“Rene said she’d do it?”

The next morning, Jade listened to Heidel, who had arrived unusually early with news from Ariadne.

Jade had spent the night debating how to respond to the letter she had sent, inviting Ariadne to meet and discuss the bridesmaid matter.

She had even considered asking Heidel for advice.

So, although the news itself left Jade wondering whether this was truly all right, the timing of his visit was a relief.

In answer to her question, Heidel nodded.

“Sylvia contacted me last night. She said Rene agreed.”

“What? Rene did send me a message yesterday, but…”

Jade let out a breath of relief, admitting he had been unsure of what to do.

“So Rene really is going to be the bridesmaid?”

“That’s right. Sylvia got a definite answer. And apparently Rene has a lot of questions about it—so you can explain things to her.”

“Me?”

“Who else? You want me, in the middle of wedding preparations, to go? Or perhaps Sylvia?”

Heidel added teasingly, then let out a soft laugh.

“Sylvia won’t be going again either. The duke was furious, apparently.”

“Well… who would like hearing that their married spouse is being paired as a bridesmaid with an unmarried stranger?”

Although he spoke as if the duke had been unreasonably harsh, Jade understood Kieron Ambrose perfectly well.

If he were in the same situation, he would have reacted in the same way. It didn’t matter whose wedding it was — anyone would be upset.

When Jade said this and shook his head, Heidel stared at him.

“You’re going to be completely whipped once you get married.”

“What? Isn’t it normal to cherish the person you chose? Your family’s men are all like that.”

Heidel paused to think about it. But, truth be told, there wasn’t much to consider. Every man in the Peyton family was famously devoted to his wife.

The Marquis and Marchioness had been married for years. Hermes had only recently got married. They all adored their wives so openly that it bordered on being embarrassing.

Whenever the entire Peyton family gathered for events, their wives were always the envy of everyone present, a fact that Jade vividly remembered.

Each brother had his own way of showing affection, but all three were unmistakably and wholeheartedly devoted.

So Jade gave Heidel a crooked smile.

“No one loves their wife as intensely as your family does. So quit saying nonsense and tell me why you came this early.”

Had he come only to share the news about Rene?

When Jade suggested as much, Heidel’s lips curved into a meaningful smile. Nothing unsettled Jade more than that smile. He had seen it several times before and, every time, Heidel had said something unexpected, something shocking.

Jade narrowed his eyes in caution. Whatever was coming now would definitely not be simple.

Just as he braced himself—

“It’s nothing complicated. I just wanted to know…if Rene ends up divorcing someday, would you be willing to take her in?”

“What?!”

Of course—Heidel never failed to drop a bomb that struck straight at the head.

***

‘It would be fine if the person wasn’t Jade Derayan.’

Ariadne reflected on Kieron’s brief visit the previous night, repeatedly replaying his final words in her mind.

What exactly had he meant by that?

A warning?

Or was it a petty complaint?

Or—the unthinkable—was he jealous?

The thought was so absurd that she immediately shook her head, trying to dispel it.

It was absolutely impossible.

In terms of both appearance and family standing, Kieron was far superior to Jade.

Why would he ever feel threatened by her?

Given his personality, he was the last man alive who would whine or sulk out of jealousy.

Ariadne let out a sigh and rose from her bed.

Too much free time. That’s why she keep thinking nonsense.

She decided that she needed to keep herself busier today.

Stretching her arms overhead, she planned her morning. Perhaps she would read for a while. Or take a long walk. But she didn’t feel like going out – the constant outings were tiring.

With these thoughts in mind, she stood up and moved around her room. Jay hadn’t been summoned yet, and dawn had only just begun to brighten the sky outside.

She had woken up earlier than usual, and the day already felt long. She gazed quietly out of the window, then reached for the bell cord and pulled it.

“Are you awake, my lady?”

Jay entered the room shortly after.

Ariadne lifted a hand in greeting.

“Good morning, Jay.”

“Yes, my lady. What would you like today?”

“Just something simple. I’ll be staying in the house.”

“In that case, I’ll make everything comfortable for you. What would you like for breakfast?”

