Rumors about Duke Herhardt's rapidly declining health began to spread like wildfire throughout the upper-class society in Carlsbar. Talking about the Duke taking a break was stirring up interest left and right amongst the nobles.

Most had initially brushed the rumor as just that, a rumor. But the Duke's prolonged absence only seemed to prove it more as time passed by.

The Duke of Arvis was simply gone from all usual appearances he's had. Not even in the official offices he'd usually be seen in.

People who'd come to Arvis and pay a visit to him had also been denied his presence. No one could see him. And the intrigue of everyone only peaked the more the Duke became elusive. Whenever anyone would ask, the official word from the Herhardts was that the Duke had been overworked.

Overworked? Did that mean the marriage would be delayed once again? As those rumors arose, it was clear Claudine von Brandt couldn't remain silent upon the matter any further.

Hence, her visit to the mansion today.

She'd arrive early and swiftly in Arvis, where the servants were thrown off by her arrival. Immediately they went to fetch the current lady of the house. Elysee von Herhardt came striding gracefully into the sitting room, where they exchanged pleasantries before Claudine immediately cut to the chase

As expected, the Duke's matriarch began to pull excuses left and right.

I don't think you could see him today Claudine, Elysee smiled apologetically at her, I believe he's still in deep sleep.

Still asleep?

Yes, he's just been so tired lately, from work, Elysee quickly added, We opt to give him his time and space to rest as much as we can.

Oh well, I don't want to disturb him from his rest of course, Claudine quickly agreed, But if it's all right, I just want to see him, even when he's asleep. I'm so concerned for him, you see.

Elysee pursed his lips, before smiling stiffly at her.

You and I both know Matthias dislikes it very much to have anyone intruding on his privacy, especially while he's in the annex.

Well, I am his fiance, privacy between us shouldn't exist. Claudine insisted stubbornly with a smile. Normally she would let this slide, wanting things to run smooth between her and her soon-to-be in-laws, but she was more determined to smoothen out whatever wrinkles appeared in her engagement.

She will not be deterred today.

Eventually, Elysee did give in to her subtle demands to see her betrothed, and allowed her to visit the ailing Duke. She, too, understood the concerns the young woman had regarding their marriage.

They must know if things should be pushed back, or if they could proceed as scheduled. More and more likely, it seems as though Matthias' condition isn't improving, the less likely he'll be ready for his wedding within the next month.

Claudine and Matthias needed to talk.

Alright then, Elysee relented to her, If you're certain you won't be disturbing his rest. She reminded her softly, and Claudine smiled pleasantly.

Of course, thank you so much for your permission.

And without further adieu, Claudine gathered up the beautifully arranged bouquet she brought along, to give to Matthias, and walked towards the annex with a certain bounce in her steps.

She got in her car, and there they drove down the riverside and towards the Duke's annex. And throughout that right, Claudine's pleasant smile turned into a cold indifference in the safety of her car's privacy.

She wondered how badly the Duke's condition had gotten. Could he even bear to stand? Or will he just simply collapse?

Either way, she was expecting him not to be nearly presentable as he usually was. And she wanted to see his misery. To see the perfect Duke be brought to his knees

But then again, it would also be disastrous if the Duke began to lose face in the public. Claudine must ensure whatever misery he had, would not interfere with her plans. She must ensure the power the Herhardts had would not be lost by the time she married into their family.

Still, it was a little surreal to know the Duke had gotten this terribly because his mistress had disappeared from him.

She clicked her tongue distastefully, before smiling in a pleasing manner at the sight of the annex.

The chauffeur rolled the car to a stop, and got out to immediately open up her door. Claudine smiled at him gratefully, before raking her eyes over the majestic annex by the river. At a distance, it looked to be floating in the river itself.

Her stomach churned uncomfortably, but she couldn't deny the excitement upon seeing the Duke's true condition. It was exhilarating! She never thought she'd ever see the day the Duke would be so miserable!

Perhaps she should thank Leyla for making this thing possible too!

Upon her arrival, the lone attendant was startled upon her appearance!

Lady Brandt-!

