Enrico, who had been quietly staring at Emilia, rose from his seat.

“… You really do love contracts. Even in this situation, you want to adhere to them so strictly?”

He took out a cigarette from the gold case he had placed on the mahogany desk. Irritation was evident in his voice as he spoke with a cigarette between his lips. Soon, the sound of the reddening ash burning with a hiss could be heard.

Emilia was not looking at him, but just staring at the empty space. Her fists clenched, crumpling her skirt.

“It’s a matter concerning my family. The gambling debt seems to be no small amount. Can I get the promissory note from Fabio?”

“It’s not a small amount, so it’s too much for you. Choose the right time to show your pride.”

Enrico took a deep breath as he perched on the edge of the desk. White smoke seeped out between his lips.

“I know my place, so I’m saying I can’t accept such a large amount.”

“… What?”

“You said it before, Duke. That you hate those who don’t know their place the most.”

Enrico frowned. He couldn’t remember if he had ever said such a thing to her. He knew he had many conversations with her and had said equally scathing things multiple times.

But what was the point of arguing about it now? She was in a pitiful situation right now, and he was just trying to help, but she was being so defensive that his temper, which he had been trying to control, was starting to flare up again.

“… Don’t you think that refusing my goodwill is actually failing to know your place?”

Why did he lose his self-control only in front of this woman? He usually dealt with people indifferently and just ignored them when they said something ridiculous, but with Emilia, he simply couldn’t do that.

Wasn’t that why he had treated her roughly at her house, overcome by anger that had risen to the top of his head?

However, her pale face was still vivid in his mind, and her expression of shock, incomparable to previous times, was something that even someone as self-centered as him couldn’t help but be concerned about.

Even as he tried to maintain his pride by asking himself why he should care about that woman’s feelings, he found himself naturally worrying about her physical condition and mood. He began to think that maybe it was time to stop this meaningless fight.

“I’m sorry. I feel it would be too shameless of me to rely on you, Duke, for my family’s problems. I want to repay this myself.”

Her voice trembled at the end. He took a deep drag of his cigarette, as if to suppress the anger rising within him.

“… Do as you wish.”

He had intended to end things on a good note today by telling her about Giorgio’s situation, but it ended like this again. He heard the sound of Emilia getting up and leaving.

The cigarette smoke lingered longer from his mouth.

Where did it all go wrong? He wondered if it was the limitation of a relationship bound by contract from the beginning.

Emilia’s attitude of always being more bound by the contract than himself made Enrico feel frustrated, and he always ended up venting his frustration by saying mean things to her.

He no longer questioned why these were mean things to say, or why he shouldn’t say them. However, now he was only left with the deep question of why he had said such things in the past, worsening their relationship like this.

Emilia returned home with a somber expression. Zabeta had gone out shopping, so the house was too quiet. Suddenly, she was reminded of the ticking sound of Enrico’s watch.

‘It’s too quiet…’

Instead of going straight to her room, Emilia slumped down on the living room sofa, looking exhausted. Outside the window in front of her, the sky was painted with a mixture of purple and red hues of the sunset.

Even though the days had grown longer, the sky showed how quickly she had left his house again.

We parted on bad terms again today. She recalled Enrico’s stern face as he smoked in the room before she left.

‘He said to do as I wish, so he’ll probably prepare it.’

She had mentioned the promissory note to Fabio, but the conversation had ended with him saying he’d give a definite answer later after discussing it in detail with Enrico.

She didn’t understand why she had to pay off Giorgio’s gambling debts, but if it was to prevent her family from disappearing, she had no choice.

Wasn’t it too heartbreaking to think that she might not be able to use the title her parents had left her?

You’re really a burden even after death, truly. Giorgio’s departure was so absurd that she couldn’t even feel angry. Only a hollow laugh escaped her.

Knock knock-.

“Are you in?”

However, Emilia’s face slightly stiffened at the voice coming from the front door. She hesitantly straightened up, and at the sound of another knock, she stood up completely.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Alessandro.”

