Inside the mansion, the celebration was still in full swing. Music filled the hall while nobles laughed, danced, and moved between tables. Yet Maya could barely enjoy any of it. Her eyes kept drifting toward Jasmine and Duncan, and every time she saw them together, something unpleasant tightened in her chest.
She quickly looked away, pretending she hadn't noticed.
Nathaniel, meanwhile, had begun wincing every few minutes. Jasmine noticed almost immediately.
"Your hand is bothering you again, isn't it?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Nathaniel replied.
"You're terrible at lying. Come with me."
She led him toward the guest room to tend to his injury, leaving Maya and Duncan alone at the table.
Duncan glanced at her and smiled. "So... you really like Nathaniel?" He teased
Maya frowned. "Why are you asking?"
"I didn't say anything bad." He laughed softly.
"I do enjoy his company."
"Enjoy?" Duncan repeated, amused. "That's a strong word for someone that calls you his wife."
Maya rolled her eyes. "Well, that's how I feel."
"I'm happy for you," Duncan said, his expression becoming more sincere. He reached across the table and took her hand. "He loves you, Maya. Don't let him down."
"I won't," Maya replied, trying to hide the irritation rising inside her.
Duncan studied her for a moment before his usual playful smile returned.
"You know, I actually thought you'd never get over me. Now that you have, I'm beginning to feel a little jealous."
Maya stared at him in disbelief. "Here you go again."
"What?"
"If you had actually married me, I would probably have a child by now instead of sitting here discussing another man with you."
Duncan's smile disappeared. "We both know that wasn't going to happen."
"Why?" Maya asked quietly. "I thought you loved me."
Duncan said nothing.
She pulled her hand away.
"What was it, Duncan? I loved you. I waited for you. I gave you years of my life. Why didn't you marry me?"
Duncan looked at her for a long moment before answering. "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I cared about you. I still do. But whatever we had... it was never enough for marriage. Perhaps we were better as friends."
Maya's eyes glistened. "So I wasted my time."
"That's not what I meant."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Duncan immediately reached for a handkerchief and gently wiped it away.
"Hey. Don't cry."
"I'm fine."
"You aren't."
She took the handkerchief from him.
"Especially not here," Duncan added quietly. "Nathaniel is around. Don't let him see you like this."
Maya looked at him sharply. "Why?"
"Because you don't need another problem tonight."
Before she could respond, footsteps approached.
Nathaniel returned, his gaze immediately settled on Maya.
"Are you crying?"
Maya quickly wiped beneath her eyes. "No. It's the makeup."
Nathaniel didn't look convinced. He sat beside her and gently took the handkerchief from her fingers.
"Let me see."
"It's already gone." She opened her eyes and forced a smile. "See? Nothing."
Nathaniel studied her face, then slowly looked at the handkerchief, and his expression changed. The faint scent of Duncan's cologne lingered on it.
Nathaniel's eyes moved toward Duncan. Duncan noticed, for a few seconds, that neither men spoke.
The atmosphere around the table seemed to change completely. Nathaniel finally returned the handkerchief to Duncan.
"Here."
Duncan took it without breaking eye contact, "Thank you."
Jasmine soon returned and sat beside Duncan, completely unaware of the tension that had just passed between the two men.
The rest of the celebration continued, but the warmth around their table was gone.
By the time the party ended, everyone returned to their respective homes.
_____
Nathaniel sat alone on the couch, staring into the darkness.
Duncan had held Maya's hand, Maya had cried, and Duncan had been the one to wipe her tears.
His jaw tightened.
"I hope you're not trying to take Maya from me," he muttered.
The thought irritated him more than he wanted to admit.
Just then, Jasmine walked in, "You look troubled."
"It's nothing."
"That face says otherwise."
Nathaniel sighed, "It's Duncan."
"Oh." Jasmine smiled. "I have to admit, he's more handsome than I expected."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes.
"I'm beginning to like him. He's a little like you, actually."
"That's enough."
"Although you're definitely more handsome."
She laughed, but Nathaniel didn't.
Jasmine's smile faded, "You really don't like him, do you?"
"There's something about him."
"What?"
"I don't know. Whenever I'm around him, I feel like he's watching me, judging me. And today..." He paused. "He made Maya cry."
Jasmine frowned, "Maybe they were simply talking about their past."
"I saw her crying."
"And you don't know why."
Nathaniel stood, "I'll find out."
"Don't."
He turned toward her, "Why?"
"Because they're old friends. Whatever happened between them may have nothing to do with you."
Nathaniel's expression hardened, "I saw it with my own eyes, Jasmine."
"And what exactly are you going to do about it?"
He didn't answer.
Jasmine sighed, "Do you know remembered what happened last time?" she asked quietly..
Nathaniel's expression changed.
Jasmine held his gaze. "Just marry Maya and leave Duncan alone."
Nathaniel stared at her, "You're making it sound simple."
"Perhaps it is."
She walked away, leaving Nathaniel standing there in silence. He eventually retired for the night, but sleep didn't come easily.
_____
Across the city, Maya barely spoke to her family when she returned home. She went straight to her room and dismissed her maids until she was alone.
As she soaked in the bath, her mind returned to the evening.
Duncan holding her hand.
Nathaniel's expression.
The way his eyes had changed when he looked at Duncan. She had never seen that side of him before.
"Who knew those green eyes could look like that?" she whispered.
Then his words came back to her.
"Being angry doesn't give you the right to put your hands on a woman."
Maya slowly lowered herself into the water. Would Nathaniel become that angry with her one day? She immediately shook the thought away.
"No. I'm overthinking."
But the question remained.
What kind of man was Nathaniel when his temper truly got the better of him?
_____
Later that night, Duncan stood before the mirror after his bath, drying his hair.
His thoughts returned to Nathaniel. Those green eyes had looked different tonight.
Not playful.
Not amused.
Angry.
Duncan frowned. Then, his mind drifted back to the tavern.
"Could Nathaniel really have poisoned me?"
He shook his head.
"If he wanted me dead, why would he save a woman without hesitation?"
He remembered how quickly Nathaniel had reacted when Maya was pushed. There had been no hesitation, no calculation. Just pure anger.
"He respects women, at least." Duncan sighed. "Perhaps I've been too harsh on him."
He walked toward his bed and lay back against the pillow.
Then Maya's words returned to him. "I thought you loved me."
Duncan stared at the ceiling, after everything, perhaps Maya really was better off with Nathaniel.
At least, he hoped she was.