Jane opened her eyes to the sound of birds. Before realizing this was an unfamiliar place, she frowned and buried her face in the pillow. Her head felt like it was about to split open.

“Are you awake?”

Jane’s back muscles tensed in surprise at the voice coming from behind.

“Brandy is quite a nasty drink. For those who can’t handle it, the hangover is terrible.”

Cain said.

Realizing the cause of her intense headache, Jane sighed.

The breath that returned after hitting the pillow smelled of alcohol. Feeling like she was getting drunk again from the smell, Jane forced herself to sit up.

“Drink this.”

Cain abruptly held out a glass in front of Jane, who was groaning.

As Jane reflexively took it, she naturally raised her gaze. She saw Cain neatly dressed.

He was dressed impeccably enough to give a speech in parliament right away. His wrinkle-free clothes were not the burgundy suit he wore yesterday.

‘Were there spare clothes in the cabin?’

“Hurry up and drink it.”

Cain urged as Jane just blinked and stared at him.

Jane’s eyes widened.

His voice sounded gentler than usual. And there was something different about his gaze too.

‘Did something happen yesterday?’

Jane blinked and then drank the unidentified beverage he offered. The sour, sweet, and cool drink was unexpectedly delicious.

“It’s good for hangovers. I added lemon juice and honey.”

“Did you… make it yourself?”

There were only the two of them in the cabin. It meant there was no one to serve them, which meant all activities like washing, dressing, and eating had to be done by themselves.

Jane looked over Cain’s shoulder towards the kitchen. For having made a drink, the kitchen was quite tidy.

‘Then who made it?’

Jane’s thoughts were clearly visible on her face.

“As you’ve noticed, I didn’t make it myself. I called someone. Are you disappointed?”

“Ah, no!”

That was far from disappointing. Jane shook her head vigorously.

“You look disappointed. Should I make one for you now? Though I can’t guarantee the taste.”

“No, it’s fine!”

If he had made the hangover cure drink himself, Jane might have died of embarrassment.

“Alright, stop shaking your head. It must hurt.”

As he said, it hurt terribly. It felt like someone was chiseling her head with a hammer and chisel.

“The hangover will last about a day. If we go to Somnium, I’ll call a doctor for you.”

Cain took back the glass that Jane had emptied. Jane pressed her aching head.

“Did I make any mistakes yesterday?”

Cain’s movements paused briefly as he was putting the glass down in the sink. Soon he turned around and leaned slightly against the sink, crossing his arms.

“You don’t remember?”

Jane’s eyebrows raised.

“Was there… something I should remember?”

His gaze was unusual. Those eyes of unfathomable depth seemed to be exposing all of Jane’s inner thoughts.

It was a look as if gauging whether her words were true.

Jane swallowed dryly. She pulled the blanket over herself as if it were a shield.

“Not really.”

Cain’s answer was unsatisfactory.

‘So did something happen or not?’

Jane was frustrated but didn’t press further.

Her head was hurting from the hangover, and she didn’t think she’d gain anything by asking more questions anyway.

Cain was pleased with Jane’s subdued demeanor.

“It’s time to go home.”

He smiled faintly and picked Jane up.

“I can get down and walk!”

Jane squirmed in his arms, but he only held her more firmly.

“You should have said so earlier.”

Cain blamed Jane, having picked her up without giving her a chance to speak.

“You said there are people outside. What will they think?”

“They’ll think you’re sick. I told them in advance. Stay still, Jane.”

Cain lightly slapped Jane’s bottom as she continued to struggle.

Her bottom, of all places!

Jane’s face and ears turned bright red.

While Jane froze, Cain took large strides.

“Young lady!”

As soon as they left the cabin, Mary came running.

“Young lady, how’s your ankle? And your head? How much did it hurt for you to drink all that alcohol?”

Mary was making a fuss, wondering what exactly had been said about the injury. She anxiously circled around Cain, examining Jane.

“You should have returned home if it looked like it was going to rain, not gone for a walk. Is there anywhere else uncomfortable besides your leg?”

“Mary, that’s enough.”

Unable to bear it any longer, Cain silenced her, causing Mary’s cheeks to puff out.

After catching her breath for a moment, Mary changed the target of her nagging.

“Young sir, about dates. It’s not just about having a good time, you know. It also includes safely escorting your date, the young lady.”

“Yes, Mary. I had a failed date yesterday. I’ll make up for it later, so would you please step aside so we can get in the carriage?”

Cain, who had anticipated Mary’s nagging, responded nonchalantly to the sudden arrow.

When he pleaded with his eyebrows drooping, Mary, realizing she was blocking the carriage door, stepped aside.

She still had more to say to Cain, but Jane’s treatment came first.

“I’ll see you at the mansion.”

After helping Jane into the carriage first, Cain followed and immediately closed the door.

Mary, who was about to get in the carriage too, looked dumbfounded.

He knocked on the carriage wall before Mary could open the door again. It was a signal to depart quickly.

“What about Mary?”

“She’ll come in another carriage.”

He casually replied and handed Jane a cushion.

“Lean back and close your eyes. You’re dizzy, aren’t you?”

Because his words were true, Jane reached out to take the cushion.

