Duchess Not By Choice

3

Happy new year!!!

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It was Alexandria and Ivy's birthday. They were each in their room getting ready. They were both wearing the same yellow dress.

The maids finished getting Dria ready. Now, Dria and Knight Ian, her guard, were making their way to Ivy's room. Ivy and her were going to go to the party together. They got there just in time to see Ivy coming out of her room with Knight Max, her guard. She smiled upon seeing Dria.

"Alex!" She shouted excitedly, running to her. Dria met her halfway. They hugged each other.

"Happy Birthday, Alex!" Ivy said happily as she released the hug.

"Happy birthday to you too, Ivy," Dria replied just as happily. Then, she held Ivy's and they began making their way to the ballroom, where their party was being held. A guard was standing outside the ballroom. When he saw the girls approaching, he ran inside, probably to announce their arrival.

"Lady Alexandria Ruby La'more and Lady Ivy La'more have arrived!" They heard him shout in the room. The girls stopped at the room as Ian and Max opened the door for them. They stepped into the room and was hit with happy birthdays

"Happy birthday!" Everyone in the room shouted. Everyone in the empire, including the villagers, was invited every year to celebrate the ladies' birthday. They walked farther into the room, smiling at everyone, who approached with wishes of happy birthday.

"Happy birthday, sweetie," Ivy's mother and father said to their daughter, who let go of Dria's hand to hug her mother. Dria watched the mother and daughter moment with a sad expression. She was missing her mother that she never got to meet. She looked away from the happy moment and started looking for her father, who she can't seem to find. 

"Happy birthday to you as well, Alexandria," Ivy's mother said to her. Dria turned to her with a smile.

"Thank you, Auntie Vetta," she replied as she continued looking for her father with her eyes. Theo noticed and sadly looked at her, which was fake as he remembered what his brother told a few days ago.

Flashback

Theo was in his brother's room as he brought the medicine soup to him. Once his brother drank the soup, he took the bowl from him. His brother looked at him with a sad expression.

"Theo, can you promise me something?" The Duke asked, weakly.

"What?" Theo replied.

"Can you promise me that you will look after and take care of Dria once I'm gone?" The Duke said, weakly. He knew that he wasn't going to last long, and he needed to have his daughter taken care of once he was gone.

"Don't worry, Lix. I promise," Theo lied.

"Thank you," Felix smiled, knowing his daughter will be taken care of once he left this earth. Theo returned the smile with a fake one.

End of Flashback

"I will take care of her brother, but she won't be getting special treatment," Theo thought to himself.

"Alex, I'm sorry, your father couldn't be here," he said sadly. Dria nodded, before turning on her heels and making her way out the room to her father's.

"Dria, where are you going?" He asked.

"To my father. You guys enjoy the party," she answered as she continued walking with Ian following behind her. They watched as she left the hall. Then, a man came to talk to Theo.

"I heard the Duke is on his deathbed. Are you going to be the next Duke since he doesn't have male heir to take his place?" The man said. Theo turned to see a short chubby man with brown hair.