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

My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I clutched the silk swatch in my palm, careful not to lose the hidden needle. The carriage jostled as we made our way back to our temporary lodgings, Alaric's eyes fixed on my face with concern.


"Isabella, what happened?" he asked, his voice low even though we were alone in the carriage. "Your signal was urgent."


"Not yet," I whispered, nodding subtly toward the windows. We couldn't risk being overheard until we were safely within our rooms.


The moment we stepped inside our lodgings, I drew the curtains while Alaric dismissed the servants. Cassian joined us, closing the door firmly behind him.


"Elara managed to slip me this," I said, carefully unfolding the silk swatch on the table. "There's a needle hidden inside."


Chapter 157 - The Needle and the Secret Passage