Claudine quickly explained her wishes, and watched as the attendant squirmed. He seemed to be under strict orders to not let anyone disturb him, but hearing Claudine had the matriarch's position made him relent eventually.

He quietly led her up to the drawing-room he'd been residing in for a while, and knocked on the doors.

My Lord, Lady Brandt has come to visit you. He announced loudly, patiently waiting for a response. When nothing came, he quietly slipped into the room, and took a pause.

Matthias was currently on the phone, talking to someone. His hair was wet, rivulets of water dripping down his shirt, creating damp spots.

He must have just gotten out of the shower then. If he could hazard a guess on what the phone call was about, it was most probably about Miss Lewellin. He'd still not stopped searching.

As the search for Mr. Remmer and Miss Lewellin continued to bore no fruit, the Duke took leave of all his duties and began actively seeking her out instead of just leaving it to other personnel.

He'd used every connection he had and all means he could to track down the whereabouts of the two. Still, there seemed only to be little progress.

It was the only thing the Duke would ever get up to these days as well. Day and night, he'd busied himself looking for Miss Lewellin. And whenever he's tired, he'd just quickly pop in the medicine and proceed to sleep like the dead

When he's not sleeping, he's just sitting out on the balcony; eyes trailed nowhere in front of him. He'd occasionally laugh to himself, but then nothing again.

Clicks of heels against polished floors startled Mark Evers, making him remember why he'd entered the drawing-room in the first place.

My Lady Brandt, my Lord is still-

Step aside. Claudine interrupted him immediately.

But my Lord is still-

That's an order, Evers. Claudine snapped, and Mark Evers snapped his mouth shut. Vaguely he took note of his master bidding goodbye over the phone, and bowed his head at her and stepped aside.

Matthias finally put the phone down, and faced Claudine, not even bothered by his state of undress. He rose to his full height, locking eyes with his fiance. He was still dressed in a bathrobe, taking Claudine aback by how inappropriate it was to see him like this.

But Claudine would not be cowered by Matthias either.

It's good to see you, my Duke. she greeted pleasantly at him. Matthias only stared at her disinterestedly. She took it as a chance to keep talking, I heard my fiance had gotten sick, and I couldn't stay away so I've decided to visit you.

Matthias hummed thoughtfully.

I see, take a seat. Matthias told her.

It was a little disheartening, that even with her surprise visit, Matthias could hardly be bothered to be surprised by her. She got all excited for nothing.

He was still acting like his usual self, and smiled at her politely without it ever reaching his eyes. He was still acting like the perfect Duke everyone knew. From his tone, attitude and gesture

Claudine could tell, he had not changed at all. Broken, maybe, but not changed.

And so she sat as he ordered her to do so, and offered the bouquet to him. His smile widened at the sight of the flowers, but Claudine had a feeling it was not because he appreciated her gesture, but more of the roses itself was what amused him.

I apologize for my appearance. He finally said to her, his smile slipping back to the usual one he'd show everyone else, I'm afraid you caught me off guard, as such I am not dressed to greet you appropriately. If you don't mind waiting, until I am?

Claudine straightened up and smiled at him in faux understanding.

Please, take as much time as you need. She acquiesced. Matthias nodded his head at her in acknowledgment before sluggishly leaving the room. She eyed him critically, before looking all over the place in thought

Why was he staying in the annex?

Tea was soon served in front of her, and Claudine took careful sips of the warm drink as she continued to examine the sitting room she was residing in. She couldn't help but wonder, if perhaps it was because this was the place they had their dalliance in?

She shuddered in deep-seated disgust at the thought of them romping all over the annex. She felt like she was currently rolling around in the mud!

Before she could dwell on it further, Matthias had returned, all dressed and presentable with a flimsy white shirt, and pants. His wet bed hair still scrunched up haphazardly.

Are you upset I came here without your permission? She immediately asked, looking up at him defiantly as he stared down at her.

She could see how low he'd gotten. He looked worse for wear, but still he intimidated her. If not, perhaps, even more than he usually did.

