The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 357

Chapter 357: Have I Been Ungrateful To Luke?

Oriana arrived at the Ahren mansion, where the guards recognized her without hesitation. Her presence went unimpeded; after all, she was the young lad who had piqued the interest of their Crown Prince.

With determined steps, Oriana made her way to the spot where Luke had been working two months prior. Surprisingly, the place had undergone a transformation, now serving as a residence.

She couldn’t help but marvel at the extent of the change. A thought crossed her mind: had Luke, too, departed in her absence?

Just then, her eyes landed on the figure overseeing the mansion’s servants. Recognizing her instantly, the man approached Oriana with a welcoming smile.

"Orian, it’s been a while," he greeted her. "I heard from Luke that you accompanied His Highness on his journey to Othinia."

"You heard correctly," she responded politely before getting to the point. "Do you happen to know where Luke is? Has he returned to the village already?"

"Oh, your brother," the man replied. "He’s still here. After completing his work on this project, he was assigned some furniture craftsmanship in the Young Lady’s residence. You’ll find him there." With a nod, he provided Oriana with directions to the young lady’s residence.

"Thank you," Oriana acknowledged with a gracious nod and proceeded in the direction indicated.

Oriana arrived at the residence of the Young Lady of Ahrens, her gaze captivated by the splendor of the place. As she beheld the magnificent estate, she couldn’t help but mutter to herself, "It’s heartening to see that they don’t discriminate between sons and daughters in their family."

As she entered inside, she spotted Luke but in work on a finely crafted piece of furniture. He seemed deeply engrossed in his task, but when he heard footsteps approaching, he turned around only to spot a familiar beautiful face.

His hand, suspended midway through a delicate maneuver, froze as his eyes locked onto Oriana, who was steadily making her way toward him. In that moment, it felt almost surreal to him, like a dream unfolding before his eyes.

"Luke," she called out to him with cheerful enthusiasm, snapping him out of his daze.

He awkwardly averted his gaze and resumed his work, his voice tinged with surprise, "When did you return?"

"Yesterday," she replied, her tone warm and inviting, "How have you been?"

"Good," he replied tersely, still absorbed in his work.

His indifferent attitude began to irk her. "We’re meeting after such a long time, and I came here specifically to see you. Can’t you spare a moment to pay attention to me?"

Her complaint seemed to please him, though he didn’t display it on his face. "Just wait a minute," he said, finishing the task at hand before finally turning to her, "Did you eat?"

Oriana suddenly realized she had skipped lunch today, preoccupied with various matters. "I haven’t eaten."

He gestured for her to follow him, and she complied. He led her to the servant’s dining area where lunch was being served.

As they settled down to eat, Oriana shared her news, "I’ve come to let you know that I’m heading to Wimark."

"Hmm, you should. Grandpa was missing you when I visited last month," Luke responded, surprising her.

"Did you go home?" she asked, her excitement evident.

He nodded, "A week after you left for Othinia."

Her face lit up, "How’s grandpa? Is he taking his medicines on time?"

Rather than answering her immediately, Luke pushed her dish toward her, silently urging her to start eating. It was only after Oriana took a bite that he continued, "My mother is taking care of your grandpa just as you instructed."

"I’m truly grateful to your family. I must have caused you all so much trouble."

"It’s not a bother," Luke replied calmly, his attention still focused on his food.

"I know, but still... Once I bring my grandpa here to the capital, I can personally take care of him."

Luke looked at her in surprise. He had assumed she was only in capital to consult with the physician and would soon return home. Her decision to stay in the capital didn’t sit quite right with him, but as usual, he didn’t express his thoughts openly.

"Hmm," was his noncommittal response.

"I thought you might question my decision," she remarked.

"Would it make a difference?" Luke met her gaze directly.

For the first time, Oriana sensed something different in his eyes. There was an indiscernible quality to his gaze that left her intrigued. ’What’s with his gaze?’