Chapter 29
Adelle had to protect Ronschka, and Lucas was determined to help her do so. They couldn’t afford to miss this chance.
“But we do love each other,” she said firmly.
“Lies.”
“It’s true,” Adelle insisted, clinging to Lucas’s arm desperately.
Lucas glanced down at the gentle weight pressing against him. When his gaze met Adelle’s, her emerald eyes were full of pleading.
Don’t worry. — that’s what he wanted to tell her. With his free hand, he gave her hand a light reassuring tap. Slowly, the tension began to drain from her grip, though a strange part of him regretted it.
“Lucas,” Heirn muttered, rubbing his forehead. “That’s enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“This ridiculous playacting. You gain nothing from continuing this farce. Let’s stop pretending.”
“And if it’s not pretend?” Lucas replied coolly.
Heirn’s glare sharpened. “You really plan to keep this up? Clinging to a love that could never be?”
“‘A love that could never be’? I only spoke the truth.”
“Truth, you say?” Heirn laughed incredulously. “What a wonderful tale — a duke’s heir falling in love with a penniless commoner woman who already has a child! Not even the most clichéd romance novel would dare go this far.”
“Heirn!”
“If you keep this up, I won’t sit back quietly.”
At that, Adelle bit her lower lip hard.
“Adelle.”
Lucas spoke her name softly.
“Yes?”
When she looked up, he tapped his own lips lightly with a finger, reminding her to stop biting them. She obeyed at once, releasing her lip. Only then did he relax slightly.
“Heirn,” Lucas said, calm but firm. “No matter what you do, nothing will change.”
“We’ll see about that,” Heirn growled. “Enough. Get out of my residence.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice. But remember this, Heirn—next time, I won’t go so easy on you.”
Heirn retreated sooner than expected, but the venom in his eyes told Adelle this was far from over. He would be back — and next time, he would be far harder to fight.
Lucas escorted Adelle out of Heirn’s study.
In the hallway, they ran into Rosalyn. The young girl stood frozen, pale as a ghost, her wide eyes fixed on Adelle.
“Rosalyn,” Adelle called softly. She could tell the girl had something to say, so she crouched down to meet her gaze.
“Is it true?” Rosalyn blurted. “Is Ronschka… my father’s son?”
Adelle could have lied. She could have twisted her words and escaped the question. Telling the truth was the worst possible choice.
But still—she couldn’t bring herself to lie.
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
A single tear slipped down Rosalyn’s cheek, followed by another. Her small hands trembled as she clutched at her dress.
“Rosalyn—”
“No! I don’t want it! I don’t want Ronschka to be my brother!”
Tears streamed down her face, faster and faster. Adelle reached out, heart aching, but Rosalyn stepped back and ran down the corridor.
Adelle tried to follow, but Lucas gently stopped her.
“She needs time to think,” he said quietly.
He was right. Adelle herself was barely holding on—how could she take care of Rosalyn, too?
She straightened her back, swallowing her pain. But when she stood too quickly, the world tilted and her vision swam.
“Are you all right?”
Lucas caught her before she stumbled.
“I’m fine.”
“Then let’s go back to the main house and talk.”
“Yes…”
Lucas had said he loved her, but Adelle knew that wasn’t true. It had been a lie—a necessary one, told to protect Ronschka. Thanks to that lie, the boy was safe… for now.
But Heirn had been right about one thing: Adelle was just a powerless commoner, and Lucas was a man of the duke’s house. Their fabricated story could never become real.
He watched her with quiet concern as they walked. It was kind of him, and she was grateful—but she couldn’t rely on him forever.
This was her problem. Her battle. No matter how much Lucas wanted to help, she couldn’t let him carry her burden.
“Let’s talk in the study,” Lucas suggested.
It was the most private room in the house—soundproof, secure, and free from interruptions. The perfect place for a serious conversation.
Once inside, he guided Adelle to a chair and poured her a cup of warm tea.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
The heat of the cup seeped into her chilled fingers, slowly easing the tension that had held her body rigid. The first sip warmed her all the way down.
Is there anything this man can’t do?
Handsome, capable, considerate… she couldn’t help but feel grateful. Without him, Ronschka might already be gone.
And maybe… it felt a little good to see Heirn so flustered for once.
“Are you feeling better?” Lucas asked.
“Yes, thank you for your concern.”
“You thank me too often,” he said lightly. “Let’s skip the gratitude this time.”
How can I not be thankful? she thought wryly.
“But we do need to discuss something important,” he continued.
Adelle sat up straighter. Yes, this was the moment that mattered. They had escaped one crisis, but next time might not go so easily.
“I’ll leave the estate,” she said firmly.
“Then we should decide when to announce the engagement,” Lucas said at the same time.
Both of them froze.
What… did he just say?
Adelle blinked blankly. Then she touched her ear, wondering if she’d misheard. No, her hearing was fine.
That meant—he really had said it.
“Pardon me?” she asked.
“What did you say?” he countered.
“I said I’m going to leave the estate.”
“And where will you go? Do you have money for a house?”
She’d saved what she could, but not nearly enough to buy a place. Still, she could rent a small room and work.
Now that she could read and write, she could find better jobs. If she worked hard enough, someday she might even afford a home of her own.
“And Ronschka’s education?” Lucas’s voice turned cold.
“I’ll work hard. I’ll find a way to pay for his schooling.”
“Adelle,” he said quietly. “The world doesn’t work that simply. A good academy costs money—a lot of money. You can’t earn that easily.”
“I’ll still try.”
“Trying alone isn’t enough.”
Something inside her snapped. Then what should I do? What other choice did she have? Working hard was all she could do.
Her hands clenched tightly together.
“And what about Heirn?” Lucas pressed. “He’s persistent. The moment you leave this house, he’ll come after you—and he won’t hesitate to take the boy.”
He was right again. Heirn would do that.
Her mind spun. The room felt smaller, darker.
“Adelle?”
“Yes?”
“You look pale.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I just… want to hear what you were going to say.”
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“No.”
She must have misheard him. Engagement? That couldn’t be right. Surely she’d imagined it.
“What did you say?”
“I asked when we should announce the formal engagement,” Lucas repeated calmly.
“The… engagement?” she echoed faintly.
“Yes.”
“That— that was just for show, wasn’t it? You only said it to stop Heirn from taking Ronschka.”
“Perhaps at first,” Lucas admitted. “But the more I think about it, the less bad an idea it seems.”
“It’s a terrible idea!” Adelle burst out.
Lucas was a noble—a duke’s heir, second only to royalty. Someone like him couldn’t possibly be tied to someone like her. It wasn’t right.
“If you ever meet someone you truly love, this will only cause trouble,” she said.
His kindness was too much—too dangerous. Because she knew the story. She knew Lucas’s future. He wasn’t meant for her.
She couldn’t drag him into her mess. Not him.
There were too many reasons to refuse: their difference in status, her being a single mother, her lack of means.
Their union would help no one.
So she racked her brain, desperate for a way out.
“It would only make things worse,” she said. “I’ll think of another way.”
“Adelle.”
Lucas leaned closer until his eyes met hers — those deep violet eyes gleaming with quiet resolve.
