Cameron_Rose_8326

Delia's life was a cruel reality: the neglected and abused illegitimate daughter of a noble family, the Ellington family,  she yearned for the love of her stepmother, Baroness Augusta, and younger sister, Lady Anne, who relentlessly mistreated her. 

Her world crumbled when she discovered a double betrayal: her beloved husband, Lord George had secretly pined for Anne, marrying Delia only to be near her sister. Simultaneously, her step mother framed her for a crime Anne committed. 

Overwhelmed and heartbroken, Delia's attempt to escape a death sentence led to a fatal carriage accident.

But death was not the end. Delia awoke one year in the past, finding herself still engaged to George. This was her second chance, and the naive girl was gone, replaced by a woman consumed by a burning desire for revenge. Her first target: Duke Eric Carson, the powerful and wealthy man her sister Anne desperately pursued.

Delia boldly approached Eric with a proposition for a contract marriage. To her surprise, Eric agreed, but with a condition: their fake marriage would become real and they can go their separate way after a year, hiding his own secret agenda. Now, armed with Eric's unexpected devotion and his willingness to lay down his life for her, Delia meticulously begins to dismantle her family's world. With Eric's help, she exposes the secrets they hide, manipulates their desires, and turns them against each other, orchestrating George’s demotion, Anne's downfall and seizing everything her sister coveted, including Duke Eric love and obsession.

Will Delia and Eric be able to conquer all odds to get what they want? What happens when Eric doesn’t want their contract marriage to end? What happens when the last petal that indicates her second chance falls?

———————
EXCPRET 


“I can’t return your feelings, your grace,” Delia whispered, her back against the cool wall.

“But I can,” Eric murmured, stepping closer.

Delia’s voice trembled. “It’s not the same.” She choked out. “ No one can love me without hurting me.”

“Then teach me,” he said, his breath warm on her cheek. “Teach me how to love you the way you deserve to be loved. I’m a quick study.”

When she stayed silent, he sighed contentedly, a soft smile playing on his lips.

 “It’s alright. Just… use me. Anything you need. if you want money, ask the treasury, take as much money that’s needed. if you want power, use my name. if you want security and love, use my body.”

 His breath warmed her skin, his chest rose and fell with hers. "As long as it's from you, I'm happy."

Reborn: The Duke’s Obsession

Those four simple words echoed through the sunlit kitchen, hanging in the silence between them. They were an answer that explained everything and nothing at all.

"What?" Delia asked, her voice barely audible, certain she must have misheard him. Was he admitting to feelings that went beyond their deal?

Eric's serious expression suddenly broke, and a charming, teasing smile took its place. He picked up his spoon again. "You asked me why I'm doing all of this for you," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, it's because I want to. To cook, that is." He gestured with his head towards the stove. "It's been a while since I've had the chance to cook for someone else."

Delia felt a strange mixture of disappointment and relief. He was deflecting, keeping her at a distance, but also easing the sudden, intense pressure that had filled the room. She let out a small, pretentious smile of her own, playing along with his game.

Chapter Twenty Eight