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T his is really happening. I’m going to be his wife.

On the morning of her wedding day, Violet’s stomach twisted itself into knots. The three days had passed by in a flash—as was expected—and now there was no running away from reality.

A knock at the door startled her, and before she could respond, her mother swept into the room.

“Violet, dear,” Her eyes were warm yet discerning as they settled on her daughter. “Leave us,” she said softly to the maids, who curtsied and quickly exited the room.

“Mother,” Violet began. She didn’t know what she wanted to say, only that she desperately needed someone to tell her that everything would be fine.

“You look beautiful, my darling. Truly radiant.”

Violet swallowed hard, blinking back the sting of tears. “I don’t feel radiant. This all feels…”

“My dear, I know this isn’t what you imagined for yourself. I know it feels overwhelming. But Violet, this day had to come. It happens to every young girl.”

Violet stayed quiet.

“You are no longer a child. You are on the brink of womanhood, and with that comes responsibilities to not just your title but to your husband.”

Violet’s brow furrowed, her chest tightening further, but she dared not press her mother for more details.

“You have a role to play now, a duty to fulfill as his wife.”

The words felt like a foreign language to Violet, their meaning slipping through her grasp. She searched her mother’s face for clarity, but Arabella didn’t elaborate. Instead, her gaze was steady, almost expectant.

“What kind of… responsibilities?” Violet asked finally, her tone uncertain.

Arabella hesitated for a fraction of a second before smoothing her hands down the front of Violet’s gown. “I just meant…”

Violet felt herself growing even more frustrated.

Why was her mother not being more direct with her?

It wasn’t as if Violet knew much about married life.

All she really knew came from romance novels—and those only showed what happened before marriage, rarely what happened after it.

She needed all the help she could get and as quickly as she could get it.

“What did you mean, Mother?” Violet pressed once more. “Can you please be clear with me?”

Arabella paused again. “Well, you know…” she said hurriedly, “I just do not think there is much time for me to explain every little thing to you.”

“Surely you can talk about the important things?” Violet stressed.

Arabella seemed quite uncomfortable with the whole exchange.

“To put it simply, you must be his companion,” she said carefully. “To ensure that your union is a fruitful and loving one. You’ll come to understand in time.”

Loving. The word felt so foreign and pressed a particular nerve with Violet. There was no love in this union—it was nothing but a marriage of convenience. For all she knew, she would be an ornamental bride while he continued on with his rakish ways.

“That’s so unfair,” she burst out, her voice trembling. “I did not wish to marry someone like this.”

“Marriage is rarely fair, my dear. But it is what life has asked of you. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do what is needed,” Arabella replied. She had a talent for delivering the harshest of words in the softest of tones. “And I believe you can do it. You are strong.”

Violet looked away, her vision blurring with unshed tears. She didn’t feel strong. She felt trapped, a pawn in a game she hadn’t agreed to play.

Arabella gently cupped her daughter’s face, forcing Violet to meet her gaze. “Listen to me, Violet,” she said firmly. “You are stepping into a new chapter of your life, one that will shape you in ways you can’t yet imagine. It is daunting, yes, but you are capable of facing it.”

“But I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do.”

“You will learn. And His Grace, for all his reputation, is not a cruel man. He will teach you what you need to know.”

The mention of the Duke sent a fresh wave of nerves through Violet, and she shook her head. “I barely know him, Mother. How am I supposed to … to be a wife to someone I hardly know?”

“Marriage often begins that way,” Arabella said with a small sigh. “But understanding comes with time. You must be patient.”

Violet bit her lip, her heart heavy with unanswered questions and unspoken fears. Her mother’s words offered no clarity, no real guidance, only a vague sense of inevitability. She felt like a ship adrift in a storm, her course set by forces beyond her control.

Arabella leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Violet’s forehead. “You’re stronger than you think, my darling. And you are not alone in this. We’re all here for you.”

Before Violet could respond, the door creaked open, and one of the maids peeked inside. “It is nearly time.”

The walk down the aisle felt both endless and fleeting. It still felt surreal of course. It was a small ceremony with only a handful of guests.

At the aisle of the aisle, the Duke stood tall, his dark hair neatly combed, his expression carefully composed. His hands were clasped behind his back.

Her brother, Jasper, had been the one to walk her down the aisle. With a squeeze of her hand, he placed it into the Duke’s.

It was the first time she had touched him.

The moment their hands met, a jolt of awareness shot through her. His hand was warm and enveloping. She was not prepared for the way her skin seemed to ignite at the contact. Her chest tightened, her breath catching slightly.

The Duke’s fingers curled around hers, holding her hand in his larger one.

His grip was steady, almost reassuring, but his eyes…

his eyes were something else entirely. A dark, piercing gaze.

His touch may have been steady, but his gaze was not indifferent—it lingered, searching, as though he were seeing more of her than she intended to reveal.

For a brief, unguarded moment, Violet wondered if he felt it too. The heat and… the peculiar tension that simmered between them.

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as they turned toward the priest. Even without looking at him, she was keenly aware of every shift, every movement he made.

The Duke, for his part, kept his gaze forward, his jaw set in a way that betrayed none of his thoughts. But there was a tension in his posture that hadn’t been there before, as though he were restraining himself from something.

Perhaps it would do me good to act the same.

And accordingly, it all became a giant blur after that.

All that she knew that the priest had announced their union and that her life had now been forever changed.

If it was for the better… or worse… that much she did not know yet.