Chapter 1. Prologue
Year 562 of the Listea Imperial Calendar.
Rosena Osborne surveyed the ballroom of the Duke of Hayes’ estate, her eyes shimmering with overwhelming emotion. The brilliant glow of the grand chandeliers felt like a celestial blessing cast specifically upon her future.
Today was the day her husband, Evan, would be formally recognized as a member of the Ducal House of Hayes.
Only a few days ago, it had been revealed that Evan—who had lived his entire life as an orphan, never knowing the faces of his parents—was actually the hidden son of the late Duke of Hayes. Reiner Hayes, the late Duke’s younger brother and the current title holder, had tracked Evan down and moved to adopt him.
Overnight, his life had been utterly transformed. He was no longer Evan March, a commoner businessman; he was Evan Hayes, heir to a Dukedom.
‘It feels like a dream.’
Rosena basked in the ecstasy of the moment, watching Evan mingle effortlessly with high-ranking nobles. It was a stark contrast to a few months ago, when the very people in this room had pointed fingers at them in scorn.
“The filthy man who betrayed his fiancée with her own friend.”
“The wicked woman who coveted her friend’s man.”
The whispers had been relentless.
‘Cecilia… that wretched girl had to make such a scene,’ Rosena thought, biting her lip at the memory of the humiliation.
When Cecilia publicly exposed the affair between Rosena and Evan, the bond between the two women—who had been raised like sisters—was shattered beyond repair. To make matters worse, Rosena had been carrying Evan’s child at the time, leaving her with no defense.
Because of that scandal, she had spent her entire pregnancy hiding indoors to avoid the public’s judging eyes. They couldn’t even have a proper wedding; they had settled for a simple exchange of vows in a quiet church. Even their son, Jeremy, had once felt less like a blessing and more like a seed of misfortune.
‘But things are different now.’
Rosena lifted her chin with a triumphant air. Evan was now the successor to House Hayes, a family with collateral ties to the Imperial bloodline, and she had ascended to the very heart of Listea’s high society. Jeremy would finally be treated as a true blood descendant of a Duke. No one would dare look down on them again.
“My Lady,” a group of noblewomen flocked toward her, their faces painted with sycophantic smiles.
“You shall soon be the Duchess of Hayes. My sincerest congratulations.”
“Oh, ‘Duchess’ is far too much too soon. The current Duke is still quite young, after all,” Rosena replied modestly.
“I heard you gave birth recently? Congratulations. How you’ve maintained such a beautiful figure is truly enviable. Hohoho!”
“You flatter me. I am simply grateful for your kind words.”
Rosena hid her smile behind a silk fan, relishing the flattery. These were the same women who had been whispering about her scandal just days prior, but she chose not to dwell on it. Her mind was already racing toward a grander future.
‘The current Duke promised to abdicate the title to Evan.’
Strictly speaking, Evan was the true legitimate heir. His father had been the eldest son. Reiner had only taken the title because the late Duke had passed away before Evan could be found. It was only natural for the position to return to its rightful owner.
‘The Duchess of Hayes… no one suits that title better than me.’
She believed it was only a matter of time. In fact, she now viewed Cecilia’s departure as a stroke of luck.
‘Should I thank her the next time we meet?’
Cecilia had vanished months ago. Rosena assumed she was rotting away in some corner of the world, hiding from the shame of losing her fiancé.
‘Once I’m settled in the estate, I’ll have the servants track her down.’
Remembering the disgrace Cecilia had caused her, Rosena almost wished the girl were dead. Seeing that misery with her own eyes would be the ultimate satisfaction.
“Rosie.”
Evan approached her. When he leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek, a chorus of envious sighs erupted from the surrounding women. Rosena smiled coquettishly up at her man.
“Congratulations on becoming the Young Duke, Evan Hayes.”
“This is only the beginning,” Evan murmured. “With you by my side, Rosena Hayes.”
Rosena Hayes. What a magnificent name. She clinked her glass against his, convinced that only glory and happiness lay ahead.
“His Grace, the Duke of Hayes, is entering!”
The servant’s booming announcement silenced the ballroom. As if choreographed, every head turned toward the entrance.
