Chapter 15: Circumstances

Chapter 15: Circumstances

The end.

It would've been better if that was the end of our story, unfortunately it was just the beginning of our troublesome ordeal.

We were supposed to discuss our wedding, however Baron Garrows and the assassin who were caught last night by the Duke were found dead in the prison. It was assumed that they committed suicide as they were consumed with guilt. The ignorant and naive ones believed while the accomplices and the mastermind were still in the dark tiptoeing around the castle and blending within the people.

Everyone in the castle, even the cheerful Butler turned cold. It was expected that they won't accept a stranger to become their Duchess. What more of the vassals when they heard their Duke marrying a random stranger.

"I just want a simple wedding Your Excellency."

"T-that's… " he seemed so hesitant to have just a simple wedding, well maybe it's because he's the Duke so he wanted a grander wedding.

"But I also wanted to ask the Duke's opinion since we're the ones getting married." I said and his and the butler's mouth gaped open.

"J-just how you wanted it to be." He said and I heard the butler sighed. Since then various wedding designers and organizers from all over the territory visited the castle to prepare the venue, wedding gown and suit, and everything that we needed to prepare. The Duke suggested that we have the wedding 2 weeks from now for he wanted to have my wounds healed before we perform the sacred ceremony which I also agreed on.

I also received a letter from my parents and Anne saying that they were confused as to why I'm marrying the Duke of Halsted. My brothers were also causing havoc and was convincing my parents that they would sneak into this place and help me escape. They thought I was being held captive in this place so I wrote a letter to clear the misunderstanding and calm them. I know this was my fault for not informing them earlier and for leaving them in the dark. However, I don't want to cause more issues about this.

"Gray, bring this back to the merchant we met yesterday."

It was hard to communicate with my informants, especially now that I'm permanently going to stay in this estate. So I have them disguise as merchants travelling in the estate. As for Sen, all I can do was exchange letters with him and I'm planning to have one of my informants assigned to receiving the documents from him to send it to me.

"Milady." It was the cold butler who rarely even see me but now it seems like it was the Duke who ordered him to tell me something.

"Oh, Butler you're here. Did the Duke requested to see me?"

"Yes, milady, in his office."

Gray was out of the castle to run the errand I recently gave him so I'm all alone by myself.

H brought me to the Duke's office and was caught off guard when I saw that instead of him, it was his vassals and the Hamlet siblings. The Butler was also confused and surprised to see them.

"Lady Felicia, w-what is happening in here? Where is the Duke?"

"He went out to the marketplace to meet an old friend."

"Old friend? B-but the Duke… The Duke clearly instructed me to bring Lady Wescott here so what are the vassals doing here…"

"It's okay, I also wanted to meet the vassals. I knew that not everyone gave their blessings to our wedding."

"Well it's not everyone but nobody at that sort." I heard some bitch mumbling.

"But milady, the Duke clearly--"

"I sais it's fine…" I politely cut off the Butler and have him leave the office and close the door. Then I gave them all shy smile. She thought she could overpower me bringing all the vassals here and I'm all alone by myself.

Shall I just cut them all off?

We could just find another trustworthy one because just by scanning these bastards, I could definitely sense and smell the corruption brooding around them.

"Well, Lady Felicia, so to what pleasure do I owe you?"

I said and shamelessly sat on the sofa while they get to stand around me. I took the fountain pen in the center table and played it around my fingers.

"You shut up! You fooled me and everybody else in this house! You disguised as a man and seduced the Duke you filthy woman!"

"Do you have a proof for that Lady Felicia?"

She was stunned for a moment, unable to speak but she then regain her composure and glared at me.

"I can have all the maids testify on you! E-even last night, y-you called on the Duke to your room and seduced them there--"

"Oh you weren't told that someone sent an assassin to kill me?" The I heard certain gasps and rumors around them.

"That's preposterous! Who would send an assassin to harm you! For all I know you set it up so you could have the sympathy of the Duke!" One of the vassals said.

Brooke. Amsterdam. Brighton. Fauston. Preston. Hamlet. Those are the names vassals that are here today. Since they're all here let's start the checking of attendance.

"That incident with Baron Garrows, you must have been the mastermind after all. For there has been no incident like that even before you come here!"

