Chapter 25

Late at night, Nick was sitting alone inside the gallery.

The dimly lit gallery was filled with only cold air. 

There was no one passing by Lawrencia in the late dawn. 

It felt like it wouldn’t be strange if something popped up from nowhere and ate Nick.

Nick sat on the cold floor with his knees bent, looking up at the wall.

His gaze turned to the paintings on the wall.

The paintings that his mother drew.

The moonlight entering the gallery at an angle illuminated the paintings like lights.

‘…They are beautiful paintings.’ 

Nick thought so.

As the stranger said, the paintings hung in the gallery exude a mysterious atmosphere. He didn’t know how to look at the paintings well, but he knew that. Although it seemed that her skills were still lacking, the emotions contained in her paintings were no less than that of other famous painters.

Come to think of it, when he first entered the gallery, he unconsciously paid attention to the paintings his mother had drawn.

“…”

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Nick thought.

He just wanted to find his mother. 

He just wanted to get his beloved mother back.

He just wanted to accept her now as his ‘mother’, not his ‘stepmother’, as he had longed for.

Although he never expected that she would let go of his hand first.

[Why does your stepmother have to take care of someone else’s family, who is not even her blood, for the rest of her life?]

The stranger said so, but for Nick, it was by no means an easy task. 

No matter how not-blood-related they were, Cassia was now his mother.

7 years was not a short time.

Besides, it was an even longer time for Nick.

Seven years ago, he was a child, and now, he is an adult. 

It’s a time when a child can become an adult. 

During that time, Cassia was his mother. It was a very long time to dismiss the relations because they are not related by blood.

It is never easy to let go. 

Even now, he wanted to be good to her.

From now on, he wanted to live like a family with her.

The atmosphere and time in the desolate Duke’s mansion were now overshadowed, and he wanted to establish a new relationship. 

‘Can’t I do that?’

‘Is that too selfish?’ 

‘Am I mistaken?’

[Do you think you’re like a son to your stepmother? You’re not even a child born from her womb.]

[Look, you don’t even know what your mother is good at and what she likes. And yet, do you really think you deserve her?]

Those words made him feel sick.

The words hit the nail and made him think a lot.

His words left Nick with many questions.

Obviously, after a long time, Nick thought that his thoughts were now sorted after a long time, but the questions kept flooding his head.

‘Wouldn’t it be possible to live like a family even if we are not blood-related?’

‘Wouldn’t we be able to be live as mother and son?’

‘If we didn’t know each other well, shouldn’t we get to know each other from now on? 

‘Is it already too late?’

‘Is this relationship irreversible?’

‘Am I blocking my mother’s path?’

[It’s a natural talent, and it’s a skill that’s too good to be hung in a remote gallery here in the countryside.]

“…”

Nick looked at the paintings. 

They were so beautiful that Nick became very sad.

***

When she opened her eyes, she found herself on the bed. Cassia gave the child a part of the house, as Nick started to stay in Lawrencia for quite some time now. 

He was the second Young Master of the noble family, so she gave her bed to the child in case his bed was uncomfortable, and she slept on the sofa.

It was the same last night, but when she woke up, she found herself on the bed.

When she went outside, she saw Nick on the sofa and sleeping soundly.

‘…What’s going on?’

Cassia tilted her head in confusion. 

Did she unconsciously think that the sofa was uncomfortable?

Maybe she woke up, picked Nick, carried him to the sofa, and then she got into the bed…

Cassia thought about it seriously but then shook her head. 

Certainly, she was neither strong nor built to lift Nick.

Besides, she wasn’t the type of person who felt uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa for a few days. 

She was insensitive to that.

…Then it means Nick moved her…

“Nick, did you move me?”

She walked closer and gently shook Nick. 

Nick was still asleep and didn’t answer.

“Nick, we have to go to work. Won’t you wake up?”

It was time to go to work, so Nick had to get up to go to the gallery together, but he still didn’t answer.

‘He has been trying his best to convince me for the past few days… Is he tired now?’

As if relaxed, Nick stretched out and fell asleep again. 

