Violet_167

Isabella Beaumont figured she was making a smart, if desperate, trade: her freedom in exchange for marrying the dreaded Duke Alaric Thorne. 
Sure, the guy had a reputation darker than a moonless night, whispered about in every corner of the kingdom, but it was just a contract, right? A way to escape a brutal past that had literally left its mark on her face. 
She wasn’t expecting warmth, and definitely not passion. But then Alaric, this formidable, feared man, starts acting… protective. His unexpected kindness will make her want to throw away her protective mask and actually fall for the man who was supposed to be just her ticket to freedom. 
Just as Isabella starts believing she might actually deserve happiness, everything begins falling apart around them.
With the villains on the loose, old wounds being ripped open, and everyone’s true colors showing, is this sudden, fierce love strong enough to survive the storm? Or will the darkness from their pasts and the deadly games shatter everything they’re starting to build?

The Masked Duchess

Clara Meadows stood outside the Duchess's chamber door, her hands trembling slightly as she smoothed down her freshly pressed apron. My throat felt dry as I gathered the courage to knock. Working for the new Duchess meant dealing with the woman everyone in town whispered about—the cursed lady who hid her face behind a mask. The rumors about what lay beneath that mask had kept me awake half the night.


"Enter," called a clear voice from within.


I pushed open the door and stepped inside, keeping my eyes lowered respectfully. "Good morning, my lady. I'm Clara Meadows, assigned as your new lady's maid."


"Good morning, Clara Meadows," the Duchess replied, her voice pleasant but firm. "Is there a reason you've addressed me incorrectly?"


My head snapped up in alarm, meeting the gaze of the masked woman sitting by the window. Despite the mask covering half her face, I could see she was studying me intently.


Chapter 31 - A Maid's Fear, A Duchess's Test