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“-the man who keeps ruining your life!”
Claudine’s words kept ringing in Leyla’s mind as she continued to listen to a daze at Claudine’s words. Everything was so muddled, she wasn’t paying attention, only so focused on the fact she was found out.
But why did she say it like that? Leyla knew how much the Duke ruined her life by making her enter an affair, but why did Lady Brandt make it sound as though it started long before that?
It was like she saw something in her eyes, which prompted Claudine to let her go abruptly and laugh pitifully at her.
“Goodness, you haven’t realized it yet, did you, you poor girl?” Claudine shook her head in disbelief as she laughed. “Oh, you truly are so pitiful.” She sighed, drawing closer to look Leyla firmly in the eyes.
“He helped ruin your engagement with Kyle. Did you know that?”
‘What?’ Leyla blinked, as something in her sparked at the new information.
“Tsk, you’re still the same after all,” Claudine clicked her tongue in disappointment, “You’re still so clueless about the things around you Leyla.”
And so Claudine began to tell her.
She told Leyla about what the Duke did last summer to break the two of them apart, just so he could finally have Leyla all to himself.
Leyla listened in rapt attention, eyes frozen as she stared into space at the memories coming back to her all at once as to why she broke things off with Kyle.
She told her about bearing witness to him, unmistakably, meeting with the man who was revealed to be Mrs. Etman’s cousin, who had stolen Leyla’s college funds. She also overheard him lying to the policemen that very morning about not seeing anyone.
He then proceeded to have someone run an investigation into Daniel Rayner’s bank finances, something she recently discovered due to her using her father’s name. He must have already assumed Daniel Rayner would be Mrs. Etman’s accomplice, and yet let Mrs. Etman took the fall for it.
“Can you see it now Leyla, how all the puzzle pieces fit together?”
Leyla looked gobsmacked and downright idiotic at this very moment. How could she have failed to see the signs?
And so Claudine continued, telling her of her lack of knowledge what had transpired after that. But if the Duke let Mrs. Etman took the fall, then nothing could be traced back to him. No one would even suspect he’d been involved.
Claudine was very pleased she held her tongue back then. It wouldn’t matter as much as it would now. Not for her at least. As for Leyla, well

“If you doubt my words, then go ahead and ask him yourself.” Claudine hummed, “It’s merely just speculation on my part after all, interpreting the data as I see fit. But you seem to trust him explicitly.” She grinned towards the poor woman, “You can rest assured, he won’t lie to you.”
She made it sound like friendly advice, when it was made with intentions that were anything but. Leyla was still stuck in the memories of last summer, even as she listened to Claudine’s words more clearly than she ever did before.
She remembered the way the Duke remained in silence as her plans to marry Kyle were being discussed around them, almost as though he was disinterested. He only came back as soon as the conversation was finally over.
By then, autumn had just begun.
‘This was all planned?’ Leyla thought in disbelief, the gravity of his hold and influence over her life now looming ominously overhead, ‘Impossible
 no man could ever be so cruel!’
She refused to believe it!
“Well, it is difficult to believe, so I don’t blame you for it.” Claudine sighed, “After all, thinking all of that was true would only make you more miserable, I suppose.”
She continued to regard Leyla, before finally sighing. Her job here was almost done.
“Believe it or not, it’s your choice.” Claudine told her, “It won’t change the truth anyway.”
She stood up from the bench, putting on her gloves back, before she walked over in front of Leyla, who was now collapsed on the floor at the new information she had just imparted on the unknowing girl.
“Although I guess it was a good thing you didn’t know anything about that. I almost thought I misunderstood you for a moment.” She told her, “I almost thought you’re another selfish girl, who just wanted the benefits of becoming the Duke’s mistress, but alas, you proved me wrong once more.”
Claudine began to walk away, before pausing to look back at Leyla’s shivering posture.
“Although knowing you’ve been so clueless does bring me a new wave of sympathy over your situation.” She leaned down, and patted Leyla’s shoulder comfortingly, ignoring the way she jumped up at the touch.
