Memory of the Heart

Chapter 37: Grief

"Hey, do you think the Duke is mad at me?"

With Max's question, Dalena turned to him in somewhat a stiff expression.

"He's kind of hostile to me now. Doesn't even smile to me and stuff." he continued.

"I see..." Dalena answered, trying to avoid Max's questioning gaze.

Max put his fingers over his chin, acting out as if he was trying to think very deeply.

"Hmm... But what did I do? Could it be because I talk to you sometimes and he became jealous?" Max blurted out.

Max looked at Dalena suspiciously but awkwardly, she just smiled at him as a response.

'He's not a petty person. Why would he get jealous?' was what Dalena wanted to say, but she knew in her heart that it was wrong. The Duke is a petty person and he did get jealous over Max.

Seeing Dalena's reactions, Max snorted and let out a loud laughter.

"It's okay, Dalena. It's an open secret. Everyone knows His Grace has a thing for you. But it's funny if he's jealous of me though. If he only knew that I could do him but would never do you. I like rods and would never like coochies." Max said in a rather vulgar tone.

Hearing Max's words, Dalena's face instantly flushed due to embarrassment.

She had no idea that almost everyone in the estate knew there was something going on between her and the Duke! Will they really think that she's some gold-digger who seduced him?

With that thought, Dalena bit her lips and tried her best to not listen to Max's ramblings.

Little did Dalena know though, because of the Duke actively protecting her now and warning his employees, no one has dared to say anything bad about her or mention her's and Luke's relationship.

"So that's why you let me down when I asked you for lunch, hmmp! You knew how badly I needed a company just so my grandfather would shut up about me finding a girlfriend. Why can't they just accept me for who I am? I hope they stop insisting my preference for me. It's all a load of-"

Out of the sudden though, Max stopped talking when he saw a figure walking behind him and Dalena.

Quickly, Max moved away from Dalena.

"Oops. I better go now. See ya later, Dal." he quickly said before jogging towards the horse-riding track to watch over Little George quickly.

At the sight of Max running funnily, Dalena could not help but laugh at him. She had knew of Max's situation even before, but she purposely misled the Duke during their confrontation as a little revenge for all the teasings that Duke has been giving to her.

'Ha... Max is just too funny. If only His Grace knew that he'd be more like Max's type.' Dalena mused.

She still had her smile on upon finally turning to Luke who was next to her. However, Dalena raised her eyebrows upon sensing that Luke was somewhat different today.

His eyes were somewhat drooped and he wasn't even smiling at Dalena. It was not like he's irritated either.

Somehow, he seems to be very melancholy today.

Why did he not even greet Dalena like he usually does?

Sensing the Duke's unusual aura today, Dalena took the initiative to talk to him first.

"Is there something wrong? Why do you look sad?" Dalena said in a relaxed tone.

Upon hearing Dalena's voice, Luke finally smiled and looked at her. The more he gazed at her, the more Dalena felt that he was getting more sentimental.