– Chapter 33 –

Logan called Aiden in private.

He was telling Aiden what to do after he left.

“You will have a lot of work ahead of you. Most of what happens in the capital will be your duty.”

“Yes.”

“Whatever you can’t handle will come to me in the estate. If there’s a problem, I’ll come to the capital myself, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“Aiden.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Aiden looked at him silently.

When their eyes met, the Duke awkwardly avoided his gaze and coughed in vain.

He seemed to know now that he was worried about him in his own way.

Although there were no friendly words exchanged, Aiden and Logan were communicating in their own way.

After that, the Duke’s words continued.

Aiden was well aware of what the Duke was telling him.

“Then, I’ll take my leave now.”

It was time for Aiden to leave.

The Duke, who thought he had finished talking, opened his mouth again.

“I know what you were doing up till now.”

Aiden halted.

With those words alone, he understood what the Duke meant.

He was talking about the businesses Aiden was secretly preparing.

This was the moment that made Aiden a little nervous.

“It’s not a bad idea. Having your own power will help.”

“You can try to do well.”

The Duke was smiling openly as he spoke in a calm tone.

“Still, be careful not to stand out too much until you have settled down. If the rumours get out now, the Presbyterian Church will talk about it.”

“Yes, understood.”

The Duke had tacitly permitted Aiden’s business.

Aiden relaxed slightly and answered.

It was a warning to try and link Aiden’s position to the family business in case the Presbyterian Church first set their eyes when the business was still unstable.

Aiden was also aware of this point.

As the Leinster family was huge, several interests were intertwined.

There were also shackles to be borne instead of enjoying the family’s authority.

Even if Aiden was the successor, until he became the master of the family, he too had no choice but to be swayed by the will of the family, not his own.

The more it mattered, the more he needed his own power, not the power of the family.

Aiden was still young but he knew what it felt like to be powerless and weak.

So he tried to start his business quietly, avoiding others’ eyes.

And the Duke knew all about what Aiden was doing, even what he was thinking.

Besides, he was supportive of him.

For the first time, he felt like becoming a real father.

That was when a warm smile appeared on Aiden’s face.

“Aiden.”

The Duke called out his name again and looked at Aiden directly.

“You are my son.”

“All I want from you…… was not to become the perfect heir. You being my son alone already makes me happy.”

Aiden’s eyes quivered.

The word “happy” sounded unreal for him.

Just as the two didn’t know Aiden well, Aiden realized that he didn’t know much about his parents either.

His heart was beating.

Whether he was aware of Aiden’s change or not, the Duke continued his words one by one with sincerity.

“Even if you make a mistake and fail at something, don’t forget that I’m behind

you.”

“No matter what situation you are in, there is someone who can help you.”

Even though his expression and the way he spoke wasn’t familiar, he could tell that everything he said was sincere.

“From now on, do whatever you want.”

“Don’t regret it later like me.”

Logan’s words were sincere.

He was leaving so that he would not have any regrets from now on.

He said almost everything he wanted to say to Aiden.

But there was still one thing he had to say.

Logan’s hesitant lips parted heavily.

“Aiden. I really wanted to say this to you. What I do in the meantime to you…… I’m sorry……”

“That’s enough now.”

Aiden cut off his words and said.

“Don’t feel regret for me anymore.”

Aiden looked straight at Logan and said without hesitation.

Aiden’s eyes were different from before. They were solid yet shiny.

Logan nodded his head slightly.

“I hope you’re doing fine from now on. Also with your wife, Erin.”

The corners of Aiden’s lips rose in a very deep arc.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Aiden knew the Duke’s words were affectionate concerns.

So he answered more confidently.

Because he has Erin.

Expectations outweighed worries.

The Duke and the Duchess made preparations to return to their estate.

It was not just a temporary visit, but a complete departure, so there were a lot of things to prepare.

Isabella handed over all her authority in the capital to Erin.

“Erin. This is now your power, but it is also a heavy responsibility.”

“But don’t feel too pressured. Just…… do whatever you want. What if you just spend and lose some money?” said the Duchess with a playful face.