A man of towering height and powerful build, dressed in an impeccable suit, stepped into the room. It was Reiner Hayes, the only Duke of the Listea Empire. His face, framed by hair darker than ebony, held a chilling, regal dignity.
“Good heavens, the rumors that he is the most handsome man in Listea weren’t an exaggeration,” someone whispered.
The crowd held its breath as Reiner walked with an elegant, unwavering stride toward Evan and Rosena.
“Congratulations, Evan.”
“Thank you, Duke… I mean, Father.”
Evan grabbed Reiner’s hand, nodding vigorously. A faint, subtle curl touched the corner of Reiner’s mouth—a smile that looked less like a congratulation and more like a sneer. But Evan, too busy bowing, failed to notice.
“We are only four years apart. ‘Father’ is a bit much, don’t you think?” Reiner reached out and straightened Evan’s collar. As he said, they looked more like brothers than father and son. “Of all the methods available, adoption was simply the most convenient procedure. Don’t overthink it.”
Reiner patted Evan’s shoulder, his gaze slowly drifting from Evan to Rosena. A father and son separated by only four years, and a daughter-in-law. An inexplicable tension hung in the air between them.
“Your Grace, will we finally be able to meet the Duchess today?”
It was Rosena who broke the awkward silence. News of the Duke’s secret marriage had set the social circles ablaze, but since no information about the woman had been released, speculation was at an all-time high.
“A secret marriage… we feel a certain kinship with you. I suppose destiny runs in the family,” Rosena chirped, trying to curry favor with a charming smile.
“Is that so, Miss Rosena?”
Reiner’s response was ice-cold. Rosena flinched. She hadn’t expected the man to treat her like a beloved daughter-in-law, given their age gap, but ‘Miss Rosena’? She had already exchanged marriage vows with Evan!
“I find my situation to be entirely different from yours. At the very least, my union was met with congratulations.”
Rosena’s face flushed a deep crimson at the blatant mockery of her past scandal. She had thought that once Evan became the Young Duke, such insults would stop.
“Ahaha, well, yes. We were a bit immature in the past,” Evan interjected, sensing the frost. He wasn’t pleased with Reiner’s tone either, but Reiner was the one who had brought him into the aristocracy. He was a war hero and a close friend of the Crown Prince; making an enemy of him now would be social suicide.
“In any case, we are very curious about the Duchess. After all, she is essentially my mother now.”
“Mother…” Reiner repeated the word as if finding it fascinating. “An interesting choice of words. I trust you will show your ‘mother’ the proper respect.”
“Of course, without fail.” Evan nodded obsequiously.
Reiner tapped Evan’s shoulder, seemingly satisfied. “As Miss Rosena hoped, you will meet her today.”
“Today?”
“Naturally. My wife has been looking forward to this day as well.”
“I see.” Evan gave Rosena a pointed look, a silent command to make a good impression.
Rosena remained stiff, her face tight with lingering resentment over the slight. But before she could dwell on it, the servant’s voice rang out again.
“Her Grace, the Duchess of Hayes, is entering!”
The room fell into a deathly hush. Every eye fixed on the doorway.
Creeeeak.
The heavy doors swung open, revealing a woman standing in the threshold. She was dressed in a gown of pure, blinding white. As she began her graceful walk into the room, Evan and Rosena felt as though they had been struck by a physical blow.
“Huh…?”
The woman, smiling brilliantly as she approached them, was none other than—
“Ce… Cecilia? Cecilia Panning?”
“No… that’s impossible. How is she…?”
Evan and Rosena stammered, their eyes wide and faces ghostly pale. They watched in a daze as Reiner reached out and naturally took Cecilia’s hand.
“You’re late,” Reiner murmured. “Every second waiting for you felt like a year.”
“I’m sorry. I was just so nervous,” Cecilia replied softly.
Then, Cecilia turned her gaze toward the frozen pair.
“Hello. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
She stood before the two people who looked like they had seen a ghost. With an effortless expression, she turned toward her former fiancé.
“I look forward to our time together, my son.”
Then, her gaze shifted slowly, deliberately, to Rosena. Her lips curved into a soft, beautiful arc.
“And my daughter-in-law, Miss Rosena.”
