Chapter 2
The police found Alden just as he finished exchanging rings
But the moment he heard my name, his lips pressed into a thin line. A flicker of irritation crossed his eyes.
By his tortual salicom. The cold elegance he always carried was softened slightly by
I
When he was told I had died, that irritation curdled into open annoyance.
He removed the gold watch from his wrist and handed it to the anxious officer. “This watch is worth a fortune. Whatever Cecilia paid you to come disrupt my wedding this should cover it.”
The officer was nearly in tears now. His voice trembled with desperation. “Your Grace, please we’re not lying. The duchess is truly dead. We need you to
Aiden was far too intelligent not to sense the truth in the man’s words.
Yet he didn’t waves. He simply dismissed the officer with a cold expression, then returned to cutting the wedding cake and greeting guests.
My body lay in the morque for a full month. During that time, Aiden never once returned home.
He spent his days with Olivia–playing music, writing poems, strolling under the stars–doing all the things I never could.
On when the court officials summoned him did Aiden finally come to retrieve my body.
But by then, the hop had done its work. After a month, my corpse had already begun to rot, crawling with maggots.
One of the officers mustered his courage and said, “Your Grace, please confirm the body.
Aiden’s face remained expressionless. “No need. Just bury her–anywhere will do.”
He turned to leave without another glance.
But just then, a breeze stirred through the morgue–gentle, but strong enough to lift the edge of the white sheet draped over my corpse.
A sliver of my li
linen gown was revealed.
Aiden paused
It was the same dress I had wom the first time we met.
Back: then, I had been fighting with my sister over a brooch, putting on a pitiful act in the street. I cried weakly as I collapsed, while my sister ended up looking like the villain.
Aiden had watched the whole scene unfold from a nearby café. I thought he would side with my sister–but instead, he said, “The world always demands women be gracious. You’re the first I’ve seen fight so fiercely for what you want.”
And you, loolding at my corpse now, he merely sneered.
“From the day you schemed your way into the Norfolk family, you should’ve known this would be y
your ending.”
Suddenly, I remembered that brouch I had stolen. The moment I returned home, Mother had snatched it from me and pinned it on my sister instead.
They said it was never something I should’ve wanted.
Just like Aiden sald. I had fought to hard for something I could never keep. And in the end, it had shattered me completely.
but he had promised he would marry me
