Unanswered Questions

It had been six months since I got married and came here, but until now, he hadn't entered my room once. We always met at the breakfast table or dinner table, but at other times, I didn't even get a single glimpse of him. I had no idea why.

I believed my father did work when he used to walk around the corridor. I used to see him, even though it was only once a day. But whenever I saw him, he would come and ask how I was doing in my classes or how I felt, at the very least. But this person didn't do anything like this. I didn't know why I was even having expectations when they should have been broken already. I was hoping there would be one day he would come through this door and say, "Madam, sorry I'm late."

Even though the apology would only be for a day, I would have taken the apology for the six months that he did not apologize.

"Madam, the Duke has called for you," Yuna came and told me while I was looking outside the window.

"Where?" I asked.

"To his study," she said.

So he spends most of his time in his study when I'm not even aware of where the study room is.

"Can you lead me the way?" I asked.

"Yes, madam," she still talks this way even though any person would have gotten used to this long ago. I still doubt the date if it is the behavior of a person who was born from another person. If it is, then why is there no sign of emotions in her eyes? Why doesn't she even hold a little bit of sympathy for me when she is well aware of how I'm living in this room and it has been six months, making me feel as if I have been living like this for six years?

I walked toward his study, which was in the corner of the house.

"I will stay outside," she said and stood outside the room like a guard. Now I'm freaking sure these people are manufactured, unlike the butler and the other knights.

"You called for me?" I again skipped anything that will make me take his name.

"Yes, sit here," he said and got up from his seat and sat in front of me on the couch.

"So?"

"Yeah, let me get straight to it."

Is he finally going to say sorry?

"I would like to start all of your duties as the Duchess." What am I even expecting him to do? In the end, everything is like a business to him.

"Sure, I will start everything starting today."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"No, that's all I have to say," he is still so formal as well as polite, even though my heart has been ripping from the inside.

"Okay then I would like to return to my place," I got up and was about to leave when he called me again.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Is there anything you want me to do?"

I'm not sure what he wants me to say, but just a single sentence makes me feel as if I'm dying. I'm dying. I feel suffocated. For a minute, I felt someone holding my nose and mouth at once so that I could die, but I handled it neatly.

"No, there isn't," I smiled brightly again while speaking, which I don't even mean.

I somehow walked out of the place. My feet kept on going at a fast pace. I'm not even sure how fast I'm walking, but I'm sure this is not what people expect from a dignified lady. I've already broken behaving this way, but how could I say what I feel is not what a dignified lady should feel as well?

"Madam, are you feeling unwell?" the butler saw me when I was having a problem breathing.

"Ah, no, I'm fine," my words are breaking.

"Should I call the doctor? Should I inform the Duke?" he kept on mentioning them when the Duke is the one who made me feel this way.

"No need. I will be okay in a few minutes, so no need to tell anyone." I spoke.

"But-"

"And yeah, bring all the documents from the place. I want to check. I want to check every single detail from this moment." I stated.

"But your health?" he asked again.

"I said right? I'm alright, so forget what you just saw and do as you are said to. And one more thing, who used to make all the bills and arrangements of the mansion?" I asked.

"It is me," he said.

He looked as if he is in his late 30s, but he has been handling everything? So much stress he must have.

"What about before? Who did it before?"

"Ah, before, it has been done by the previous Duchess, who is the mother of the young Duke," he said.

"Then what happened to her? I have never seen the parents of the Duke." I finally got to ask.

"You are not aware?" he asked.

"No?"

"Okay, madam, I will let you know whatever you need to know," he said and followed me to my study, which was assigned to me just a few minutes ago. He too brought all the documents he has been handling for ages.

"So should I start?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"So, I'm not sure how you have been unaware of such big things, but still, I'm telling you that the parents of the young Duke were killed."

My eyes widened for a moment.

Killed? Who did it? How?

"The culprit still hasn't been caught, but the Duke has been trying to catch them with the help of the imperial highness, aka the emperor. But still, there is no accurate news about the culprit," he said.

"Okay, I understand the Duke's parents were murdered then how could he think the emperor will be able to help the Duke when the emperor himself is not moving? He uses his pawns like the Marquis of each direction as well; the same goes for the Dukes?" I asked.

"How did you-"