"You could've pinned it all on him and shut him up for the rest of his life so he could not talk about it!"

"That's why I never agreed on having a stranger marry the Duke! Who knows what she might do to the estate?"

"You could've planned on robbing our estate and running off back to your house! For all we know you could've been even pretending to be a noblewoman!"

"You hypocrite woman, you think you had the whole world in your hands when the Duke smiled at you?"

"Alright, is everybody finished?"

"What? What are you saying, you crazy bitch?"

"You didn't let me even defend myself and yet you're there spouting nonsense at me--"

"What nonsense? You're the non--"

I accidentally kicked the table causing a loud slamming noise so they were all surprised and stunned to speak.

"How could a mere Baron like you interrupt me? A daughter of a Count?"

His forehead crumpled like a piece of paper. Oh how I wish I could scratch that forehead of yours with a dagger.

"What! You--"

"So you're even going to discriminate us? So what if you're a daughter of the Count?"

"Well we don't really care about ranks in here. So why would we even bother--"

"I'll take that as you disrespecting the Duke, is that it?"

"What! You're crazy!"

"Butler, can I have a tea?" I asked the silent Butler who was busy observing the situation. He seemed like he wouldn't budge an inch even if I were attacked in here but his face says the opposite. He looked at me confused and worried.

"B-but milady…"

"It's okay, I'm getting thirsty you see." I said and he sighed as he went out of the office. There I was left with the terrible scums of the earth who wouldn't think twice attacking me in groups if I don't stop provoking them. Well, can they really do that?

"So where were we?" I said and continued to play with the pen in my hands.

"You've really gone crazy! How could the Duke choose you as his wife!"

"It seems like Lady Felicia was right, it's only safe and right to assume that you seduced the Duke! The Duke wouldn't just blindly choose anyone as his wife!"

"We can't even be sure if you're really Count Wescott's daughter, can we?" I let out a low chuckle at his remark.

"Well do you have a proof that you are Baron Brooke?" There you have it.

"Outrageous! What are you even saying? Why do I need to prove my identity to you?" He was confused beyond reasonable doubt so I clapped my hands and pointed at him.

"Exactly! That is what I'm telling you. Why do I need to prove myself to you when even the Duke doesn't require me to?"

Then there was silence. They must be getting impatient and frustrated on the inside. To think that an unidentified lady was trampling them with her words alone.

"Well you know I've heard a rumor. Before the Duke arrived at Baron Garrows secret villa, they've found a ledger hidden on his office…"

Like scaredy rats being caught in the trap, they fell in silence.

"I've heard several names and some of them were familiar. Fauston. Walloughby. Preston--"

"Shut up! Now you're even making up things to set the vassals us. You really have no shame!"

Oh, the most guilty of them all reacted the way I expected her to. It must've been hard holding back, just like her brother who could only clench his fist in silence. Then the Butler came back with a tea. He was also surprised to see that the vassals were all looking on the floor, Felix clenching his fist in silence and the bitch glaring at me. I think I hit the right button though.

"Shall I continue enumerating all the names I've read on the book, Lady Felicia? Hmm come to think of it, did I see a Hamlet name on it?"

There was really no ledger of that sort. I didn't had the time to look for it but seeing their reactions, I'm planning on having Red and Fuchsia look for it, it may come handy in the future. But the by looks of it, I don't even need a ledger because they all seem guilty. To think that the Duke trusted these people, I feel sorry for him.

"Y-you shut up! Are you that jealous of me huh Lady Emily? For you to even slander me, my family who had been a long-standing ally of the Duke--"

"When did I become jealous of you, Lady Felicia? I apologize but I see and do things objectively besides you don't have anything that I should be jealous of, so why would I?"

I smirked at her and the smoke coming from her nose is already visible. Beating a bitch like you with words is nothing or is it because she's a stupid bitch who is ignorant of the world?

"Y-you! Bitch! I'm really going to kill you!"

"Go ahead." I said and welcomed her with open arms. Her face reddened and so she carried the hem of her dress and was about to hit me but the double doors swung open and a one-eyebrow man came in. He saw us in that situation, the silent vassals who lost their will to fight, Felix who must've already killed me a million times in his mind and his sister who was actually about to kill me.

