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

The ancient library smelled of dust and forgotten whispers. Sunlight streamed through tall, narrow windows, catching motes of dust that danced like tiny stars. I ran my fingers along cracked leather spines, feeling the weight of centuries beneath my touch. As Royal Historian to King Edmund IV, descendant of the legendary King Theron Valerius, I had access to archives most scholars could only dream of.


But today, I wasn't researching royal succession or diplomatic treaties. My quarry was more elusive – the truth behind the tale of the "Monster Duke" and his "Masked Duchess."


"Miss Bennett? I've brought those county records you requested." 


I turned to see my assistant, Thomas, struggling under the weight of a wooden box filled with scrolls and bound ledgers.


"Thank you. Just set them there." I pointed to the already cluttered table where my research had exploded across the surface. Maps, letters, and sketches littered every available inch.


Chapter 167 - The Historian's Scroll