Mother sat at the edge of the bed, her gaze distant. Father had to call her several times before she snapped out of it.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
She blinked as if waking from a dream. “There’s still no word from Eleonora, is there? Have you heard anything?”
Father paused and looked at her. “No. Another three days have passed, and everyone I sent to look for her came back saying they hadn’t seen her.”
“That’s strange. This has never happened before.”
Mother’s hand twitched slightly.
That day, after Eleonora had signed over her shops and dowry to Ophelia and left Alexa with her, she had simply disappeared. Mother didn’t even notice when exactly she left. By the time she realized it, Eleonora was already gone.
Eleonora had never acted like this before. No matter how upset she had been in the past, s never once stayed out all night.
Could something have happened to her?
Mother sat up and looked at Father. “How long has it been since Ellie left?”
Father frowned. “It must’ve been six days.“.
Mother’s heart sank with a thud. She didn’t know why, but a deep unease was growing inside her.
The next morning, she went straight to Ophelia’s room.
“Did Ellie stop by to see you?” she asked the moment she opened the door, catching Ophelia off
guard.
“No, Mother,” Ophelia replied, trying to sound casual. “Maybe she went out for a bit?”
Mother shook her head. Eleonora had always been obedient. She would never leave without telling her family.
She was about to turn and leave when Ophelia stopped her.
“Mother, um…” Ophelia gave a shy little smile.
Chapter 7.
“Lately, I’ve been managing Ellie’s business, and one of her shops might need some funds to keep it running–about five hundred gold coins. I was wondering if-”
“Don’t do anything for now,” Mother cut in sharply. “Wait until Ellie comes back. Have her teach you.”
She turned and left, leaving Ophelia frozen in place.
Afterward, Ophelia bit her finger nervously, a sinking feeling growing in her heart.
She wasn’t imagining it–Mother’s attitude toward her had clearly changed.
But why? She hadn’t let anything slip. What had gone wrong?
Elsewhere, Alexa returned home from school and, as usual, went looking for Eleonora the moment she stepped through the door.
But the house was empty.
She stood in place for a while, still holding her books, then quietly returned to her little room study.
She had just won first place in a poetry competition at school. Every time she came first, her mother
would always be overjoyed. She would prepare his favorite strawberry cake.
She wasn’t back yet. That was fine. She would wait for her.
But even by nightfall, neither Mother nor Father had returned.
The next morning, as soon as she woke, Alexa rushed into the main hall in her pajamas.
That was when she noticed Sebastian sitting stiffly in one of the armchairs, his brows furrowed,
completely motionless.
“Father! Has Mother come home yet?”
Sebastian looked up and saw sleepy–eyed Alexa clutching a sheet of poetry.
“I got first place in poetry this time. My teacher praised me a lot and told me to show it to Mother!”
“Oh, and lately I’ve really been craving Mother’s strawberry cake and roast chicken. She makes them way better than Aunt Ophelia!”
Sebastian froze.
Chapter 7
A fresh wave of unease surged within him.
Without a word, he got up and rushed out the door, heading straight to the Nocturne estate.
Something was wrong–terribly wrong.
Eleonora must have been in danger.
Sebastian arrived at the Nocturne estate in a hurry. The moment he stepped out of the carriage, he
saw his in–laws anxiously coming out of the house.
“Mr. and Mrs. Nocturne! Please wait!” he called as he ran up to them.
“Do you have any news of Ellie?”
Mother looked just as flustered, her eyes red. “No!”
“She handed over the paperwork a few days ago, but no one knows when she left. At first, we thought she had just gone out for a walk to clear her head.”
“But it’s been six days now, and we haven’t heard a single word! Everyone we sent out came1 saying they hadn’t seen her!”
“Duke… Do you think something’s happened to Ellie? It’s already been six days. Can we go to the police now?”
Sebastian’s heart was a mess. He forced himself to stay calm.
“Don’t panic. I have a friend in the police department. We’ll go speak to the chief and ask him to help us track her down.”
The group headed to the station, explained everything, and Sebastian’s friend began assisting with the investigation.
But because the search would take time, they returned to the estate to wait.
Sebastian was nearly beside himself with anxiety, his hands clenched tightly, heart pounding with
dread.
Maybe he was overthinking it….
Ellie was probably just upset with him. She was angry because he had married Ophelia.
Chapter 7
That was fine. When she came back, he’d refuse Ophelia flat–out.
He’d apologize, beg for forgiveness, and surely Ellie would come around.
Two days passed in a blur of restless waiting. Just as Sebastian could no longer bear it and was about to head to the police station again, a messenger from his friend finally arrived.
Sebastian rushed forward, his voice full of hope. “Well? Did you find anything?”
Beside him, Eleonora’s parents stood up, tense with anticipation.
“Your Grace… Eleonora is your duchess, correct? She’s already been declared deceased by a princess from the royal palace. You didn’t know?”
“If the princess hadn’t just sent us word, I wouldn’t have even known the duchess had such powerful friend!”
Everyone froze in place.
