Prologue
The Stepmother Disappeared.
It was the day after the coming-of-age birthday banquet for Nick, the youngest son of the ducal family.
Exhausted after hosting the lavish celebration, the Duke’s family awoke later than usual the following morning.
Bathed in the streaming sunlight, Nick rose from bed and, for the first time in a long while, looked for the woman he had seldom sought out.
“Where is Mother?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know, Young Master. She hasn’t been seen since early this morning.”
Unable to find her anywhere, Nick wandered throughout the mansion, puzzled.
He stopped servant after servant to ask, but no one knew where she had gone.
A growing sense of unease settled over him.
As he descended the staircase, he noticed the Duke standing inside his study through the open door.
“Father. Where has Mother gone?”
“…”
The Duke did not answer.
Instead, he stood motionless, staring at something with an unreadable expression.
“Where is Mother—”
Nick stepped into the study and glanced at the paper his father was holding.
His words caught in his throat.
He instantly recognized the neat, elegant handwriting that resembled its owner so perfectly.
To my husband and children,
It has been a long time since I wrote as Kasia, Diana’s friend, rather than as your wife and stepmother.
As of yesterday, Nick has officially come of age.
That means I have fulfilled every part of the contract I made with Your Grace seven years ago, when I agreed to become this family’s stepmother.
I am truly relieved that, in Diana’s place, I was able to keep this family safe.
Now that the time has come to leave, I find myself feeling both reluctant and strangely liberated.
Having completed everything that was entrusted to me, I intend to leave the ducal house and finally live my own life.
Diana was my beautiful friend—and your one and only family.
Thank you for embracing someone as inadequate as me, someone who could never truly replace her.
It is time for me to go.
Thank you for these seven years.
May God’s blessings forever be upon House Whitdrian.
“…What does all of this mean, Father?”
Nick stared blankly at the letter in disbelief.
“Has Mother… really left the estate?”
No more words came.
Silence swallowed the room.
Only after a long while did the Duke finally speak.
“…Contact your brother.”
His voice was heavy.
“Tell him… that Mother has disappeared.”
Nick bit his lip.
He looked at the letter one last time before giving a small nod and rushing out of the study.
Left alone, the Duke lowered his gaze.
Beside the farewell letter lay a set of divorce papers, as though they were the final period at the end of a sentence.
A heavy silence settled over the room.
