RedBedSheets

Isabelle wanted freedom. For herself and for her sister, but when the duke falls ill everything starts to change.

She finds herself walking towards a dangerous relationship with the heir to the dukedom and her tormentor. 

“You really think you can leave me? After all this time? I think not”, a smirk that looked so cruel and made my insides feel utterly helpless appeared across his face.

“What if I pay you?” I said after a moment of silence. Hoping I still had chance.

He laughed at my words. A cold and humourless laugh.

“You couldn’t afford the price I’ve put on your head in this lifetime or the next”, I felt the futility beating me down, but I stayed strong. I was trained to deal with such emotions.

“How much”, my lips quivered ever so slightly, betraying the confidence I tried to ooze, yet failing so miserably.

“1 trillion”.

Isabelle and her sister Angela had only known the Gold dukedom growing up. Their mother had worked there and when she passed the girls became the dukedom's legal property and were also raised as maids. The duchess, a close friend of their mother, showered them with affection and allowed them to be sort of pen pals for her young son.

But when she had passed, the girls were left at the duke's mercy and he disliked their relationship with his son and so forbade them from ever speaking to him. From then on, the two made it their goal to escape the dukedom however, life had other plans.

Warning: This is a dark-themed yandere love story. Read at your own risk.

Completed

The Duke’s Beloved Pawn

His face neared mine and the shadow of him blocking out all light, while those red eyes still shone along with the heaviness of his words made me recall something I hadn't recalled in a long time. Something almost suppressed in my head.


The stench of rubbing alcohol. The ironic sunshine bursting in the room and the blooming flowers in the window. 


As we clung to each other, my arms wrapped around that shaking body. The hair that spilled onto my shoulder as tears stained the fabric of it. 


The pain that made it so difficult to open our eyes when the doctor covered her face. His gaze solemn as he looked down. Her blue eyes no longer shone with that dimming light. The smile that we'd never see again.


At that moment, I had decided that I would protect this motherless boy in my arms. I promised his mother that I'd take care of him and I'd promised the boy himself. And I had every intention on doing that when he poured his eyes out on my shoulders.


What I hadn't realised at that moment, was that the boys fathers hands were open mid way when the boy had rushed to me. That they stayed like that as they watched the scene of us hugging. And that, that hug would be the last.


I didn't realise that the duke had awaited his son. I didn't care. The duchess had died. That was all that mattered to me.


I hadn't even thought of what would happen when the only person who tried to protect us was gone.


The memory dissolved as I felt the skin of my neck be exposed to cold air and realised that he had unbuttoned my dress. 


Normally, a woman would scream. She would try to escape.


But I was a slave. And he was my master… could I escape if he were to…


But when he stared at the skin of my neck for longer than… well long enough for me to think he had no interest in continuing I looked to him. His gaze wasn't on my face, but rather on my neck.


His hand brushed behind my neck, moving my hair out of the way as I flinched at the contact of skin. I realised what he was staring at.


The chain that dangled around my neck. The jewel that still glittered as brightly and held an uncanny resemblance to his eyes. My gift from the duchess. The last gift.


He stared at it for a while, before he reached and touched the jewel. His thumb brushing on its finely crafted surface. Whoever had made it, made with great care.


"You… still wear this?" He looked to me. His gaze almost fond?


"I-… I do. Your mother gave it to me on my birthday", I was worried he might think it were stolen. But to my surprise he didn't.


"I know. I was there", he lifted it to his face and stared down at me, "does it still resemble my eyes, Bella?" My face burned at his words.


I recalled the way I had once held it to his eyes and said those words with delighted innocence.


"They match Cains eyes! They're so pretty!" 


That was a long time ago. A very long time ago.


"Do you still find them pretty?" He leaned closer with a smirk.


I stared at him. Feeling myself squirm, but I answered honestly.


When I said those words, a still air could be felt between us. As if the atmosphere around us had changed. The young masters smirk was still, in a stunned way and he cliched his tongue as if he was displeased with my answer.


"Boring". He signalled for the coachman to head off and looked back to me. His eyes looked to my bare shoulder and snapped, "how long do you plan on exposing yourself like that?"


I started buttoning up immediately at his words in embarrassment.


"There's no point in marking you when your already so bruised up", he muttered. His voice sounded annoyed and bitter, but thankfully the sound of the horses drowned him out and gave me something to distract myself with.


The ride back was suffocating to say the least.


Chapter 17