“I am truly sorry for you. Perhaps, if I’ve been more careful, you would have become the next Mrs. Etman by now, instead of being stuck to warm the Duke’s bed.”
Leyla remained quiet, her thoughts still swirling in the back of her mind.
“Oh well, it’s too late to change things by now. And look on the bright side! Claudine beamed at her, “It does seem he’s taken quite a liking to you, so it can’t be so difficult to get him to dote on you, will it?”
She forced Leyla to look at her once more, gently holding up her chin to turn towards her direction.
“I plan to be friends with you Leyla, after all, we both will be stuck with the Duke, so I must get along with you to some degree as someone he holds very dear.” She hummed. “So don’t feel so guilty about it.”
Claudine then frowned in thought before she turned to look at Leyla.
“Ah, but it will be ridiculous for us to remain in the same estate as soon as we get married, so perhaps looking for other living arrangements outside of Arvis will be best for you.” She informed Leyla.
“Then again, it’s the Duke we’re talking about, so of course he knows just where to place you! So really, you have nothing to worry about.” Claudine finished with a smile.
Finally, she rose back to her feet, patting Leyla gently a few times, while Leyla hunched in on herself further.
“Chin up Leyla,” Claudine piped up once more, “You must now hold yourself up proudly as the Duke’s mistress at this point. There’s no more use for you to degrade yourself further in pity.”
Leyla remained silent, even as Claudine grabbed her hands gently, pulling her up away from her huddled position. As soon as she stood up, Leyla hugged herself, wanting nothing more than to curl up.
“Come on, Leyla, you can do better.” Claudine told her, “Well, I have to say goodbye now, but before I leave, I do want to establish a clear order between us.”
Finally Leyla looked at her with red-rimmed eyes.
Claudine might be being harsh on Leyla right now, but she needed to also hold herself up in high dignity as the Duke’s future wife. Leyla only shook her head, as though she was in great pain. She looked as though she didn’t know what she was doing anymore.
Claudine’s eyes narrowed at her.
“Let’s start again Leyla.” She scolded the girl, “You must remain polite.” She cautioned her.
Such cowardice she was showing her. It sickened Claudine even though her tears refused to fall.
Leyla only bowed her head further down in front of her. As soon as she did so, one fat drop of her tears hit the top of her shoes. Soon, more fell down, as finally Leyla cried freely in front of her, as she remained in a bow.
Claudine sighed and backed away from Leyla, finding a little more tolerance in her for the other woman’s tears.
“Well, at least you’re a good girl.” She mused. Leyla’s mannerisms were still lacking, and considered to be far from polite, but Claudine will have to take what she could for now.
Upon her words, Leyla once more collapsed back onto the group in a heapful of uncontrollable sobs. She looked even more undesirable, looking like nothing more than a broken doll.
Deeming it time for them to go, Claudine swiftly left her alone, her dress sweeping behind her as it fluttered with the wind as she walked out of the rose-covered pergola. Finally, it felt like she could finally get rid of that nasty feeling as though she was being used like a common earthenware.
After all, this was a life rightfully hers, something she worked hard to get. For things like that, Claudine could be downright terrifying, such was the life she was taught and learned to live in.
When she reached the end of the pergola, Claudine spared Leyla one last look behind her. She was still in her pathetic state, crying soundlessly to herself as she lay broken on the stone cold floor.
Claudine scoffed before she faced forward once more, with a lighter look on her face. She calmly stepped down the marble staircase, where Mary greeted her enthusiastically as soon as she reached the last step in the middle of the rose garden.
“I think we should pack up my things by now, Mary.” Claudine calmly announced, making her aide blink back in surprise.
“Your things?” She asked in confusion, “Does this mean you are returning to Brandt Estate, my Lady?”
“Yes,” Claudine smiled at her amicably, “Yes, I think it’s time to return now.”
“But, my Lady, shouldn’t you wait for the Duke’s return before leaving him so suddenly?”
“Mary.” Claudine called out her name firmly, and she quickly stilled as her mistress looked at her with a smile, but a stern look in her eyes.
