August studied the charcoal sketch his close confidant had presented to him, his eyes tracing the delicate lines of Eilika's face with growing suspicion.
"Damian actually married her?" August demanded with disbelief.
"He did, my lord," Eliseo replied. "She is the daughter of a merchant currently drowning in debt. In high society, she was a pariah; no one was willing to court a woman in her position."
"And yet, Damian conceded," August mused. "Uncover exactly what she is capable of and why he deigned to give her a wedding. I assumed Liliana's death would have been enough to break him, to put him in his rightful place. It seems I miscalculated."
"My lord, I have already compiled a dossier on Duchess Eilika," Eliseo replied, stepping forward. "The rumors suggest the Dowager Duchess handpicked her specifically for her nature. It was not about pedigree; it was about her genuine warmth toward the children."
