Fated Hearts: Reborn to be His Duchess

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Midnight Debacle

Lillian’s cheek burned fiercely.

Her injured finger still throbbed from the needle prick, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

Overwhelmed with humiliation and grievance, she grabbed the half-finished embroidery from the table and rushed outside without another word.

"Lillian?"

At the doorway, she nearly collided directly into Lucien.

Behind her, Melissa’s furious voice continued ringing through the room.

"You have no skill and still dare cry? How did I end up raising such a useless girl?"

Lillian could not bear hearing another word.

She didn’t even stop to greet Lucien before hurrying away with reddened eyes.

Lucien watched her retreating figure thoughtfully for a moment before stepping inside leisurely.

"Arguing again?"

Melissa already simmered with anger.

The moment she heard his voice, her temper erupted immediately.

"Who else could it be besides your useless sister?"

She slammed the table again irritably.

"I’ve worked myself to exhaustion planning her future, and instead of appreciating it, she turns around and starts siding with outsiders."

Melissa laughed bitterly.

"She already calls that woman cousin-in-law now. At this rate, she’ll probably volunteer to wash her feet in a few days."

At the phrase cousin-in-law, Lucien’s brows lifted slightly.

Slowly, he sat beside Melissa and reached over to soothe her gently.

"She’s still young, Mother. She doesn’t understand these things yet."

Then his lips curved slowly into a smile.

"As for our new Duchess..."

His tone softened meaningfully.

"I’ll visit her later."

Melissa immediately frowned.

"What are you planning now?"

Lucien smiled lazily.

"Mother, give me the manor token."

The guards protecting that courtyard were absurdly strict.

Without the proper token, even Lucien could not enter freely.

And if he tried forcing his way inside, those guards would absolutely draw swords against him without hesitation.

Melissa’s expression sharpened instantly.

"Absolutely not! What do you need the token for?"

Her tone turned suspicious.

But since morning, Elysia’s face had lingered constantly in Lucien’s mind.

That delicate waist.

Those bright eyes.

The more he thought about her, the more restless he became.

There was no chance he intended to give up now.

Leaning closer, he coaxed softly:

"Haven’t you been complaining all day that she refuses to greet you properly?"

"You’re the one managing the household. Naturally, you can’t lower yourself by chasing after her personally."

Lucien smiled meaningfully.

"But I can talk to her."

Then he promised lazily:

"Don’t worry. By tomorrow morning, she’ll definitely come greet you properly."

—

Meanwhile, inside the courtyard, Elysia finally finished for the night.

She loosened her hair slowly and removed the jeweled ornaments one by one.

Miriam finished arranging the bedding before quietly stepping outside.

Yet only moments later—

A startled cry rang out.

Elysia immediately stood and hurried toward the door.

Before she could even ask what happened, a man’s voice sounded calmly from outside.

"No need to panic."

The tone carried amusement.

"I am Lucien Asheford, cousin to the Duke. I mean no harm."

A brief pause followed.

"Look. I even brought my access token."

Elysia frowned immediately.

Why would he come here so late at night?

Outside, Miriam’s voice turned noticeably colder.

"Lord Lucien, it is already very late."

Her tone remained polite but firm.

"May I ask why you’ve come?"

Lucien answered pleasantly:

"There’s an urgent matter I must discuss with Elysia personally."

Miriam did not hesitate at all.

"Her Grace has already retired for the night. Lord Lucien may return tomorrow morning instead."

Lucien persisted smoothly.

"The matter truly cannot wait. Please inform her for me."

But Miriam remained unmoved.

"I’ve served Her Grace since childhood. Once she falls asleep, she becomes extremely difficult to wake."

Her voice grew even firmer.

"If the matter is truly urgent, Lord Lucien should have come earlier."

Silence lingered briefly outside.

Then Lucien chuckled softly.

"Very well... I’ll return tomorrow then."

Outside the chamber, Miriam quietly released a relieved breath.

Inside, Elysia relaxed slightly as well and turned back toward the bed.

Then suddenly—

A faint rustling sound came from the western window.

Elysia’s body stiffened instantly.

Before she could react, a shadow slipped silently through the half-open window and landed lightly inside the chamber.

Her heart dropped violently.

