Amor Vincit Omnia (✓)

♕ Chapter 4

Like an unrecognizable shadow, John slipped through the door of the kitchen and greeted Freya, who smiled tenderly at the sight of his trembling arms holding a pile of documents. She approached him and extended her arm, reaching for half of the papers to ease John's burden.

"Thank you, milady."

Freya nodded, her eyes inquiring about the content of the documents. Noticing her curiosity, John answered knowingly. "These are files for your social and philanthropic activities. Each page contains basic information about individuals' issues and suggestions regarding methods of help."

"How were these people chosen?"

"Most of them simply completed a form."

Freya frowned, her forehead creasing pensively. "People who need help the most rarely ask for it. That means a lot of the people to whom you are referring are taking advantage of our availability to aid them."

John handed her a glass of water as she licked her lips. It was not thirst, but contempt, and Freya thanked him nonetheless.

"Your assumptions are correct..." The butler continued. "... but I have no right to intervene in the Duke's decisions. He is the one whose approval is needed."

Freya snarled disdainfully, the grip on her glass tightening. Damn that self-absorbed arsehole! She inwardly groaned, conscious of Julian's ability to twist her nerves and push her over the edge. Such a terrible effect should not have existed, but unfortunately, it did, increasing every time he revealed his possessiveness.

"If I am to deal with this issues, I believe I also have a freedom of choice. Therefore, it will be me who decides the veracity of the files."

"Oh, milady, how much I would like for my grand-daughter to behave like you when she grows up." A contemplative mood settled in, making Freya see the loving grandfather underneath all those layers of submission.

Realization hit her with an intensity that almost overthrown her. John had not seen his niece for a while. How long ago? She wondered, extending her thoughts as a meaningful question.

"Two years."

"Please tell me it is not milord's fault." She pleaded, already foreshadowing his answer.

He nodded, trying to defend his master, even though the grief in his eyes did not match his words. Freya closed the gap between them, lacing her hands around John's neck. Surprised, more like astonished, the butler tried to undo her hug, thinking of the impropriety of her action. Freya, however, could not care less about the social standards. He was a man who has been suffering from a heart-breaking yearning and she was simply someone longing to help him.

Realizing milady's grip will not loosen up anytime soon, he succumbed into her arms, damping her attire with grievous tears. She patted his back, compiling every possibility of reuniting him with his family. When his tears dried and his cries turned silent, he stared deeply into her eyes, gratitude filling his commonly-almond orbs. Silence still casting a shadow over him, Freya decided to speak up, as the lack of conversation was quite uncomfortable.

"I would like to come with you to visit your grand-daughter. It is only seven P.M. and I reckon there is not going to be much traffic."

John sniffed and wiped his nose with the hem of his shirt, a quite impolite gesture, however Freya thought of it as completely insignificant. She waited for him to respond, but no words escaped his whimpering mouth. He was in a state of awe that Freya mildly comprehended, blaming her sudden empathy for such a mute attitude. After a couple seconds of utter silence, John finally answered her proposal.