if to banish any foolish thoughts, he roughly ruffled her hair.

“If anything happens, contact me right away. Don’t suffer alone.”

Only after thoroughly mussing her hair did he withdraw his large hand. As Bella smoothed it down with her fingers, Joshua muttered softly, almost under his breath.

“…Because I want to hear from you.”

He hesitated for a moment, clearly embarrassed, before finally speaking in a quiet, sincere voice.

Bella lifted her gaze to the freckled boy who, once, had almost been the same height as her. Unable to meet her gaze, he tilted his head towards the ceiling instead, his jaw trembling ever so slightly.

It felt like only yesterday that he had complained about having to live in rural Netherwell. When had he grown so much?

Seeing her closest friend, who was almost like a younger brother, standing before her like this stirred a gentle ache in her heart.

‘He can’t even bring himself to say he wants my letters without trembling.’

However, judging by the way he kept stealing glances at her before quickly looking away, perhaps he hadn’t changed as much as he thought.

The thought made Bella laugh softly.

Thanks to Joshua, the weight pressing on her chest began to lift. Although she still could not remember the dream that had left her feeling so uneasy, it felt as if the warmth of a long-lost family had touched her heart once more.

Now, there was someone at her side who wanted to protect her.

For the moment, that was enough.

As Bella’s quiet laughter filled the room, Joshua froze.

He loved the way her eyes curved naturally when she smiled, and the faint lift at the corners of her lips.

Thump. Thump.

His heart began to pound wildly, as though something inside his chest had suddenly gone terribly wrong.

“Bella… if I…”

The words slipped out before he could stop himself.

He had intended to keep them to himself until he was ready to take responsibility for her, but he was now on the verge of confessing.

However, it felt as though his breath had risen to his throat, sealing his lips shut.

“So… if I were to—if I were to you…”

Summoning his courage, he tried to carry on.

At that very moment, the door swung open without so much as a knock, revealing an uninvited guest.