“Then why take care of Bonita so devotedly, even without memory? If what you say is true, my daughter is just a child thrust upon you.”

“That’s hard to explain logically. But…”

Luke nodded.

“There’s one thing for sure.”

Aria quickly added.

“I’m the person who can love Bonita the most in this world. Of course, you would feel the same, Your Grace.”

“…….”

Luke pondered deeply.

He could torture her to make her speak. It wouldn’t be difficult.

But the problem was always Bonita.

It was evident even from a brief observation.

Bonita genuinely looked up to that damned woman as a mother and craved affection from her.

Of course, there’s no perfect way to raise a child.

But simply providing expensive clothes, good food, and excellent education isn’t enough for a child to grow into a healthy adult.

Attachment during growth is a critical aspect that can’t be ignored. Especially when the child is already sensitive due to a change in environment.

It was a dilemma.

Either trust this suspicious woman for now or torture her until she can’t stand not speaking.

The latter is an irreversible decision once made. It was an uncomfortable and irritating situation, like a thorn stuck in the throat.

“I do not trust you.”

“…….”

“I will observe for now. And if you dare make any misstep—”
Luke issued a threatening warning with a grim face.

“Keep in mind that I cannot guarantee Miss Aria’s life. She is alive only because I have decided so.”

Aria observed Luke’s actions with considerable satisfaction.

‘Yes, that’s the level of protectiveness needed for a daughter.’

It was a relief to see that he wasn’t as foolish as he used to be during their courtship.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“And that lost memory of yours, it would be wise to recover it quickly.”

Luke’s face was stern. His distrustful expression blatantly revealed his animosity towards Aria.

“I have no intention of letting off anyone who touched my daughter.”

“On that point, I agree with you.”

Aria asked Luke with a furrowed brow.

“So, are you coming on the picnic?”

“…Yes, I suppose I must.”

That was a close call.

Aria let out a silent sigh of relief.

“Will Mother be alright?”

“Of course, Miss. But feel free to speak more comfortably with me.”

“But it seems the Duke doesn’t really like Mother.”

Maid Mary, with a worried expression, lifted the fidgeting Bonita and sat her down in front of a mirror to properly fix her bird’s nest hair.

“Which ribbon would you like, Miss? Blue? Or red?”

“Uh? Anything is fine for me…”

Bonita mumbled her response and gazed at herself in the mirror.

Though she had been at the Duke’s residence for only four days, she looked entirely different from her time in the near-slum streets. Particularly noticeable was her rosy complexion, a stark contrast to before.

Her thin body and stunted growth remained, but with this lifestyle, she would soon return to normal.

Bonita absentmindedly touched the fabric of her dress.

‘It feels like a dream.’

Initially, she couldn’t believe it, but after witnessing the Duke’s behavior yesterday, it seemed he truly cherished her. Why he was so certain she was his daughter, she didn’t know.

But it was undoubtedly good for Bonita.

A girl from the slums and the sole Duchess of a noble family.

Which is better is clear even to a five-year-old.

‘But…’

Her concern was still her mother.

Bonita knew Aria wasn’t her biological mother. Yet, since Aria had raised her, it didn’t matter much to her.

To yearn for a biological mother was pointless; Aria had been her mother since Bonita’s earliest memory.

Bonita thought this way, and everyone in the village knew Aria as her mother. There was no doubt about it.

But here, it was different.

Bonita noticed the uncomfortable stares whenever she called Aria ‘Mother.’

They denied the fact that Aria was her mother.

They even said she should consider someone she had never met as her real mother from now on.

It was a difficult truth for Bonita to accept.

Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.

The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…

Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.

Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.

The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”

When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…

The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced