Chapter 20

The air felt so stifling it was hard to breathe. William loosened his tie and picked up the teacup from the table. Cold. His brows pulled together. "Mary, why is the tea cold?" Mary hurried over with an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, sir. Before, ma'am always took care of these things herself. Now that she… it's my fault, I overlooked it..." William waved a hand to stop her from pouring another cup. His eyes were filled with complicated emotions. So she'd been quietly looking after all his routines like that? The past three months, while Elizabeth had been locked away, William had mostly stayed out. And even when he came back, their interactions were far from pleasant. No wonder he never noticed these things. Now, only now, did it hit him—Elizabeth had already become part of his daily life in every small detail, and he was completely blind to it. He took a sip of the cold tea, and it chilled all the way down to his soul. His gaze fell on the empty vase on the table, and he casually as