Duke sees his mother but she says it's late so they will speak tomorrow. At dinner The Duke's mother explains that with their father terminally ill they must decide on the family heir and gives Duke until spring to break his curse.
Cuff asks Duke to teach her to read and write to impress Zain. During a snowstorm Alice reminisces about her first time at the mansion when Duke was younger.
Alice dreams about her mother, Sharon, maid to Duke's mother when Duke was young. Alice is troubled Duke may be forced to choose between her or his family one day.
As a child, Duke was cursed by a witch to "take the life of anything he touches". As a result, he was forced to live in solitude, away from his family. His maid, Alice, harasses him every single day.