Chapter 120

“Would you mind giving me a little privacy?” Matthias politely asked Dr. Etman as soon as he dropped the phone. 

Dr. Etman pursed his lips, before sighing in resignation and did as he was told. Once he was out, in came Mark Evers. Matthias was given a run down of what the call had been about, before he summoned his attendant to the room.

And it seemed, his wait was finally over as he listened in to the full report of his attendant. Mark reported every detail carefully, in hushed tones. And Matthias eagerly listened to everything.

Bill Remmer appeared to have a distant relative currently residing in Lovita. And upon further prying, they managed to find a match on the description of their missing gardener and his mistress, who had arrived within their borders around the same time they disappeared.

Mark was unsure how this news would affect the Duke’s help. He’d been so unpredictable lately, he wasn’t even sure if he should be reporting this to the Duke. But he was a servant of the Herhardt house, he had no room in disobeying his master. 

Perhaps this news will reinvigorate his master back to his usual condition.

“And where are they in Lovita?” Matthias finally asked as soon as Mark finished his report. The attendant squirmed under his intense gaze.

“I apologize, my Lord, but we haven’t gotten that information yet.”

“Then find out as soon as possible.” Matthias immediately commanded. He was outwardly calm, but Mark could begin to read the urgency in his orders. It must be something in his attitude, but he knew that his master was slowly making its way back to his usual self…

Even if something was a little off about him as well.

And then the Duke graced him a smile, and Mark retracted his earlier statement of something being off. Instead he felt ashamed thinking so ill of his master. 

It was a beautiful smile, much like a child finally getting their present. Still, as soon as Mark left the room to continue their search for Mr. Remmer and his foster daughter, he couldn’t help but shiver, feeling relieved he was out of the room. 

For a second there, he thought his master had become a madman.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

As soon as Uncle Bill had arrived, he carefully placed a box in the middle of the table. Leyla had come over to look at what he’d brought home, and saw a brown leather bag in the box. 

At first glance it looked good, but upon closer inspection, she could see the intricate and delicate work done on it during its creation. It was simply beautiful!

“Wow.” She gasped softly, eyes mesmerized at the work. “What’s this?” she asked him, and he smiled at her.

“It’s a present,” he grinned, “For you.” 

Leyla’s eyes widened.

“For me?” she gasped, “Why a present for me all of a sudden?”

“Should I need a reason to give you one?” Bill hummed teasingly at her, and Leyla couldn’t help but feel warm inside her. Eventually Bill’s smile turned sheepish as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

“But, if you really must know, it’s more of a belated birthday gift really.” Bill admitted, “I couldn’t give you one on your actual birthday this year after all.” He smiled sadly, and Leyla smiled at him.

Now that she thought about it, she forgot her birthday had passed as well. So many things happened when the spring had begun to come, she eventually forgot it along with the process to forget a great many things. 

“Well, I thank you for being so thoughtful, but don’t you think this is a bit much?” She asked worriedly despite being happy she was being given something beautiful. 

“I know it looks expensive, but it actually wasn’t. So it’s not too much at all.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well tough luck, because you’re just going to have to take my word for it.” Bill said as he smiled at her. He then gestured back to the back, “So, how do you like it? If you don’t want it, I guess you can always just toss it over to the sea.” He mumbled softly, his smile diminishing to a small one in insecurity.

Immediately Leyla grabbed the bag in fright and hugged it close, before inspecting it more closely.

“There’s no way this isn’t expensive.” She insisted, and Bill shrugged.

“But do you like it, or not?” Bill asked again, cutting Leyla in the process when he noticed her opening her mouth again in protest. “Otherwise if you just keep asking me for its price, I might as well just throw it to the sea to prove a point of how it’s not expensive.”

Leyla still kept looking worriedly over at him as she eyed the bag skeptically. Bill sighed and sat down on the table, indicating Leyla did the same. She did as he requested, and he gave her a gentle smile. 

“Do you know why I know it’s not expensive?” Bill asked her with a smile, and she nibbled her lips and shook his head. “I’ll tell you.”

Bill explained to her it’s not the worth of things that indicated how expensive a thing was. He bought it because he knew its quality, and it was a great one. And in life, nothing in great quality is too expensive. He knew this bag would be used over and over again. Carrying things Leyla would need in life, and using it for more years to come. 

“So I hope you never worry again about the cost of every little gift I give you Leyla. I don’t want you to live like that. Life is supposed to be lived to the fullest, and make you happy. And all I ever wanted for you, was to be happy with your life.” Bill finished, and gently patted her on the head like he did when she was a child. 

