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“Aah!” Stella let out a guttural scream before running out of the drawing room, devastated.

Ava was not quite certain what the matter was with her sister. However, she had never seen her react so strongly to anything.

“Father, Stella does not want to marry the Duke. She has made that clear,” Ava said in a low, pleading tone.

The Viscount chuckled. “Then I suppose it is fortunate that it is not her decision to make, because the girl certainly does not know what is good for her.”

Ava shook her head. It was obvious now that her father would never listen. He had his mind set on the Duke, and from the determined look on his face, she knew he would do anything to ensure that the marriage happened.

“If you know what is good for you now, Ava,” her father continued, jabbing his chubby fingers at her, “you will talk some sense into your sister.”

Ava stared at him defiantly. However, she knew he was right.

She needed to talk to her sister, even if it was not to convince her to marry some heartless monster. Something was troubling Stella deeply, and Ava was determined to get to the root of it.

With that, she headed up the staircase to her sister’s chambers. She pushed the door open and found her sister sitting at her vanity, scribbling on a sheet of paper.

“Stella,” she called.

Stella promptly snatched the paper off the vanity and hid it behind her.

“What are you hiding, Stella?” Ava asked, slowly approaching her.

In a swift motion, Stella rose from her chair and backed away.

“What is happening, Stella?” Ava pressed.

“It is nothing, Ava,” Stella reassured, even as she continued backing away.

However, Ava could no longer turn a blind eye to her sister’s strange behavior.

“Stella, you know quite well you can talk to me,” she murmured.

“I… I cannot…” Stella broke down in tears as she crumbled on her bed.

Ava rushed to her side and enveloped her in a hug. Her sister’s whole body quaked with violent sobs, and yet she held on to her.

She desperately wanted to know what was troubling Stella. However, she knew that forcing it out of her would only drive her further away.

After a long while, the sobs died down, and Stella pulled away.

“You can set your letter aside—I will not look through it until you let me,” Ava told her.

Stella giggled.

Ava’s heart went out to her little sister. Watching her giggle even when she had just cried her eyes out… she knew at that moment that she would do anything to protect her.

“I know you do not want to marry the Duke,” Ava continued. “I understand you. After all, the man is rather terrifying.”

Stella nodded. “I do not wish to marry him.”

“You do not have to. I will make sure of it even if it is the last thing I do,” Ava promised.

Stella’s eyes widened, and for the first time in a while, a hint of hope flickered in them. “Thank you, Ava. But Papa has all but promised me to him,” she mumbled.

“I suppose we can always find a way around this. It seems the Duke has set his eyes on you, and Father is happy about it because of his rank. However, if we find another suitor who is perhaps wealthier than the Duke, then Father might change his mind.”

Stella frowned. “It will never work. And I certainly do not want to marry yet another man I do not know.”