Every time footsteps echoed in the quiet study, Jane’s heart pounded.

Jane listened to the footsteps with her trapezius muscles tensed so much they ached.

Footsteps contain a lot of information.

Who the footsteps belong to, what their mood is like, and where they’re coming from.

Jane swallowed.

Cain was approaching her, in an irritated state.

* * *

About 30 minutes before Cain appeared in the study.

He dismounted from his horse, roughly running his hand through his hair. The four-day business trip had been a complete mess.

Norbert quickly followed, giving a brief report on what had happened in the meantime.

Cain immediately approved the urgent matters among the agenda items.

And he was about to take a breather.

“This is a note that Lady Scarlet left for you.”

Cain’s temple twitched.

“Left for me?”

The fact that she had left it rather than sent a telegram bothered him. Cain took the note that Norbert held out.

Norbert also mentioned that Scarlet had come to Somnium House in the evening and stopped by the study. She had also borrowed a few books.

Not knowing where to start pointing out what was wrong, Cain pressed his forehead, his head throbbing.

Before his mood worsened further, Norbert reported on how Jane had sent Scarlet away and the argument between Mrs. Burnett and Jane.

“The young lady handled it well.”

Cain agreed with the opinion Norbert added at the end of his report.

As if that was all he had to say, Norbert bowed and withdrew.

Cain headed to his office first. Then Saul, as if he had been waiting, gave a detailed report on Jane’s actions. There were no major discrepancies with Norbert’s report.

However, there was something a bit unexpected.

“Jane personally reselected Joseph and her own maid?”

“Yes.”

And she’s in the process of remodeling the mansion. In the process, she told Burnett to return to the estate.

Cain’s lips parted slightly.

It was refreshing to see her, who had always seemed so fragile, actively pushing forward with work.

‘Come to think of it, she was like that when she was young too.’

This was the Jane who would stay up all night to achieve goals she set for herself.

A smile crept onto Cain’s lips as he reminisced about her childhood.

Without even realizing it himself.

Saul’s eyes narrowed at that smile.

Cain’s smile disappeared so quickly that Saul wondered if he had seen it wrong.

“Anything else?”

“No, sir.”

“No contacts or meetings with anyone, no one lurking around?”

Cain asked again to confirm.

“No, there was nothing of the sort.”

“I see. Go and rest. By the way, where is Jane now?”

“She’s in the study.”

“The study?”

This time Cain’s eyes narrowed. He checked the time. It was already close to midnight.

What could she be doing in the study?

Seeing Cain lost in thought while stroking his chin, Saul said,

“Shall I go keep watch?”

“No, I’ll go check myself.”

Cain paused as he was climbing the stairs.

“Ah, Scarlet.”

A question belatedly occurred to him and he turned around.

“You said Scarlet borrowed some books?”

Saul immediately recited the titles of the books Scarlet had taken.

As he heard the title of a book he quite treasured, Cain’s mood plummeted.

To completely eliminate the Rose Faction, he needed the cooperation of the Carelina family.

That’s why he had been tolerating Scarlet’s obvious fawning to a certain extent. But there’s a limit.

Scarlet’s behavior was becoming increasingly disrespectful, was there any need to keep tolerating it?

‘It would be better to cut it off before she crosses the line.’

Cain dismissed Saul with a wave of his hand, took off his jacket, and headed for the study.

Scarlet’s note had long since vanished from his mind.

In fact, there was no reason for Cain to go looking for Jane right now, as no important information was kept in the study.

There was no need for surveillance in this situation. Even if surveillance was needed, he could just send Saul, but his feet moved busily towards the study.

As soon as he arrived at the study, Cain opened the door. He didn’t bother with a knock that would have been considerate of the person inside.

Cain’s brow furrowed at the sound of Jane quickly hiding herself.

Did she want to play hide and seek?

If she was going to act like this.

Cain also hid his presence and stood on the opposite side from Jane.

He could feel Jane swallowing beyond the bookshelf.

‘I wonder if she’ll faint from shock. Should I stop this game now?’

As Jane acted like a rabbit before a hunter, Cain felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

His interest rapidly waning, he was about to greet her when he stepped on something.

The rustling was clearly paper.

Had a book been torn?

Cain bent down. As he expected, it was paper. However, the contents printed on the paper were unexpected.

Cain’s eyes shot up.

‘Why is a Rose Faction flyer in the study?’

Cain fixed a cold gaze on the familiar image and text.

“Cain?”

Jane moved from across the room. Cain reflexively crumpled the flyer and hastily stuffed it inside his vest.

“What are you doing here?”

Cain asked gruffly.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Jane ran her hand over the spines of books on the shelf. Her touch was quite absent-minded.

