Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 474: Quiet Calculations

A faint crease formed between Elowen's brows.

Cassian noticed immediately. "You're concerned about this Iris."

She nodded, her tone steady but serious. "Cassian, you know Galen once worked under my father. Daphne and I grew up around each other. I've seen this girl before. She's sharp, the kind of sharp that makes you uneasy."

From outside, Bran added, "There's no need to worry, My Lady. His Highness asked her for advice at the time, and she claimed she had none to offer."

Elowen exhaled slowly. "That just means she knows when to keep quiet. Out in the open, with people passing by, of course she wouldn't say anything. Whatever she had to say, she would wait until they were back in private."

Bran fell silent, his expression turning more serious.

Elowen continued, her thoughts tightening into something more focused. "And think about it. When Daphne fell from favor, everyone tied to her was dismissed. Every single one except Iris. Not only did she stay, she ended up close enough to follow Alaric into something as sensitive as the negotiations. That alone tells you she's not ordinary."

A breeze moved through the corridor outside, stirring the iron wall sconces so their light flickered faintly against the stone.

Elowen leaned back into the cushions and let out a quiet breath. "Cassian... I don't like this. Something about it doesn't sit right."

Cassian looked at her, his voice calm but firm. "You're carrying our child. You don't need to fill your head with this."

She was about to respond, but he spoke again first.

"This is on Bran for bringing it up."

Outside the door, Bran froze in place.

God help me... wasn't it Your Grace who told me to head to the Crown Prince's Wing and dig into this properly? Being a deputy is hard enough as it is. Being one at Duskmoor Manor is a whole different level of trouble.

He said nothing, but the silence spoke for itself.

Inside, Elowen couldn't help laughing, the tension easing from her expression. "How is that his fault? This is exactly what we asked him to look into."

She reached out and nudged Cassian's arm.

He caught her hand mid-motion and held it, enclosing her fingers in his palm as he noticed how cool they were, warming them without thinking.

"Then don't worry," he said quietly. "And I won't blame him."

The logic was questionable at best, but the intimacy in it was unmistakable.

Elowen met his gaze, seeing herself reflected clearly in his eyes.

Something in her chest loosened.

"Alright," she said softly. "I'll stop worrying."

Only then did Cassian smile. Without turning, he called toward the door, "You're dismissed."

"Yes, Your Grace." Bran answered quickly, relief evident even in his voice as he stepped away.

Silence returned.

Cassian resumed, his hands moving from her calf down toward her ankle, steady and precise.

It still felt soothing. But this time, Elowen couldn't drift off.

Her eyes remained open, thoughts moving further and further away.

Cassian noticed at once and lightly pressed his thumb against her toes. "Where'd your mind go?"

Elowen hesitated, then said quietly, "Scarlet told me something the other day."

Cassian lifted a brow. "What about?"

She looked at him directly. "Dominic once took money from the Baker family to cover a gambling debt. A hundred."

Cassian's hands slowed, just for a moment.

Elowen continued, her voice gaining weight. "Think about it. He's an official, yet he spends his time in places like the Stargazer Pavilion and gambles on top of that. A little for fun is one thing, but a debt that large doesn't happen by accident. That's a habit that's gotten out of control."

She shifted slightly, holding his gaze. "Once someone gets pulled into that, it doesn't stop. It eats through everything. Money, reputation, even family if it comes to that. And someone like that can't be trusted to stay loyal. He claims ties to the Jones family, but after taking money from the Bakers, where do you think his allegiance really lies?"

Cassian nodded once. "You're not wrong."

"And then there's what happened in the Hall of Imperial Grace," she pressed on. "When Alaric put you on the spot, Dominic stepped in like he was helping you, saying your condition didn't matter, that you could still compete. But if you really think about it, all he did was push you further into the center of attention."

"I know," Cassian said quietly.

He reached up and smoothed the crease between her brows with his thumb. "Ella, you don't need to carry all of this."

Elowen caught his hand before he could pull away. "Cassian, I've already lost my family once."

He stilled.

"When it happened, it felt like everything collapsed at once. I didn't know where I belonged anymore, like I was drifting without anything to hold onto." Her voice softened. "It wasn't until I married you that I felt like I had a home again."

Her fingers tightened slightly around his.

"Cassian... I can't lose you too."

Something in his chest tightened sharply, the feeling both heavy and achingly soft.

He let out a quiet breath, then leaned forward and drew her into his arms, holding her close.