Emilia’s hand stopped abruptly as she was about to grab the doorknob. She had clearly told him not to come last time, but now that he had come again, she was unsure of how to handle it.

She couldn’t dare turn away His Highness the Crown Prince at the door, but she couldn’t think of appropriate words to say after greeting him.

“…Emilia, I’m sorry. I came because I was worried.”

Hearing his voice through the door, Emilia finally opened it slowly. She couldn’t let him keep talking at the front door.

“Your Highness, Crown Prince.”

“Emilia.”

“I apologize, but do you have important business?”

“…It’s important to me.”

Alessandro’s blatant interest was becoming more evident, as if he had no intention of hiding his true feelings. Emilia took a step back, swallowing a sigh.

He smiled bitterly at her attitude of maintaining a proper distance.

“I’m sorry. I just heard about your uncle, and I couldn’t help but rush here because I was worried about you, Emilia.”

“Thank you for your concern. But I wasn’t particularly close to my uncle, so you don’t need to offer condolences.”

“I knew that to some extent. How could you be close to an uncle who suddenly appeared?”

“…Yes.”

“However, I came because I thought you might be worried about the issue of your family’s survival.”

“I’m planning to think about that issue later. It’s not something that needs to be dealt with immediately.”

Emilia spoke calmly, lowering her gaze. Alessandro’s eyes briefly scanned her face.

“I understand. However, as time passes, you might become more anxious, so I’ll try to arrange for the matter of your family’s survival to be put on hold.”

“Pardon?”

Emilia’s eyes turned to Alessandro at his unexpected words. His eyes, which seemed to have been waiting for this moment, curved gently.

“To be honest, one of the current systems I’m not satisfied with is the inheritance part. Isn’t it too unfair that women aren’t qualified to inherit the family name despite being born of the same blood?”

“…Yes.”

“So I’m planning to change that system, and it seems best to temporarily suspend the family matter until it’s processed.”

It was an enticing proposition. Who could refuse when someone appears offering to fix an unfair situation that had been accepted as normal until now?

However, Enrico’s words warning her to be careful of Alessandro kept echoing in her mind.

“I’m grateful, but wouldn’t this be troublesome for Your Highness?”

“Not at all. It’s something I’m doing because I want to help you.”

Alessandro’s face, smiling and saying it was pure goodwill, was too kind.

But Enrico’s words and the note he had written to her father kept alternating in her mind. Could that arrogant note demanding the jewels be explained away as youthful impetuosity?

Could such a nature change so much as one grows up? Various thoughts crossed her mind.

‘But am I in a position to judge that?’

Emilia blinked slowly and then slightly bowed her head.

“Thank you. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“Repayment? That’s not necessary.”

Is he really trying to do this without any compensation? Just as Emilia was about to be surprised, Alessandro carefully continued.

“I just have something to ask about Duke Michele.”

“Ah…”

“It’s not like I’m asking you to tell me about him. I’m just curious if he might have some leverage over you.”

Why was he so curious about her relationship with Enrico? She knew Alessandro had feelings for her, but wasn’t he already engaged?

She couldn’t understand why he kept trying to get involved so deeply.

“…There’s nothing like that.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

At Emilia’s firm answer, Alessandro’s lips tightened for a moment before relaxing.

“That’s a relief then. I asked because I was worried, knowing he’s quite a willful person.”

“Yes… Thank you for your concern.”

“Not at all. It’s nothing.”

Is this the end of his business here? She wished he would say he was leaving first, but judging from Alessandro’s expression, it seemed like he was hoping to be offered a cup of tea. However, inviting him into the house raised too many concerns.

Potential rumors, the Crown Prince’s fiancée, and Enrico’s misunderstanding.

Eventually, Emilia bowed politely once more.

“Thank you for coming. If there’s an opportunity, I’d like to greet you outside next time.”

Alessandro’s smile slowly faded at Emilia’s greeting, which was clearly asking him to leave now. She kept her head bowed, seemingly determined not to raise it until he left.