The Carter mansion's garden breathed silence.
Between the ivy-covered arches, the scent of lilacs seemed heavier, as if even the flowers were holding their breath for what was about to happen.
Emily walked beside Lusian Douglas, her steps measured, her expression calm...
But inside, she felt as if she were on the verge of breaking.
Lusian stopped in front of the white marble fountain, the water reflecting the gray sky like a dull mirror.
He did not look at her immediately.
It seemed as though he was evaluating, calculating...
Or preparing himself to avoid the danger that Emily's presence represented.
—Lady Carter —he finally said, his voice firm, yet carrying a sadness that did not seek sympathy—. I do not wish to continue this engagement.
The words fell like a sudden blow.
Emily felt the world tilt beneath her feet.
A sharp chill ran down her back, freezing her breath.
—P-Pardon...?
The whisper escaped before she could hide her disbelief.
Lusian kept his eyes on the reflection in the water, as if confessing the truth to a mirror was safer than telling the young woman standing before him.
—It is nothing personal —he continued, a thread of restrained tension in his voice—. I simply believe... that both of us would be better off following separate paths. I do not seek a forced union, nor an engagement born only from convenience.
For a moment, Emily felt the world stop.
She pressed her fingers against the lace of her dress, holding her breath.
She had to remain composed.
She could not show fear...
Even if she felt it.
—I understand, Young Master Douglas —she replied, her courtesy remaining intact, although every word carried the weight of a silent reproach—. However... a decision of this magnitude could easily be misunderstood. Noble houses... are always under scrutiny.
Lusian blinked.
He had not fully considered that pressure.
—Misunderstood?
Emily lowered her gaze slightly, only to hide the trembling of her lips, not out of submission.
—Yes, my lord. A change of this magnitude could affect the reputation of both families... and mine in particular. I ask... that you grant me some time.
He finally looked at her.
And in his expression was something more than surprise.
Caution.
He knew what she represented for his future...
And yet, something in her determination made him lower his guard for a brief moment.
Emily took a measured step toward him.
Her dark, shining eyes reflected an unbreakable will—the will of someone fighting against a fate she had never chosen.
—I promise I will give you no reason for disappointment —she said softly, but firmly—. Allow me... to prove that I am worthy of standing by your side. That I can become the wife you deserve.
The plea was not in her words.
It was in her eyes.
In her restrained breathing.
In the dignity she struggled to maintain despite her fear.
Lusian blinked, surprised.
She was not a child begging for mercy.
She was a woman facing her own abyss.
And he, knowing that he might be standing before the person who would one day kill him, felt a mixture of caution and restrained fascination.
—Lady Emily...
His voice softened.
—You do not have to prove anything.
—Even so...
She interrupted him with a trembling yet determined smile.
—Please, let me do it. If, after some time, your decision remains unchanged, I will accept it without objection. But until then... allow me to show you that I can stand beside you.
The wind slipped through the lilacs, stirring her blonde hair and the folds of her dress.
For a moment, Lusian did not see the daughter of a count.
He saw a woman facing her destiny with grace and courage...
And he knew he had to remain vigilant.
Finally, he nodded slowly.
—Very well, Lady Carter. I will not make a decision yet.
Emily lowered her head in a perfect bow, hiding the tremble in her breathing.
—I thank you for your understanding, my lord. I promise I will not disappoint you.
They walked back toward the main hall without speaking another word.
The flowers seemed to bow as they passed, and the sky filtered a soft light over the garden, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Only after she crossed the mansion's threshold and the echo of her footsteps disappeared did Emily allow a whisper to escape.
—Just a little more time... that is all I need.
The sound of the Douglas carriage wheels faded into the mist, leaving behind a silence that weighed heavily on the air.
Emily barely managed to maintain her composure until the front door closed.
Then she ran upstairs.
She reached her room, shut the door behind her, and finally the full weight of the visit crashed down upon her.
She collapsed onto the floor, hiding her face in her hands.
Tears flowed uncontrollably, mixed with a freezing fear she could not name.
