Victoria entered the estate with calm steps, and the moment she passed the entrance, Rebecca appeared before her with obvious eagerness, grabbing her arm and lowering her voice with unconcealed excitement.
"Victoria! Tell me immediately," she said leaning toward her, "what's happening between you and Duke Devon? Have you... have you succeeded in seducing him? I didn't expect this from you, girl!"
Victoria stopped a moment, then released a soft sigh, and a faint smile formed on her lips, closer to mockery than joy.
"Unfortunately," she answered in a tone of feigned disappointment, "the Duke seems harder to reach than I expected."
Then she added, raising her shoulders with deliberate indifference:
"But it's fine, I won't give up this easily. Even if he's not my type... at least he might pull me out of this garbage."
She laughed a short, light laugh and added in a mocking tone:
"Isn't that reason enough to try?"
Rebecca smiled shyly, while Victoria continued walking, her features still maintaining that cheerful mask—a mask hiding beneath it tension she dared not share with anyone.
Victoria entered the room and closed the door behind her with deliberate quietness.
There was nothing in the place indicating life, save the sound of regular breathing both knew was false.
She approached slowly, then sat at the bed's edge, without touching him.
She looked at his face at length, as though memorizing his features by heart.
She said in a low voice, free of mockery:
"Sleeping...
As usual."
She fell silent a moment, then added in a tone closer to contemplation:
"You know? This relieves me.
When you sleep, you needn't see anything... nor make any decision."
He didn't move.
She lowered her gaze to the floor and rested her head against the bed's edge while sitting on the ground.
"I thought losing one's sight was the worst thing that could happen to a person.
But I was wrong."
She raised her head slightly.
"The worst... is to choose not to see."
Heavy silence reigned.
She continued, as though addressing herself:
"You're fortunate, Leo Ashford.
You have money, name, influence.
Even lying on this bed, your orders are executed, your servants rush."
She smiled a faint smile.
"As for me...
My existence here is tied to you more than you imagine."
She paused, then said with calculated slowness:
"I'm no longer a nun, nor do I have the Church's protection.
And I'm not noble for them to overlook me if I fall.
My existence here... is because you're alive."
She drew closer to the bed.
"Not because you breathe,
but because you're still a Duke."
Her voice caught a moment, but she composed herself.
"When the Duke collapses...
everyone beneath him collapses."
Then, with lethal calm:
"Including me."
A longer silence followed.
Suddenly, his breathing rhythm changed.
Subtle... but noticeable.
She didn't turn to him.
She continued as though she hadn't noticed.
"Strange...
The shepherd sleeps,
and the flock learns alone how to be lost."
She clenched her fist on her dress's edge.
"I didn't come to beg.
Nor to wake you."
She finally raised her head, directing her words straight at his face:
"I just wanted you to know...
you're not blind, my lord."
She fell silent.
Then said the final sentence, clear, without cruelty or mercy:
"You just... chose not to see."
In that moment, his fingers moved.
Slowly.
As though his body betrayed him before his mind allowed it.
He held his breath.
He said in a hoarse voice, barely audible:
"Enough..."
Victoria froze in place, without smiling.
He didn't open his eyes.
But for the first time...
He was no longer asleep.
Victoria sat with feigned calm, trying to control her voice's tone:
"Oh... my lord, did I wake you?"
He looked at her with half-opened eyes, in a sharp tone but not hiding attention:
"Do you think I'm a fool?"
She smiled a light smile, slightly nervous but trying to maintain her coolness:
"God forbid you be a fool, my lord!"
She fell silent a moment, then drew slightly closer to the bed's edge, her eyes not leaving his face, as though searching for any trace of pain or fear within him.
She whispered in a low voice, as though addressing him more to herself than for him to hear:
"Please... I want to see you as you were. I want you to stand... to see the world again."
Leo froze a moment, not answering, but he raised his hand slightly as though merely a passing movement, yet he didn't look away from Victoria.
She breathed slowly, trying to hide the pounding of her heart which had accelerated, every movement from him making her feel the importance of what she was doing.
"If you remain like this..." she continued calmly, her gaze not leaving his eyes, "what will I do? Where will I go if you choose not to rise?"
Leo didn't smile, but he noticed the concern, noticed the worry and tenderness in her eyes.
She fell silent, waiting for any movement, any sign, and finally his fingers moved slowly, then he sat up, his back straight.
Victoria looked at him, her smile slight, her heart fluttering, as though something inside him had begun moving with her.
"Well... that's enough for today." He whispered trying to restore his composure, but he didn't hide his interest in her, in a subtle way, very subtle.
Victoria withdrew slightly, feeling the warmth of danger and mixed joy.
She whispered to herself in a low voice:
"I saw it... he moved. Even if slightly... enough for one day."
Victoria stood at the door, a small smile forming on her face, looking at the place as though she'd achieved victory:
"Yes!! One down... three remain!! Ha ha... I'm still good at this... hehehe!"
But the moment she opened the door to leave, Duke Devon appeared before her, and a step away from him stood a black-haired young man with gleaming violet eyes, his gaze steady.
Devon said smiling:
"What did you say about 'down'?"
Victoria suddenly trembled, struck the door and quickly shut it in his face, leaning against it while panting, her appearance somewhat comical in that moment.
Lyomord looked at her calmly, his voice marked by curiosity:
"What's wrong, woman... what frightened you?"
She sighed, trying to regain her composure:
"Oh... no... I opened the door quickly, my lord. I'm sorry, forgive me... I was very startled."
Devon laughed, a long laugh, contenting himself with that, while the young man with violet eyes remained calm, taking a step inside with steadiness and quietness.
Devon said in an audible voice, appearing pleased:
"Leo... look who's come to visit you, my friend."
Lyomord remained silent, watching, then said calmly:
"Wait... is the visitor Theodore?"
Victoria faltered, her eyes widening. Violet eyes... sign of the ruling family... but black hair, and the name Theodore... she felt slightly dizzy.
She screamed inwardly, unable to control herself:
"Is this the Second Prince???"