The garden of the Carter mansion breathed silence. Beneath ivy-covered arches, the scent of lilacs seemed heavier, as if even the flowers held their breath in anticipation of what was about to happen. Emily walked beside Lusian Douglas, her steps measured, her face serene… but inside, the sensation of breaking was almost tangible.
Lusian stopped before the white marble fountain, its water reflecting the gray sky like a dull mirror. He didn't look at her immediately; he seemed to be evaluating, calculating… or preparing to avoid the danger that Emily's presence represented.
"Lady Carter," he finally said, his voice steady, though carrying a sadness that sought no pity. "I do not wish to continue this engagement."
The words fell like a blunt удар. Emily felt the world tilt beneath her feet; a sharp cold ran down her spine, freezing her breath.
"I–I'm sorry…?" she whispered, unable to hide her disbelief.
Lusian kept his gaze on the water's reflection, as if it were safer to confess to a mirror than to the young woman before him.
"It's nothing personal," he continued, tension threading through his voice. "I simply believe… we would both be better off following different paths. I don't seek a forced union, nor a commitment born of convenience."
For a moment, Emily felt time stop. She pressed her fingers against the lace of her dress, holding her breath. She had to remain composed. She could not show fear… even if she felt it.
"I understand, young Master Douglas," she said, her courtesy intact, though each word carried the weight of a silent reproach. "Even so… such a sudden decision could be misinterpreted. Noble houses… are always under scrutiny."
Lusian blinked. He hadn't fully considered that social pressure.
"Misinterpreted?"
Emily lowered her gaze, just enough to hide the tremble of her lips, but without showing submission.
"Yes, my lord. A change of this magnitude could affect the reputation of both families… and mine in particular. I beg you… grant me some time."
He finally looked at her, and there was something beyond surprise in his expression—caution. He knew what she represented for his future… and yet something in her resolve made him lower his guard for a moment.
Emily took a measured step toward him. Her dark, shining eyes reflected a firm will—the will of someone fighting against a fate she had not chosen.
"I promise I will give you no cause for displeasure," she said softly, but firmly. "Allow me… to prove that I am worthy of remaining by your side. That I can be the wife you deserve."
The plea was not in her words. It was in her eyes. In her restrained breathing. In the dignity she struggled to maintain in the face of fear.
Lusian blinked, surprised. She was not a girl begging—she was a woman facing her own abyss. And he, aware that he might be standing before the one who would one day kill him, felt a mixture of alertness and restrained fascination.
"Lady Emily…" he murmured, softening his tone. "You don't have to prove anything."
"Even so…" she interrupted, with a trembling but determined smile. "Let me try. If, after some time, your decision does not change, I will accept it without objection. But until then… allow me to show you I can stand at your side."
The wind slipped through the lilacs, stirring her blonde hair and skirt. For a moment, Lusian did not see the daughter of a count, but a woman facing her destiny with grace and courage… and he knew he had to remain vigilant.
Finally, he nodded slowly.
"Very well, Lady Carter. I won't make a decision yet."
Emily lowered her head in a perfect bow, hiding the tremor in her breath.
"Thank you for your understanding, my lord. I promise not to disappoint you."
They walked back toward the hall without another word. The flowers seemed to bow as they passed, and the sky filtered a soft light, as if the world itself held its breath.
Only when she crossed the threshold of the mansion and the echo of his steps faded did Emily allow a whisper to escape:
"Just a little time… that's all I need."
The echo of the Douglas carriage wheels faded into the mist, leaving behind a suffocating silence. Emily barely held her composure until the main door closed. Then she ran upstairs, entered her room, and as soon as she shut the door, the full weight of the visit crashed down on her.
She collapsed to the floor, burying her face in her hands. Tears flowed uncontrollably, mixed with a cold fear she could not name. Every thought was a silent reminder: the Douglas family does not forgive—and Lusian, though he seemed kind, was one of them.
Soon after, her mother, Emma Pierce, rushed in.