No, Matthias replied, sluggishly moving to the seat opposite of her, You are welcome here, anytime. He told her offhandedly, Besides, it's good you came to visit me. He told her, I was thinking about meeting with you as well.

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Claudine stiffened at that statement, and narrowed her eyes critically over at the Duke.

What is it? She immediately inquired, What are you thinking about?

Immediately she racked her mind with what topics they could possibly need to deal with together, nothing else came to mind aside from

Is it about our wedding? She asked, an undertone of worry seeping through her voice.

Yes. Matthias hummed peacefully, It is about the upcoming wedding. He smiled at her calmly, while Claudine could feel a storm rolling up within her.

If it's postponing the wedding due to your health, then forget about it. I only care that you can walk in our wedding, nothing else. I'll take care of everything else, you just keep recovering well enough to walk in our matrimony. She quickly reassured, and Matthias smiled calmly at her.

It did nothing to ease the churning in her gut.

The wedding will not be anything you will worry about. Matthias hummed pleasantly.

No, there's no problem with proceeding as planned with the wedding. Claudine quickly agreed.

My Lady-

Stop. Claudine demanded softly, Don't speak anymore of this. I don't want to hear it! She looked away, visibly upset.

She could feel it coming.

All her plans

Claudine von Brandt. Matthias' sharp tone broke everything into tiny sharp pieces. And Claudine looked at him, eyes wide in alarm.

The atmosphere between the two began to change. The tension had suddenly become so thick, one could cut it with a knife.

A pregnant silence reigned between the two, and all Claudine could think about was that the last time he'd spoken to her so harshly was when they weren't engaged yet.

Our engagement has run its course, Matthias hummed, resting his head on the knuckles of his hand as he reclined leisurely on the sofa across from her, Let's end it here.

Take it easy, dear, a worried voice startled Leyla from behind her, You might get hurt in the process.

Leyla only smiled pleasantly at them in return, fixing her glasses up in her eyes. She'd been so immersed in organizing the samples in front of her, she hadn't noticed them coming up from behind.

Oh don't worry about me, She reassured them, It's not so difficult after all.

The words in her native tongue flowed out rather smoothly. When they first arrived in Lovita, Leyla could hardly manage to speak once more in her mother language. She spent such a long time away from using it, it took her a while to speak it so fluently once more.

I like you Ms. Lewellin, you're very intelligent. They praised her, Well then, I'll head out first. Be sure to finish this early and lock up on your way out.

They bid each other goodbye with Leyla's companion, a middle-aged doctor, going home first and leaving her on her own. As soon as they left, silence was Leyla's companion once again.

She finished up organizing the last of the biological samples she needed to examine, packing them up nicely and securely in small packages. She also made sure to declutter the desk filled with books and straying documents as she locked up.

Once all done, she locked up the door behind her, finally going home for the day.

Her hand gripped the straps of her sling bag tight, braving the steps through the hallway. Sunlight was fading softly in the sky outside as she looked through the windows in the hall. The lowering sun painted soft hues of orange and pink overhead.

Beautiful sunsets like this were the norm in Sienna, a coastal city, just south of Lovita. It was also hailed for its beautiful beaches and harbors. It was not as big as Berg's, but its culture was just as rich as any city.

It also housed a fairly large natural history museum, which was affiliated mainly with the research institute, which also happened to be another of Sienna's specialties.

Before stopping by the local market, Leyla wasted no time heading towards the post, mailing the packages she'd wrapped up quickly.

Upon her arrival, she quickly scanned the display for good quality peaches, which she'd just been craving for lately.

She couldn't help but muse in thought that if she'd still be in Arvis, she would just need to pick these up in the forest. She chuckled half-heartedly, shaking the thought of the far-away place out of her head.

Thinking about it always brought an empty pit in her stomach, and unwanted flashbacks of an unwanted man.

There was no point wondering how he was doing. He'll be getting married soon.

Her stomach coiled uncomfortably in thought of it. Next thing she knew, she was walking along the path that headed for home. She'd spaced out just now

She also failed to see the incoming bicycle she'd stepped in front of!

