Chapter
their
cyes, I had handed them a
Aiden was swamped. The enemies of Adien in the kingdom who had once disapproved of me now saw me in a new light. In t knude with which to stab him.
But Alden was Aiden. He was irreplaceable.
No matter how many reports were filed against him, it was useless. The king merely doclord his pay for a few months as punishment. After all, I
I was too insignificant.
My death only kept him from visiting the villa outside the city. He returned to Norfolk Manor instead
This was his first time back since I died.
few maids remained at Norfolk
The manor had always been quiet, His mother, Ashley, had long been moved to the villa. Usually, besides me, only a few Manor.
Yet today, a poet–like man was blocking the manor gates.
He kept knocking, but no one answered.
When he saw Aiden, he rushed over like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline
“Sir, are you from Norfolk Manor? Could you please check if Mrs. Norfolk is all right? I haven’t seen her in so long, I fear something terrible may have happened.*
Aiden stared at him blankly until the band fell silent and stood awitwardly to the side.
“Cecilia is dead,” Aiden said coldly.
The bard turned pale as a sheet. He murmured, “I knew this day would come…”
“You knew Cecile would die Aiden frowned
The bard wiped the comer of his eye. “Anyone who went through what she did wouldn’t survive,”
Angor Hashed in Aiden’s eyes. “She was the illegitimate daughter of a merchant and became a duchess. What more did she want? If she hadn’t been so grody, she wouldn’t have ended up like this.”
Understanding flickered in the bard’s s eyes. “So you are the Duke, Alden Norfolk?
Aides didn’t answer, but the hard already knew
e pulled a few shots of this paper from his coat and handed them to Alden.
“Madam couldn’t read. She ceased me on the street to write letters for you. But none were ever sent.”
If you have time, read them. I have more”
Alden said nothing. After the land left, he went to my room.
No co had oproed the door since my death.
Sexing the layer of dust on the desk, Aden frowned and called a maid to ask why it hadn’t been cleaned.
Terrified, the maid dropped to her knees and began knocking her head against the floor, “Your Grace, I didn’t mean to neglect it. I was just afraid… straid that the lady’s vengeful spirit would come for ne
“Vengeful spirit?” Alden suddenly laughed. “What does Cecilia have to be vengeful about?”
The meld stammered, unable to respond. Alden ribbed his temples and waved her away.
He looked at the delicate colle cup on the table, then, as it compelled, unfolded the bard’s letter,
There was only tine sentence “Alden, do you know what becomes of a young lady alter she is jilted?”
Aiden didn’t know. He didn’t want to know
He crumpled the letter and tossed it aside with a low laugh. “Cecilia, you’re dead. What good is playing the victim now?
But as he looked out at the moonlight beyond the window, his lips pressed into a thin line.
A lood of memories he had ignored for too long surged to the surface.
Books
Suddenly, he stood and rode hard all the way back to the villa
It was late. The lights in the villa were st
Aiden pushed open the door. Ashley, who had never believed in ghosts or pods, was holding a cros beside her, quietly attending
They had often done this since my death,
and praying devoutly, while the pregnant Olivia stood
Aiden’s face darkened, his eyes shadowed with an unreadable expression. He said nothing as he entered the study.
The letter in his pocket had long since been wrinkled by his coat, a sign of how little he cared about it.
And yet, now his hands trembled as he slowly unfolded it.
It read. “Aiden, Ashley said you wanted my heart’s blood to cure Olivia, because our child frightened her. I know this wasn’t your idea. Such crude methods aren’t your style.”
Ashley and Olivia want me gone. I can see that. I tried to hide, but I couldn’t escape. They had someone force open my clothes and pierce my chest with a long needle, drawing out a small cup of blood. It hurt.”
“You always cared for Olivia. If you knew how they treated me, would you feel sorry for me too?”
From that day on, my body broke down. I couldn’t withstand wind or rain. Even the slightest chill would make me seriously ill
Ashley and Olivia didn’t dare go too far, but they wanted me dead. So they switched to drawing blood from my wrist every fortnight.
The doctor said after the last time that I wouldn’t survive the month.”
Alden stared at the letter for a long, long time–until Olivia helped Ashley into the room and asked what had happened.
Aiden suddenly looked up, his voice rough and distant.
He asked, “Did you ask Cecilia for her heart’s blood?”
