Night fell, blanketing the mansion. The door slowly opened and a weary Alen sighed as he stepped inside. Danton also ran out frantically, shouting, "Master."
He calmly asked, "What is it?"
Danton's expression fell as he announced, "The madam has suddenly disappeared."
Alen instantly became irritated. "Helena disappeared? Why didn't you inform me sooner?"
Danton reluctantly had to explain. "I'm sorry. I thought the madam would return soon after meeting a childhood friend."
Alen asked in confusion, "A childhood friend?"
Danton grew increasingly alarmed. "Yes, she didn't seem well at the time, but I never imagined that she still wouldn't have returned."
At this, he grew grim and calculating. Then Alen recalled the time he had turned to question Rosalyn. Are you saying that my coming here might provoke Glock?
She had been terrified as she clenched her hands and replied, That's right. Glock Lariston is a very possessive man.
Now his voice grew harsh with anger. "I can't just leave Helena alone. Get Rosalyn immediately."
Danton bowed respectfully and replied, "Yes, I understand."
The entire room then fell into silence. Alen crossed his arms, deeply annoyed, questioning her about Helena. "Where is she?"
Rosalyn hesitated before replying, "I don't know."
That made him lose all patience as he clenched his fists. Alen repeated coldly, "Your last chance, Rosalyn."
She just cowered, saying nothing. Then Alen asked, "Have you ever been in contact with the count's illegitimate child?"
Hearing that, Rosalyn looked down and stammered, "I—"
Then she suddenly fell to her knees. Rosalyn pleaded in anguish, "I have committed a crime worthy of death. I was threatened. He came to the mansion and threatened to reveal my secret to everyone. I was once pregnant with Glock's child. If that news gets out, I'll be—"
Alen's eyes grew cold and threatening. "Stop with the pathetic excuses and tell me where Helena is now."
Rosalyn looked up and explained, "Glock was trying to make me the duchess to extort money. Glock planned to eliminate the duchess."
And with that, Alen immediately spurred his horse onward. He frowned in deep worry, thinking to himself, Helena, please be safe. I just confessed my feelings to you. So why is this happening?
Meanwhile, in the distance, another person was hiding behind a tree, drawing a sharp sword as he waited.
Then the part of the story I never knew unfolded. A bloody scene unfolded. Alen, searching for Helena alone, was killed by an assassin sent from the paternal branch of the family. In this life, Alen survived, but in the past life, he died.
After that, everything went according to Glock's plan. In the blink of an eye, the ducal house of Thodell lost both its master and mistress and gradually fell to ruin. Rosalyn declared herself Alen's mistress, and the paternal branch of the Duke's family confirmed this information.
Light flooded in through the door. Laya lay in bed, murmuring anxiously, "Alen, no."
Her eyebrows knitted tightly in discomfort. A moment later, Laya's eyes fluttered open. Her hand tightened as she picked up the pocket watch and examined it. This showed me my past life.
Just then a voice spoke, leaving her stunned. "Laya, don't be so surprised."
Laya looked up bewildered and asked, "Are you Helena from the past life?"
She replied gently, "Yes, that's right."
Laya asked, a little worried, "What happened after Alen died? Did you—"
The Laya from the past life smiled gently and answered, "Laya, I am so happy you found happiness in this life. Alen is by your side now, right? I always prayed for another chance to start over, and it seems the pocket watch that Gray gave me helped me grant that wish. We don't have much time left, Laya."
Laya was completely stunned. "Time?"
The Laya from the past life smiled gently and reminded her, "The time for us to meet, and the time that Gray has been holding on, is also running out."
Laya, still sitting on the bed and completely bewildered, asked again, "What do you mean?"
"But I hope your future won't be like that. Then Gray and Alen won't have to be torn apart by life and death."
Laya exclaimed in astonishment, "You know how to cure Gray?"
She recalled the past and explained, "In my past life, I met a doctor from Hess before I died."
After hearing that, she quickly realized, "Hess is the neighboring country on the western border. Right?"
Her past self replied cheerfully, "That's right. That's where Gray lived before she became the Duchess. The illness first appeared in her grandmother's generation and was then passed down to Gray."
The Laya from the past life lowered her head sadly and explained, "In the past life, I broke my promise to Gray. I lost Alen because of Glock's treacherous schemes."
She recalled the past and explained, "In my past life, I met a doctor from Hess before I died, who has proven an effective treatment. If we can find that person, Gray can be cured."
Laya looked up, dazed.
"This truth, along with its treatment, only became known not long after Gray passed away."
Tears streamed sadly down her past self's face again.