Chapter 160
[Vanessa.]
She lifted the paper and silently read the letter from beginning to end.
It felt a little dry. But as an opening, it wasn’t bad. At least it didn’t sound overly dramatic.
She folded the letter, slipped it into an envelope, and carefully sealed it with melted wax. On the front, she wrote the name of the hotel he had casually mentioned during their last call.
She would find the exact address tomorrow or the day after and ask Mary to send it by express delivery. If all went well, the letter would reach River Ross before he finished his business in Linden.
‘Pregnant, of all things…’
She placed a hand lightly over her flat stomach. Honestly, there wasn’t much of a visible change yet. Perhaps Mary was simply being overly sensitive.
‘I’ll know for sure once I see a doctor.’
Vanessa rubbed her tense shoulders from writing and slowly leaned back in her chair. How would their relationship change after River Ross read this letter?
At the thought, her heart softened unbearably. Yet at the same time, an urgent desire to tell him as soon as possible surged within her. It was, without a doubt, a rather pathetic kind of hope.
Still, River Ross didn’t seem like the kind of man who would pretend not to know his own child. Their positions might prevent them from promising a future together, but even if he simply spent time with the child now and then… she felt she could be content with that.
Of course, there was no way to know anything for certain until the moment actually came.
‘He did say he’d make sure not to be burdened for life once a child was born…’
The moment she allowed herself to imagine such a future, an indescribable ache washed over her.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so particular when choosing a man. But that regret came far too late. She had already begun to want more than she should—without knowing her place.
They had told her her body was too weak to conceive. So she had calculated that, to even have a chance, she would need frequent, consistent s*x. She had only hoped for a partner suitable enough for that purpose. River Ross, of all people, had been more than ideal in every way.
Which made all of this pointless speculation. Even if she could go back to that day, she would still choose him.
Looking at anyone else had never been an option and falling in love with him had been unavoidable in every sense.
In the end, it was her own fault that had tilted what was meant to be a fair and equal contract. Love. If such a thing could even be called a flaw.
“Miss.”
The door opened soundlessly. Vanessa reflexively slipped the letter into a drawer. Mary crossed the room quickly with a stiff look.
“The carriage His Lordship was in just left the front gate.”
Finally.
The softness in Vanessa’s posture vanished, replaced by taut tension.
Mary reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a slender metal key. Even as Vanessa took hold of it, Mary didn’t let go right away. She spoke firmly.
“If you touch anything inside, put it back exactly as it was. When you’re done, hide the key under the porcelain opposite the study door. I’ll come later and return it to where it belongs.”
“Thank you, Mary. Truly.”
Mary’s cheeks flushed faintly for a moment before she straightened, her face turning cold again, as if she had done nothing worth gratitude. Or as if she were drawing a line.
“Remember this. Whatever happens in there has nothing to do with me.”
* * *
Last week, Wyatt had dismissed most of the servants staying in the estate.
Now, only eight people remained in the vast castle: two male servants, one maid, Mary, the cook, the butler Harold, Mr. Ross, and a single driver.
Because of that, the corridors were unnaturally quiet even in the middle of the day.
Still, Vanessa walked slowly, as though wary of unseen eyes. Every few steps, she paused and carefully scanned her surroundings, listening for any sign of movement.
“……”
After checking both directions, she hurriedly inserted the key into the study door.
Click. With a soft sound, the lock released, and the heavy wooden door seemed to draw inward on its own.
