Fated Hearts: Reborn to be His Duchess

Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Misplaced Convictions

Adela left the manor like a lifeless puppet, her face streaked with tears as Madam Rennor quietly led her away.

Silence settled over the reception hall once again.

Even after the Rennors had departed, the heavy atmosphere lingered.

Cassiel’s expression remained unreadable, but the air around him seemed noticeably colder.

Elysia was the first to break the silence.

She walked over to him and said gently, "My lord, don’t be too troubled. Miss Rennor is still young. She’s stubborn now, but she’ll understand one day as she grows older."

Cassiel looked up at her.

"Is that all you’re worried about? Adela?"

Elysia blinked before nodding.

"And Madam Rennor. She handled everything with admirable dignity. Before you arrived, she even slapped Miss Rennor with her own hands."

A soft sigh escaped her.

"She must be feeling terrible right now. She clearly loves her daughter very much and wishes the best for her future. Watching her behave like that... It couldn’t have been easy."

Cassiel stared at her for a long moment.

Finally he spoke slowly, "A moment ago..."

"I told Adela that the woman in my heart is you."

Elysia smiled. It was a gentle understanding smile.

"I know. I understand."

Cassiel raised an eyebrow.

For the first time in a long while, he found himself genuinely speechless.

"You... You understand?"

"Of course."

Elysia nodded matter-of-factly.

"Miss Rennor’s feelings for you run too deep. She refused to listen to reason. If you hadn’t given her a reason to give up completely, she would never have accepted reality..."

"Telling her you loved me was the simplest way to end her hopes and make her let go completely."

She smiled reassuringly.

"It was a good solution."

Cassiel fell silent.

She really doesn’t understand.

Not even a little.

He had rejected Adela without leaving the slightest room for misunderstanding.

He had even admitted, before everyone present, who the woman in his heart was.

Yet somehow...

Elysia had turned that confession into nothing more than a convenient excuse to help him resolve the situation.

The most frustrating part was that she truly believed it.

Not once had she questioned whether his words might actually have been sincere.

"You don’t need to worry, my lord," Elysia continued. "I won’t mention what happened today to anyone. Otherwise..."

"The woman you truly care about would surely be hurt."

Cassiel rubbed the bridge of his nose.

A strange mixture of helplessness and amusement washed over him.

After a moment, he asked, "What makes you so certain I wasn’t speaking the truth?"

Elysia tilted her head thoughtfully.

"My lord..."

"Our ages don’t quite match."

She spoke cautiously, trying not to offend him.

"I don’t remember meeting you before our marriage. When I was seven or eight... Even eleven or twelve..."

"I was still just a child. You couldn’t possibly have fallen in love with me then."

Besides...

Every rumour in the capital had pointed to the Duke already having someone in his heart.

Even Adela had believed it so firmly that Elysia had almost accepted it as fact.

With all those stories circulating for years, it seemed far more reasonable that Cassiel had simply borrowed her name to end Adela’s obsession once and for all.

That explanation made a lot more sense.

At least...

To Elysia.

Cassiel opened his mouth, intending to explain.

Before he could say a word—

Bran entered.

"Your Grace. Lord Flint has arrived from the palace."

Cassiel’s expression returned to its usual calm.

"Bring him in."

Lord Flint entered shortly afterward.

After exchanging greetings, he accepted the tea offered by the servants before smiling helplessly.

"I’ve come on His Majesty’s behalf. Regarding yesterday’s incident at Oren Lake."

Elysia quietly remained seated nearby without interrupting.

Lord Flint continued, "This morning, before the entire court, His Majesty severely reprimanded Lord Corvis. The reprimand was merciless. He scolded him for failing to discipline his children properly, allowing them to repeatedly offend both Your Grace and Her Grace."

He paused.

"Lord Corvis’ face turned white, then red. He immediately knelt and repeatedly begged for forgiveness. His Majesty only allowed him to rise after court had been dismissed."

Cassiel’s expression didn’t change.

"He deserved it."

Lord Flint chuckled.

"I believe Lord Corvis won’t dare neglect his household again."

Just as he was about to leave, he remembered something else.

"Oh, Your Grace. Starting tomorrow, His Highness the Crown Prince will officially begin assisting His Majesty in handling court affairs."

Although he didn’t say it outright...

The meaning was obvious.

His Majesty hoped Cassiel would show Vaelen a measure of leniency for the sake of the Crown Prince’s future.

Cassiel merely gave a noncommittal hum.

"I understand."

Lord Flint bowed once more before taking his leave.

---

Meanwhile, the outcome of the morning court session had already reached Queen Ilara’s palace.

Queen Ilara immediately summoned Vaelen to accompany her for breakfast.

The moment he entered the hall, she dismissed the attendants before fixing him with a steady gaze.

"What exactly happened at Oren Lake?"

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