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

Silas Blackwood's sudden appearance made my blood run cold. It was impossible. He was supposed to be imprisoned, awaiting trial for his heinous crimes. Yet here he stood, looking as composed and dangerous as ever, flanked by armed men and wearing that infuriating smirk.


"Surprised to see me, Your Grace?" Silas asked, his pistol trained on Alaric. "I do so enjoy making dramatic entrances."


Alaric's posture shifted, his body coiled with tension. "Blackwood. I should have ensured you never saw daylight again."


"Yes, you really should have." Silas stepped further into the room, his eyes briefly flickering to me with a hunger that made my skin crawl. "Prison walls are surprisingly permeable when you have the right connections and sufficient funds."


Behind Silas, I noticed Julian Vale stirring on the ground. He wasn't as incapacitated as he'd appeared. My heart sank further.


"How—" I began, but Silas cut me off.


Chapter 160 - An Alliance of Villains, A Crushing Blow