My Bratty Wife
Chapter 174 - Hundred And Seventy Four

Chapter 174: Chapter Hundred And Seventy Four

Irene and Noah entered the study, their expressions attentive and respectful. Ryan turned to them, his gaze serious. "I’m taking the duchess to the outskirts of the city," he announced. "We’ll be staying there for a month. Irene, please make the necessary preparations."

Irene curtsied. "Of course, Your Grace," she replied, her voice calm and efficient.

Ryan then turned to Noah. "You’re coming too," he said, his voice firm. "For the Duchess’s protection."

Noah bowed his head. "As you wish, Your Grace," he replied, his loyalty unwavering.

"You’re both dismissed," Ryan said, his voice curt but not unkind.

They both bowed and left the study, leaving Ryan alone with Davis. Ryan turned to Davis, who stood near the door looking confused. "The box is on the other side of the desk," he instructed. "Dispose of it discreetly. Make sure no one else knows what happened here, especially Noah."

Davis looked confused. "Noah, Your Grace?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"Yes," Ryan replied. "His loyalty to Cassandra is admirable, and if he knows, she will know too and I don’t want her finding out about this. She’s still too weak to worry about such things."

"What is your plan, Your Grace?" Davis asked, his voice laced with concern.

Ryan sighed, his gaze drifting towards the window. "I’ll have to take her far away from here," he explained. "She’ll be safe there. I’ll return tomorrow and deal with this once and for all. I’ll have to find Thorne too, to speed up this investigation. The orphanage jubilee is in a month, so she can prepare there and be safe. After the jubilee, I should have brought that bastard to justice, and I’ll bring her home."

Davis nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Very well, Your Grace," he said. "I’ll see to your preparations and get the carriage ready."

"We leave once she’s awake," Ryan said, his voice firm. "Make sure everything is ready by then."

Davis bowed and left.

Ryan walked back to their room, his mind preoccupied with his plan. He couldn’t shake the feeling of doubt that gnawed at him. "Am I doing the right thing?" he wondered. "Will she actually be safe there?" He knew he had to protect her, but the deception weighed heavily on him. He turned the doorknob and entered the room, finding Suzy stretching, a clear sign she was just waking up.

"Ryan," she called out, her voice still a little sleepy. "Did you go somewhere?"

Ryan looked at her, his heart clenching. He thought to himself, "I’m definitely doing the right thing. Her safety is paramount."

He forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing. "I went to discuss our departure with Irene and Noah," he said, his voice casual.

He walked towards the bed, and Suzy sat up, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Departure?" she asked.

Ryan sat down beside her, gently caressing her face and pushing a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. "Well," he began, his voice soft, "we didn’t actually have a proper honeymoon, so I planned to create one."

Suzy looked at him, her eyes widening slightly. "Wow," she said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "That’s really surprising."

Ryan chuckled, a low, reassuring sound. "Well, I have a private chateau at the outskirts of Carleton," he explained. "We will have all the privacy we want." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Suzy’s face lit up with happiness. "But what about your investigation and my preparations for the jubilee?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. " What about Isabell? She will be lonely here."

"We’ll bring all that with us," Ryan replied, his voice confident. "We can work there, too. And for Isabella, I have a relative she will stay with till our honeymoon is over. She will be greatly cared and provided for."

Suzy looked at him, her eyes searching his. "Was this what you were planning?" she asked.

Ryan smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Did it meet your standards?" he asked playfully, picking up her hand and kissing the back of her palm.

Suzy smiled, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Yes," she replied, her voice soft. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, her happiness radiating through the room.

———————-

Ryan stood beside the carriage, his posture relaxed, but his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, his gaze finally fixed on the entrance of the castle, waiting for Suzy.

Everything was prepared for their departure. Noah and Davis were already settled inside the carriage, their presence a silent reassurance. The rain had stopped, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees lining the courtyard.

Finally, Suzy emerged, accompanied by Irene. She was dressed in a beautiful green dress, its color complementing her fair skin and Auburn hair which was pulled back into a neat low bun, secured with a delicate bow. Her hands were encased in soft white gloves, adding a touch of elegance to her attire.

As Ryan’s eyes fell upon the bow and gloves, his expression changed subtly, a flicker of unease passing across his face. He recognized them instantly; they looked like the same bow and gloves he had found in the box, the ones that had been accompanied by the threat.

Suzy, perceptive as always, noticed the slight shift in his demeanor. "Is anything wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Ryan quickly masked his unease with a warm smile. "Nothing at all, my love," he replied, his voice reassuring. He leaned forward and kissed the back of her gloved hand, his touch lingering for a moment. "Just admiring how beautiful you look." He said as he gently helped her into the carriage.

Once they were both settled inside, Ryan signaled the coachman to begin the journey. The carriage lurched forward, its wheels crunching on the gravel as it moved out of the courtyard and onto the road.

Meanwhile, a figure stood in the distance, concealed by the shadows of the curtains upstairs. They stood by the window watching the carriage depart, their gaze fixed on the receding vehicle. As the carriage disappeared from view, the figure withdrew a piece of parchment and a quill. With a swift, steady hand, they began to write, the words flowing effortlessly from the quill onto the paper. "The bird has left the cage," they wrote, their handwriting precise and deliberate.