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

Hours passed in tense silence. I remained by the window, watching darkness settle over the grounds, while Clara Meadows sat in a chair, fidgeting with her apron. The once-reassuring lock on my door now seemed flimsy protection against whatever my family was planning.


"Your Grace?" Clara Meadows's voice broke the silence. "Perhaps we should step outside for a moment? The air in here has grown stale."


I shook my head firmly. "We stay here until morning. The Duke will arrive soon after dawn."


Clara Meadows sighed, rising to pace the small confines of my bedroom. "I understand your caution, but I've been in this room all day. Perhaps I could fetch us some dinner? The household will be eating soon, and no one would question my presence in the kitchen."


I considered her request. My stomach had been growling for the past hour, and our small stash of bread and cheese was nearly gone.


Chapter 33 - A Father's Treachery Unveiled