NA

my clothes, and the memory of those hulking men loomed large. Yet, a sliver of amusement bubbled up through

ted, the question echo

ver down my spine. "Someone who fancies h

le tugging at the corner of my lips. "

t made my stomach do a nervous flip. "But a gam

unspoken meaning. This stranger, whoever he was, ha

inadequate but sincere. "You hav

me for a moment. "Actually,

eping up my neck. This was madness. Here I was, a woman on the run from a future filled with

eye contact, "I appreciate the rescue, truly.

oss his face. "Let's just say... I know wh

id he know about Spencer? About the

ave me?" I asked, my

e carefully neutral. "But ult

like a gamble even riskier than the one at the tavern. Yet, the alternative – returning

n my mouth. "I'll trust you. But for now, let's just focu

rners of his eyes and made him look less like a mysterio

g. "But there's one thing you should know. This whole fut

aution in my chest. "Co

dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "that thi

roat. The air crackled wi

aged, my voice bar

's just say, if you keep looking at me l

g up inside me. "Oh, please," I scoffed, trying to sound nonchalant.

yful smirk on his lips. "Is

aybe," I mumbled, un

ughed, a rich, infectious sou

ing his head, "is goi

e was a flicker of hope, a spark of something new, all thanks t

*

gh my already churning stomach. Beside me, Adrian, my newly minted husband (courtesy

ueezing my hand. "They'l

din of the carriage wheels. "Adrian, this is the Duke and D

ight shout. They might throw a tantrum. But trust me, they won't disinherit t

ising an eyebrow. "You do realize we'v

rience," he countered, a playful glint in his eyes. "That pr

for the second time, only this time, instead of the brooding and frankly, dull Spencer, I had chosen a

ity. The imposing oak doors of the Duke's mansion loome

urance. Taking a deep breath, I squared m

hed marble floor. A tense silence hung in the air, broken only by the staccato tick

nal

stark contrast to the pale white walls. Her usually carefully styled raven hair was a mess

voice cracking under the

ed, her voice echoing through the vast hall. "Who is

s chest and took a step forward. "Actu

mother's eyes widened, then narrow

I mumbled, feeling the

ad materialized beside my mother, his face an even

d, his voice booming through the hall. "Ann

Father," I pleaded.

hat what you call defying your parents for the second time? First, that

" I interjected, my voice gaini

ce, Duchess," he began, his voice surprisingly calm. "I understand your conc

ood intentions! We need a proper husband for ou

with icy venom, "that someone doesn't include a c

ily shaken. "The future?" my father bo

I interjected quickly, before this

back and forth, voices growing louder and more strained. Adrian, bles

slammed my fist on the table. The

ave not agreed with my relationship with spencer and that made yo