Immediately, Mary bowed in agreement, before Claudine wordlessly walked away with absolute grace, and a lightness in her gait.
Claudine was absolutely confident that before summer even begins, everything would be set in place once more. Perhaps even before spring truly arrives, all her puzzle pieces would be back in their respective places.
*.·:·.✧.·:·.*
The day of Bill Remmer’s return, was also the day Kyle Etman left Arvis once more.
Just as he arrived, rumors about his departure quickly spread throughout the estate. And where rumors about Kyle were mentioned, Leyla’s name soon followed. Each of Arvis’ occupants gossiped with one another in hushed tones, wondering why he would leave so suddenly.
“I don’t get it, how could he just come and go so quickly?”
“I bet it’s because Leyla won’t take him back.”
“I feel so sorry for him.”
“Or maybe he just came to visit his parents? He hasn’t come for a while, has he?”
“Impossible, I heard him and his mother were still at odds, even today.”
“Truly? Mrs. Etman must still be angry about his almost marriage to Leyla then.”
The endless chatter between the house maids  only ended when the bell chimed across the mansion.  It was a sound they all knew to be coming from the third floor.
It was a summon from Duke Herhardt. It seemed he had some guests with him waiting to be served.
Immediately, the house maids scattered, each back to their tasks, while the maid with the longest experience in serving the household wasted no time in preparing them some tray before she hurried up the stairs to attend to their master’s wishes.
Although he wasn’t difficult to please, something about the Duke greatly intimidated them, which caused every servant under their employ to hasten every task they were given if he gave the order. Even serving the Duchess was easier to serve, despite her incessant need to complain and nitpick about every single thing they do.
Once she arrived outside the Duke’s office, she balanced the tray in one hand, before knocking politely against the mahogany doors.
“Come in.”
She heard faintly, and quietly opened the door, carrying the tray with both hands as soon as it was open and went in.
Upon entering, her eyes widened momentarily at the sight of her master’s guest.
There, sitting across their esteemed Duke from his desk, was the man who was single-handedly responsible for destroying Arvis’ heaven— as the people used to call it-– the greenhouse.
Mr. Bill Remmer.
*.·:·.✧.·:·.*
Leyla found herself stopping by a portion of the greenhouse’s walls, observing as the repairs were in full swing as they hurried to restore it back to its former glory.
She also watched as a few more precious plant specimens were being airlifted overhead, before being relocated to where they were supposed to be planted. Bill Remmer’s return signaled more tasks to come, especially with the new varieties of plants he’d gathered with the others.
Leyla tried to keep herself calm as she watched all this progress, clasping her hands in front of her as she fidgeted with her fingers, trying to clear her mind.
She hadn’t had the chance to spend much time with her uncle yet, what with the Duke calling for him as soon as he arrived. He didn’t even allow her uncle a time to change and rest with Leyla back in their own cabin.
He assured Leyla he’ll be back shortly, telling her it would be rude to refuse their gracious Duke, and followed the attendant without any complaints. Watching him walk away from her, and towards the Duke was a terrifying thing for her.
It was like his mere presence in Arvis was suffocating even though she couldn’t see the Duke nearby.
“Oh Leyla!” one of the garden workers looked up to see her with a teasing smile on their faces, “I thought you’re all grown up now! Yet still you look so much like that little girl struggling to catch up with Mr. Remmer.”
Leyla flushed at the observation, before laughing awkwardly.
“I’m sorry, I guess I just missed him so much!”
The others laughed as they began talking over each other, each with their own stories to tell while they’d been away from Arvis. It was nice catching up with them, but soon they had their own tasks to return, and once more Leyla found herself alone.
And the easy smile she had, slipped from her lips without a moment’s thought.
Was the Duke going back on his word? Would he tell Uncle Bill after all, about what Leyla had been doing behind his back?
Her eyes looked over towards the mansion with a steely gaze. She was nothing more than skin and bones now, filled with an endless combination of shame, sorrow, confusion and painful anger deep inside her heart.
And that anger was embedded deep into her heart, festering the longer she refused to look away from the mansion that Duke Herhardt owned and was holding her uncle over her head.