Evelyn, a modern woman, finds herself suddenly transmigrated into a novel where her peaceful life is turned upside down by a crazy Duke who happens to be her husband. Her new life is a maze of danger and betrayal, as the Duke is determined to kill h...
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Arya's steps echoed on the staircase as she descended, her heart drumming with anxious anticipation. It had been three days since Natasha's summoning, yet there were no signs of her arrival at the duchy. Alfred and Sir David stood at the door, tension palpable in the air. Making her way towards them, Arya asked the butler, "What's the matter? Is a guest coming at this hour?" Hearing Arya's voice, both of them flinched. Alfred, visibly flustered and sweating, stuttered a response, "Madam, no one is coming at this hour. It's just…" He made a sidelong glance at David and added, "It's just Sir David here." David, taken aback by the mention of his name, glanced at Alfred, "Is waiting for the Master. I just came to check up on things."
Caught off guard by Arya's direct gaze, Sir David struggled to articulate the situation. His hesitation betrayed the gravity of whatever had transpired. "That, um, madam. What happened is…" Before he could formulate a coherent explanation, Stefan's hurried arrival disrupted the uneasy silence. As he began his flurry of questions, "Hey, did he arrive already? What about the woman? Has she came along with him, huh? Why aren't you saying anything? You won't stop blabbering when I say to stop, so why now…" Stefan kept talking, despite Alfred signaling him to stop, until he finally noticed Arya. Due to David's large physique, he had not initially seen Arya's presence. A deadly silence enveloped them as Stefan's tirade faltered upon noticing Arya, who confronted him with icy composure, demanding an explanation. Her piercing gaze bore into him, a silent challenge for him to come clean, "Sir Stefan, mind explaining the situation here?"
The silence broke with the clip-clop of horses as a carriage stopped at the doorstep. Arya turned to see it was a carriage belonging to the duchy. Ivan stepped down and extended his hand to support the person inside. A beautiful hand grasped his as the person emerged, revealing a stunning figure. She stepped out gracefully, her denim blue skirt and coat giving her a regal appearance, perfectly complementing her fair complexion. Her platinum blonde hair was styled in a romantic curly updo, and a slightly tilted hat adorned her head. Her blue eyes held a gaze full of trust as they met Ivan's. Their affectionate display led Arya to ponder, 'He even dolled her up before bringing her here. Why not just walk the aisle?' Arya's gaze remained fixed on them, unwavering even as they approached.
"Arya, this is…" she didn't let Ivan finish, strikingly interjecting, "your mistress?" Ivan, taken aback, exclaimed, "What?" She continued, "Stefan did say you would bring a woman home." Glancing at Natasha, she added, "Welcome," before turning and walking back to her room. Left with Natasha, Ivan glared at Stefan and hurried to Arya's side, "Wait, wait, you've got it all wrong," he pleaded, trying to hold her, but she politely pushed his hand away, saying, "It's okay. It's no bother."
Observing her calm demeanor, Ivan grew anxious, "No, Arya, dear, wait. There's nothing like that. Listen to me first." Disregarding his words, Arya stated, "We can talk later. I'm going to my room to rest. Well then, pardon me." Ivan stood rooted to the spot, his mind racing, 'She wasn't angry, she didn't yell. Her composed manner... does she not care? What value do I hold in her life?' "You messed up big time," Stefan muttered as he approached him. "Try talking to her when she's calm. If you wait, you might never get a chance to fix this."
