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For the first time in her life, Gemma felt the burden on her shoulders vanish, as if by magic.

Gemma stood there, her heart still pounding from the confrontation. Her words had cut through the pretense and lies in the room like a knife, but it wasn’t over yet. Lady Treston’s face was a mask of fury, her lips forcibly crushed together as she struggled to maintain her composure. The air crackled with the weight of their exchange, and for a moment, it seemed that her mother would retaliate with another venomous tirade.

Before she could open her mouth, Frederick, who had been watching the scene unfold with an air of patient restraint, stepped forward. His black eyes shot daggers of raw fury and his entire body stood tensed for combat.

“I have heardenoughout of you!” Frederick shouted at Lady Treston. He could no longer contain his rage. His voice contained a ferocity that Gemma had never heard him use before, but in that moment it was clear that he was no longer interested in decorum. His anger was palpable; a raw force that sent a shiver down Gemma’s spine.

Lady Treston’s mouth opened to unleash another scathing retort, but Frederick cut her off with the force of a lion’s roar.

“No!” he said, his voice low and deadly, his fury unmistakable. “Youwill notspeak again.”

Gemma watched in stunned silence as Frederick moved closer, his every step radiating power. He was a force to be reckoned with, and there was no mistaking his intention.

Lady Treston’s face paled as Frederick’s words hit her like a blow. She once again opened her mouth to protest, but he wasn’t having it.

“Your behavior toward Gemma isappalling,” Frederick spat, “and I will not stand by and let it continue. You have no right to treat your daughter in such a way. You are adisgrace.”

The words seemed to land like fists, each one striking her mother’s carefully curated image of control. Lady Treston’s eyes narrowed with white-hot fury, but she knew she was powerless against him.

“I will ensure that you face consequences for your actions, Lady Treston,” Frederick said, his voice growing colder. “Your reputation will be tarnished beyond repair, and you will no longer have any influence or standing in society. The ton will know exactly what kind of woman you truly are.”

Lady Treston took a step back, her composure crumbling under his threats. Her mouth moved but no words came out, her protests dying in her throat as she realized Frederick had judged her and had handed down her social death sentence. There wasno escape. She had crossed an unforgivable line and Frederick was going to make sure she paid for it.

“You will leave this country immediately,” Frederick said, his voice final. “And you will never return.”

“How dare you order this onmyproperty?”

“I do dare, Lady Treston. Do not test me. You do not want to see the consequences.”

The command was as sharp as a sword, and Gemma could see the battle raging behind her mother’s eyes. She wanted to argue, to shout, to try and regain control, but there was no room for that any longer. Frederick had made up his mind, and there was nothing Lady Treston could do about it.

“Do you understand?” Frederick’s tone was a final warning, his gaze never leaving Lady Treston’s.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Finally, with a tight, furious shake of her head, she stepped back, her eyes blazing with defiance.

“You will regret this, Duke,” she spat, her voice trembling with fury.

Frederick didn’t flinch. He merely gave her a look that could freeze water. “I doubt that.”

With that, Lady Treston turned, her steps stiff with indignation as she made her way toward the door. Her departure was swift and filled with a strange finality. She was defeated, powerless in the face of Frederick’s unwavering determination to end her rule of terror.

When the door closed behind her, Gemma let a breath out. She finally felt free. For the first time in her life, she felt that she was no longer being held captive by her mother’s cruelty.

But it wasn’t over yet.

Frederick was still standing there, his back turned to her mother’s retreating form. When he turned back to Gemma his expression softened, though the storm still brewed in his eyes.

He took a step toward Elizabeth, who had been silent throughout the exchange, her gaze bouncing between her mother’s exit and Frederick.

“I do not know what your plans are, Lady Elizabeth,” Frederick began, his voice gentler now. “But I will not stand by and watch you suffer under your mother’s control. I would like to offer you a different life. A life away from her manipulation and cruelty.”

Elizabeth looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She clearly had not expected this.

“I have a home at Blackridge, and you are welcome to come and live with us, under my grandmother’s care,” Frederickcontinued. “You will have a home where you are respected and treated with kindness. I know this is a lot to digest, but I believe it is the best option for you.”

Gemma could see Elizabeth’s hesitation, the uncertainty in her eyes. But there was something else there too—hope. Hope that perhaps someone would genuinely care about her and for her, rather than simply treating her as her mother’s puppet.

“I will send a carriage to collect your belongings,” Frederick said, turning to leave the room. “Take your time. There is no rush. But know that the offer stands.”