"Emily… my daughter, please calm down," she whispered, kneeling beside her.
Emily said nothing. She clung to her mother, trembling, suppressing her sobs.
Downstairs, the main hall was filled with the same tension. Count Daniel Carter, his eldest son Manuel, and Alejandro Jones—a close family friend—stood in silence, their faces grim. Each of them understood the magnitude of the danger: the Douglas family was known throughout the kingdom for its cruelty and its refusal to accept any slight.
The dreaded day had come.
Two months earlier, the Douglas Duchy had sent a letter announcing its intention to formalize the engagement between Lusian Douglas of Mondring, second son of Duke Laurence Douglas, and Emily Carter. Since then, the mansion had lived under a cloud of anxiety. Refusing a proposal from the Douglas family was unthinkable—it was a death sentence.
Everyone knew it. Especially Alejandro Jones.
At nineteen, he carried a past stained with blood: his family had been exterminated by order of Damian Douglas eighteen years earlier. Only he survived, rescued as an infant by the knight William Lion, who fled with him in his arms. Since then, Alejandro had grown under the protection of the Carters, serving as their squire and friend.
The mere memory of the blue banner with the winged serpent made rage burn through his veins.
One day, I will finish what my father could not.
That promise kept him standing, and Emily's danger only fueled his determination.
The silence became unbearable until Manuel broke it:
"Father… please, let us ask His Majesty for help to break this engagement."
Count Daniel Carter lifted his gaze, tired and solemn.
"My son, doing that would only show we are a weak family. And weak families… do not survive."
"But they're the Douglas!" Manuel shot back, his voice breaking with anger. "They always do whatever they want! They've massacred nobles, villagers… and no one says anything! Why should we bow to them? We are one of the thirteen great houses of the kingdom—we have rights!"
Daniel sighed, holding his cup between his fingers.
"I know. But the kingdom cannot afford an internal war. If the other houses rose against the Douglas family and, by some miracle, won… the cost would be chaos. The Empire already watches our borders. The king knows this—and prefers to keep the Douglas as a necessary evil rather than risk losing the entire kingdom."
"And Emily?" Manuel insisted, desperation threading his voice. "Are we going to hand her over to that demon without doing anything?"
Daniel closed his eyes, trying to remain composed.
"Manuel… we are nobles. And nobles have duties. Emily will do what must be done—for her family and for the stability of the kingdom."
"But it's not fair…" Manuel whispered, powerless.
Soft footsteps interrupted them. Emily and her mother descended the stairs. Her eyes were swollen, but her posture remained dignified.
As she reached the hall, Emily embraced her brother gently.
"I'm fine, Manuel," she murmured, though her voice trembled slightly.
The count looked at her with sorrow.
"What did he say, my daughter?"
Emily lowered her gaze.
"Lusian… said he wanted to cancel the engagement."
A cold silence filled the room. But it was not relief. It was terror.
Emma placed a hand over her chest; Manuel went pale; Alejandro clenched his teeth in restrained fury. Because they all knew what it meant.
A Douglas does not break an engagement.
A Douglas eliminates the problem.
In the minds of the Carter family, those words did not sound like freedom. They sounded like a sentence.
Count Daniel froze for a moment, as if struck in the chest. Then slowly, he took his daughter's hands—his fingers cold as marble.
"Emily…" he whispered, a rare tremor in his voice. "You must do everything you can to win his favor. Do not let this engagement break. Please… do it for your family."
Emily nodded slowly, swallowing the knot in her throat.
"I will, Father. I'll prove… that I am worthy of being his wife."
Daniel embraced her tightly, hiding his despair.
"Forgive me, my daughter. Forgive me for not being able to protect you."
She smiled gently, though her eyes were empty.
"There is nothing to forgive. This… is my duty."
From a corner, Alejandro watched in silence, fists clenched. Every word was a reminder of his helplessness. While the others wept quietly, his heart burned with a single certainty:
Sooner or later… the Douglas family would pay.