"How do you understand her?"

Laila inquired, curious about Cain's ability to comprehend Emily.

"Emily, since I also lived here when I was young, her inability to speak from the beginning was not the case."

"Is that so?"

"She closed her mouth at some point. Perhaps she stayed silent for too long, and eventually it turned out that way."

Ah, a sigh escaped me involuntarily out of pity. Why would such a cute and lovely young lady choose to remain silent? It must be devastating for her to have lost the ability to speak, rather than never having known it from the beginning. I felt concerned for Emily, the only one who had taken care of her here.

Knock, knock. The sound of a gentle knock reached my ears.

"Come in."

In response to Cain's answer, the door opened and Matthew entered. He respectfully bowed his head, alternating his gaze between Cain and Laila.

"Does the room suit your liking?"

"Yes, it's to my liking. Thank you for taking care of me."

Lailas poke up as Matthew's gaze lingered on her.

This room was a spacious one on the west side of this floor. It had four large windows and a fireplace surrounded by marble on the wall. The burning logs provided a warm and cozy atmosphere in the room.

On one side, there was a large bed, a wardrobe, and a vanity, and if you opened the door on the wall, there was a small dressing room. Near the door, there were two armchairs for one person each and a long couch, providing a comfortable space for a couple to have a conversation. The items seemed to have been used for a long time, showing signs of aging, but that only made them look more luxurious. The carpet, curtains, wallpapers, and decorative items were all the same. As soon as she stepped into this room, she couldn't help but feel how wonderful it was. Especially, what she particularly liked was the rocking chair placed by the window.

"This used to be the Duke's room."

"?"

As Laila turned her head in response to Matthew's explanation, she looked at Cain. He responded with a slight smile, conveying a sense of affirmation. A room that carried the traces of her husband's past. It had already captured her heart, but upon hearing those words, her attachment deepened.

"I might have missed something in my hurried preparations. Please let me know if there is anything lacking, and I will take care of it immediately."

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Matthew, who had sought permission, spoke again. He directed his gaze primarily towards Laila, who was here for the first time, rather than Cain, who already knew everything about this mansion.

"Emily will guide you to the bathroom shortly. Take some rest for now."

"What about my room?"

Cain, who had been listening, looked intently at Matthew and inquired. His calm gaze had suddenly hardened.

"Well..."

Matthew raised his chin, struggling to regain composure.

"We couldn't prepare a separate room for you. Due to the circumstances, I couldn't mention it earlier. I apologize."

"What?"

"It was the mistress's command. As you may know, all the rooms in this mansion are closed, and the keys are held by the mistress herself..."

Matthew cleared his throat to feign calmness in his unsettled mind. As she hadn't anticipated such a situation, Laila blinked her eyes, gazing at Cain. With his arms crossed, he silently glared at Matthew, his presence so overwhelming that it caused even the woman beside him to shrink back, despite not showing any signs of irritation or anger. The twisted smile seemed directed not at Matthew in front of her, but beyond him, towards someone else.

Just as Laila and Matthew were finding it hard to endure the tense atmosphere, Cain finally spoke up.

"For now, arrange a place in the study as a temporary measure."

"Yes."

Matthew courteously responded to Cain's edgy voice and disappeared. Cain's gaze, as he turned back to her, had softened subtly. It seemed he was restraining his emotions, afraid that it might make her uncomfortable.

"Mother seems to be overly concerned, doesn't she?"

"So it is," replied Laila with a hesitant smile, lacking words to respond.

"I will sleep well in the study, so make yourself comfortable here," she said.

"But..."

Laila held him back with a troubled heart. She felt sorry for becoming an unwelcome intruder, even though it was not her fault. However, sharing a bed was out of the question.

"There is a place to sleep in the study. I used to sleep there often, so don't worry about it."

"Thank goodness."

With no other option in sight, Laila accepted his words. In her heart, she wanted to sleep in the study, but she couldn't predict what would happen if she did. She had no choice but to find solace in the fact that there was space in the study.

"For now, rest a little."

Exhausted from the long journey, he soon left the room.

Laila began to change her clothes and walked over to the window, gazing outside. In the distance, she noticed slight movements around a small makeshift structure. It was where the security guards guarding the mansion stayed.

A strange thought crossed her mind. While the outside world was bustling with activity, the mansion seemed as quiet as the depths of the ocean. Why did Rose lock up all the rooms and leave only four servants in this vast mansion?

Perhaps due to the unpleasant encounter with Rose, Laila's doubts lingered on for a long time.

Having no appetite, she skipped dinner. The sun set quickly, and darkness descended. Cain returned to the room once again, inquiring about various things. After making sure there were no discomforts or any needs, he went up to the study.

Laila washed herself and returned to bed. Although the unease in her mind remained, her body, lying on the soft bed, responded differently.

It was warm and comfortable.