The study from which the Duke had stormed out.

Adeline leaned against the door of the study for a long time, trying to calm her unsettled heart.

“I need to drink some cold water.”

Still panting, Adeline soon made her way to the kitchen.

Gulp, gulp. Contrary to Adeline’s expectations, even after downing a bowl of cold water, her heart was still pounding.

So much so that even the glass she held was shaking.

Why wouldn’t she calm down?

Adeline furrowed her brow and squeezed her eyes shut.

In her closed vision, the Duke’s blood-red eyes, as vivid as before, resurfaced.

As if they were right in front of her. Even though it wasn’t real, Adeline felt her whole body engulfed by those eyes.

The trembling that started in her hands soon spread throughout her body, leaving her without the strength to even support herself on her feet.

The current Duke was the infinitely kind and gentle Mel who had lost his memories. Nevertheless, Adeline didn’t have the courage to face those red eyes.

She shouldn’t have offered to cut his hair.

The red eyes that had been less exposed, hidden by the hacked hair.

Adeline was not unaware that such eyes were waiting.

Why hadn’t she thought of it? It wasn’t the first time Adeline had been overwhelmed by red eyes.

As Adeline grew older, she had always been anxious that her death might become a reality.

That’s why she had never set foot in any social circles.

She wanted to avoid anything that might catch the eye of the Crown Prince who wanted to kill her.

Perhaps because of that, as time passed, the only daughter of the Marquis family, known only through rumors, was forgotten by the nobles.

But there was a day that even Adeline couldn’t avoid.

The debutante ball.

It was an event that all nobles in the central political circles had to attend without exception.

While everyone did their best to stand out even a little, Adeline chose the plainest dress.

Adeline’s beautiful appearance was hardly concealed, but due to the Marquis’s cold nature and Adeline’s bland responses, she naturally managed to occupy an inconspicuous position. This was her plan to blend in.

Just as it seemed the debutante ball would pass safely in indifference, as Adeline had hoped.

Suddenly, Adeline felt an intense gaze flying towards her.

Everyone was wearing white dresses and standing in the central hall, yet among them, a gaze was fixed on Adeline.

‘Is it the Crown Prince?’

Adeline couldn’t bring herself to turn her head in the direction of the intense gaze.

As she deliberately turned her head in the opposite direction of the gaze, Adeline found herself facing another intense gaze.

Blood-red eyes, crimson eyes that seemed to absorb everything.

Adeline recalled her first encounter with the Duke in the past.

The lies she had casually uttered, desperate to escape the immediate crisis. Was it because she was suddenly afraid of the aftermath those lies would bring?

Adeline felt that if she looked into the Duke’s eyes, she would be unable to move, just like at the debutante ball.

But she couldn’t avoid his eyes either.

Just as she was at a loss, unable to face him, Adeline thought of a way to at least partially shield those eyes.

Glasses!

Remembering the glasses she had worn when going into town, Adeline headed to the bedroom.

She thought having lenses between them might help a little.

Adeline looked at the glasses placed on the bedroom table.

Once caught in a deep quagmire, Adeline’s thoughts began to snowball.

“Sigh…”

She suddenly felt pathetic for rushing to this villa based on a single comment.

“To ask for help from that cold Duke in return for saving his life.”

While not even able to properly look him in the eye.

Now that she thought about it calmly, it was truly a foolish plan.

A family that handles dirty work for the Imperial family. That was the Marquis family to which Adeline belonged.

Regardless of the reason, the current Empress who had ousted the former Empress. With her father, the Marquis, being Bergamo’s closest confidant, weren’t they a family at odds with the Duke’s?

Moreover, for the daughter of the Marquis family, who were Imperial people, to seek out the Duke to avoid marriage to the Crown Prince.

And to know she would be hurt and try to save her.

Looking at it now, it was truly fortunate that the Duke had lost his memories.

Just as Adeline, having found the glasses, was about to leave the bedroom, she approached the bed as if remembering something.

Adeline reached under the bed and pulled out a box.

Inside the small box was the Duke’s ring. The seal of the Torpeo family was visible.

Confirming that the item was still there, Adeline let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps it was good that she had hidden it in advance.

It was a seal she had hidden in preparation for when the Duke’s memories might return in the future.

