Skylume11

*Content Introduction*

Reborn as the fiancée of a mad crown prince, destined to die a minor character’s death. Adeline finds herself entangled with a duke. She saved the injured duke, fed him, and even cherished him!

“Please help me this once. I’ll keep quiet and leave soon. Just let me stay for a bit.”

Adeline looked at him with pleading eyes.

“If you wish to stay here, there’s one way.”

The duke roughly lifted her chin. The tighter she tried to break free, the stronger his grip became.

“How about becoming my mistress?”

She was trapped.

In the clutches of Thorpeo, the even madder duke.

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*Brief Summary*

After being reborn into the world of a romance novel she had read in her previous life, Adeline realizes she is the fated fiancée of the Prince, destined to die at the age of 24. Determined to change her fate, she plans to avoid any contact with the Prince and seeks to save Duke Torpheo, whom she believes to be the real male lead of the story, based on a comment she read before dying.

Having fled an early engagement ceremony with the Prince, Adeline arrives at Duke Torpheo's mansion, where she accidentally saves him when he is severely injured and suffering from amnesia. As they live together under the same roof, their relationship becomes increasingly complex. Adeline must keep her true identity secret while confronting her genuine feelings for the Duke, despite his memory loss.

The process of caring for and pretending to be a companion to the Duke during his amnesia leads Adeline to reevaluate her plan and her true feelings for him. Living with the Duke is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for Adeline to discover herself and decide whether she can change her predetermined fate.
Reborn as the fiancée of a mad crown prince, destined to die a minor character’s death.

Trapped in the Mad Duke’s Snare

As she reached for the zipper on the back of her dress, a sharp pain shot through her palm.

It was deeper than she thought, throbbing with every slight movement.

The zipper kept slipping, frustrating her further.

The bedroom door opened behind her.

Had the Duke returned? Adeline stopped trying to unzip and turned towards the sound.

Unaware of her intention to change, the Duke entered the room and slumped onto the sofa irritably.

No words were exchanged between them.

Adeline, needing to change, found it absurd that he was occupying the sofa.

"Can you leave for a moment? I need to change."

She spoke without looking his way.

Still upset from their earlier argument, he showed no intention of moving.

Adeline's response, laced with a soft sigh, prompted the Duke to stand.

Perhaps realizing his own pettiness, he walked towards the bedroom door.

Tired from the heavy rain, she felt drained. It seemed like an unnecessary emotional toll.

While she understood his feelings, Adeline lacked the energy to explain everything in detail.

Moreover, she couldn't honestly spill everything, adding to her frustration.

Adeline struggled again to unzip her dress.

It felt like her hand could reach the zipper, but it kept slipping.

Trying too hard only aggravated her injured hand.

Emotions she had suppressed welled up.

She had lived a tough life, believing it was her fate, but now found herself in constant hardship.

Having escaped an engagement with a prince who killed his fiancées, she fled to this villa.

She had hoped that saving the Duke would also save her.

'Perhaps I shouldn't have saved the Duke.'

Her negative thoughts spiraled, quickly overwhelming her.

And that's when her eyes started to moisten.

A flat voice surprised her. Turning around, she felt the Duke's solid presence blocking her way.

He had returned, unbeknownst to her.

The Duke grabbed her wrist, pulled it down, and whispered close to her ear.

His warm fingers touched Adeline's cold neck as she was soaked in her wet dress.

"Why did you let yourself get so cold?"

His sudden touch made her shrink back.

"With your hand in that state, how did you plan to unzip this?"

He sighed and slowly began to unzip her dress.

The zipper seemed to move excruciatingly slow, revealing Adeline's pale skin as it went down her back and waist.

Then, something warm and soft touched her partially exposed shoulder.

Adeline flinched, about to turn around.

Before she could speak, the Duke leaned in, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

His hot breath brushed against her back, making her feel a warmth spreading inside.

His voice, a low growl, left her speechless.

After a moment of silence, he turned her around to face him.

His eyes caught hers immediately – the intense, blood-red irises.

Adeline instinctively stepped back, overwhelmed by the illusion of flames in his eyes.

The guilt and tension of deceiving him tangled inside her, tormenting her.

"Why are you avoiding my gaze now?"

Adeline tried to turn away, feigning ignorance.

But before she could do so, the Duke's large hand swiftly reached out, grasping both of Adeline's cheeks.

His voice, low and resonating near her ear, accompanied his face drawing closer.

Search "trapped in" at "redcatty . com" to read ahead chapters.

Chap 19