Alle Kapitel von The lords' maid: Kapitel 41 – Kapitel 50

Lucian’s POV ​The harsh burning of unrefined spirits scorched my throat as I slammed another empty glass onto the sticky wooden tavern table. ​I rarely drank. I prided myself on total composure and absolute control. But the ghost of Miss Bella walking through those council doors had shattered my icy exterior into a thousand pieces. ​No one in Valenridge knew what had truly happened during those dark childhood years under her thumb. The horrors, the emotional abuse, and the twisted secrets of my youth were buried so deep that the mere thought of them brought a violent, cold panic to my chest. If those secrets ever surfaced, they would ruin the legacy I had built. They would destroy the image of the stoic, invincible heir to the De Witt Duchy. ​Grip tight on my coat, I stumbled out of the tavern into the crisp night air, heading back toward the carriage waiting near the village square. My head swam with the uncharacteristic fog of alcohol. ​As I passed a narrow, pitch-black al

Eva’s POV ​The grand ballroom of the De Witt house was cold and echoey in the early morning light. ​Today was the morning before the wedding, and panic settled deep in my chest. Tonight, before the grand ball opened to the rest of the guests, Lucian and I were expected to perform the traditional opening waltz—a precise, regal ritual expected of the estate's heir and his prospective bride. ​There was only one problem: I had no idea how to dance. ​"No, no, Miss Eva. Up, not down," Lord Max, the strict elderly dance master hired for the morning, huffed as I slammed the heel of my shoe squarely onto his boot for the fourth time. He winced, stepping back with a sharp sigh. "You are... not a very natural dancer, if I may be frank." ​I flushed with embarrassment, pulling my hands back and smoothing my dress. "I am sorry, Lord Max. My feet simply will not obey—" ​"Mind if I take over and teach her?" a smooth, familiar voice called out from the arched doorway. ​I turned to see Le

Eva’s POV ​I woke up alone in the massive master bedchamber. The sheets on Lucian's side of the bed were crisp, unwrinkled, and ice-cold. He had never come back last night. ​Unable to bear the suffocating quiet of the room, I dressed in a simple morning gown and slipped out into the empty corridors. I needed a distraction—something, anything, to quiet the loud, anxious thoughts racing through my head. ​I made my way to Lucian’s private study, knowing it housed the estate’s grandest library. ​The heavy oak door creaked softly as I pushed it open. Sunlight streamed through the tall stained-glass windows, illuminating rows upon rows of leather-bound volumes. I began running my fingers along the mahogany bookshelves, trying to immerse myself in the titles, looking for any book that might take my mind off the cold reality of my wedding night. ​As I reached the far corner near his mahogany desk, my eyes caught a thick leather accordion folder stuffed carelessly onto a lower shelf.

Eva’s POV ​The heavy silence in the study was shattered by slow, deliberate footsteps coming straight toward the far alcove. ​My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. He knows I am here. ​Before I could even attempt to shrink further into the dark shadows behind the mahogany bookshelf, a strong hand reached into the corner, gripping my arm and pulling me effortlessly into the light. ​"Playing hide-and-seek with me, wife?" Lucian murmured, his dark blue eyes glinting with a dangerous, amused glint. ​"Don't touch me!" I snapped, slapping his hand away from my arm with a sharp crack. ​Lucian’s eyebrows shot up in mild surprise. His eyes drifted down to my right hand, catching the crisp white edge of the parchment I was clutching tightly against my dress. His expression instantly darkened. ​"How dare you?" His voice dropped into a low, icy growl as he stepped closer, towering over me. "Why are you going through my private files?" ​"I was not going through you

Eva’s POV ​The winter air bit through my heavy fur coat as we slipped out of the estate while the morning sky was still a pale, icy gray. ​We couldn't risk consulting a physician anywhere within Valenridge. A single whisper in our kingdom would spread like wildfire, exposing Lady Eleanor to immediate ruin. Instead, we travelled incognito in a plain, unmarked carriage to a quiet, secluded town miles past our borders. ​Lady Eleanor pulled her thick hooded cloak tight around her face, her hands trembling under her leather gloves as we sat in the dim, cramped office of a physician who knew neither of our names. ​The old doctor finished his examination, stepping back with a solemn expression. ​"Removing a child at your age is extremely dangerous, my lady," the physician warned gravely, wiping his hands on a cloth. "The risk of severe bleeding... or death... is far too high. I cannot advise it." ​Lady Eleanor’s face went pale as snow, but her voice remained sharp with panic. "It does