Cassia somehow felt happy.

Nick had the features of Duke Whidrian, but with brown hair.

It resembled Diana…

Cassia stroked his brown hair, which reminded her of her friend, and looked at the pretty and cute boy with satisfaction for a moment.

Nick was a beautiful boy. 

Some might call this boy stubborn, but strangely, she didn’t hate Nick.

“Sleep well, Nick.”

Cassia got up from her seat.

It seemed like she had to go to work alone today.

***

She went to work at the gallery, and tied her apron neatly with the string. 

The morning that started without Nick was quiet and empty somewhere.

With the glass doors and windows of the gallery wide open, she swept the floor and cleaned the gallery, listening to the occasional song of sparrows. After examining the paintings, cleaning the frame, and preparing to open, she had a cup of coffee and sat down on the bench outside with the best view.

She took a sip of the well-made coffee as she was greeted by the full morning sun.

“Oh, right. I need to contact Michael.”

[When should I contact you?]

Cassia said she would contact him right away when the situation is settled. Nick has been in the gallery longer than expected, so she hasn’t contacted Michael.

Maybe Michael was waiting for her call. 

She didn’t know if he might be still in this place…

She felt apologetic, so she thought she should send a close message explaining the current situation. 

If she sends a polite explanation of the situation along with the message that she was sorry for the delay, Michael will definitely understand.

Thinking of Michael made her smile without realizing it. 

‘Ah, I want to see him soon…’

It was a moment when she thought of him and smiled.

A shadow fell in front of her.

Strange and huge.

Cassia had a foreboding that that was the shadow cast upon her destiny. 

She lifted her head and looked at the owner of the shadow. 

The smile slowly faded from her face. 

The identity of the stranger standing in front of her casting a shadow was none other than him.

“You left without a word, and you are here.”

It was Duke Whidrian.

From the moment Nick appeared, she was expecting this to happen. 

Someday, Duke Whidrian might come to visit her. But even as time passed, Duke Whidrian did not come to visit her. So she thought he had just finished signing the divorce papers. 

Maybe she was being careless.

Axion and Cassia were sitting in the store, facing each other. 

She couldn’t believe he was here, so she was a little dazed.

He was a complete contrast to this store. 

A person who looks good in something colourful and glamorous. 

Neither the shop like this nor she got along with him. 

Exactly, she didn’t fit into his world. 

He looked calm.

He looked around the gallery with an unfamiliar expression.

“Have you been living in such a place?”

“Even though it looks shabby, it’s a living place where nothing is lacking.”

“…I thought it was a gallery that resembled you. The coffee is good, too.”

As he was a customer in this cafe, he took a sip of the coffee she offered as a courtesy.

He put down the cup and said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t talk for a long time because it’s business hours. I would like to stop greeting you like this and get back to the point.”

“Why did you come all the way here?”

She was curious. 

The reason why the people of the Duke Whidrian family started showing their faces in front of her again.

Nick and the Duke, obviously, until the day before she left, I didn’t think it would be a big deal if she disappeared right away.

If there were any memorable last-minute changes, the only moments when Nick smiled brightly at her at the coming-of-age banquet and the moment when the Duke looked at her smile and told her that she had worked hard. 

But weren’t they just moments of greetings?

“Your Excellency… are you willing to convince me to return to the Duke’s mansion like Nick is doing?”

“Nick. Come to think of it, where is the kid? Is he done cleaning up his mind?”

“…You have already found my store, and you didn’t come here without any purpose.”

As Cassia spoke, realizing his reaction, the Duke looked at her for a moment. Soon he answered.

“The only thing I have not been able to find out in my entire life is the truth about the death of my wife and the Third Prince.”

“…Nick doesn’t know. About Diana’s diary. I think you just talked about the contract.”

“I was going to tell him, but Nick was devastated after you left. It’s not a light task, but there are things that I’m cautious about saying.”

“I deliberately let Nick leave the house. He was going to visit you and clear his mind. Of course, on the premise that I will not refuse.”

“And I didn’t refuse.” The Duke continued. 

Cassia sighed as I looked at him.

***