This stirred something in Robert, but he kept his expression composed.

“A guest of the estate has gone missing. Naturally, we are concerned.”

“Is that so?”

Hendrik let out a small, amused laugh. Watching him, Robert couldn’t help but think of Henrietta.

He was irritated with himself for constantly drawing comparisons between the two of them, but these thoughts came unbidden and unstoppable.

“Of course.”

‘Henrietta would never leave him.’

This belief was as solid and unshakable as a fortress built over many years.

It was unshakable, as if it could never collapse.

It was a certainty that went far beyond any written contract that could simply be torn up.

Ultimately, Robert found no proof of any real connection between them that night.

Yes, they had ridden off in the same carriage.

But Henrietta stayed at her house and Hendrik stayed in a hotel.

Apart from sharing a ride, there was nothing between them.

That was the conclusion Robert had reached.

And yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.

This instinct gnawed at his nerves, intensifying his unease.

“Missing, you say…”

Hendrik chuckled lightly, as if he had just heard an amusing joke.

He reached out and took another champagne flute from an attendant passing by.

As he raised his glass, his hand brushed against the others on the tray.

Deeng. Deeng.

A few tall, half-filled glasses rang out with a soft, muted chime.

Robert’s gaze was drawn instinctively towards the sound.

In that fleeting instant, he caught sight of something that made him doubt his own eyes.

‘It couldn’t be…’

Before he could identify it, the glasses shifted and whatever had been sparkling in his line of sight disappeared.

Hendrik took a step back and held out his champagne glass towards Robert.

In doing so, his wrist was fully illuminated under the lights.

Henrietta’s bracelet — the one she said she had lost — was clearly there.

“You’re not taking it?”

Hendrik tilted his head slightly and casually flicked his wrist.

It was as if he was asking, ‘Still feeling calm?’

Robert knew it was nothing more than petty provocation from a spoilt prince who had grown up abroad.

And yet, he felt an overwhelming urge to grab Hendrik’s wrist right then and there to flip it over and see if Henrietta’s name was engraved on the inside.

“Not in the mood.”

As if he had anticipated the response, Hendrik smiled again.

It was such a refined and captivating smile that it would have struck even another man.

“Or is it that you don’t hold your liquor well?”

He put his glass back on the tray and nodded slightly.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Since you’ve gone to the trouble of hosting this banquet, I should really enjoy it a bit more.”

With a casual shrug towards Robert, Hendrik turned and walked away.

Even though he knew all eyes in the ballroom were on them, Robert had to close his eyes for a moment to steady his breathing.

Behind his closed lids, Henrietta’s bracelet shimmered.

The mere fact that something meant to be on her wrist was now with another man sent a dull, throbbing pain through his head.

It was like a blunt knife scraping through his mind.

‘Had she taken it off herself? Or had it fallen off while they were… doing something?’

‘If so, when? Where?’

His thoughts spiralled into chaos, as if a war were being waged in his head.

But when he opened his eyes again, Robert’s hazel gaze was blank.

With his usual detached expression, he lifted his chin slightly.

“Bring Henrietta to me.”

Pierre gave a respectful bow without a word.

Grayson usually appeared in the banquet hall once the festivities were in full swing.

Whenever he did appear, it was always with Henrietta, the governess.

Since Grayson’s lesson was due to end soon anyway, Pierre quickened his pace.

***

That day, Henrietta had finished the lesson a little earlier than usual.

Carrying the small bag she had packed earlier, she stepped outside.

There were many ways to avoid the heart of the banquet and slip out.

Of course, there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t be seen, but nobody would go out of their way to stop a servant dressed in plain, dark clothes.

As she left the annexe where Grayson was staying and looked up at the sky, the sun was just beginning to dip below the low, distant hills.

Thankfully, no one was strolling through the back garden.

For a moment, Henrietta forgot the urgency of her situation and simply gazed at the sky. There was something about dusk in the rear garden of the Schutzman estate that always seemed to calm her with its quiet, melancholy atmosphere.

However, after this brief moment of reflection, she returned to her senses and moved quickly.

Just as the fountain at the far end of the garden came into view…

“Where are you going? It’ll be dark soon.”

Oh no!

At the sound of that voice, which was both unfamiliar and unmistakable, Henrietta froze and flinched.

“From the looks of it, you’re off to catch some moonlight in the middle of the night.”

She bit her lip hard in frustration. The noble approaching her from behind was someone she knew well.

