Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 553: A Trap

Duchess Yvonne drew her brows together. "Storybooks and statecraft essays are two completely different things. How could anyone lump them together?"

Sylvia nodded quickly, clearly unsettled. "Exactly. Why would His Highness summon you to the Crown Prince's Wing for something like that?"

Elowen gave a faint shake of her head, her voice soft. "That's what I thought at first, so I tried to decline. But His Highness had someone with him, a young man named Josh. He sat for the court qualification trials this year and didn't pass, yet he was still summoned to the Crown Prince's Wing."

She paused briefly before continuing. "You may not know him. His father once served under my father and was killed in battle years ago. He left behind a widow and a child, and they've struggled ever since. With him involved... I couldn't refuse this visit."

The Duchess let out a quiet sigh, her expression growing heavier.

She's too kind for her own good. And that Crown Prince, reckless, pushy as hell. If the kid can't handle it, then why even call him in? And insisting Elowen comes too... what is that, if not throwing his weight around to back people into a corner?

Sylvia's temper flared, her voice sharp with indignation. "He's clearly pressuring you. Using someone else to force your hand!"

Elowen managed a pale smile. "When I arrived, His Highness was polite enough. He even came out personally to receive me. But the things he said..."

Her voice trailed off, and she turned her face slightly away, her eyes shimmering. "It's not worth repeating. In the end, it was my own health that gave out."

Mira, seated low beside the bed, suddenly spoke up, her voice breaking with emotion. "How is this Your Grace's fault? It was His Highness who told you to leave His Grace and stay at the Crown Prince's Wing with him. He even said the Nordian princess promised to back him completely..."

Both the Duchess of Falconcrest and Sylvia froze, their eyes widening in shock.

Elowen tried to stop her, but a soft cough caught in her throat before she could speak.

Mira pressed on, unable to hold back. "He also said that even if you refuse now, once he takes the throne, he'll have you brought to him no matter what. He even spoke of forcing a potion on you to rid you of your child. You were furious, and that's what caused the distress."

Elowen finally found her voice. "Mira. That's enough."

But it was too late.

Every word had already sunk in.

The Duchess of Falconcrest was well known in Vanelle for knowing everything worth knowing. The history between Elowen and the Crown Prince was no secret to her, nor to the rest of the city.

Back then, Elowen had been deeply devoted, while the Crown Prince never gave her a clear answer, keeping her close just enough.

In the end, she turned away and married the Duke of Duskmoor.

That chapter should have been closed long ago.

Since her marriage, she had lived well. She and the duke were devoted to each other, and now she carried his child. Her life had found its rhythm.

Yet the man in the Crown Prince's Wing behaved like someone who had cast something aside, only to suddenly decide it mattered again. He kept reaching back, stirring trouble where none belonged.

Sylvia flushed with anger. "This is on him, not you. Why do you keep taking it on yourself?"

The Duchess reached out, taking Elowen's cool hand and gently rubbing it. "Sylvia is right. Listen to me. Women don't get the same freedom men do. We're expected to hold everything together, and when something goes wrong, we're the first to blame ourselves."

Her voice softened. "If you keep doing that, how are you supposed to live? You're expecting now. You and your child come first. Why should you carry the weight of someone else's wrongdoing? What the Crown Prince did today was wrong, plain and simple."

She went on in a softer tone, "I brought you something to help build your strength. Have Doctor Dray look it over and prepare it the right way. You need to recover properly. This household leans on you."

After sitting a while longer, the Duchess and Sylvia rose to leave.

Elowen made a motion to get up, but the Duchess quickly stopped her. "Stay where you are. Rest. Let Gerda see us out."

Elowen nodded gratefully.

Only after they left did she finally exhale, the tension slipping from her shoulders.

Mira leaned closer, her eyes bright. "Your Grace, how did I do?"

Elowen smiled, her eyes curving. "Perfect."

Mira grinned. "I learned from you and His Grace."

Elowen swung her legs off the bed, clearly in better spirits. "I'm feeling good today. I'll bake something you like."

Mira lit up, then hesitated. "Your Grace... will this really work?"

Elowen's smile lingered, calm and certain. "It will. News travels fast in court. What the Crown Prince did won't stay quiet for long. The Royal Censorate will speak."

She continued evenly, "And the Duchess won't keep this to herself. My visit to the Crown Prince's Wing will spread before the day is out."

Her eyes narrowed just a touch. "That's not how you play it. You don't rush the finish. You close in piece by piece, until there's no way out."

...

By the time they reached Falconcrest Manor, the Duchess hadn't even stepped through the gate before she ran into an acquaintance delivering an invitation for an afternoon outing in the countryside.

After everything she had just heard, there was no chance she would keep it to herself.