The last thing she knew was a sharp cry of pain, and the familiar sounds of a bike crashing nearby.

A deafening silence reigned between the two, with Claudine glaring daggers at Matthias' calm demeanor. Her fingers twitched on her lap, wondering if he was joking. But Matthias' steady gaze on her was shouting at her he was dead serious.

Time seemed to stop for Claudine as he heard him say it. Eventually, it was time to break the silence.

Such poor humor you have, my Duke. Claudine brushed off with a stiffened smile, You mustn't joke about things like this so easily. She took deep breaths, before trying to calm herself down. You must really be ill as it's clouding your judgment like this, so I'll let it slide just this once.

I'm dead serious. Matthias clarified coolly, unbothered by the growing turmoil in front of him, I've never had a clearer decision made than this. He answered plainly. The engagement is off, there will be no wedding. He reiterated.

No! Claudine snapped, I will not let you choose some orphan as your next Duchess to replace me! She exclaimed in frustration as she got up from her seat and began to pace furiously back and forth

You're no longer a child Claudine!Her mother's voice rang in her head, making her stop in her tracks.

It's time you start acting like a lady!phantom pains of her mother's nails digging into her shoulders made Claudine feel cold all over.

She was mortified she said it out loud! What kind of a lady was she that she couldn't hold her tongue in?! She'd be humiliated as both a high lady of society and in front of her family should her engagement be broken off!

This was her sole purpose, the one thing her mother asked her so many years ago as she brought her to Arvis. To secure her place as the next Duchess Herhardt. She must stop now before she made an even bigger fool of herself

But all her training seemed to leave her as rage and frustration filled her up.

You know? Matthias perked up in slight interest, but not really bothered that Claudine knew. In his perspective, it made things easier to break off since she already knew.

How could I not?! Claudine exclaimed, I watched her as a child, and I knew one way or another, she'd be your mistress, and would stay by your side as long as she could! She pointed out, and her pacing resumed.

What's worse than that is you don't even think about the people around you, don't you?

Immediately Claudine began pointing out how he'd been blatantly flaunting his affair out in public with no thought of his family, her or her name at all! He'd just gone off and began galavanting with his preferred woman in his arms!

Matthias only raised his eyebrows in intrigue, but couldn't find it in himself to take the accusations at heart.

But you don't care about me or anyone else, so how about your little orphan's feelings, huh!? Claudine seethed at him, Even if I was fine with breaking off the engagement, which I'm not, do you really think she'd be willing to marry you? The man who terrorized her, her whole life!?

A silence rang between the two nobles as Claudine breathed heavily, before a snarky smile made its way through her lips.

If you're lucky enough, perhaps you can find her. But mark my words, she'll never be yours. Claudine straightened out, looking down on his languishing form haughtily, Especially not after I told her everything you did behind her back.

Everything? Matthias' eyes narrowed at Claudine.

Yes, everything. Claudine confirmed proudly, I told her every little scheme of yours I knew, how you, the great Duke of Arvis orchestrated everything to make her life difficult, to push her into your arms. How you masterminded every wrong thing that happened to her, or gotten involved in to ensure she winds up with you.

Finally, something in Matthias' expression changed. No longer was he holding an amused indifference, but rather something unreadable, and unfamiliar to Claudine.

Do you think after everything, she'll really come back to you? No sane woman would ever choose to love a man such as you. No sane woman could ever love you. She finished, and sat back down across from him.

So let go of this hubris of yours that you can find a happy ever after with Leyla, because you won't. Claudine huffed out, I on the other hand, am prepared to shackle my fate with yours as the next Duchess.

Matthias eyed her unconvincingly, still obviously confident he could in fact find his Leyla. In fact, he even looked more amused at Claudine confidently declaring Leyla won't ever come back to him.

Fine, if he was willing to be silent, she might as well enjoy taking this chance to voice out everything she had wanted to tell him for a long time.

Hasn't it sunk in on yourgeniushead yet, my Duke, Matthias von Herhardt? She inquired mockingly, You've lost your mistress.

She smiled at him pleasantly.

You've lost Leyla Lewellin forever.