It was true that she had saved the Duke’s life, but he might have pointed a sword at her abruptly like last time.

Considering the Duke’s temperament of immediately brandishing a blade, there was a high possibility he wouldn’t grant her request even if she pleaded as his lifesaver.

This ring, which proved his position as the head of the family, was a bit of insurance for that time.

* * *

During the two people’s meal time, only the sound of cutlery clinking echoed without any conversation.

The one who broke this unbearable silence was Casius.

“We agreed to cut your hair after dinner. Shall we do it right away?”

Perhaps due to being tense all along, Adeline unknowingly let out a sigh at the Duke’s voice.

“It doesn’t look bad as it is now. If it really bothers you, we can go to town and get it cut.”

“How do you know without even looking?”

While he had intended to change the mood by cutting her hair again, contrary to the Duke’s wishes, Adeline expressed her refusal.

Seeing Adeline’s response of saying it was fine without even looking at her condition, he began to be certain.

She was clearly avoiding him.

In fact, it wasn’t just today when cutting her hair that Adeline had shown strange behavior.

The day they went to town to buy clothes. Hadn’t she suddenly put glasses on him that day too?

Del, who had been upset at the possibility of his memories returning at any time.

Del, who had suddenly put glasses on his face.

Del, who had covered her face as if she couldn’t stand the sight after cutting his hair.

While Casius could imagine a few reasons why Adeline was avoiding him, he couldn’t know the exact reason.

Casius kept glancing at Adeline.

Even now as they ate together, Adeline neither made eye contact nor engaged in conversation with him.

Reaching the peak of frustration, Casius put down his cutlery and started staring intently at Adeline.

Under Casius’s piercing gaze, Adeline felt as if her face was being pricked.

Nevertheless, Adeline continued eating silently, pretending not to know.

“Del.”

“Yes.”

Seeing her only respond to his call without making eye contact, Casius mistakenly thought Adeline was seriously angry.

“Look at me.”

At Casius’s call, Adeline reluctantly raised her head. However, as soon as her raised gaze met his eyes, it quickly lowered again.

‘I gave her the glasses.’

Still unable to face Casius’s red eyes, Adeline had handed over the glasses before the meal.

“Why aren’t you wearing the glasses I gave you?”

Adeline spoke gruffly.

While the glasses were meant to shield his presence, Casius, unaware of the reason, couldn’t understand why Adeline kept insisting he wear them.

That’s why the two kept clashing.

‘Is she trying to cover my face with glasses?’

Recalling Adeline’s expressions that slightly frowned whenever she looked into his eyes, Casius seemed to have reached some conclusion.

“Why are you telling me to wear glasses?”

“Just… because. I’ll excuse myself first.”

But Adeline, who had no particular excuse, just wanted to avoid this situation.

As she was about to put down her cutlery and leave.

Casius, who had stood up from his seat, stood firmly in front of Adeline, blocking her way.

“Why can’t you look me in the eye?”

“I’m just tired, that’s all.”

Still avoiding his gaze, Adeline tried to stand up from her seat.

Grasping Adeline’s shoulders, Casius lowered his head.

Close enough so that Adeline couldn’t avoid his gaze.

Meeting Casius’s red eyes that suddenly filled her vision, Adeline squeezed her eyes shut.

She felt as if her lies would be exposed by those red eyes that seemed to see through everything.

Unaware of what was inside her mind, Casius thought Adeline had closed her eyes because she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

Irritation surged.

“Do you find me so disgusting? What did I do wrong? Or are you still angry because I can’t remember?”

As the Duke pressured her with questions, Adeline didn’t know what to do.

As she was opening and closing her mouth, not knowing what to say, Adeline couldn’t believe her ears at Casius’s next words.

“Or am I so ugly that you have to close your eyes?”

“…Pardon?”

Who could possibly call Duke Torpeo ugly?

At Casius’s nonsensical question, she met those eyes she had been avoiding so much.

Oops. Adeline’s head, which she quickly lowered, was cupped by a large hand.

“Look at me.”

The large hands firmly held both of Adeline’s cheeks so she couldn’t avoid him.

“Then why can’t you look me straight in the eye?”

Unable to avoid his eyes any longer, Adeline swallowed hard.