“I’ll eat here. Something light, please.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Jay asked a few more questions, which Ariadne answered one by one. Then, suddenly, the problem that had preoccupied her the day before resurfaced, all the things she knew nothing about: politics, society, and how the world worked outside her carefully protected life.

These were all the things that had made her realize just how carelessly and shelteredly she had lived.

Every part of her morning routine was determined by questions and choices, yet she had never once thought to ask or decide anything for herself.

She had never even realized that this was a problem. She had simply lived the way she always had, accepting whatever was handed to her, believing that staying safe and protected was enough.

That was all she had ever believed she needed. She had never thought anything about her life was strange, nor had she ever wondered if she should be doing more.

From the moment she was born, she had always been protected, shielded, and cared for. She had been treated as if she were fragile and needed others to guard her.

Perhaps that was why she had grown into someone who was unable to do anything at all.

“What about His Grace?”

“Oh—he left early this morning. Said he’d be back around dinner.”

“I see.”

Maybe Kieron had always known this about her. Maybe he already knew exactly who she was: someone who couldn’t do anything alone, someone who knew nothing, someone foolish and helpless.

Maybe that was why he had turned away from her.

What he truly needed was a capable partner — someone respected in society who could confidently manage her household and command the cooperation of their vassal families.

But what had she brought him?

Nothing of her own.

She had brought her father’s wealth and influence — things she had inherited simply by being born, rather than accomplishments earned through her own merit or assets gained through her own efforts.

Strictly speaking, they weren’t even hers to offer.

How could someone like him ever be satisfied with that?

For someone for whom the support of the person beside them meant more than anything, it was only natural that they would want more.

Ariadne found herself understanding him a little.

She also finally understood why she had always felt so insignificant beside him.

She had been so fixated on being helpful and supporting him that she had never stopped to consider her own strengths and weaknesses.

What he needed was someone who could assess situations, make decisions and take responsibility for them.

But she had never done that before. Not even once.

Someone with enthusiasm and persistence, but no experience or accountability, would eventually collapse under the pressure.

Kieron would surely find her inability to act at crucial moments intolerable.

Ariadne realized that what mattered most to her now was something entirely different.

It wasn’t just the desire to do something —

— but also the ability to choose and take responsibility for that choice.

How could anyone entrust a task to someone who had never taken responsibility and knew nothing about the matter?

Today, Ariadne decided that she needed to learn.

“I’ll be in the study today. Call me if you need anything.”

“The study…?”

Jay looked genuinely startled.

It made sense. Ariadne had never enjoyed studying.

The Peyton estate’s study was enormous and filled with every kind of book imaginable.

The former Marquess had been an avid collector, and generations of Peytons had been brilliant, scholarly individuals who had genuinely enjoyed reading. But Ariadne had always found those books difficult to understand.

She never liked spending time in places that reminded her of her inadequacy. So why was she suddenly saying she would spend the entire day in the study?

Jay blinked in confusion, while Ariadne nodded calmly.

“Yes. There’s something I want to look into.”

“Oh… yes. Will you go after breakfast?”

Though still bewildered, Jay accepted it. If her mistress had decided to do something, there was no reason for her to object.

Ariadne finished getting ready and gave a small nod.

“I’ll go right away. Please get it ready.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After breakfast, Ariadne got dressed in something comfortable, gathered a notebook and quill, and headed to the study.

Kieron wasn’t home, so she could concentrate without any distractions.

This time, she was determined to study properly. She needed to understand what she had overlooked. What she still needed to study. She also needed to consider what kind of person she ought to become from this point forward.

If she could spend the day reading, studying and thinking, perhaps she would finally be able to ask him: Why he disliked her so much. Why everything she did seemed to displease him. Why he pushed her away, yet suddenly acted as if he wanted to treat her well.

Even if none of it meant what she suspected, she still wanted to understand the reasons behind his behavior.

But she could only ask those questions if she first understood herself and had answers to her own uncertainties.

She hoped she might find those answers today.

Holding onto that small hope, Ariadne stepped out of her room.

Perhaps by the time evening came and he returned, she would have found a clearer direction — something she could finally hold on to.