Countess Rina...
The name brought him countless thoughts.
For him,she was still a mystery.
She was the silent benefactor who had made all this possible.
Without her, the road would have been far more difficult. Yet he had never met her. It wasn’t that he avoided her.
It was she who always refused to meet. Countess Rina was forty-three years old, a widow whose husband had died only two years after their marriage. The entire county had fallen into her hands. With no heir and no branch family, she had carried the burden alone. The Imperial family had long ago declared that upon her death, the county would be dissolved.
Ethan had not thought deeply about her motives until now. But the Duchess’s words stirred a new unease. "She helped us so much... Was it truly just for the dresses?"
Sometimes Sophia joked that Countess Rina might be interested in him, but Ethan always dismissed it. A woman who constantly refused to meet him would hardly harbor such intentions. Yet now he was not so certain.
He paused at a window, the night sky stretching wide above, stars glittering faintly.
He ran a hand through his hair and muttered to himself. "Why do I feel my life is becoming more complicated? And not because of my own choices."
Ethan’s lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. He shook his head and walked away, unaware of just how right he was.
.......
The final round of talks between Ethan and Duchess Emma took place in a quiet chamber of the ducal castle.
The discussion was long and careful, but at last everything was finalized. Ethan would hold sixty percent of the shares, Duchess Emma thirty percent, and the last ten percent would be taken by Countess Rina.
Even Ethan was surprised when he heard that it was Countess Rina herself who proposed this arrangement.
More than that, she had already planned it out with details. Ethan, as the main creator, would design, select silks, and oversee quality.
Duchess Emma would handle the workers and ensure order. Countess Rina, with her established merchant caravans and wide network, would take charge of transport and after-sale services.
When Ethan learned that Rina’s caravans even had dealings with the Empire, his heart shook.
He had underestimated her influence. For a moment he sat in silence, weighing everything carefully. In the end, he nodded. At his present level, he was not strong enough to swallow everything alone. To share the load was wiser.
With that, the deal was sealed.
Duchess Emma, always quick in action, immediately gave out orders to set things in motion. Servants hurried off with messages, and the wheels of a new venture had already begun to turn which caused Ethan to stay longer than he initially planned.
Not long after, Ethan’s time to depart arrived. At the grand entrance of the castle, a carriage stood ready, surrounded by guards and servants. Julia stood nearby, her arms folded loosely as if to mask the weight in her heart.
Her face was calm, but the sadness in her eyes betrayed her.
Ethan stepped toward the carriage, his figure tall and steady. He looked at Julia and smiled faintly, raising his hand in farewell. "I will see you again," he said simply.
He saw her complicated eyes alas he couldn’t say..no he didn’t have the right to say something cordial and make things complicated unless his standings get elevated.
Julia’s lips trembled. She wanted to reply but only managed a small nod. Her eyes followed the carriage as it rolled away, the wheels crunching against the gravel road. She stood still, not moving, even as the entourage grew smaller and smaller in her sight.
The last glimpse of Ethan’s hand waving lingered before everything disappeared at the turn of the road.
A long sigh escaped her lips, soft and quiet. She turned around slowly, pressing a hand against her chest as if trying to calm the ache within. Her steps were heavy as she walked back inside, unaware that she was being watched.
High above, from the window of the castle’s chamber, Emma and Duke Philip had been observing.
Emma’s eyes lingered on her daughter, then shifted toward her husband. "What do you think?" she asked softly, her voice thoughtful.
Philip’s expression was unreadable at first. He remained silent for a while, then finally spoke. "He seems to be a good prospect. If nothing else, it could prevent power struggles." His voice was steady, though there was a trace of irritation buried in it.
Emma nodded slightly. "Most of the time, the children of Dukes marry into other ducal families or into royalty. But that only brings more trouble, since those unions are always tied to power games. You know this better than anyone."
Philip’s jaw tightened. He knew she was right. That path had always been full of danger.
Emma leaned closer to the window again, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. "It is better to marry her off before the Prince grows desperate."
Philip turned sharply, his gaze hard. "I had considered it. But Ethan is not ready. He has shown great potential, yes, but he needs time to rise. Without strength, marrying him to Julia would only create more risks. At most, we can delay for a few more years."
Emma frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. "And that too depends on how many days the King may last."
"EMMA!" Philip’s voice rose sharply, cutting her words. His stern tone carried both anger and warning.
Emma froze and lowered her head. "I am sorry," she said quietly. "I misspoke."
Philip exhaled heavily, still glaring, but he did not continue. He only made a short sound of disapproval. "Hmmm."
The room fell silent. Emma turned back to the window, her expression unreadable, while Philip stood stiff with arms crossed.
Below them, Julia had already walked inside with a heavy heart
........
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