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“Mother,” Anna tried carefully in hopes she could reason with her.

“This was not what I wanted. I didn’t want a marriage born from necessity or desperation.

I wanted a husband I would love. One who could love me.

One I would have no problems loving back with everything I have.

What if his proposal was merely a trick and he proves to be a cruel man?

What if he abandons me at the altar for his revenge?

Even if that doesn’t happen, we know nothing about him, besides his title.

What if he is violent and hurts me? mother, please, reconsider. I am scared.”

Percival shook his head, clearly growing impatient.

“We did something good for you but you are choosing to be ungrateful instead of appreciative. A trait you will do well to abandon before you get married. Stop this complaining at once and get ready for your wedding.” He said, turning to walk away.

“F-Father,” Anna called, desperate and distraught. “Father, please. Please reconsider.”

“I have made my decision. Begin your preparations right away.” Percival stated coldly.

And then he left, taking with him whatever shred of hope Anna felt.

That was it. Her fate had been sealed and there was nothing she could do about it.

As she began to leave the room, in need of some space and air to gather her thoughts, her mother called out to her,

“I’m more than happy to help you with the wedding arrangements, of course!”

“Oh dearest! You look wonderful! Every bit the bride of a duke!”

Sally’s voice seemed to fade into the background as Anna took in her reflection, unable to feel anything but cold and frigid.

The days had gone by quickly, all the time she thought she had to pull herself together and come to terms with her situation flying by in a whirlwind of preparations and shallow congratulatory greetings.

Anna thought she would have been ready when the day arrived, but the horror of it all had not quite faded. She had simply learned there was apparently no going back – not for her – and learned to keep her mouth shut.

It was not as though her words had been heard in the past anyway.

Her parents were immensely happy about it, telling anyone and everyone who would listen that their daughter was to marry a duke.

Her mother was so proud, she might as well have been the bride herself.

She was practically grinning from ear to ear as she handed Anna to her father who would walk her down the aisle.

It was then that she got a proper look at her husband-to-be.

Julian Harrow, the Duke of Morland, stood tall and proud next to the vicar, his expression set to one of mild disinterest.

It was… different. When they had been in that dark room together, it had been easier to judge him based on his attitude, thanks to his obscured features.

Now, he was bathed in soft beams of sunlight that streamed in through the stained glass windows of the cathedral and she was forced to acknowledge that he was quite handsome.

His dark brown hair gleamed each time that he moved and his surprisingly blue eyes watched every step she took in her direction and fixed upon her face as she took her place by his side.

The muscle of his jaw twitched as he turned to face the vicar, a single nod prompting the older man to begin the ceremony.

Anna found herself unable to focus on the rites, too busy trying to reconcile the image she had of the man she had been trapped in the conservatory with, and the man standing by his side.

He seemed taller than she remembered, and perhaps that is why the intense aura she had assumed that the darkness supplied him remained, even now. His shoulders were broad, and his build strong, making her feel incredibly small beside him, even though she wasn’t particularly short.

She jumped slightly when his hand covered hers, but he did not bat an eye at her reaction, merely tightening his grip on her enough to convince her to calm herself.

He gave her a look before the vicar moved to the next part of the ceremony and she was reminded of the closeness that had existed between the night they met in the conservatory, when his face had been a mere breath away from hers.

She had been nervous in that moment and the nervousness returned then, only to be consumed by anger as she recalled that this man had not bothered to speak to her directly to ask for her hand.

The man who had exchanged words with her in a dull but cutting tone then, stared down at her coldly as his lips recited the words that were expected of him.

The ceremony passed by in the blink of an eye and by the end of it, Anna could barely hear the echoes of the vows she had just sworn with her husband before God.

Her parents had not wasted any time trying to wish her well in her marriage, seemingly eager to be rid of her as they urged her to return to her husband’s carriage with ease.

“Wait, Mother –” she tried to call, knowing better than to seek comfort from the ones who had condemned her to this situation, but unable to help herself.

Her sister had been unable to attend the wedding, and so her parents were all she had.

“Go on! Be a good wife to him! You owe him that much.” Sally instructed, waving her way.

I owe him? Owe him for what exactly? She wondered as she walked back to the carriage, her heart sinking deeper and deeper within her.

Her husband settled in the carriage in the other seat that faced hers and she shifted her gaze to the window, unable to keep herself from feeling small and insignificant in his presence.

The carriage ride to his residence was wrought with uncomfortable silence. Each time Anna dug up the courage to speak to him, one look at the disinterested, blank expression on her husband’s face would discourage her.

Thankfully, the carriage came to a stop sooner than she expected and she disembarked to find a magnificent estate before her. The house stood tall and proud on a flawless lawn and her heart was struck with a flare of anticipation.

This was it. Her new home. Hopefully, she will be able to make the most of her life here.

“Come with me,” Julian said, speaking to her for the first time since they said their vows.

Anna fell into step a foot behind him, feeling a little too self-conscious to walk by his side, following him as he led her into the house. They were greeted by a handful of staff members who wore slight smiles as they regarded the new duchess warily.

“Henceforth, this is the Duchess of Morland. You are to serve and care for her, ensuring that all her needs are met and she lives comfortably within these walls. I leave her in your capable hands.” Julian said briskly, before walking away from them.

Anna, who had been waiting for further introductions was dumbstruck for a moment, confused as to what his words meant, before she quickly gathered her skirts to follow him down the hallway he had gone.

“W-Wait! Your Grace!” she called after him breathlessly, inhaling deeply when she managed to grab hold of his arm and pull a reluctant stop. “What – what did you mean? Where are you going?”

Julian exhaled with a huff and pushed her hand off of him.

“This is where we separate, duchess. I have done what you wanted. I married you to save your reputation and do my duty but I will not be dwelling with a stranger. I will be leaving at dawn tomorrow and –”

“What? No! You can’t just leave! We’ve only just wedded and you want to abandon me here? All by myself? What is to become of me in your absence?” Anna questioned, clenching her skirts tightly in her fists to hide how badly they were shaking.

“That is up to you, duchess. You will be free to live your life any way you want,” her husband retorted impatiently.

“As long as you do not disturb my life in any way, you can do whatever your heart desires. You can spend as much as you please. You can take a lover – take five, for all I care. It matters not to me. After all, this is what you wanted, right? A marriage devoid of commitment?”

Anna felt her words get stuck in her throat at his last statement because she couldn’t deny that he spoke the truth.

When she imagined what her future held as the wife of a man she did not know or love, she had prayed they would relate with one another like estranged relatives. She had no desire to cater to a man who viewed her as nothing more than a bother.

And now, he was giving her exactly what she wished.

“You have been offered more generosity than you deserve,” he stated, stepping closer towards her, causing her to stumble backward, right into a wall.

“I have given you your freedom and now, I will add my absence to it as well. I will be gone tomorrow morning. For your sake, I advise that you do not try to contact me unless it is a matter of life and death.”

His gaze kept her pinned to the wall, her mind disconcertingly void of thought as she stared into his eyes, unable to move as he leaned his face close to hers. For a moment, his gaze lowered onto her lips, then back onto her eyes, and then he was gone.

Leaving her speechless, dizzy, and alone.

When Anna came down for breakfast the next morning, the butler, Ernest announced with an uneasy expression,

“The duke left for his manor in the country this morning, Your Grace.”

There was a slight twinge of disappointment, followed by immense relief.

There were no parents who disregarded her opinions and wishes. There was no husband she might have to tiptoe around.

For the first time in forever, she had all that she needed to live a life for herself.

And she was determined to do precisely that. For her sake.