Chapter 10
In the end, Mia never received a clear answer from Dylan about finding her parents’ remains. She had only taken a few bites of soup under his gentle insistence when Aaron arrived to tell Dylan it was time to return to the office.
Even though it wasn’t Aaron’s intention, Mia couldn’t help feeling irritated by the interruption.
Back in her room, Mia opened the drawer of her vanity. Inside was the locket necklace she had taken off a few days earlier.
She carefully picked it up and began turning it over in her hands. With a quiet click, the locket opened to reveal a small photograph of a happy family.
The image was faded, and the faces of the couple holding a smiling child were now difficult to make out.
“I can barely remember what their expressions looked like.”
Mia gently brushed her fingers over the blurred faces and whispered to herself.
“When we meet again, maybe then I’ll be able to hear them.”
With her eyes closed, she pressed a soft kiss to the locket.
“It won’t be much longer now, so please wait just a little more.”
She didn’t want to take the necklace off. But if she spent too much time around Dylan, she might eventually have to explain what it was.
Anyone else would have looked at the necklace and simply thought it was an old keepsake. The photo inside was too faded, and aside from her own face, the rest was almost impossible to see.
But Mia had a strange feeling that Dylan would recognize what the photo meant right away. If he found out, he might try to uncover more about her past, and they could end up growing even closer than they already were.
“It’s better to be careful.”
Mia spoke softly to herself as she placed the necklace back in the drawer. After wearing it for so long, taking it off felt uncomfortable. She rubbed her neck several times, trying to shake the feeling.
Once she had put everything back in place, she sat by the window and looked outside. The sea stretched beyond the glass, and she stared at it without purpose, simply letting time pass.
The waves came and went, rising and falling, and before she realized it, night had fallen. Only the scattered lights across the estate pushed back the darkness. Everything else was quiet and shadowed.
This was the time Mia hated the most.
It always reminded her of the day her parents died. The feel of blood on her hands, the way she had begged helplessly in the dark, the desperate prayers she had whispered to monsters. That moment was burned so deeply into her that it could never be erased.
It was a pain that would eat away at her forever.
“Dylan?”
Someone was standing in the corridor of the main house, looking toward her room.
It was too dark and too far to see clearly, but Mia had a strange certainty that it was Dylan.
Because of that, for the first time, she was able to look directly into the darkness without fear.
The figure stood there for a long time. Even after Mia turned her eyes away, he didn’t leave.
If Mia had known Dylan’s request to keep her schedule open was for something this bothersome, she would never have agreed.
“This is the most well-known salon madam in the capital.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Madam. I’m Elise.”
That was the welcome Mia received as soon as she arrived at the main residence.
“I’ve brought a selection of dresses in various styles. You can try them on, and if you like any, we’ll just need to adjust the fit.”
Because of the scars on her body, Mia usually wore clothes that she could put on by herself. She chose styles with ties in the front or designs that were simple and easy. Even in the summer, she only wore clothes that covered her completely.
But the dresses Elise had brought were all light and delicate. And not a single one could be worn without someone else’s help.
“I was told this is the dress you’ll be wearing to the party in a few days. We’ll confirm today’s outfit and send it for final adjustments, and the rest of the dresses will be delivered to the estate later this week.”
While Elise stood behind her, speaking cheerfully, Mia looked at Dylan, who was sitting on the sofa flipping through papers. Lately, none of his behavior made any sense to her.
Yesterday, he had made comments about her clothing and accessories. Was that why this was happening now?
Was he criticizing her appearance because it didn’t suit the Duchess of Richard?
But that didn’t seem right, especially coming from someone who knew better than anyone what scars were hidden beneath her clothes. It made even less sense when Dylan had so much to lose if his identity were discovered.
Then he stood from the sofa and began walking toward her.
“Am I supposed to try on the clothes over there?”
Because his eyes had been focused on Mia the entire time, Elise didn’t immediately realize he was talking to her. She answered a little late, caught off guard.
“Sorry? Oh, yes, that’s right.”
“If anything is too loose, I can hold it in place with pins, correct?”
“You, Your Grace? Please allow me to do that.”
When Dylan rolled up his sleeves, Elise jumped in quickly, trying to stop him.
Mia, on the other hand, was startled for a different reason.
She had noticed a small red mark on his wrist.
For some reason, her fingertips tingled. It felt as if the heat from that night had suddenly come rushing back. The warmth spread quickly through her body, making her feel heavy and lightheaded all at once.
She clenched her fists, trying to ignore the feeling.
Then Dylan spoke again.
“Wait outside. I’ll call you when we’re finished.”
His words reminded Mia of something he had said before.
“I’m not the kind of man who just lounges around prettily in a bedroom.”
With just the two of them left in the room, it was only natural for imaginations to wander. Not just Mia’s, Elise and the other attendants had clearly thought the same, judging by how quickly they flushed, set their tools in place, and left the room.
The door clicked shut behind them, and silence followed.
Dylan stood quietly for a moment, his hands moving over the tools in front of him. Each movement of his long fingers brought back memories of that night. Of those fingers tracing every part of her body.
Just remembering it made her throat burn, heat rising into her mouth. No matter how deeply she breathed, it didn’t help. The room was filled with summer warmth, and there was no breeze to cool it.
Part of her hoped they wouldn’t share a bed again until her emotions settled.
She wasn’t trying to avoid him.
She was afraid that if they spent too much time together, and if she gave in to emotions she didn’t fully understand, everything might eventually fall apart.
That fear made the next words slip from her lips before she could stop them.
“Dylan, maybe you should be more careful with your words when others are around.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s best not to create situations that can be easily misunderstood.”
“When did I ever say that?”
As Mia calmly replayed their earlier conversation, she opened her mouth to respond but quickly acknowledged her mistake. There was no excuse to offer.
Like anyone else, she had misunderstood his words and jumped to conclusions.
“I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
Hearing her apology, a sly smile tugged at Dylan’s lips. Every time he opened his mouth, the red, wet tip of his tongue moved slightly, catching her attention.
“What kind of inappropriate thoughts were you having?”
At that, Mia clenched her fists and bit down on her lip, clearly flustered. Dylan looked her over slowly, then let out a short laugh and stepped back, as he always did.
That only made her feel more embarrassed.
Taking his eyes off her, Dylan picked out a white dress from the selection Elise had brought and held it out to her.
“Get changed and come out.”
He nodded toward the partition. When Mia didn’t move and simply stared at him, he added in a quiet voice,
“There’s nothing for you to worry about. Just get dressed comfortably.”
It wasn’t until her fingers touched the soft fabric that Mia finally looked away from him. The dress was lighter than what she usually wore, but it covered all the places she needed to hide.
Realizing that, she bit down on her lip again.
His words might have been cold, but his actions always seemed unexpectedly gentle. That contradiction left her confused. Somehow, it felt like he was binding her, pulling her into something she couldn’t escape.
“Stop biting your lip.”
Mia flinched when he raised his hand and gently rubbed her lower lip with his thumb. But Dylan didn’t pause.
“If you keep doing that, I might give you something else to bite.”
