Don’t You Trust Me?

On a night shrouded in deep darkness, Rose stood by the window as if waiting for something. For a long time, she basked in the moonlight streaming through the glass. Suddenly, a bird flew in and tapped its beak on the windowpane.

It was the messenger pigeon Rose had sent.

Overjoyed, Rose flung the window open. The white bird, seemingly delighted to reunite with its master, acted affectionately.

"Good job."

Unable to venture outside freely, Rose often indulged in hobbies within the mansion. One of them was raising messenger pigeons. She had started raising them to send letters to Lloyd when he was away, never imagining how helpful they would become.

Rose happily stroked the white bird as it nuzzled against her palm.

Then she opened the lid of the wooden cylinder attached to its ankle.

"You've sent a reply."

Poor lady. By now, she must be terrified of what the future holds for her.

Though she had betrayed her husband with another man, she had always been kind to me. So, Rose resolved to do everything in her power to get Dalia and her child out of there.

Of course, it was ultimately for myself.

Rose pulled out the paper and unfolded it with a light heart. Surely, it would say that they were waiting. But her expectations were completely shattered.

'I'm not going to run away. Instead, tell the Duke that I know the conditions for bearing a child of the Seiyer family.'

"...What?"

This was unexpected. The Duchess had no intention of fleeing? And what could the words that followed possibly mean?

'I know the conditions for bearing a child of the Seiyer family.'

As she mulled over the words written on the paper again, something clicked in her mind.

"Could this mean..."

Could it mean the Duchess had fulfilled those conditions? That she had already met the requirements to bear a child of Seiyer, but only the Duke was unaware of it?

Rose's mind became as tangled as a knotted thread.

She began pacing the room, biting her thumbnail anxiously.

Her heart grew restless.

'If the Duchess were to explain this to the Duke...'

Wouldn't they resolve all misunderstandings and return to how things were before? The thought filled her with anxiety. If she went to the Duchess now and asked her to flee together, the refusal would likely be absolute.

'What should I do now?'

Rose let out an exasperated sigh and ruffled her hair in frustration. Suddenly, she recalled her meeting with the Crown Prince and began rummaging through the desk drawer.

She pulled out a small pouch from the drawer and took out a tiny glass vial from within.

'If I just give this to Dalia, she'll get what she desires.'

The small glass vial containing golden liquid was something the Crown Prince had given her.

She didn't know exactly what it was for, but the Crown Prince's assurance that it could help her achieve her desires was highly tempting.

'I must give this to the Duchess.'

Perhaps the Crown Prince had foreseen all of this from the start. Holding the vial, Rose let out a sly smile.

Rose moved again, taking the letter Dalia had sent and holding it over the lit candle on her desk. The white paper began to burn, starting from the edges and gradually turning to ash.

"I'm truly sorry, Madam."

For not delivering your words to the Duke.

Her crimson eyes blankly watched the letter burn to blackened ash.

Soon, Dalia's desperate plea turned into dark ash scattered across the table.

And then.

"What are you doing, Rose?"

Lloyd, who she thought wasn't in the mansion, entered the room. He wrinkled his nose at the smell filling the room.

"I smell something burning… What did you burn at this hour?"

Rose flinched momentarily at his question but quickly composed herself, replying as if nothing had happened.

"You're back earlier than I thought, Lloyd. The Duchess's reply had just arrived."

"Yes, I was lucky to secure a ship early. More importantly, let me see the reply."

Hearing that Dalia had sent a reply, Lloyd's expression visibly brightened, and he quickly approached her. But Rose shook her head and responded.

"There's nothing to show. I just burned it."

"What? Burned it? Why on earth?"

Looking at her brother, whose expression showed he couldn't comprehend her actions, Rose spoke.

"It was for security. If I'd known you were in the mansion, I would've shown it to you before burning it… Sorry. But there wasn't much in it. It just thanked us for our efforts and said they'd wait on the day."

"…Really? There was nothing else?"