"What are you doing?"

Felicia composed herself and smiled awkwardly at the Duke but I stood up and curtsied to the Duke.

"H-Hal you're here. We're just getting acquainted--"

"Getting acquainted, but you almost hit her, the Duchess of this house."

"D-duchess, b-but you're not yet married--"

"You even brought the vassals here to harass her. Do you all want to lose your necks?" There were gasps and clearing of throats. Some even awkwardly caressed their necks and fell silent.

"H-harass? No, Hal, besides we're just really getting to know the Duchess! We just can't let a stranger become your wife--"

"All of you leave." He said and I was caught off guard when his hand snaked on my waist. I saw how the vassals and even the siblings' eyes followed his hand. Felicia was about to burst again but then the vassals received a chilly glare from the Duke so they didn't have a choice.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Felicia was about to complain but her brother managed to drag her out the room. In the end, it was just the two of us in his office.

"S-sorry." That was a fast switch, from being a lion to a cub when it was just the two of us. He was about to remove his hand from my waist but he stopped when I spoke.

"What are you apologizing Your Excellency?"

"T-that… Because I touched you…"

"Then what's wrong with my fiancee touching me?" He caressed his nape as if he's too shy to say something. I urged him to sit on the sofa where I'm sitting a while ago and he put a distance between us as if he's still hesitant about us and himself.

"I j-just thought that maybe you didn't like it, me touching you." I let out a low laugh at what he said. This man really never fails to amuse me.

"But you already kissed me last night though?" His eyes widened at the sudden realization and he fell into a deep thinking. Then my eyes fell on those lips of his.

"I didn't think His Excellency could quickly change his attitude, from being a lion to a shy cub…" I just wanted to keep the conversation to continue because he seemed too shy to talk but it ended us as teasing him.

"Because you're different from them." He said as he looked at the door.

"What makes me different from them Your Excellency."

"Because you're just you unlike them who has a lot of outer sheds covering their true selves." That made me think. Am I really Emily?

"Well, am I really Lady Emily, Your Excellency? Your vassals kept on doubting my identity so I wish you could verify it…" Because I sometimes get confused about my identity. That maybe this is just a dream and the real Emily is already dead.

"What if I'm not really the Lady Emily Wescott Your--" I ceased from talking when his lips once again crashed onto mine. Because of shock, I wasn't able to close my eyes and move so he was about to end it with just a peck on my lips but it's not enough.

I wrapped my arms on his neck to deepen the kiss and so our tongues danced in an intimate way inside our mouths. While his hands were busy supporting my back and waist so I won't fall.

I didn't know how much time passed when we pulled away from each other.

"It was the same lips I've kissed that night five years ago and lips don't lie." He said as if that's the only way to verify my identity. What a unique way indeed.

I took a glance on his face up close and I noticed that he removed his mask when he kissed me so my hands gently caressed his covered cheek.

"You removed it."

"Because you might feel uncomfortable if we kissed while I'm wearing it…"

"When we get married, can Your Excellency stop wearing it?" Even though I don't want them to see his beautiful face which I only wanted for myself, I can't because I want his people to realize that he worked hard to manage and protect their territory and this scar of his is his proof. I was curious as to why he hasn't talked yet so I glanced at him and he was silently looking at me.

"Are you still doubting about us? Even when you called me Duchess a while ago." I laughed a little especially when his cheeks reddened and he looked away.

"I-it was just to announce your rights and power as the Duchess of the house. They're not allowed to look down at you." He said with a serious face.

"Because I'm going to be the Duchess?"

"Because you own the Duke." I can't help but laugh at his cringe remarks but I also can't deny the ticklish feeling I felt in my stomach when he said those words.

"Is there such a thing like that Your Excellency? I don't think such a thing existed." But he was serious when he said it and I can't help but to pull him again for a kiss. I only intended to give him a peck on the lips but he deepened the kiss causing the both of us to fall on the sofa but neither of us cared.

"You're learning to become a greedy person." I said and his forehead crumpled as if he was confused why I said it.

"Is it bad?" Like an innocent child asking his mother if what he did is bad.

"No, because it's you." I said and I could already see his eyes glistening while looking at me.

