“Ugh.”

Her head was throbbing as she tried to adjust her vision and look around. Lifting her body to the bed, her throat felt parched as she tried to process the situation. Holding her throbbing head, she examined the familiar room she was in.

This is!..

It’s definitely the same room she used when she was still the duchess. But she couldn’t comprehend how she got back.

What happened? I certainly died back there. I could still vaguely feel the cold metal that pierced my abdomen. And that man… she undoubtfully slit my throat to death!

Eloise hastily got out of bed and looked herself at the full-length mirror. Her eyes widened in shocked as it dawned on her that she was still alive.

This is absurd!

She examined her neck and abdomen closely but there are no traces of wounds nor any drop of blood. Her night gown neatly draped over her slender body with only a few wrinkles from her sleep.

“Did I go back in time?”

She stood stunned in front of the mirror as she tried to process everything. She could not believe it. She was still trapped in a trail of thoughts when she heard a knock.

“Your Grace, are you awake?” a maid called out from the other side of the closed door.

“Come in.”

A familiar face appeared from the door that only confirmed her suspicion. It was a face that she thought she wouldn’t see again. Lydia, a maid who served her during her stay at the duchy.

Her eyes began to blur, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she sniffled quietly. Lydia was one of the people in the duchy who remained by her side. She tended to her without contempt even while knowing that she won’t gain anything. She may wield the title of Duchess but she held no power.

She immediately avoided her gaze before a lone tear trickled down her cheek. She cannot let her see or she might think that she was acting weird.

“Your Grace, I have come to inform you that his grace has safely returned.”

The Duke?!

Eloise felt her body gone cold at the mention of her husband. She felt the pain of betrayal rushing back as she hardly clutched her dress. The thought of meeting him again made her feel a whirlwind of emotions.

The suffocating feeling of anger, deceit and fear filled her heart as strength left her body and she staggered back in bed. She was really back. And it means that she will experience the same tragedy again.

“Your Grace, are you alright? Your face looks pale.” Lydia rushed to her side to tend on her.

“A-ah.. I feel unwell today. I’m sorry but I cannot go down to greet his grace. I’ll see him later when I feel better.”

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“Yes, I’ll inform his grace and quickly go back. Please rest while I’m gone.” Worry was written all over her face as she reluctantly left the room.

Eloise waited for Lydia to shut the door before she took steps towards the window. Outside, she could see the servants lined up as they wait for their master’s arrival. Before long, a trail of horses entered the residence, mounted by knights in black armor with the Falcon crest inscribed in gold, the insignia of the house of Fleiss.

The man leading the group removed his helmet, revealing his dark hair and unusual golden eyes, a feature that made him stand out among the rest. Even from afar, she could recognize his husband who hired a mercenary to kill her after signing their divorce papers. She painfully clutched her chest as she stares at him from the second floor of the mansion.

Duke Nathaniel Fleiss, the empire’s war hero. He was a great knight and a wise leader that led countless war victories that made him a formidable ally of the emperor. Even though he was not of royal birth, he still received the respect of the emperor and had the right to inherit the throne.

The only reason why a mere Count’s daughter like her was wed to a great man like him was through an arranged marriage.

I thought I had finally escaped from you.

Memories of the past came flooding in and she was filled with hatred, yet she couldn’t deny the stupid emotion of longing that she tried hard to bury deep in her heart.

It was true that she came back in the past, and it was the time the Duke returned victorious from a war that spiraled for six months.

Nathaniel got off the horse and approached the servants as they hurriedly tend to him. She saw Lydia talking to him, probably reporting why she has not come down to greet him.

But then, she was startled when he suddenly looked up to her direction and she hurriedly hid herself in the corner. She clenched her fist to her chest in an attempt to suppress the loud thumping of her heart the moment their eyes met.

Don’t be ridiculous! Even after being killed and coming back to life, you still love him? I must be a martyr.

She had blindly carried a torch for him in a decade, she stupidly believed that their marriage for convenience will eventually bring affection towards each other. Yet, she ended up being killed by the man she loved the most.

She wouldn’t deny her lingering feelings for him, but she was also filled with hatred and fear for him.

I must escape from here!

She was still consumed with her thoughts when she suddenly heard a knock. She was about to approach the door, thinking it was Lydia when a deep familiar voice filled her ears and her body ran cold.

“It’s me.”

Her throat suddenly felt dry and she staggered to utter a word. When she didn’t answer, he came inside the room and walk towards her.

If they are like other married couples, they might already cling to each other the moment their eyes met, filling the longing for six months of being apart. Yet, for them, it was always the indifferent atmosphere that filled the room.

The moment her gaze settled at him, her heart started thumping loudly.

His cold expression didn’t conceal his unparalleled good looks. His dark raven hair perfectly complimented his well-sculpted face. Even in a huge crowd, he would look outstanding among the rest. And what makes him stood out the most, is his pair of deep golden eyes that is a rare feature of the Fleiss’ family.

“Are you alright? The maid told me you’re not feeling well.” His voice sound cold like how she remembered.

“A-ah, I’m fine. A l-little rest will do.” She stuttered through her words as she balled her fist trying to stop her body from trembling before him.

There was a moment of silence between them. Eloise felt uneasy under his intense gaze, which seemed to examine her intently.

What’s wrong with him? Is he mad?

“Can you accompany me to the banquet later?”

Ah, right. How could I forget. There’s a celebratory banquet in honor of him.

She hope she could refuse but she also know that she cannot do that. Even though, being with him felt like walking on thin ice, she cannot escape her duty as the Duchess.

Not attending the banquet with him will only cause another rumor to circulate. Even after making sure that they always appear in the public together, they cannot hide the fact that there is no affection between them.

“Yes, your grace. I’ll be fine after a little rest.” She answered distantly, not forgetting to address him formally. Even though they are married, they never used to call each other’s first name. It was only once that she remembered him calling her name and it was dreadful memory.

There was an unknown emotion that flashed through his eyes in a moment but he remained silent. Eloise wondered if she saw incorrectly and chose to brush it off.

“Take a rest. I’ll see you later.” After saying those words, he turned around and left.

Only after she was left alone in the room that she was able to breathe again. She exhaled a sigh of relief as she sat at the edge of her bed. Her knees felt like jelly, she thought she would collapse in front of him if it took a little longer. She held her chest, trying to calm her wildly pounding heart.

I need to escape from him as soon as possible.