Chapter 104: Chapter Hundred And Four

Ryan continued his search, his heart heavy with worry. He had been searching for hours, but there was no sign of Suzy.

Finally, he saw the familiar sight of the duchy carriage parked outside Madame Helena’s modiste store. He approached the carriage and climbed inside.

"Have you seen the duchess?" he asked the coachman, his voice filled with urgency.

The coachman shook his head. "She left not long ago," he replied.

Ryan cursed under his breath. He had been so close.

He got out of the carriage and walked towards the modiste store. As he entered, he saw Madame Helena behind the counter.

"Have you seen the duchess?" he asked, his voice filled with urgency.

Madame Helena shook her head. "She left not long ago," she replied.

Ryan ran his hands through his hair, scattering the perfectly styled hair, his frustration mounting. He looked like a madman, his eyes wild with worry.

Madame Helena couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. She knew how much he cared about Suzy.

"There’s one place you could try," she said, her voice filled with hope. "The cathedral bell tower. You can see the whole town from up there."

Ryan’s eyes lit up. He thanked Madame Helena and rushed out of the shop. He climbed the stairs to the top of the cathedral, his heart pounding in his chest.

———————-

Suzy still dazed started walking back to the carriage. Absentmindedly, she bumped into a young man, same age as Byron, his stacks of books falling off his hands. She apologized as she bent down to help him pick them. "I’m so sorry," she said.

"It’s okay, they are just books," he said as he chuckled. "But," he added, looking at her with concern, "are you okay? You seemed dazed."

Suzy shrugged, trying to hide her confusion. "I’m alright," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

The young man nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern. He was clearly intrigued by Suzy, and he wanted to know more about her.

"I’m Evan," he introduced himself, extending his hand.

Suzy took his hand, her eyes meeting his. "It’s nice to meet you, Evan," she replied, her voice soft.

She took a look at the books he was carrying, her eyebrows raised in amusement. "You sure love poisons," she commented, handing him the ones she had picked.

Evan chuckled, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "It’s my hobby," he replied. "I’m fascinated by them."

Suzy nodded, her curiosity piqued. "That’s interesting," she said. "I’ve never met anyone who was so interested in poisons before."

Evan smiled. "It’s a strange hobby, I know," he admitted. "But it’s something that I’ve always been passionate about."

Suzy raised an eyebrow, shifting her focus somewhere else.

"Are you from around here?" he asked, trying to extend their conversation.

Suzy nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd. She was trying to find her carriage, but she couldn’t see it anywhere.

"I’m looking for my carriage," she said, her voice laced with a hint of frustration.

The young man smiled. "I can help you with that," he said, offering to help her find her carriage.

" I wouldn’t want to bother you " she said as she quickly spotted Madame Helena’s store from a distance and the carriage parked in front. She told Evan that she was leaving.

"It was nice meeting you," Evan said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I hope we’ll meet again."

Suzy smiled, her dimples showing. "You too," she replied, her voice soft.

"Wait," Evan said, his voice filled with curiosity. "You didn’t tell me your name."

Suzy hesitated, her smile widening, her dimples poking her cheeks. "That won’t be necessary," she replied, her voice soft.

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Evan standing there, his eyes filled with amusement.

"See you soon, Cassandra," he muttered to himself, a smile playing on his lips.

———————————

From the top of the tower, Ryan had a panoramic view of the entire city. He scanned the streets, searching for any sign of Suzy. He saw people walking, talking, laughing. But there was no sign of Suzy.

Just when he was about to give up, he spotted a familiar figure. It was Suzy. He could see her auburn curly hair adorned with a hat, her purple dress and white gloves coming into focus. She seemed to be in a hurry, her movements frantic.

He watched as she removed her gloves with frustration, her mouth moving as she muttered to herself. He couldn’t make out what she was saying, but he could tell that she was upset.

A chuckle escaped his lips. He was relieved to have found her, but he was also amused by her antics.

He rushed down the bell tower, his heart filled with a mixture of relief and excitement. He couldn’t wait to see her, to hold her in his arms.

As he reached Madame Helena’s store, he saw Suzy standing outside, her face flushed with anger. She was talking to someone, her voice raised.

Ryan approached her, his heart pounding in his chest. "Duchess," he called out, his voice filled with relief.

Suzy turned, her eyes widening in surprise. She looked at him, her anger momentarily forgotten.

"Ryan," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

Ryan walked over to her, his eyes filled with love and concern. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Suzy nodded, her voice still shaky. "I’m fine," she replied, her eyes avoiding his.

Ryan reached out and took her hand. "Let’s go," he said, his voice firm.

He turned to the coachman, his eyes flashing with authority. "Take the carriage home," he ordered.

The coachman nodded, his eyes filled with fear. He knew that Ryan was in a hurry, and he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

As the coachman drove away, Ryan helped Suzy onto his horse. He mounted the horse, his heart pounding with excitement.

He took her hands and wrapped them around his waist. "Hold on tight," he said, his voice filled with anticipation.

Suzy wrapped her arms around him, her body pressed against his. She held on tight, her grip almost painful.

Ryan chuckled, a sound that was both reassuring and terrifying. He urged his horse forward, and they began to gallop through the forest.

Suzy closed her eyes, her hair whipping in the wind. She felt a sense of freedom and exhilaration that she had never experienced before.

After what felt like hours, they emerged from the forest and onto a wide, open plain. In the distance, Suzy could see a large, imposing building.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Ryan smiled. "One of my mother’s greatest treasures," he replied, his voice filled with a sense of pride.

Suzy looked ahead, her eyes wide with surprise. They had arrived at a large, imposing building. A banner above the entrance read "Duchess Leah’s Orphanage."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read