The figure stepped forward into the candlelight.

Then Lucien’s face appeared clearly before her eyes.

Smiling.

Cocky.

"So," he drawled lazily, "you were lying to me."

Elysia’s expression changed immediately.

Without hesitation, she opened her mouth to call for help.

But Lucien moved faster.

He crossed the room in two quick strides and clamped a hand tightly over her mouth.

"Shh."

Every movement came naturally to him.

Practiced.

As though he had done this countless times before.

"Don’t scream," he murmured close to her ear. "If everyone rushes in and sees us alone together in your room..."

He laughed softly.

"What do you think they’ll say?"

His gaze slid slowly over her face.

"It wouldn’t sound very good for you."

Then his voice lowered further.

"And besides..."

"Do you truly want to spend the rest of your life as a lonely widow?"

Elysia struggled fiercely.

She learned some self-defense from her father and brothers growing up, but against a fully grown man like Lucien, her strength was nowhere near enough.

Feeling her resistance only excited him further.

His breathing gradually grew heavier.

"You’ve never experienced pleasure before," he murmured thickly. "That’s why you’re resisting."

His eyes darkened greedily.

"Just once... I promise you’ll start craving it every night afterward."

As he lowered his head closer, his gaze suddenly shifted strangely.

Elysia realized he wasn’t looking at her anymore.

He was looking toward the bed behind them.

Lucien laughed softly.

"No need to worry."

He sounded entirely unconcerned.

"My cousin will never know."

His voice carried open mockery now.

"Every physician in the palace already examined him. They all agreed he’ll never wake again."

Then he sneered coldly:

"He’s already useless."

The moment those words fell—

Elysia moved.

She stomped down viciously onto Lucien’s foot.

Lucien cried out in pain, loosening his grip instinctively.

Elysia tore herself free immediately.

"Miriam! Bran!"

She shouted as loudly as possible.

But she already knew they were too far away.

Even running at full speed, they would need time to reach her chamber.

She could not outrun Lucien.

So instead of fleeing, Elysia sprinted directly toward the display shelf near the wall.

A massive broadsword rested there quietly.

Bran once told her it belonged to Cassiel himself.

Elysia gripped the weapon with both hands immediately.

As the daughter of a military household, she would never allow herself to be violated without resistance.

Lucien looked utterly amused.

"Are you sure you want everyone rushing in here?"

He leaned lazily against the table.

"I was only trying to preserve your reputation."

Then his eyes darkened.

"Once the servants leave, we can continue right here."

His gaze drifted meaningfully toward the bed.

"In front of my cousin if you’d like... He won’t know anything anyway."

A disgusting smile spread slowly across his face.

"But you and I... We can enjoy every moment."

"Shut up!"

Elysia’s voice turned icy.

She raised the broadsword with trembling arms.

She trained with blades before.

But Cassiel’s sword weighed far beyond anything she previously handled.

Even lifting it required enormous effort.

Her arms shook violently beneath the weight.

Still, she refused to retreat.

If Lucien dared approach again—

She would kill him.

Lucien clearly did not believe she could.

Smirking lazily, he took another step forward.

Then suddenly—

His expression changed.

The smile vanished from his face instantly.

Shock flooded his eyes.

He stumbled backward several steps in horror.

Elysia blinked in confusion.

Then faintly—

She caught the scent of medicinal herbs drifting through the room once more.

Slowly, she turned around.

First, she saw pale lips.

Then—

A pair of sharp, narrow eyes opened quietly beneath the candlelight.

Cassiel’s gaze carried the weight of long years spent commanding battlefields.

Cold.

Distant.

Overwhelming.

Yet the instant those dark eyes settled fully upon Elysia—

Something softened slightly.

The sharpness faded just a little.

Elysia’s heartbeat skipped violently.

The sword in her hands wavered under its own weight.

Then suddenly—

Cassiel lifted a hand and caught her wrist steadily.

Most of the sword’s weight shifted instantly into his grasp.

"Careful."

His voice sounded dry and hoarse from long silence.

Yet strangely enough...

The single word made Elysia feel safe.

Across the room, Lucien collapsed heavily onto the floor.

His face turned deathly pale.

"Ca—"

His voice trembled violently.

"Cassiel?"

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