Marianne stood by the window in the servant's quarters, her hands resting on the cool stone of the sill. The view before her was the same one she had seen countless times—the sprawling gardens, the distant horizon where the sun met the earth, casting a soft glow over the grounds of Alderson Castle. But today, the scene felt different. It felt distant, like something she could no longer touch, no longer be a part of.

She had spent years serving the Duke. Years of tending to his needs, listening to his dreams, watching him grow from a young boy with a wild imagination into the man who now carried the weight of a noble house on his shoulders. She had been his confidante, his companion, and yet now—now she was nothing more than a shadow, a mere servant. And the distance between them, that invisible wall that had grown higher with each passing year, had finally become insurmountable.

It wasn’t just the formal titles. The way he had looked at her recently, the way his voice trembled with unspoken longing—it all reminded her of the ache she had tried so hard to suppress. The ache that told her that she should not cross the invisible lines between them, no longer the girl who had shared his hopes and dreams under the oak tree. He had grown into a Duke, and she had grown into someone who was bound by duty—duty to him, duty to the house of Alderson, duty to her place in this world.

But as the days passed, she began to wonder: what was it all for? She had always known that her position was temporary, that one day she would leave, but the closer she came to that reality, the more she realized how much it hurt to let go. Letting go of him. Letting go of everything she had ever known. And her own feelings she never tended, too afraid to let the seed fully bloom into something more.

And the worst part? He didn’t even realize the torment he caused her. He didn’t see the way his words made her heart ache, or how the slightest touch of his hand sent her mind reeling. He didn’t know that every time he called her by her name so gently, it felt like a reminder that the Duke of Alderson looked at her more than just a maid but not less than a friend.

For a moment, Marianne closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the weight of everything. The pain, the confusion, the longing, and the guilt. She had always told herself that she would never let her feelings for Caesar cloud her judgment, that she would always stay loyal to her position and her duty. But now, as she stood in the quiet solitude of her room, she felt that resolve beginning to crumble.

It’s not enough anymore, she thought bitterly, clenching her fists at her sides. I can’t keep pretending that this is okay. I can’t keep pretending that I don’t feel like I’m suffocating here.

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She had been avoiding him for weeks, ever since that moment in the corridor when he had reached out to her, his voice filled with emotion. It had been too much. She had been too much of a fool to think she could remain unaffected by his words, by his proximity. Her heart had long since been wrapped up in his, but she had never let herself show it. She had never allowed herself to hope for something more because she knew, deep down, it could never be. He was the Duke, and she was just a maid.

And the truth was, Marianne had always known that nothing could ever come of it. Nothing could ever change the fact that she was bound by her station. No matter how much he might care for her, no matter how many moments they shared, she could never truly be by his side—not in the way she longed for. And now, the ache in her chest was too much to bear.

It was this overwhelming realization that had pushed her to the brink. She had thought she could stay, thought she could bear the heartache, but the more she saw him, the more she spoke to him, the more it hurt. She had to leave. For her own sanity, for her own peace of mind.

Marianne had made up her mind.

She had already started packing. The small trunk at the foot of her bed was half-filled with the few belongings she had accumulated over the years. There was nothing grand—just simple dresses, a few books the young Duke had gifted her she had kept hidden, and a necklace with a locket her mother had given her when she was a child before her mother had left her in an orphanage run by the empire.

There was no ceremony to this departure, no grand speech. She would simply leave. Quietly. And Caesar would never know. The head maid already knew, and respected her wishes to keep it a secret until she leaves.

He’ll be fine, she thought, trying to convince herself. He doesn’t need me. He’s a Duke now, and there are others who will serve him, others who can fill the void I’m leaving behind. His life will go on as it always has. He will find someone else. Someone better suited to him.

But even as she told herself this, she felt the sting of those words. She didn’t want him to find someone else. Not really. She didn’t want him to move on and forget about her, but she knew that was exactly what would happen. She wasn’t foolish enough to think she could ever be the one he needed.

Her fingers brushed against the locket as she packed it carefully into the trunk. The decision had been made. She had to leave.

As she finished her packing, the door to the servant’s quarters opened, and one of the other maids stepped inside with a tray of food. Marianne straightened quickly, wiping away the stray tear that had fallen unnoticed down her cheek.

“Marianne?” the maid said, her voice soft. “The Duke is requesting your presence. He’s waiting for you in the study.”

Marianne’s stomach twisted. It was as though the world was closing in on her. She had been avoiding him, avoiding everything that reminded her of the wide distance between their worlds. The life that could never be hers, and never once she ever dreamt of.

“I’ll be there shortly,” she said, her voice steady but cold.

The maid nodded and left, and for a moment, Marianne stood alone, staring at the door. She should go. She couldn’t just abandon her duties, not yet. But in her heart, she knew that she had already made her choice.

For good.