It was also an apology gift as well for Bill. He’d been so upset to have been so blinded by her troubles in his stubbornness to believe everything was okay with her, he couldn’t stop thinking of how he’d failed her so badly. 

He kept a close watch over her nowadays, and compared to before, he wasn’t so blind to the obvious agony she’d been showcasing ever since leaving Arvis. Moving to Lovita, and suddenly living in Sienna couldn’t have made the transition so easy as well under the circumstances of why they had to leave secretly. 

He wanted to see her happy, even for a little bit. 

It was odd, despite knowing she’s all grown up, knowing what horrors she had to go through. He couldn’t help but see her as a child. Sometimes, she still was, like she’s still stuck in that mindset of anxiousness and fear. 

It was heartbreaking for him how he could never help her fully.

He watched as Leyla looked at the bag in a new light, and was now looking at it like she did before. In wonderment. 

“So, will you accept it now, wholeheartedly?” Bill asked her softly, watching her fingers trace over the stitchings at the seams. “I heard this weekend will be nice,” Bill suddenly piped up, “It’s not bad to go out and have a picnic together, don’t you think?” He hummed thoughtfully. 

Picnics weren’t really his forte, but when he saw Leyla brighten up at the idea and nod enthusiastically, he found himself determined to make it their best one. 

“Yes uncle.” She grinned and grabbed his hand tightly. “Let’s go on a picnic this weekend.” 

And when the weekend came, and everything was prepared, Bill and Leyla went out of their small apartment and walked hand in hand. She clung onto him eagerly like she always did as a child. Bill couldn’t find it in himself to pull away from her grasp. 

Not when she was so happy. 

“Oh! Leyla, are you going out with your father?” Their downstairs neighbor called out when she saw them going down. They both stopped and exchanged a few short pleasantries, and when they pulled away, Bill noted one small thing. 

“Leyla,” Bill called out softly, and Leyla hummed in acknowledgement, “You didn’t correct her.”

“About what?”

“When she called me your father.”

Leyla pursed her lips and shrugged. It wasn’t news to her. Most people here thought they were indeed father and daughter, and Leyla never once felt the need to correct them. But now that her uncle was asking about it, she couldn’t help but feel self-conscious, her grip on him tightening up absent-mindedly.

She looked at Bill nervously to gauge out his reaction.

Meanwhile, Bill couldn’t help but feel worse than before.

Him, Leyla’s father? A poor man who’d sold this wonderful child to a terrible man like a Duke, while he went on and enjoyed the fruits of her suffering? 

How could he call himself her father? How could anyone call him one? Granted he didn’t know what he’d been paying with every favor the Duke granted him with, but it didn’t help the overwhelming shame he had on himself for being so gullible!

He didn’t deserve to be called her father. 

The rest of the walk went on in tense silence, the furthermore Bill agonized over with the thought of his failings in taking care and protecting her. He tried to ease her worry about him, telling her he wasn’t upset to be called her father, and Leyla’s smile returned and went on to share a great many things she had been experiencing since coming to Lovita.

But every food swallowed was like a rock going down his throat, every step felt like a noose tightening up around his neck. The gravity of his ignorance worsened with the knowledge she saw him as her father.

A bittersweet revelation it was.

He was proud to call her his daughter as well, but he wasn’t too proud to be called her father. 

They finally arrived at the beach, and saw how festive it was!

The sands were white and beautiful, as blue waves gently crashed over at the shoreline. They could see carts lined up with flowers and food on the sides. Bill wordlessly led her to the ice cream stand, and bought them both a cone. 

He knew Leyla had trouble keeping down food lately, but she gobbled the ice cream up enthusiastically anyway.

They walked and talked, enjoying the sea breeze through their hair. At one point Leyla opted to remove her shoes to feel the fine sand beneath her soles, wiggling her toes until they were buried with white. 

She went ahead and revelled in the feel of the beach as Bill watched her go ahead and have fun by herself. 

He chuckled in merriment at watching her. This was how she should always be.

Happy.

Both lost track of time, each of them having fun in their own ways before they eventually decided it was high time they returned home. Come next day, when both are seated at the breakfast table, having laughs and making jokes on the mild aches all over their bodies, Bill found something in his chest beginning to settle, something he’d been unable to do since yesterday.

It didn’t matter what he was called, in the end, a title is just a title. The essence of him and Leyla, that was what mattered. 

And they’d always been, and will be, family. And that was a real thing, and it was beautiful, and something to be proud of.

Now that he was out of his thoughts, and back to being attentive, he’d recognized something different from the way Leyla kept looking at him. Like she’s still worried about something, and wasn’t sure how to fix it.

“Leyla, do you want to ask me anything?” Bill asked her with concern, and she smiled at him tightly and shook her head.