Rose, who had been smiling gently, suddenly stiffened her expression.

"Of course. If there were, I would've told you. What? Don't you trust me?"

"It's not that, but…"

Lloyd trailed off, troubled by not being able to see Dalia's reply with his own eyes. Noticing his hesitation, Rose lowered her eyes wistfully.

"If you truly can't trust me, let's send the messenger pigeon to the Duchess again. If that's what it takes to put your mind at ease, we'll have no choice but to risk it and try again."

"What? No, there's no need for that. I trust you."

"Liar."

But Rose had already turned her back on him, seemingly upset.

"I haven't said anything until now, but you've changed since you met the Duchess. Look at yourself now. You don't trust the words of someone you've lived with for over twenty years, and you're acting all sensitive…"

"It's not like that, Rose."

He approached, trying to soothe Rose, who seemed upset. But the closer he came, the sharper her voice grew as she looked at him.

"Don't tell me it's not true! Even now, all you care about is the Duchess, isn't it? Sure, I'm helping her for her sake, but also for yours! What happens to me if you disappear with the Duchess? What will become of me, left here all alone?"

"Rose…"

Lloyd, seeing Rose on the verge of tears, pulled her into an embrace.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I wasn't thinking straight."

Moved by Lloyd's heartfelt apology, Rose's anger softened, and she accepted his words in a gentler tone.

"…No, I think I got a little carried away."

Their fights always seemed to end this way. Lloyd, feeling pity for his frail sister, always indulged Rose's complaints.

Rose wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her emotions now calmer. Then she handed him the glass vial she had been holding.

"This is a special energy tonic I asked Joseph to prepare. The pregnant Duchess will likely be exhausted when she tries to escape with her heavy body. When she seems too worn out, dissolve this in water and give it to her."

"When did you manage to arrange something like this…?"

Lloyd, holding the tonic, looked at Rose with eyes full of gratitude. Then, he hugged her again and murmured softly.

"Thank you, Rose."

In Lloyd's arms, Rose smiled.

* * *

How many days had passed since Dalia was dragged out of the study and imprisoned in the tower? Since that day, while the weather grew hotter, the atmosphere in the mansion felt as cold as ice.

Jason was doing his best to prevent news of the Duke and Duchess from leaking outside the mansion, but it was impossible to completely suppress the rumors that had already begun to spread.

What exactly was he planning to do from here?

If only he had sent the lady to an estate or villa first, he wouldn't have had to go to such lengths.

As Jason stood there, called by the Duke who sat silently, he gazed at him with a mix of worry and resentment. Finally, Clayton spoke to Jason.

"How is Dalia's condition?"

"She's eating well, and there seem to be no issues with her health. However, she repeatedly says she wants to meet with you, my Lord."

"…I see."

Since the day she was confined, she had been asking to see him. However, Clayton still didn't have the courage to face Dalia. He was afraid he might lose control again and issue irrational orders.

Jason, watching Clayton in silence, cautiously asked.

"How long do you intend to keep the lady confined there? Rumors are already quietly spreading outside the mansion."

"..."

At Jason's voice of concern, Clayton opened a drawer. He took out a glass vial that the family physician, Selman, had given him that morning.

'If the lady drinks this, the child in her womb will die.'

An abortion drug.

It was a drug meant to kill the child growing in Dalia's womb.

'Dalia will be okay even if she takes this, right?'

'Physically, there shouldn't be any issues. But I can't guarantee what might happen to her emotionally. Most women who lose their child develop emotional trauma.'

And Selman's final words were the reason Clayton hadn't been able to use the drug yet.

Clayton rolled the glass vial in his hand with an unreadable expression, then, as if making a decision, called out to Jason in a low voice.

"Jason."

"Yes, my Lord."

At Clayton's call, Jason stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Clayton hesitated for a moment, looking at Jason standing before him, then handed him the prepared vial.

"Add this to Dalia's dinner tonight."

There was no more room for delay.