It was around one in the afternoon.
A blue carriage came to a stop in front of the manor. Adeline, who had been assisting the manor staff, paused mid-task and turned her attention to the arrival.
A young, familiar girl stepped out of the carriage, followed by her personal maid.
Adeline's eyes widened. "Lady Emelda?!"
Emelda looked up, her face lighting up with delight. She broke into a run and rushed toward Adeline, arms outstretched.
Out of instinct, Adeline opened her arms and caught her in an embrace, lifting her off the ground.
"Miss Adeline! I'm so glad to see you!" Emelda beamed. "I heard from the Duke a few days ago that you're doing well! I wanted to visit sooner, but Mother wouldn't allow it—I had already missed too many etiquette lessons. Today's the first day I finally had free time to come!"
Adeline smiled softly at the girl's concern. "Thank you, Milady. That's very kind of you. I'm healing well. The stab wound is getting better, and I can move around more easily now. I'm sorry for worrying you."
Annie, Emelda's maid, finally caught up to her, slightly out of breath. "Miss, your mother will be furious if she hears you jumped into Miss Adeline's arms instead of offering a proper curtsy," she scolded gently.
Emelda huffed and crossed her arms. "Mother isn't here, and I know Adeline doesn't mind. Right, Adeline?"
Adeline chuckled and nodded, then set her gently down on the ground.
Emelda looked around the manor courtyard with curiosity. "Where's Dane?"
"Oh, he's currently with Professor Ivan, attending his lessons."
"Lessons? What kind of lessons?"
Adeline hesitated for a moment, uncertain if revealing Dane's identity would be appropriate. But before she could answer, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted them.
"Dane is my son," Darwin said plainly as he joined them.
Both Emelda and Annie immediately curtsied. "Greetings, Your Grace."
Emelda straightened, eyes wide in surprise. "Wait—your son? You have a son?!"
"M-Milady!" Annie whispered sharply, nudging her.
"I can't share the full details," Darwin said calmly, "but yes—Dane is my son. And there is no doubt about it."
Emelda turned to Adeline, confusion in her eyes. "Is she—?"
Adeline quickly waved her hands in denial. "No, no. I'm not his biological mother. But I am his mother in every other sense—and I love him as if he were my own."
Emelda gave her a warm smile. "I know you do, Miss Adeline." She turned to Darwin and added seriously, "Don't worry. I won't pry, and I won't breathe a word of this to anyone if it hasn't been made public. And I'm sure Annie will do the same."
Annie nodded respectfully. "Of course, Miss. My lips are sealed."
Adeline let out a breath of relief, grateful for their understanding and discretion.
Despite her young age, Emelda spoke with surprising maturity—and Adeline was genuinely grateful for that.
"I'm busy at the moment, but…" Darwin's lips curved into a mischievous smile as he placed a hand on Adeline's shoulder, immediately reigniting her irritation. "I'm sure Lady Adeline would be honored to give you a tour of the manor. Isn't that right, Lady Adeline?"
Adeline chuckled sarcastically. She grabbed his hand and firmly moved it off her shoulder to make her annoyance clear. "Of course, Your Grace. I am deeply honored."
There was a brief spark between them—one of tension, amusement, and something more unspoken.
With a satisfied smirk, Darwin bid them farewell and returned to his office.
As promised, Adeline gave Emelda a tour of the manor. It was the young lady's first visit to the Duke's estate, as she explained cheerfully. She hadn't been able to visit before because Duke Darwin was always busy, and even if James had escorted her, she was sure she would've been bored out of her mind. Adeline laughed at her honesty.
When they reached the garden, Adeline began to explain the flowers and their meanings.
"I never imagined the Duke's manor would have such a beautiful garden," Emelda said, sniffing one of the blossoms.
"Because of his icy personality?" Adeline teased.
"Exactly!"
"Milady!" Annie scolded in a hushed tone, clearly shocked. But Emelda simply waved her off with a giggle.
Eventually, they came to a stop before a large, ancient tree.
"This tree is huge…" Emelda tilted her head back to look up at its massive branches.
Arms crossed, Adeline nodded. "James told me this tree has been here since the founding of the Duke's family. It's ancient. But more importantly…" She grinned, patting the thick trunk, "Out of all the trees here, this one's the best for climbing—and it offers the most beautiful view."
"You can climb?" Emelda asked, surprised.
Instead of answering, Adeline kicked off her shoes and, without hesitation, began climbing the tree like a seasoned expert.