It was the first time Erin had seen her face like that, and it suited her very well.

She wondered if that was her real face before she became a Duchess, enduring many things and then changing.

“I can’t do it, but I hope you can.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

She had a relieved look after smiling for a while. Looking at her appearance, Erin felt really good.

“I have no worries because my daughterin-law is reliable.”

Isabella showed her trust in Erin.

“Still, if you need any help, feel free to contact me.”

“I won’t let you down.”

Erin smiled confidently at her.

“All Mother should do now is to become happy.”

Erin cheered her on.

“As expected, my daughter-in-law is smart.”

“I know right.”

Erin and the Duchess’s minds were connected.

“Yeah. I’m going to be happy. I want to live a happy life.”

She was smiling like a maiden.

For the first time, her smile that flowed from the bottom of her heart made her look radiant.

She hoped that she would be happy, harboring expectations and hopes for the future.

“Be safe on your way. Take care.”

“Erin, too.”

Isabella and Erin looked at each other and raised their lips.

There was something between the two of them that connected, even if they didn’t talk to each other or convey it.

It was time for Isabella to drop her hand that was stroking Erin’s head.

Erin parted her lips.

“…..Mother. Why did you leave me alone at first?”

“What is it about?”

Isabella asked, as if she didn’t understand what she was saying.

But Erin asked again exactly.

“Why did you just leave me alone when Whitney said bad things about me?”

The Duchess was on Erin’s side from the beginning

She could just reply it wasn’t her, but Erin was already convinced.

Truthfully, Erin didn’t even know the reason. That part was also surprising to her.

The corner of the Duchess’s lips curved in a beautiful arc as she stared at Erin.

“I was curious.”

“..

“

This time, Erin really didn’t understand.

“Unlike me, will this child be able to live well while protecting herself?”

She felt regret and support for her past.

“I wanted to trust you once.”

Isabella smiled openly.

Isabella had watched Erin without anyone knowing

Just before the wedding, Isabella had gone to watch Erin secretly.

Truthfully, she didn’t like Aiden’s marriage process, nor his partner.

The road network had to be connected to the Leinster family’s distribution business, and the most important road belonged to the Zahad family.

The land that the Zahad family inherited from generation to generation is so vast that it costs a lot of money.

That’s how the two families decided to have them marry.

‘To be wedded just to save some money.’

Isabella didn’t want Aiden to get married that way.

So, she secretly checked on his partner and planned to oppose the marriage somehow.

But Erin, the child whom she saw there, made that thought disappear.

Even though she was about to get married against her will, she looked confident and assured.

That appearance changed her mind.

“Perhaps this marriage can be an opportunity.’

Instinctively, such an expectation came to Isabella.

It was actually Isabella’s will to leave for the estate the day after their wedding.

She hoped that Aiden and Erin’s relationship would develop in some way while the two of them were away.

And when she returned after more than a fortnight, she recognized them at a glance.

The relationship between Erin and Aiden seemed comfortable. It was what she had expected.

And then Whitney came.

Whitney was the nanny she trusted for a long time to care for Aiden.

But while listening to her report, Isabella had a strange feeling.

Whitney seemed to be reporting as objectively as possible, but she noticed something the moment she mentioned Erin.

‘Her purpose was to bring up Erin’s problem from the beginning.’

Everything she said before was just paving a way to prepare for that.

So, she noticed that Erin and Whitney’s relationship was not good.

However, it was unexpected that Whitney had been exerting Aiden with her position of a nanny.

She should have watched more carefully. She should have looked into it more often.

She shouldn’t have trusted Whitney’s report unconditionally

As she recalled moments that she should’ve noticed earlier, she felt a pain in her chest as if it was going to break.

She was angry and wanted to scream, but she clenched her fists and held it in.

She doesn’t even deserve that qualification

now.

She couldn’t even imagine what a painful time Aiden would have had if it hadn’t been for Erin.

She was tormented by the guilt of finding out too late, but at the same time, she was convinced.

Erin is the person Aiden needs.

– To Be Continued –