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

I ran blindly down the road, each step on my injured ankle sending jolts of pain through my body. The cool night air stung my exposed face, a sensation I hadn't felt in years. Without my mask, I felt naked, vulnerable—but I couldn't stop. Freedom lay ahead, if only I could reach it.


"Miss Isabella!" Jasper's voice boomed behind me. "Stop this foolishness and return to your father!"


I ignored him, pushing my body harder despite the throbbing pain. The loose gravel bit into my bare feet, but the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the terror of what awaited if I were caught.


The distant sound of carriage wheels grew louder, approaching from the wrong direction—not from Thorne Manor, but from the main road. My heart sank. Who would be visiting at this hour? More of my father's conspirators?


Chapter 34 - Rescued from a Dark Fate