Maya couldn't believe her ears.
It wasn't the fact that Nathaniel had once been married or that he had a child that hurt her the most.
It was the fact that he never told her.
The room suddenly felt suffocating. She slowly nodded her head while Nathaniel lowered his gaze, disappointment written all over his face.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was calm, but it carried pain.
Nathaniel remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"When Eleanor was on her deathbed, she begged me to make sure Aurora grew up with a mother who would truly love her." He swallowed. "I searched for someone... but Aurora never liked any of the women I introduced to her. Most of them only wanted to marry me because I'm a Duke."
Maya stared at him without blinking.
"Do my parents know?"
"No."
Her eyes filled with disbelief.
"Why?"
Nathaniel took a deep breath.
"Because I never planned to marry anyone from Valtheris. I only came because His Majesty asked me to. Then I heard about your marriage proposal from your father..." He paused, ashamed. "I thought it was the perfect opportunity to find a wife. I... I should have told you everything from the beginning."
Maya laughed bitterly.
"So that's it."
Nathaniel looked up.
"The flowers... the jewellery... the dresses... the house..." Maya's voice cracked. "Everything was because you wanted someone to become Aurora's mother."
"No, Maya, that's not what I meant."
"But it's true, isn't it?" Tears gathered in her eyes. "You wanted me to marry you... and become a stepmother."
Nathaniel's shoulders dropped.
"Yes... but that's not the only reason."
"Then what is the other reason?" Maya demanded. "Had I heard this from your mouth, maybe... maybe it wouldn't have hurt this much. But I found out through a stranger's letter." Her tears finally rolled down. "What if I never received that letter? Were you planning to keep lying to me?"
"Maya, I know I made a mistake. Please... try to understand me."
"No!" she shouted, stepping away from him. "Don't tell me to understand you."
Nathaniel closed his eyes for a second.
"I take the blame. I should've told you."
Before he could continue, another voice interrupted.
"What's going on here?"
Damon entered the living room with a confused expression. Seeing Maya in tears immediately changed his face.
"Maya, why is your voice so high?"
"Father..." Maya ran into his arms and broke down. "I don't want to marry him anymore. He's a liar."
Damon held his daughter tightly.
"Don't cry, my child. Tell me what happened."
Evelyn hurried inside after hearing the commotion. She stopped the moment she saw Nathaniel standing quietly with his head lowered.
Nathaniel forced himself to speak.
"I told Maya the truth."
Silence.
"I was married... and I have a daughter named Aurora."
Damon and Evelyn looked at each other in complete disbelief.
"You what?" Damon raised his voice.
"And you never told us?" Evelyn asked, hurt and shocked.
"I'm sorry." Nathaniel's voice was low. "If you'll allow me to explain-"
"There's no explanation!" Maya cried.
Damon looked at Nathaniel, disappointment replacing the respect he once had.
"I think it's best you leave."
Nathaniel nodded.
He didn't argue.
He didn't defend himself.
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the Ashbourne Mansion, carrying the weight of Maya's tears with him.
Maya ran upstairs and threw herself onto her bed, crying into her pillow.
"So everything he did..." she whispered between sobs. "Everything was so I could become a mother to his daughter."
Her chest tightened.
"If Father had allowed me to marry Lord Duncan..." More tears escaped. "None of this would've happened."
Downstairs, Damon and Evelyn quietly entered Damon's office. The maid served tea before leaving.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
"Are you sure we can trust the Duke?" Evelyn finally asked.
Damon sighed heavily.
"I don't know, Evelyn. This isn't a small matter."
"The wife is dead. That isn't the problem."
"I know." Damon rubbed his forehead. "The problem is Aurora. What if he loves Aurora more than Maya? What if Aurora never accepts Maya? What kind of marriage would that be?"
Evelyn's heart sank.
"We should've allowed her to marry Lord Duncan."
Damon looked away.
"The Lord never proposed to her. We can't force something that doesn't exist."
"Then what do we do?"
"I don't know. I'm trying to think."
Evelyn wiped her eyes.
"My Maya... her twenty-second birthday is approaching. If this marriage fails, who will marry her then?"
Damon reached for her hand.
"Calm down. We still have until next year. There's still time. If this doesn't work out... we'll find another suitor."
"I hope so."
Outside the office door...
Maya stood frozen. She had heard everything.
"Another suitor."
"Twenty-second birthday."
The words echoed over and over inside her head, and slowly, she stepped away before they noticed her.
"I don't want another man..."
Her voice broke.
"I just want peace."
She leaned against the wall as tears silently fell.
"It would've been better... If Lord Duncan had proposed."