“No, there isn’t anything.” She replied. Bill smiled back at her and rubbed his hands together.

“Well then, here’s to another week for work! Come on now, we don’t wanna be late.” Bill piped up jovially before getting up and getting ready to work. He couldn’t figure out what it was that could be making her worried.

Eventually the two left their home, and began to walk together to their respective works. Once they entered the square, and reached the fork in the road, they noticed a large crowd had gathered around the front of the city hall.

Certain crying and wailing of mothers and women could be heard, making Leyla look at them in worry. 

“I’ll go ahead and have a look.” Bill grunted off quietly to her, and she nodded. 

Leyla’s eyes were sweeping over the broken-off crowd, and couldn’t help the churning pit in her stomach return. Somehow, she knew this wasn’t the nausea about to come. 

The entire ambiance in the square had drastically changed. It was normally so vibrant and full of life, but now, it was like Leyla had just entered a funeral. She hurriedly began to follow her uncle through the crowd, the sobbing and low murmurs of reassurances they’d be fine were beginning to louden around her…

Leyla gasped as her stomach dropped upon reading the announcement in the hall.

There was a war happening. And all men were being conscripted to join the military.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

“Look if you’re seriously ill, then just postpone the wedding.” Count Brandt huffed out as he stared down at his daughter, “Also, while I understand image is everything, surely marrying someone while sick isn’t so detrimental to your reputation.” He pointed out. 

Ice clanking down a glass could be heard as Claudine carefully poured some punch in the glass and took careful sips as her mother lounged a few seats beside her. 

“I’m not sick.” Claudine firmly replied, a little incensed that her father thought she’d gotten sick from Matthias’ illness when she’d visited. She proceeded to look out in the gardens, mind still reeling with anger over Matthias’ decision.

“Well, you’re getting thin, hardly sleeping, hardly eating.” Count Brandt persisted, “Last I heard, the Duke had the same symptoms.” He grumbled worriedly.

“Even if I was seriously ill, it’s more impertinent to proceed with the wedding as soon as possible and not delay it.” Claudine all but snapped at him, before breathing deeply to calm herself. Losing her temper with her father was not proper.

The wedding last summer should not have been postponed. She realized now the error of the decision. She should have made the wedding push through, instead here she was, now suffering the consequences of her lack of foresight.

Matthias had the audacity to give her a week to make the announcement, even went as far to tell her he’ll go along with whatever story they wanted to say, like make it so the Brandts were the one who decided to break off the engagement. 

He would not be deterred by anything, and made no reaction to whatever she said. 

He truly had gone mad.

Just thinking about him more made her blood boil at his continued indifference to her revelations and what she’d told Leyla.

How he helped Mrs. Etman orchestrated the fallout of Leyla and Kyle’s engagement, how he practically trampled over Leyla’s dignity and hard work by making her his mistress. 

Yet all he had was a peaceful calm, hardly bothered by his heinous deeds. He simply told her again that she had a week to accept their broken off engagement. 

“Oh truly, I’m so worried for you Claudine, what if you’ve really gotten his illness? Think of your health! How will you bear children if you’re so ill!”

Claudine shot her father a dry glare as he continued to fret and pace. Oh the small worries of a man. She couldn’t help but mildly wish she could see into their brains and pry it open, seeing what other trivial worries they had in their shallow minds.

Then again, should she feign illness after all? If such an illness did exist, it might be beneficial to do so. Still…

“I will be married.” Claudine told her parents confidently. 

She planned to still get married to the Duke. She hates the duke to the point she’s practically sick and tired of talking about him, but she’d given up so much. This wedding will happen, if only to tie down Matthias to her misery as well.

But the question now is how? How will she secure the wedding?

Matthias had made it clear nothing would stop him from getting what he wanted. Even clearer, he can do anything he wants. If the Brandts don’t make use of the week of grace he’d given her, she had little doubt he’ll go on and make the announcement himself that they had broken up.

‘All because of a lowly orphan girl.’ Claudine seethed as she took more sips from her punch. 

Suddenly, a commotion came barreling in the form of a maid, frantically calling for them! Claudine looked at her parents with some slight alarm, before the maid burst through the doors of their drawing-room, looking positively panicked.

“My Lord! My Ladies!” She greeted, curtseying quickly, before straightening up once more.

It was Mary. Claudine had known her for a long time, and she knew the loyal maid hardly acted frantic with anything. She was normally so calm… 

But now she was only pale.

“What’s happened?”

“Why are you making such noise?”

Her mother and father asked her. Mary eventually burst into panicked sobs as she held out a declaration for them to see. 

“There’s been a war!” She wailed, “A war is currently happening!”