Chapter 2

"What is the date today?"

"Mylady is seventeenth of lunar year, third month in spring."

There was utter silence on the other side of the room for some minutes before the female sprang up suddenly and ran to the dresser.

"Oh!" Irises like opulent gems just like her mother and a healthy body that she possessed before. It was maybe a dream, a dream in which she was twenty and have returned five years before her death. But what was the use of all that, it was a farce altogether. 

So supposing it was a beautiful dream the said princess again went to sleep yet even after waking up after an hour or so nothing changed.

She could feel the refreshment of cool water in which she bathe, taste the warm soup she drank and the feeling of lace on her body was also too real. Even her personal maid hummed the exact same song that she used to sing all those years ago.

She had returned.

The smell of inked papers filled the room, it was a familiar aroma that filled her lungs but also one of the most hated reminders of her life. It was the Everdale castle- the place from where she was sold to Valentine and then at last drawn out.

What happened with Jeremiah Valentine, her sister Marianna and others was at last unknown to her since she had long gone from their life but what was the use of running away when at last she could not even have a warm meal and sometimes had to sleep in starvation.

"My lady, master duke has asked for your presence."

After the announcement was made, she was well dressed like a poised and noble lady but today was somewhat bizarre, even the closest maids that have watched the smiling shy girl that always laughed even at tiny things and forgave people with the heart of an angel was silent, maybe too quiet to be true. 

"My lady, is...is something troubling you?" Layla was long lost in thought before she shook her head. Today was the day when she would be called by the duke- her father to get engaged to Duke Valentine and her being a fool agreeing to it. 

She was truly too stupid in the past.

In her previous birth Layla always entered the Duke's office with something that she baked from her own hands. 

There were only two females in the family and since Marianna was always sick, it was only Layla that took care and bound the family together and make it look like a home so when the butler came to take her to his master's study it was strange to see that she had nothing in her hand.

Pink irises somewhat smiled in melancholy, yes she had nothing now, nothing to give them anymore since an empty vessel cannot pour out any love and since she was devoid out of it, she will not put any effort, not for the sick sister and neither for anyone else.

If she had only 5 year of life left then she will live without any attachments.

They walked down the hallways as the people greeted her and before she knew, she was infront of the doors of her father's study.

"Master, I have brought miss."

Surprisingly when the door opened there was not only one person but two people inside and unfortunately she had prayed to the god to never let her see their faces again.

"Greetings to Duke Everdale, greetings to lord Valentine." 

Damian Everdale that hoped to hear the usual cheerful voice of his daughter stopped in his tracks and had to look up from his desk to see the face which was devoid of much emotion, he looked at her closely, maybe she already knows what was going to happen and did not know how to react. 

The male continued in all seriousness thereafter.

"Currently the situation at the border is critical and as we know a war can break out anyday from now on, we cannot sit idle and an alliance of the two most noble families will bring stability to the empire. 

Duke Valentine and you have been close friends since childhood and would not be unsuitable for one another....what do you think of getting engaged with him."

Same words

Those were the same words which made her feel like she was responsible for the poor, helpless and impoverished so in her previous life, she had agreed and gained nothing but contempt.

".....Layla?" When she was quiet for too long Damien could not help but call out his daughter.

"Duke is misunderstanding, we were simply children back then, now Duke Valentine and I have nothing in common and are not connected either. If it is about joining hands with families and alliance then there are other families that can similarly have a marriage alliance with House Valentine and if it has to be Everdale....then Marianna is closer to the Duke."

Till now Jeremiah had said nothing and was simply trying to understand the situation but now at this moment those words made him see the irises of the female he had once considered a very close confidant.

"....I would like to talk to Lady Layla for some time." 

She did not wished for that, did not even want to see his face. That same face had hurled innumerous accusations at her and had seen her with eyes full of hatred, left her in a home full of unknown people that disliked her presence and later threw her away for her own sister...she feared his presence even more than a monster.

He was a nightmare to her and she only felt contempt towards him. 

Thus when he suggested his hand the female visibly flinched and took a step back. 

"Please talk here." It was simply to say that she did not wished to talk to him as she felt threatened by his presence, the hatred Duke Valentine saw in her eyes made him take his hand back.

Those weren't the eyes of someone obsessed with him like Marianna said... they were the eyes of someone that never desired to come face to face with him.

Those were the eyes of someone who disliked his touch.

"I thought you suggested your father that you wished for this marriage."

".............."

"What are you talking about?! It was I myself that saw your potential and your care towards my daughter when she was young so I suggested it.

Furthermore I never talked about marriage, an engagement is not marriage, I will not send my daughter to your castle. 

She can very well stay here and break it off after you come back and marry someone more suitable.

Duke Valentine, every year the empire nobles break of hundreds of engagements and it is only a political tool...what the hell are you thinking!"

There was crack on the table that Damien held expressing his rage with the man.

After that one statement where Layla stepped back and and refuse to say anything Duke Valentine felt like he had committed a crime.

He realised something at that moment, just like he did not cared for this engagement and had come to refuse, Layla too had disliked it.

"If it is nothing anymore, I will take my leave." 

No even listening his apology, Layla left the office as if she was uncomfortable even in his presence.

Love and Hate had a very thin line and till date she had been a victim of his wrong assumptions.

If he could hate her then there might also be a part of him that could not let go.