Both Emelda and Annie looked up in concern.
"Miss Adeline, be careful!" Annie called, panicking slightly.
"Whoa…" Emelda whispered, impressed and amazed.
Adeline stood tall as she reached the top of the tree and called down cheerfully, "The view up here is amazing! Want to join me?"
Annie instinctively grabbed Emelda by the collar, already anticipating her reaction. "Milady, that's a no."
Emelda pouted, "Oh, come on!" she protested, trying to wiggle free.
Adeline chuckled and turned her gaze to the horizon. The sun was high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the distant town below.
"Annie, let me go!" Emelda whined, still trying to pry her maid's arms off her.
"Is something wrong, Lady Emelda?" came a deep voice from behind.
"Your Grace!" Emelda exclaimed, startled to see the Duke at this hour. She thought he'd be busy with his duties.
Darwin glanced around. "And where is Lady Adeline?"
Both Emelda and Annie pointed upward.
Darwin looked up and immediately frowned. Adeline was standing confidently on a thick branch, smiling down at him and waving.
"Are you a monkey, Lady Adeline?" he asked dryly.
Adeline smirked at his jab. "Then you must be a black bear, Your Grace—with all those grumpy expressions you wear."
Emelda and Annie gasped. No one dared to speak to the Duke that way. They looked to him, expecting anger—but instead, he seemed amused.
"So you're admitting you're a monkey, then?" he replied coolly.
"Maybe," she shrugged. "But at least for once, it feels great to be looking down on you," she teased with a grin.
Darwin's eye twitched slightly. "What?"
"James?" Emelda asked quietly.
James gave a small smile. "Do not worry, Lady Emelda. These two are like cats and dogs. This is quite normal now."
Adeline leaned smugly on the trunk. "Just admit it—you can't climb a tree. The great Duke lacks climbing skills!"
Darwin narrowed his eyes, removed his coat, and handed it to James.
Then, using his aura, he floated upward, quickly landing on the very same branch as Adeline.
"Jesus!" Adeline yelped, grabbing the tree trunk for balance. She frowned at him. "Hey! That's cheating! Using aura is against the rules!"
Darwin stood casually on the branch beside her, a smug smile on his face. "There were no rules."
"You're on my branch! Go find your own!" she grumbled, trying to shove him away.
"Stop that or you'll—"
Suddenly, Adeline misstepped and lost her balance.
"Shit!" she gasped as she began to fall.
Emelda and Annie instinctively shut their eyes, expecting disaster.
But in the blink of an eye, Darwin caught her around the waist.
Though they both fell, Darwin used his aura midair to soften the impact, ensuring they landed safely on the ground.
Adeline's eyes slowly fluttered open. The moment her vision cleared, she realized she was lying on top of the Duke—and they were both on the ground. Her breath hitched as her gaze darted up toward the tree's towering height.
'Crap! Did I just kill the Duke?! His death isn't supposed to happen for another five years, not today!' she panicked internally.
In a rush, she sat up and began slapping Darwin's chest in alarm.
"Stay alive, you black bear! You can't die! Not now! Don't you dare die on me!" she cried, shaking him frantically. Her heart pounded with grief and guilt. She hadn't meant for this to happen. Not like this.
Tears welled in her eyes as she kept shaking him, completely unaware that he was, in fact, perfectly fine.
"Stop that. I'm alive," Darwin said, sitting up with a wince.
Adeline froze, eyes blinking rapidly. Relief flooded her chest as tears spilled freely down her cheeks.
"I... I'm glad you're alive... I'm so sorry..." she murmured, wiping her tears as they kept coming. Her voice trembled with emotion.
Darwin stared at her, stunned. Her tears caught him off guard. And yet... he felt something strange bloom in his chest.
Happiness.
Someone was crying over him.
All the battles he'd fought, the wounds he'd endured, and not once had anyone shown concern for him—at least not beyond duty. Not for his well-being. Not for his heart.
He knew it was partially his fault. He kept people at a distance, pushed them away with cold stares and clipped words. It was the only way to survive with so many eyes on his title.
But Adeline… she was different. A defiant, sharp-tongued woman who challenged him at every turn—yet now she was crying for him.
And it undid him in ways he didn't know how to handle.
Unsure of what to do, he fell back on what he'd seen others do. Awkwardly, he reached out and pulled her into a stiff embrace. His arms wrapped around her, and he gently patted her back.
"I won't die that easily, you monkey," he muttered.