บททั้งหมดของ The Duchess's Desire: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

The tension in the ballroom was suffocating. Every whisper, every stolen glance, every slow, deliberate movement felt like part of a carefully orchestrated play—one that Victoria was suddenly at the center of.Her husband, Lord Thomas Windsor, had arrived with Countess Isabella Devereux on his arm. The woman was a known temptress, a strategist in seduction and betrayal, and now she was standing beside Victoria’s husband like she had always belonged there.Victoria’s fingers curled around the stem of her champagne glass, holding tight to keep her emotions from betraying her.“Well, this is quite the entrance,” Genevieve murmured beside her, amusement flickering in her gaze. “Your husband certainly knows how to make a statement.”Victoria didn’t look at her. Her gaze was locked on Thomas, who strode forward with the same imposing presence he always carried. But there was something different about him tonight—something sharper, colder, more deliberate.And when his eyes met hers, they we

The manor’s corridors were cloaked in an eerie stillness that contrasted sharply with the violent storm raging outside. Early morning light filtered weakly through the heavy drapes, illuminating faces pale with dread. In the servants’ quarters, hushed voices and furtive glances betrayed the fear that gripped them all.“We have to get rid of it,” whispered Edgar, a lean footman with haunted eyes, as he and two other servants huddled in a narrow corridor near the back entrance. His voice trembled with a mixture of anger and terror. “Lord Thomas said—he said that if we don’t dispose of James’s body immediately, there will be dire consequences.”Martha, an older maid with years etched into her lined face, frowned deeply. “I heard him himself. He told me to take the body away to the stables and hide it before anyone else sees it. But… how can we do such a thing? It’s monstrous!”Edgar’s eyes darted around as if expecting the master himself to appear at any moment. “Monstrous or not, it’s w

Victoria’s head spun as she tried to make sense of her situation. The world was dark, her breath shallow, and the cold, unforgiving hardwood beneath her sent sharp pains through her body. She could barely move, her wrists bound tightly, and there was a bag over her head, suffocating her senses and trapping her in a haze of confusion.She struggled against the restraints, her heart thumping in her chest. The events leading to her current predicament flashed through her mind in a frantic blur. The ambush in the woods. The masked figures. The sweet-smelling cloth that stole her consciousness. And then, darkness.Now, she lay in a foreign place, the scent of aged wood and something unfamiliar in the air. The sound of footsteps broke the silence, heavy and deliberate, as though someone were pacing. The familiar weight of dread settled in her stomach.Footsteps stopped. A door creaked open."You're awake," a voice rasped, low and smooth with an edge that cut through the air like a blade. Vi

Victoria paced the confines of the dimly lit room, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and fear. The Duke's proposition echoed in her thoughts, each repetition amplifying her uncertainty. Aligning with him meant betraying Lord Thomas, but refusing could seal her fate in this perilous game of power.The door creaked open, and the Duke entered, his demeanor calm yet commanding. "Have you reached a decision, Victoria?"She halted, meeting his gaze with defiance. "You offer freedom, but at what cost? How can I trust you?"A sly smile curved his lips. "Trust is earned, I agree. But consider your current predicament. Lord Thomas has shown his true colors, hasn't he?"Her thoughts flashed back to the threats, the manipulation, and the constant surveillance. "And you? What do you gain from this alliance?""Power," he admitted without hesitation. "But power shared is power multiplied. Together, we can dismantle his empire and build something new."Before she could respond, a knock interrupted th

Victoria’s heart hammered in her chest as she stared at Lord Thomas, who had emerged from the shadows like a figure from a nightmare. The cool night air around them felt suffocating, the oppressive silence of the world around them only amplifying the tension. She couldn’t believe he was here, in front of her, after everything that had happened.The Duke moved instinctively in front of her, his posture tense and his hand still gripping his weapon. But Lord Thomas didn’t seem fazed. His cold, calculating gaze met hers, and the sinister smile on his lips sent a chill down her spine.“Did you really think you could escape?” Lord Thomas’s voice was soft, almost amused, as if he was merely entertaining himself with this game.Victoria tried to swallow the fear that was rising in her throat. “You won’t get away with this, Thomas. You can’t keep controlling everything. You can’t control me.”Lord Thomas chuckled, the sound low and mocking. “Oh, my dear, I’ve been controlling you for much long