Marquess Richardson
I anxiously sat at my office desk as I reread the letters and documents I had received from Grad Duke Collins. It felt surreal. How could he have had a change of heart? It didn't make sense. Why would he give me back the money he stole from me and include a mine with it? Was this another trap? Did he want the fief I owned? What did I do wrong? Where did I go wrong? I can't make another blunder. I cannot sacrifice her anymore.
"Darling?"
I looked up to see my wife staring at me with a concerned look.
"What is the matter? Is something wrong?" she asked very concerned.
Her eyebrows scrunched slightly towards her nose as she stared at me.
"It's Grand Duke Collins," I tell her.
"What does that Bastard want?" She asked angrily.
Her eyebrows were now fully scrunched towards her nose. Her forehead creased with tightened lips. She looked beautiful regardless of how angry she was. It also made me happy to know that She will always be angry on my behalf when I can't.
"Because of that Godforsaken bastard! Our daughter had to get married to Duke Orisis." she said angrily as she walked back and forth in my office.
Latrice... In the end, I disappointed my daughter and broke the promise I made to her. The only thing she has ever asked me to keep as a promise until both die.
***
9 years ago...
She came running to our room distraught, her eyes were wide and trembling. Sweat was running down her face as though she had been running laps around the fief which was 3600 acres big. Her lips were trembling as she called out her mother.
"Mother, I... Mother, please don't let me go." she cried.
My heart broke as she cried.
"Latie, My Angel, we won't let you go." I tell her as I pull her in for a hug.
"You are!" She cried out as she pushed me away.
"You going to sell me to The Grand Duke of The Northern Aegis Duchy." she stated as she ran to her mother hugging her.
"Latie?" I called out to her softly.
Her grip around her mother's legs tightened. She shook her head as she trembled. It broke my heart. My daughter was scared and I couldn't make her feel safe.
"Won't you look at your father?" I asked as I held back my heartbroken voice.
"This father of yours is sorry for whatever I did to make you cry." I tell her.
"Latie, won't you look at your father?" her mother asked.
"Your father is very sad that you won't look at him." she adds as she crouches down to Latie's height.
She turned her head slightly and my heart broke. The look in her eyes broke me. She wouldn't believe anything that came out of my mouth and it showed in her. It broke me.
"Latie? Won't you...Won't you talk to me?" I asked on the verge of crying.
What did I do to my poor daughter in her nightmare? Why would I ever send her away? Why wouldn't my pride and joy look at me?
"Latie, My Angel, I'm sorry for what I did. Please tell me what I did so I can fix it." I expressed to her.
"Promise me." She murmured as she was hugging her mother.
I almost didn't hear her of how quiet she was.
"I promise you whatever you want me to promise." I declared to her.
"I'd commit treason for you, My Angel. I would have this entire world bowing at your knees if you want me to. So, please tell me what is wrong." I professed to her.
"Promise me you will never force me to marry any Duke from anywhere." she stated as she looked at me.
"I promise you that I won't ever ask you or tell you or even force you to marry any man you don't want to." I promise her.
***
"What did he send you?" My wife asked as she took the letter from my hands.
I hadn't realized that I was so lost in memories until she spoke to me.
"It's good he gave back the money he scammed you for. " She stated as she read the letter.
"I hope you don't intend to send a letter back to confirm this." She said as she stared at me.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The butler entered after a few minutes.
"My Lord, The Duke has replied." He announced as he handed me a letter.
"Thank you. " I thanked him as he left.
Marquess Richardson
I did give you the Mine and that's because to me it's of no fortune.
You may do as you wish with the Mine because I do not intend to take it back just as I have stated in my previous letter, it is yours now.
Grand Duke Collins
I couldn't believe this! He really did give me the Mine!
"Can you believe this Sweetie?" I asked my wife shocked.
"I cannot! I'm happy we got back our money." She responded shocked as she reread the letter.