In doing so, their hands inadvertently touched. Jane flinched, but Cain’s action of withdrawing his hand was as natural as flowing water.

Jane’s eyes narrowed then widened.

Having realized the identity of the strange feeling she had been having since waking up, she almost cried out.

Cain was treating Jane comfortably.

From the day they reunited at the house on the hill until now, Cain had never treated Jane comfortably for a moment.

Not that he had been mindful of Jane.

He had made her be mindful of him.

But now Cain seemed comfortable himself, and he was creating an atmosphere that made Jane feel at ease.

Why had he changed?

Had something happened last night?

Even with a headache from the hangover, Jane’s head was about to burst from the questions that kept arising one after another.

* * *

After taking Jane to her room, Cain’s next destination was his office.

“Your date lasted quite long.”

Nathan grumbled, pursing his lips like a duck as soon as Cain entered the office.

“Report first.”

Cain cut off Nathan’s complaint at the source and threw his jacket onto the sofa.

“There are quite a few matters, which would you like to hear first?”

Nathan immediately returned to work mode.

“Start with the railway station construction in the Delpion region.”

Quite some time had passed since the railway company owned by Cain had begun constructing a railway station in a city near the capital.

“It passed the safety inspection recently. We’ve also completed hiring people to work at the station. As you instructed, we filled 40 percent with local people.”

“The opening ceremony?”

“Everything is prepared to proceed as soon as a date is set.”

“Schedule the railway test run for after the wedding.”

“Yes, understood.”

Nathan made a note in his notebook. Cain waited for him to finish writing before giving another task.

“We need to find a doorman who worked at the Hastings house seven years ago.”

“A doorman?”

“Yes. A man with curly hair and a mustache. Norbert should have the roster, so get it from him, find out the name first, and then track him down and bring him here immediately.”

The instruction ‘Quietly, discreetly’ was added.

Jane had completely forgotten, but Cain remembered everything from last night.

Everything Jane had said, even the breath that had touched his lips.

At the lakeside cabin, she had acted like someone who truly loved Cain.

She even resented him as if he, not she, had been the one to cause pain.

Her movements, gaze, and breath were desperate beyond yearning, enough to sweep him away.

She couldn’t have been acting while drunk. If it was an act, she should be working in a theater troupe right now instead of becoming a duchess.

But he couldn’t blindly believe it, so Cain was going to verify whether Jane’s claim of waiting for him seven years ago was true or not.

If it was true, the next step would be to find Phil and ask about the letter Jane had left.

‘A woman who waited for me until dawn on the day I left sent a letter full of harsh words?’

It didn’t add up.

“What do you want to confirm?”

Cain looked up at Nathan’s question. He tilted his head and stroked his chin.

“Well, what do I want to confirm?”

Cain, who threw a self-deprecating question rather than an answer, reached out and picked up a pen.

He didn’t know the exact reason for his actions either. Nor what he wanted to do after finding out.

The only certain thing was that he couldn’t stand feeling uneasy about something.

‘Everything must be clear.’

And thoughts can come later.

Now it’s time to focus on work.

* * *

Jane’s ankle injury wasn’t severe, and she avoided catching a cold.

For the next two weeks, Jane was busy preparing for the wedding.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Jane tried to recall what had happened at the cabin whenever she had time. But unfortunately, she couldn’t remember.

She wanted to ask Cain what had happened, but she couldn’t meet him as he was even busier than Jane.

One day, as she was only occasionally hearing news through Mary, he appeared at the dinner table. There, Cain bluntly informed Joseph:

“Jane will be your mother.”

Jane, sitting across from Joseph, was startled.

Even with sufficient explanation of the circumstances, it would be difficult to accept, yet he said it so abruptly!

It must have been like a bombshell announcement to the child.

Fortunately, Joseph accepted it readily without difficulty. It was thanks to Jane having already built a relationship with Joseph in advance.

Jane realized that Cain was not yet an excellent father.

‘You have a lot to learn, our duke.’

Jane thought to herself.

Joseph happily accepted Jane as family.

In the end, Jane couldn’t ask anything that day.

After that, there was no news from Cain again.

Jane continued her daily life, waiting for him to come.

She would spend all day preparing for the wedding, and at night, she would read picture books to Joseph.

Sometimes she would have tea with Burnett, but each time, Burnett would pick on Jane. So Jane felt like those times were a punishment.

Jane disliked Burnett. Not because she treated Jane poorly.

It was because of Burnett’s attitude towards Joseph.

Burnett didn’t recognize Joseph as the legitimate heir of the Hastings family.

She didn’t speak carelessly, but her eyes and attitude showed subtle contempt and rejection towards Joseph.

Perhaps because of this, when the three of them occasionally had tea together, Joseph would freeze up and make a series of mistakes. Each time, instead of getting angry, Burnett would click her tongue as if intentionally for others to hear.

That made Joseph even more intimidated.

For Joseph’s stability, Burnett needed to return to her home as soon as possible.

“You just need to endure until the wedding, young lady. Once you’re married, Mrs. Burnett will no longer have a reason to stay here, so she’ll leave.”

Mary’s words were the only consolation. So Jane counted down the days to the wedding.

Two weeks passed faster than expected.

And finally, the wedding day arrived.