Chapter 85
It had already been fifteen days since Petios was found near a small village by the monastery.
In that time, countless doctors had come and gone from the Veloce estate. They were summoned by the Countess herself, hoping to restore Petios’s twisted, stiffened ankle and his entirely erased memory.
Despite their best efforts, Petios’s condition hadn’t improved. Recovering his lost memories proved to be particularly slow. A maid even brought in a monk reputed for spiritual healing, but the situation remained unchanged. Petios couldn’t even remember his own name.
In the end, the Count and Countess of Veloce summoned us to the estate. That’s why I was now walking through the mansion, supported by Danel’s arm.
Though they had formally requested both of us, it was clear that I was their main focus. They likely hoped that seeing me, someone who had spent the most time with Petios, might trigger his memories.
But I hadn’t expected them to insist on a private meeting.
I stole a glance at the man walking beside me. Danel’s expression was cold—almost chilling.
He’d been furious from the moment the letter from the estate arrived. He was already anxious because our child was overdue, and now they were dragging his pregnant wife there on the slim hope that their son’s memory might return.
Still, instead of lodging a formal complaint through my family, I had willingly come to the estate. I was curious about Petios’s condition… and more than anything, I wanted to walk the estate’s vast garden paths with Danel.
After all, we’d never spent much time there together.
Hearing this had soothed Danel’s anger slightly. But when the Countess asked if I could visit Petios’s room alone, his expression darkened once more. The Countess quickly withdrew her request after seeing the threatening look in his eyes.
“I said I’m fine. Why are you the one getting angry?”
“Because I tolerated it.”
I chuckled and gently patted my husband’s arm.
He wasn’t wrong. If the succession process had been completed, this situation would likely have ended in something far more drastic.
“Still, thanks to you, I avoided being alone with another man. Should I praise you for that?”
“I’d rather you scold me. Or better yet, have the Marquess accompany you instead.”
Danel frowned deeply, his elegant brow furrowing. He’d mentioned wanting to settle matters before the child was born… It seemed this situation bothered him far more than I had expected.
Since Petios’s sudden return, Danel’s succession as Count had been put on hold. The Count hesitated, torn between reinstating Petios as his heir or keeping Petios’s existence a secret and passing the title to Danel. Though Petios’s recovery seemed unlikely, the Count couldn’t easily abandon the son he’d spent decades grooming.
Overthrowing the estate now would only complicate things. Perhaps once they’d lost all hope for Petios, it might be different…
“It’ll be fine.”
My confident voice made Danel lower his gaze. He didn’t question how I could be so certain. Instead, he simply squeezed my hand tightly.
His long thumb brushed over my wedding ring—a familiar habit of his whenever we held hands.
Though we’d laid bare our deepest feelings before the burning cottage, it didn’t magically fix everything. Danel still had many concerns and struggled with lingering anxiety.
Thinking about it, it was only natural. Healing the scars of twenty-five tormented years couldn’t happen overnight. But Danel was trying—not to twist my words or doubt me anymore. He was working toward trusting that he could let go of his fears someday.
With Danel’s hand firmly in mine, we finally stood before a familiar door. A man I didn’t recognize opened it after we knocked. He must’ve been one of the newly hired doctors.
I sat in the chair beside the bed where Petios lay. His face looked better than when I last saw him, but his vacant eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
Following the doctor’s instructions, I spoke to Petios—starting with simple greetings, then recounting old memories we shared.
I talked for quite a while… but there was no response. Petios didn’t seem to recognize me.
Or rather… he acted like he didn’t.
I tried a few more prompts, but the results didn’t change. We left Petios’s room empty-handed.
The Count and Countess of Veloce were waiting in the hallway. Their faces shone with poorly hidden anticipation, hoping for good news. They must’ve come all the way here because they couldn’t contain their expectations any longer.
But Danel spoke before they could say anything.
“It was useless.”
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