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He looked up the moment she entered, a small smile spreading across his lips as if her sudden appearance was of no surprise to him.

As if it was normal.

He was dressed impeccably, as always, in a dark green waistcoat with gold embroidery at the edges, the rich fabric hugging his frame in a way that spoke of his high taste. His cravat was perfectly tied, and his dark hair, though slightly tousled, only added to his air of rakish charm.

As he rose to greet her, he quickly dropped the letter that he was perusing, his hands stretched out to her in a bid for a hug.

"Victoria," he said warmly, as though she had merely come to share a casual morning conversation. "How are you feeling now?"

Now?

Her steps had faltered for a moment at the sight of his easy smile, but then the anger that had been simmering within her flared.

She fisted her hands tighter, forcing herself not to calm down.

This was her friend.

She would listen to his explanation and then make her judgment.

"How am I feeling?" she repeated, her voice low but sharp. "I wake up in a place I did not intend to be, with no memory of how I arrived, and you ask me how I am feeling?"

His brow arched slightly, looking confused even though his expression remained calm and composed.

He moved from behind the desk and stepped toward her, his hands falling dome to clasp behind his back, his movements slow and measured.

"I apologize if I alarmed you, with this… the usual occurrence" he said, his tone placating but with an undertone she couldn’t quite place. "I only wished to ensure your safety."

"Ensure… my well-being?" she demanded, her voice rising with the frustration bubbling in her before she took a deep breath, reigning in her temper before she began again, this time her voice was softer. "Theodore, what is going on? Why am I here? What happened? You are talking as if this is all perfectly reasonable, but nothing about this is reasonable. One money I am at the ball and the next I am waking up in your hunting lodge. So, why am I here? Where is Anthony?"

His smile faltered at the mention of the name, and she noticed a shadow of annoyance passed over his face.

He closed his eyes before taking a deep breath.

"I brought you here to save you, Victoria," he said, his voice dropping a notch as he neared ger. "From Anthony."

She recoiled at his words, the words striking her like a physical blow.

What… What is he saying?

"Save me? From Anthony? What- what are you talking about? He is my husband."

Theodore’s expression hardened, and for the first time, she saw something dangerous flicker behind his eyes.

"I know, Victoria," he said, his tone growing more annoyed, more insistent even as he edges towards her, taking her by the arms. "I know you do not truly love him. How could you? A man like him- a beast like him, does not deserve someone like you. And you… you could never love someone like him."

Her mouth fell open in shock as she stared at him, unable to understand what she was hearing.

Theodore, her closest friend, her confidant, was standing in front of her, confident as he spat out such venomous words… something she had never witnessed from him before.

He took another step closer, and she could feel the heat of his presence, his eyes never leaving hers.

"What are you saying?" she asked, her voice softer now, almost a whisper. "What do you mean... a beast? How can you say something like that? Theodore… this… this is not like you."

His eyes narrowed as his composure began to slip. "He is a brute, Victoria," he said, his voice low with contempt. "A man who cares nothing for you, he just needed a wife. He could never care for you, not as I do. He is beneath you, unworthy of your affection, of your loyalty. And I… I could no longer stand by and watch you waste away by his side."

"What?! You… you don’t know what you are saying, Theodore. Anthony is my husband. He- he loves me."

He lets out a laugh then, a sharp, bitter, scornful sound that sent a chill down her spine.