Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 398: The Duke's Jealousy

Elowen shook her head, her tone firm.

"It wouldn't be a trouble at all. When I return home, I will give instructions to the gate guards. If you come to the manor, they won't make you wait outside or send word first. They will escort you in immediately."

Josh no longer insisted on refusing.

He laughed openly and nodded. "Very well. Since Your Grace insists, I'll accept the offer gratefully."

At Duskmoor Manor, the evening light filtered through the tall windows of the study.

Cassian sat with a book open in front of him, yet the words refused to settle in his mind. After staring at the same page for far too long, he tossed the book aside with growing irritation.

"Bran."

Bran hurried into the room. "Your Grace?"

Cassian asked the question almost immediately, "Has the duchess returned?"

Bran sighed silently to himself before answering, "Not yet."

After a brief pause, he could not help adding under his breath, "And Your Grace... this is the tenth time you've asked today."

Cassian blinked. "The tenth?"

"Yes," Bran said with certainty. "I've been keeping count."

Cassian cleared his throat, maintaining a calm expression. "She's been out for quite a while."

Bran replied with painful honesty.

"Your Grace, the duchess left near the end of the morning hour. It's only midmorning now. At most she has been gone for a little over half an hour."

Cassian fell silent. Only half an hour? It feels like Ella has been gone for three years.

Just then, a man dressed in dark fitted clothing stepped into the study. Cassian lifted his gaze.

Whenever Elowen left the manor alone, Cassian always arranged for guards to follow discreetly and protect her. In the past, he usually assigned two.

Now that Elowen was expecting a child and Isla's intentions remained uncertain, Cassian had increased the number to five.

The man who had entered was one of them.

Cassian immediately asked, "Has the duchess returned?"

Even as he spoke, he began to rise from his chair. Bran reacted instantly. He rushed forward and pressed a hand onto Cassian's shoulder.

"Your Grace! Your leg is still injured!"

Cassian sank back into the chair but continued staring toward the doorway.

The guard bowed. "Your Grace, the duchess has not returned yet. However, I suspected Your Grace might be concerned, so I came back ahead of the others to report."

Cassian raised an eyebrow.

"At least you're earning the salary I pay you."

The guard chuckled awkwardly and began recounting everything in detail. After leaving the manor, Elowen had first visited Aveline's residence. He described her conversation with Aveline and how she had comforted Kaelan.

Before the report even finished, Cassian's brows suddenly drew together.

His voice turned cold. "You said the duchess wrote a line of calligraphy for Kaelan?"

The guard answered honestly, "Yes, Your Grace. It was a line from a poet."

Cassian let out a quiet scoff. "That Kaelan is certainly persistent."

Bran kept his thoughts to himself.

It was only a piece of writing. Was Your Grace really jealous over something like that?

But one look at Cassian's face told him everything he needed to know. The duke's expression appeared calm, yet the tension along his jawline was unmistakable.

That was always the warning sign before Cassian lost his temper.

Bran wisely swallowed the comment he had been about to make.

The guard also sensed the shift in mood and spoke carefully, "Your Grace... what would you like me to do?"

Cassian narrowed his eyes. "Tonight, go to Aveline's residence."

Bran's heart jumped into his throat. Is the duke about to start a feud?

Cassian continued calmly, "Steal the calligraphy."

Bran froze. The guard also stared in disbelief.

Cassian leaned back in his chair, perfectly composed.

"At first I considered having you tear it apart. But then I remembered that Ella wrote it. Destroying it would be a waste. Bring it back. I'll keep it."

Bran silently complained in his mind.

Your Grace, the person you want to tear apart is not the calligraphy. It's Kaelan.

Cassian spoke again, his voice cool. "That's all for now. Return and continue protecting the duchess. Tonight, retrieve the writing."

The guard bowed and turned to leave. After a moment of hesitation, he stopped again. "Your Grace... there is one more thing I haven't mentioned."

Cassian looked over. "What is it?"

The guard answered carefully. "After writing the line of poetry, the duchess added a signature beneath it."

Cassian's eyes sharpened. "What did she write?"

"The inscription reads: 'A reminder shared between the Duke of Duskmoor and his wife.'"

Cassian paused.

The tension that had gripped his expression slowly faded. The corners of his mouth lifted into a satisfied smile.

The oppressive atmosphere in the study finally eased.

The guard quietly exhaled in relief. "If there are no further orders, Your Grace, I'll return to protect the duchess."

"Wait." Cassian spoke again, his voice now relaxed.

The guard turned back. "Your Grace?"

Cassian leaned lazily against the back of his chair.

"Forget the calligraphy."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Let Kaelan keep it."