He was a man who had never missed a single banquet at the Schutzman estate and had persistently begged her to meet him for the past year.

“Now that your so-called great lover is engaged, are you heading out to find a new man instead?”

Benjamin Arthur Jordy was the third son of the Count of Jordy. Born late in his father’s forties, he was a notorious rake known to all in Haytesfield.

From what Henrietta knew, Benjamin was two years younger than her.

Ever since he came of age, he had built a reputation in high society for his shameless scandals.

Henrietta let out a long, silent sigh without turning around.

She could deal with a foolish young noble if she had to. But now was not the time or place to draw anyone’s attention.

She forced a polite smile onto her face and slowly turned to face him.

“Sir Benjamin.”

But he was in far worse condition than she had anticipated.

The banquet had only just begun, yet he was already completely drunk.

Henrietta clenched her jaw discreetly.

“I asked you—where are you going?”

“I just need to run an errand outside the estate. There’s no need to worry — please go back and enjoy the banquet.”

By the time she reached the fountain, she lifted her skirt slightly, gave a courteous nod and turned to leave.

But Benjamin suddenly grabbed her arm, nearly causing her to fall into the fountain.

Instead of shouting at him, she simply bit down harder on her lip.

“I asked if you were going out to meet another man!”

Is there anything more exhausting than dealing with a drunken scoundrel?

Henrietta gave up on reasoning with him and quickly glanced around.

Night was beginning to fall over the garden.

Compared to the rest of the estate, the back garden had older trees, meaning darkness fell faster there.

The scattered, dim streetlamps made the place seem even stranger; often, it was busier at midnight than at dusk.

“That’s not something you should concern yourself with, my lord.”

“Not my concern? Do you still think you’re going to become the lady of the Schutzman estate?”

No. She had never once thought that. Then why did every fool who crossed her path feel entitled to throw such words in her face?

A surge of anger rose in her chest, but she steadied her voice and responded with more firmness.

“I’ll be on my way now.”

“Stop dreaming. It’s not too late, you know. Just come to me. If you don’t want to be a mistress… I’ll make you my wife. How’s that?”

“What a ridiculous thing to say!”

Ignoring him, Henrietta twisted her arm to free herself.

“Let go of me! Let go of me!”

“I told you, I’m even willing to marry you! Why are you acting like you’re so out of reach?”

“Are you serious about that?”

Henrietta asked, locking eyes with him. Even in his drunken state, he flinched slightly.

“Wh-what?”

“About marrying me?”

“Of course I am!”

It was so absurd that she couldn’t even laugh. Instead of stepping back, Henrietta took a bold step forward, right into his personal space.

“And have you got your father’s approval? The Count of Jordy?”

“Obviously not right now, but my father always listens to me!”

“Then let’s not waste any more time. Let’s go. The Count is at the banquet, isn’t he?”

As if that would ever happen!

Seemingly intimidated by Henrietta’s sudden assertiveness, Benjamin faltered, then closed the distance between them again.

The thick stench of alcohol made her stomach turn.

“What’s the rush? You’ll get your proof, your approval, and everything else you want. But first… come with me. Over there. No one’s around, see?”

Henrietta let out a dry scoff and glanced in the direction he pointed.

It was a shadowed corner of the garden, shrouded in darkness. It was the perfect spot for a desperate man to indulge a fleeting urge.

She looked around one last time. They had already passed the fountain, so it was unlikely that anyone would come this far.

Determined to push Benjamin’s head into the fountain, Henrietta gripped his wrist tightly with her free hand. Perhaps misunderstanding her intent, Benjamin’s face lit up with delight.

Henrietta returned his grin with a smile of her own, then pulled him forward with all her might.

Splash!

The drunken man plunged headfirst into the fountain, the water soaking him up to his shoulders.

“P-Pwah! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Red in the face, Benjamin growled furiously at her.

Startled by the louder commotion than expected, Henrietta glanced around again.

Thankfully, however, no one was approaching.

“Oh my, are you all right?”

“You lowborn bastard! How dare you treat me like this!”

“I’m sorry, my lord. I don’t quite understand what you mean. Have you slipped while drunk and are now blaming me for it?”

“You—just wait until I catch you!”

Soaked and completely drunk, Benjamin staggered violently but managed to steady himself.

Henrietta took two large steps back to keep her distance.

Seeing this, Benjamin gave her a nasty grin and lunged again, swinging his arm to grab her roughly.