CHAPTER 34: AFTERMATH AND COLD CONFESSIONS

Genevieve’s POV

​My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared down the grand marble staircase.

​Eva lay at the bottom landing, a broken, motionless bundle of ivory silk. The sight sent a cold, sharp shock straight through my chest.

​When Laura had first brought up the idea of causing a physical fall, I had hesitated. I had explicitly reminded her that a physical injury was strictly a last resort—only if the theft frame-up failed. But the initial plan had worked. The necklace had been found. Everyone had believed she was a common thief. The guards were already dragging her to the dungeons!

​Why had Laura pushed her?

​A wave of sickened terror washed over me. I wanted Eva out of Valenridge. I wanted her away from Lucian and out of my life forever. I had never wanted her dead.

​Below, the ballroom erupted into total madness. Leo’s frantic screams echoed off the high walls as he shoved past guests, sliding to his knees beside her. Within seconds, the family physicians rushed into the hall, carefully lifting Eva’s limp body and hurrying her up toward the private medical quarters.

​I stood frozen near the upper balcony, my breath coming in shallow hitches, unable to tear my eyes away from the drop.

​"We need to talk."

​Lucian’s deep, quiet voice sounded right beside my ear, making me jump. I whipped my head around to find him standing beside me, his face a unreadable mask of stone.

​Panic seized my throat. Does he know? Did he see Laura? Does he suspect me?

​"L-Lucian," I stammered, my fingers gripping my fan so tightly my knuckles turned white.

​Lucian let out a long, weary breath, looking past me toward the balcony doors. "I am sorry, Genevieve. I am sorry I did not tell you sooner that we would not be getting married."

​Relief flooded through me so fast my knees almost gave out, instantly replacing the panic with a sting of bitter shame. "Oh... about that topic."

​"I genuinely feel a connection with Eva," Lucian admitted softly, his voice carrying a strange, rare edge of vulnerability. "I tried to find a way forward with you, but it did not work. I do not think you would truly want to be trapped in an unhappy marriage with me—where I barely speak to you, and where you are treated as nothing more than a duty to bear children."

​I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing a small, solemn smile onto my face. "It is okay, Lucian. I guess... sometimes we cannot escape what is meant for us. I suppose I will just prepare my things and return home to my father’s estate."

​"If you wish to stay in the guest villa, you may," Lucian interjected gently. "It is obvious you have not been comfortable here, and I know returning to Duke Sterling’s house under these circumstances feels suffocating. You are welcome to remain as our guest for as long as you need. You will surely find a far better husband next season."

​"Thank you, Lucian," I whispered, genuine gratitude softening my gaze.

​"The pleasure is mine, My Lady," he replied, giving me a polite, faint bow. "Now, if you will excuse me... I need to go check on my thief of a wife."

​He turned on his heel to head toward the medical wing.

​"Lucian, wait!" The words burst out of my mouth before I could stop them.

​He paused, looking back over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

​I bit my tongue hard, the truth screaming in my throat. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell him that Eva wasn't a thief, that she hadn't touched the necklace, and that the entire setup was a lie. But the horror of what would happen to me if I confessed locked my jaw shut.

​"...Nothing," I breathed out softly. "Please... go ahead."

​Lucian gave a single nod and walked away.

​As soon as he vanished down the corridor, the lingering guilt turned into white-hot anger. I turned around and swept past the servants, my eyes searching the shadowed hallways. I needed to find Laura immediately. The push had been far too dangerous, cruel, and completely reckless—and if Eva was dead, Laura had just dragged us both straight to the gallows.

​(Leo’s POV)

​I stood outside the physician’s chamber, my knuckles white, my hands trembling with a deadly mix of adrenaline and terror. The doctor had been inside with Eva for nearly twenty minutes, and every second felt like a blade twisting in my throat.

​Hearing heavy footsteps echo down the stone corridor, I looked up. Lucian was walking toward me at a measured, unhurried pace, adjusting his cuffs as if he had just stepped out of a casual conversation.

​"How could you just stand there and watch them drag her away without saying a word?" I hissed, stepping directly into his path, my voice low and lethal.

​Lucian stopped, brow furrowing in genuine irritation. "You heard what happened, Leo. She stole Mother’s jewelry. What is wrong with you?"

​"What is wrong with me?" I scoffed, taking a step closer until we were chest to chest. "She is supposed to be your betrothed! Are you not going to be a husband? Have you forgotten that a husband is meant to defend his wife?"

​"Why are you behaving like this?!" Lucian snapped back, his icy composure finally cracking into annoyance. "Why are you so absurdly sensitive when it comes to her? Ever since I told you I intended to marry her, you have been acting like a madman!"

​"What is wrong with you?!" I yelled, shoving his shoulder back. "She got pushed down a flight of marble stairs, Lucian! She could be dead! And you didn't even move an inch! You didn't even come down to check on her—it took you forever to walk up here, and now you come asking what the doctor said? How heartless can you possibly be? I never realized you were this cruel to women. You should have just stayed single rather than force a woman to live in your shadow!"

​"Take that back right now!" Lucian growled, his dark eyes flashing with dangerous anger as he grabbed the front of my collar. "You know I am doing this for Mother's happiness! You have no right to say things like that about me!"

​"Yes, I do!" I spat, ripping his hand off my shirt. "I am your brother! I will tell you the bloody truth!"

​Lucian let out a harsh, bitter laugh, stepping back and looking down his nose at me with pure disdain. "Oh, you want to talk about truth? How about you try being responsible for once in your pathetic life so Father stops putting all of his pressure on me?!"

​"Responsible?" I sneered. "By forcing a maid into a fake marriage?"

​"You spend your days chasing music, drinking with useless friends, and running through women!" Lucian spat, stepping into my face, his voice dripping with venom. "Do you have any idea what Father says about you? Your own friends don't even care what you do with your life because they know you are nothing more than a disgrace and an embarrassment to the De Witt name!"

​The world went red.

​Without thinking, I drove my fist straight into Lucian’s mouth.

​His head snapped back with a sharp crack, his lip splitting instantly. "You Bloody bastard!" Lucian roared, lunging forward and slamming his fist directly into my jaw.

​We crashed against the stone wall, throwing wildly out of control. I slammed him into the timber frame, my knuckles landing hard against his cheekbone, while he shoved me back, catching me with a heavy blow to the ribs. Years of silent resentment, competition, and bitter anger erupted into a brutal, violent brawl right outside the medical wing.

​"STOP!"

​A sharp, furious scream echoed through the corridor, cutting straight through the sound of heavy fists and ragged breathing.

​We both froze.

​Lady Eleanor stood at the end of the hall, her velvet dress trailing behind her, her face pale with absolute rage and horror as she stared at her two sons bloodied on the floor.

​"Both of you," Mother commanded, her voice shaking with an authority that left no room for defiance. "To my room. Now."

​Lucian wiped a line of blood from his split lip with the back of his hand, glaring at me with lethal hatred. I pushed myself off the floor, adjusting my torn collar, my chest heaving as we turned to follow her down the hall—two brothers torn completely apart by the woman lying unconscious behind closed doors.