"Then can I become greedier?"

"Call me by my name Emily. It's too awkward to hear you call me Your Excellency." Well, he's right and its too long for me.

"Van, it's just right for you to become greedy, after all you're the Duke of this land." I said and with that he again crashed his lips into mine when the door suddenly opened revealing the perpetrator of it, it's none other than the crying self-proclaimed lady of the house.

"What do you think you are doing?" Van called her out with a growling voice and gave her a glare. Then I saw the butler and Bruno beside her not knowing what to do. Van stood up and I immediately fixed myself but Van's reflexes was much faster as he was able to drapped his coat on me. What was he so worried about when we just kissed?

He blocked their view on me as he stood in front of the sofa. But I managed to peep on them through a gap om his arms. Felicia was crying silently and was sending death glares at my direction. She seemed to have guessed what we were doing since she caught us in that position. But so what?

But then I was hit with the extreme pain in my head. Emily, is it you again?

Yet again, I groaned in the inexplicable pain of my head. This is yet another one of her remnants.

"I told you to stop it. I don't want any of it again! J-just leave me a-alone!" I wasn't surprised that I can speak again in one of her remnants, it was just something that I don't want to experience again. Enough of your remnants Emily! I don't want any of it!

"I-it's too painful. J-just stop it!" I just wanted to hit my head on the floor or the walls if that would make this stop. I subtly felt that my head rested on a warm,wide and firm chest and arms that are tightly holding me, seemed scared to let me fall. Who is that?

But then I was taken aback with a slap on my face. When I opened my eyes, I wasn't being carried by anyone but instead it was Felicia who was standing in front of me and the one who slapped me.

I was about to move my mouth but no sound was coming from me. Again, it was this same feeling of helplessness.

"You shameless bitch! How dare you seduce the Duke! You're such a shameless one aren't you? Why did Hal even bring you here?!"

Then I noticed that I was in the corridor of the castle and I was wearing just plain and simple brown clothes, befitting of a maid. But I was wearing a light blue dress a while ago and I was with Van but this… This seems to be true because I wasn't just a mere spectator anymore. It seemed like I went into her world. But is that even possible.

I was disrupted by a pair of hands that forcefully grabbed my hair and dragged me somewhere. This pain was too real to deny that I was just a mere spectator. But where is the Duke? I can't see him even though this is his territory.

"What you're looking for the Duke? Don't expect him from now on! He's not going to look for you anymore! Look! He's already busy preparing for our wedding!"

Then she waved her hand with a golden ring on it. I felt something crashing inside of me, it was as if the foundation I've carefully built since the day I was born was immediately destroyed by that fucking single ring. What do you want me to see Emily?

You're telling me that the Duke betrayed you? So now you want me to kill him?

I don't know what to do with you anymore! How could you do that when he was the one who rescued you from that hell!

"Now come here! The Duke will never see you again so what's the purpose of having you stay in that luxurious room anymore? I don't even want to hear the sound of your breathe anymore! You're so filthy and disgusting!"

No Emily, why would I continue to avenge you? It was not even me who experienced this! It was you! It was just a part of my previous life, you're just a part of my previous life so why would I!

Then a surge of memories from when that bastard Kingsley raped her, when her family's heads rolled on the floor because she couldn't do anything to stop it to when she suffered in the Kingsley Duchy because she's so weak and naive. But it was your fault and not mine!

'You sound like a whining kid Emily, so now you don't need my help? When I showed you a glimpse of my life so I could help you save your family and yourself? You're so selfish!'

I don't care! Just shut up! Stop this bullshit and return me to my life! Stop this you son of a bitch!

'No, I will let you feel the same suffering I've felt so you would understand me, I won't let you go back to that son of a bitch!'

You're the one to shut up!

'You're not going back to him! Not anymore Emily! We will kill him together! All of them!'

You won't have it your way Emily! You bitch!

That's when I noticed that I was able to make small movements. Then I saw that the staircase was just behind me and the bitchy Felicia still kept on harassing me and even called her maids to take me somewhere. But I took all the strength I have to misstep on the staircase. I could care less about the gasps and screams I've heard. All I wanted was to get away from this place even if I have to kill this body. Let's go to hell together Emily.