Upon Lady Katherine's return from her mansion, Ashton's face changed again; he was annoyed and had difficulty thinking of getting out of his bond with Katherine, all this because his mother, who had never said anything about an arranged marriage, suddenly asked him to take her to Madam Rowena's residence. Ashton returned to his office; he ruffled his hair frustrated, and slowly his personal butler entered his office to announce something.

“Your Grace, you asked me to keep an eye on Lady Darrelyn and the public issues concerning her. Today I heard the news that Lady Darrellyn went with her maid to the town market. If I remember correctly, this was the first time Lady Darrellyn had stepped out of her mansion after the first unsavory news about her failed marriage to Viscount Thomas. I'm afraid people will likely treat her differently there."

Hearing this statement made Ashton anxious; he thought for a moment to save Darrellyn from there. "Then prepare my horse; I will go to the town market and bring it home." Unfortunately, this personal servant of his seemed to disapprove; he shook his head without hesitation. "Didn't Lady Darrellyn always ask you not to interfere anymore with cases and all the rumors about her?"

"Then how?" asked Ashton, who had no ideas at all after Lady Katherine's arrival earlier.

“You have to change options. Sir. James Orva wasn't at the mansion, which caused Lady Darrelyn to go to the town market to buy some necessities to welcome her father home. I think it would be much better if you came to the mansion and stood at the front to prepare your shoulders. She needs support, a place to tell stories, relieve stress, and complain when her younger siblings blame her too because this happened to make Sir. James Orva's family's economy decline, not to mention other gossip that says that all of Sir. James Orva's daughters are bitches," said the servant at length.

“Should it be? and I will wait for her to come home to the mansion with anxiety, "said Ashton.

"You have a lot of people to make sure she's okay; it's not impossible if you send a few people to keep an eye on Lady Darrellyn until she comes home. Your job is just to stand up straight to welcome his return."

“Then do it; I'm not in the mood to think about anything else. Just prepare some bodyguards and my horse. While I'm going to the mansion, please let them make sure Darrellyn is okay and there aren't any abrasions." The servant lowered his head respectfully. "I will carry out your orders." The servant came out of Ashton's office to prepare for the Duke's departure and also ordered the guards.

Ashton's servant watched over the Duke during the trip; he was a man who always defended and put forward his feelings, even though what was seen in his case with Lady Katherine made him look like a bad man who used Katherine's existence as a backup. Ashton is not such a man; he tries to untie himself with Lady Katherine, but Lady Katherine doesn't want to stay away from Ashton, who obviously doesn't want her and insists on waiting for Lady Darrellyn to accept his love.

"Your Grace, we will arrive soon." It was only after that that Ashton returned to his soul in the carriage after his mind had gone to and fro. This morning's events after Lady Katherine's arrival as well as what he should do to hide his relationship with Lady Katherine in front of Lady Darrellyn—it's nothing like this man has betrayed the person he loves.

Ashton's carriage had arrived at Sir. James Orva's mansion; the mansion looked deserted, and Ashton noticed that Lady Darrellyn had not returned from the town market. When Ashton went down, he was approached by several servants who asked him to come inside, but Ashton still wanted to stand outside and wait for the return of his sweetheart. Sir James' servant had no choice but to go inside and let Ashton stay outside at his will.

After a while, Ashton felt the sound of footsteps behind him; he saw Sir. James with his fat body coming out of his mansion to accompany Ashton. "Your Grace, you better come in." His words, sir. James made Ashton turn his head.

"I hear you're not in your mansion, sir."

"I just got home; I purposely didn't tell my kids when I was coming back. I guessed they would go out looking for something and surprise me. Of my many daughters, for now I'm worried about Darrellyn. The rumors about her don't stop coming out; I'm afraid of the public's reaction if they see Darrellyn at the city market,” said Sir James, who is also worried about his daughter.

“That's why I came here. Darrellyn often asked me not to interfere, but I would still watch her from a distance. And I will wait for her here as someone who welcomes her to tell stories."

“Thank you very much, Your Grace. I hope that Darrelyn will realize your noble feelings and forget all the pain that Viscount Thomas has caused her.” Ashton suddenly thought he was also afraid of hurting Darrellyn, especially if Sir. James had also entrusted his daughter to Ashton. The father of this woman will be disappointed, and Darrellyn will be imprisoned with the thought that there is no man who is loyal and fights for his love sincerely for Darrellyn. Ashton doesn't know what will be in the minds of this family if news of his engagement and arranged marriage leaks to their ears. All of his beliefs, businesses, and people who treated him well here would change one hundred and eighty degrees after receiving the news.

"Your Grace, Lady Darrellyn, is back." Ashton's personal butler's words made the Duke and Sir. James immediately look forward. There they both saw Darrellyn walking together with her maid, looking closer to the door of the mansion. Darrellyn's condition was very worrying; her dress was dirty, her hairdo was messy, and there were some small stains that she seemed to have forgotten to clean before returning to the mansion. With a straight face, Darrellyn approached her father and saluted; she then left through the back door of the mansion for fear that her younger siblings would see her messy state.

Ashton glanced at Sir. James to ask his permission after Sir. James nodded his head, and Ashton immediately ran to follow where Lady Darrellyn went. Darrelyn continued walking towards her room on the second floor, and she didn't realize that her maid had left and changed with Ashton's presence behind her. "Anne, I need you to get some water ready immediately," Darrelyn said, but no one answered, so she looked back.

Darrelyn was surprised to see Ashton, who had been right behind her for some time. Her green eyes seemed to shine, which made Darrelyn appreciate it because there was no pitying look to her at this moment. Ashton's gaze wasn't asking what had happened to her or anything to do with her messy appearance. The man then immediately pulled Darrellyn into his arms. At first, Darrellyn rebelled, but Ashton's caress on the back of his head made Darrellyn calmer; instead of feeling comfortable, Darrellyn even had tears in her eyes.

“Your Grace, my body smells bad. I have to go to my room and clean my body.” But Ashton only tightened his grip even more.

"I miss you." Darrelyn was stunned. On the trip earlier, she was afraid of being asked many things, and she was not ready to accept many questions about her condition and what people were doing to her. And Ashton instead said something unexpected but managed to touch Darrellyn's heart. Darrellyn's little heart always felt that Ashton was a man who was always there for her, and she was afraid of hurting Ashton with her trauma, so she never gave certainty to Ashton.

"Are you crying?" Ashton stroked the back of Darrellyn's head immediately and hissed to calm Darrellyn, who was starting to hear her sob. “Why are you crying when I just said that I miss you? Do you miss me the same from now on?” Darrellyn suddenly let go of Ashton's embrace and wiped away her tears. Ashton helped her even though Darrellyn's face was cold again as usual.

"I have to go take a shower first," and Darrelyn left Ashton, who was still frozen there. Ashton's heartbeat went out of control again; this was the first time Darrellyn didn't reject him, and Darrellyn's crying made him worry.

Ashton's servant ran over to the Duke, who was still standing in place. "Your Grace, according to the news, Lady Darrelyn received bullying in the city market; many people gossip and throw vegetables there." Hearing that, Ashton gritted his teeth.

"What should we do, Your Grace?"

“Nothing; we will find Thomas' whereabouts and reveal his crimes to the public. Only with this can we avenge that man and his wife.”