Every thought became a silent reminder:
The Douglas family did not forgive.
And Lusian, despite seeming kind, was still a member of that ruthless family.
A short while later, her mother, Emma Pierce, entered hurriedly.
—Emily... my daughter, please calm down —she whispered, kneeling beside her.
Emily did not answer.
She only clung to her mother, trembling as she held back her sobs.
Downstairs, the main hall was wrapped in the same tension.
Count Daniel Carter, his eldest son Manuel, and Alejandro Jones, a close family friend, remained silent, their faces grim.
Each of them understood the magnitude of the danger.
The Douglas were known throughout the kingdom for their cruelty and for never accepting rejection of any kind.
The dreaded day had arrived.
Two months earlier, the Douglas duchy had sent a letter announcing their intention to formalize the engagement between Lusian Douglas The Mondring, second son of Duke Lawrence Douglas, and Emily Carter.
Since then, the mansion had lived beneath a cloud of anxiety.
Rejecting a proposal from the Douglas family was unthinkable.
It was equivalent to a death sentence.
Everyone knew it.
Especially Alejandro Jones.
At nineteen years old, he carried a past stained with blood.
His family had been exterminated by order of Damian Douglas eighteen years earlier.
Only he survived, rescued by the knight William Lion, who fled with the baby in his arms.
Since then, Alejandro had grown under Carter protection, serving as the family's squire and companion.
The mere memory of the blue banner bearing the winged serpent made anger burn through his veins.
"One day, I will finish what my father could not."
That promise kept him standing.
And Emily's danger only fueled his determination.
The silence became unbearable until Manuel finally broke it.
—Father... please. Ask His Majesty to help us break this engagement.
Count Daniel Carter raised his gaze, exhausted and solemn.
—Son, doing that would only prove that we are a weak family.
And weak families...
do not survive.
—But they are the Douglas! —Manuel replied, his voice breaking with anger—. They do whatever they want! They have slaughtered nobles, commoners... and no one does anything! Why should we bow before them? We are one of the thirteen great houses of the kingdom! We have rights!
The count sighed, holding his cup between his fingers.
—I know.
But the kingdom cannot afford an internal war.
If the other houses rose against the Douglas and, by some miracle, won...
the cost would be chaos.
The Empire already watches our borders.
The king knows this.
And he would rather keep the Douglas as a necessary evil than risk losing the entire kingdom.
—And Emily? —Manuel insisted, desperation creeping into his voice—. Are we going to hand her over to that demon without doing anything?
Daniel closed his eyes, trying to remain calm.
—Manuel... we are nobles.
And nobles have duties.
Emily will do what must be done, for her family and for the stability of the kingdom.
—But it is not fair...
Manuel whispered helplessly.
Soft footsteps interrupted them.
Emily and her mother descended the staircase.
Her eyes were swollen, but her posture remained dignified.
When she reached the hall, Emily embraced her brother gently.
—I'm fine, Manuel —she murmured, though her voice trembled slightly.
The count looked at her with sadness.
—What did he tell you, daughter?
Emily lowered her gaze.
—Lusian... said he wanted to cancel the engagement.
The silence was absolute.
No one smiled.
No one felt relief.
Emma's face lost its color.
Manuel stepped back.
Alejandro clenched his fists.
Daniel understood before anyone else.
—Emily...
His voice barely escaped.
—You must make him change his mind.
A rare tremor appeared in his voice.
—You must do everything you can... Do not allow this engagement to be broken.
Please...
Do it for your family.
Emily slowly nodded, swallowing the knot in her throat.
—I will, Father.
I will prove...
that I am worthy.
Daniel embraced her tightly, hiding his desperation.
—Forgive me, my daughter.
Forgive me for not being able to protect you.
She smiled gently, though her eyes were empty.
—There is nothing to forgive.
This...
is my duty.
From a corner of the room, Alejandro watched in silence, his fists clenched.
Every word he heard was another reminder of his helplessness.
While the others cried silently, his heart burned with a single certainty:
Sooner or later...
the Douglas would pay.