“And?”

“I was going to read a book.”

Jane held up the book in her hand. Cain’s lips twisted as he confirmed the book’s title.

A novel filled with ticklish love stories, of all things.

“How leisurely.”

Jane frowned at those words. Cain’s tone was excessively aggressive.

He was usually brusque, but today it was especially severe.

Was he in a bad mood because she had entered the study without his permission?

If so, he could just tell her not to use the study from now on, so why was he speaking so nastily?

Jane wanted to snap back at him. But after seeing his face through the gap in the books, she decided against it.

He looked very tired.

“Did things not go well on your trip to the provinces?”

One of Cain’s eyebrows raised.

This was the first time Jane had directly asked about Cain’s work.

Until now, their conversations had only been about Joseph, or related to the contract.

Even the affairs of the duchy were just an extension of the contract to Jane.

Had Jane developed an interest in him? Or was she worried about the Rose Faction’s well-being?

The Rose Faction flyer stuffed inside his vest irritated his nerves like a splinter under a fingernail.

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“Curious about what?”

If things had gone wrong, if that’s why you’re so prickly, if something bad had happened to you. If there was anything I could do to help.

There were many things she was curious about, but Jane answered vaguely.

“This and that.”

“Why suddenly?”

One of Cain’s eyebrows shot up.

“You look tired. Your complexion doesn’t look good.”

Had he lost weight in the few days they hadn’t seen each other? Cain’s sharp jawline seemed even more steep. His eyes also looked darker, though it might have been the lighting.

“Cain, you should go in and rest.”

Cain smirked.

“It almost sounds like you’re worried about me.”

At his mocking voice, Jane raised her lowered head and her eyes changed. It was a resolute look, as if she had made some decision.

“That’s right. I am worried.”

Cain’s head tilted slightly.

Was she sincere?

He wanted to examine her expression closely, but the book between them obscured his view.

“I said I’m worried, that’s right.”

When Cain said nothing, Jane emphasized as if telling him to understand clearly.

“What do you mean?”

Jane gripped the book in her hand tightly. She wanted to turn the question back on Cain.

What other meaning could there be to saying she was worried?

But she didn’t want to continue this argument with him that would only hurt each other.

“I mean exactly what I said. I’m worried. There’s no other meaning.”

“Why would you?”

Jane sighed.

It’s something a wife could easily say to her husband returning from a long business trip.

But Cain was acting as if Jane had committed some great overreach.

She was just worried, nothing more.

Looking back, Cain often questioned Jane’s intentions even with the most ordinary things she said.

When he didn’t ask directly, his sharp, piercing gaze would linger long on her face.

Each time, Jane’s nerves would fray to the breaking point.

Thinking about how they had to live as a couple for several more months, but couldn’t even have a comfortable conversation, made her throat tighten.

So Jane unconsciously sighed again.

“Seems you have some complaint. Speak.”

Cain spoke as if bestowing a great favor, but Jane had long given up on conversing with him.

It was late at night, and she was already tired from dealing with Scarlet and Mrs. Burnett.

“Go in and sleep. You must have had a hard time.”

This was as far as Jane could maintain her courtesy. Jane only picked up her book.

Then Cain followed her. As Jane tried to slip out between the bookshelves, an arm shot out to block her way.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Jane looked up.

For a moment, Cain hesitated. Blocking her wasn’t his intention. His body had moved on its own.

Cain only realized what he had done when he felt her panting breath near his Adam’s apple.

He had trapped Jane between his arms.

“Do you have something to say?”

Jane’s face had cooled, but her eyes still held heat. Their gazes tangled stickily.

Jane rolled her eyes busily, trying to figure out Cain’s intentions.

But she couldn’t discern what she wanted, only meeting his strangely glistening eyes.

And unwillingly, she noticed the faint excitement and desire flickering in the depths of his eyes.

Her lips dry, Jane wet them with her tongue.

“Say it again.”

Cain lowered his voice. Yet it sounded as loud as thunder to Jane’s ears.

“Say what?”

“That you’re worried about me.”

Cain couldn’t believe Jane’s words. So he wanted to confirm with his eyes.

If she truly was worried about him.

Jane moved half a step. It was to examine Cain, who was acting strangely, more closely.

“You really are tired. Did something happen on your business trip? Do you have a fever? Your breath is a bit hot.”

Jane poured out new worries. Before Cain could stop her, she placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

Cain stiffened in surprise.

“You don’t have a fever.”

Jane concluded that Cain was just fatigued.

“You should rest. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

Having said what she wanted to say, Jane pushed away Cain’s arm that was still caging her in.

Instead of being pushed away, Cain gripped Jane’s arm tightly.