"And I hope you won't ever make such big investments in things you don't know." She warned me.
"I've learned my lesson." I state smiling at her.
"Now I have to go visit Duke Orisis." I added as I got up eager.
I'm going to give my daughter peace and then she won't be so worried anymore.
'You promised.'
The look in her eyes broke me. She looked like she knew this would happen but at the same time, she had hoped she was wrong. She was upset and disappointed but she did not blame me. The look in her eyes was emotionless. It was like she shut her emotions off like she gave in. It broke my heart that I broke her promise. I must be a horrible person to her now. She must have blamed herself for believing in me. I, who had asked her to believe in me.
"I will fix this." I whispered to myself.
I went out and I went off to fix my error, to redeem myself.
Will he agree? I will give him twice as much as he has lent to me. My feet anxiously tapped on the carriage floor as I waited for it to arrive at the Northern Duchy. Why was it taking so long? Why haven't I arrived yet?
"Drive quicker!" I ordered the carriage
Driver.
I couldn't wait any longer. I had to break the engagement off. I have to give my daughter back what I had taken from her. The promise I made and the choice she had. I have to give her back what she wanted.
"My lord, we have arrived." The knight stated.
My feet stopped tapping on the carriage floor as I got out of it. I could hear my heart through my ears. It was beating very fast and I felt like it would either burst out or stop completely.
"Marquess Richardson, I wasn't expecting you here."
I turned around to see Duke Orisis completely surprised at my arrival.
"I apologize, but I couldn't send a notice as I was in a rush." I started.
"I see." he said calmly.
"Let's go in." He added as he walked towards his house.
His house looked extravagant as if it had been preserved to look like it had not been changed since its existence. The grey paint on the wall looked like the house was just painted. It gave a gloomy feeling to the house. This couldn't be called a home, it was just a house. A house I don't want my daughter living in.
"So what is the problem? " he asked snapping me out of my thoughts with his voice.
"Ah, yes. It's about your marriage to my daughter." I answered him as I looked at his face.
He had no expression on his face. He... I couldn't see what he was feeling.
"What about it?" He asked me.
"Unfortunately, I don't think it can happen and I would like to return the money and support you had lent me." I answer him.
"Oh, is that it?" he asked calmly and relaxed.
I felt a shiver through my body at how come he was. Was he not supposed to be angry? Wait. This is good. He isn't angry. This means he is in accord with this.
"Marquess Richardson, Do you remember the contract you signed?" he asked me.
The contract I signed. How could I forget it, after the contract stated that he would be married to my daughter until I paid him back but since I'm here to reimburse him?
"On the second page of the contract, it states that your daughter has to remain married to me for at least 6 years before she can divorce me." He says to me when I don't respond.
"What?" I asked surprised.
He got up and went to a cupboard where he opened a drawer and took out a document. He handed it to me and I read.
'Even if Marquess Richardson pays off his debt. His daughter has to remain married to Duke Orisis for at least 6 years.'
I reread the line over and over again. This can't happen! I have to break this engagement today!
Out of anger and desperation, I threw the document into the fireplace near us. The Duke laughed when he saw it burn. I looked at him shocked and confused.
" I don't give original document papers to people for reasons like this," he explained.
My heart was beating fast. I didn't understand what was happening.
"You cannot break this engagement." He started.
His eyes were now gazing at me coldly. His voice was laced with harshness that I couldn't comprehend. Why was this happening?
"But... I... I... Have the money I borrowed and I'm here to pay you back." I started, helplessly and confused.
"Marquess, it's not about the money. You signed a contract and I take every contract my signature's on seriously. " he explained to me.
"Right now you making me wonder." he said as he got up.
"Are you a liar and crook just like Duke Collins said?" he asked leaning over me.
When did he get here?
He was in front of me staring at me with his cold eyes. It made my body shiver in fear.
"Please, I'm begging you. Don't do this to my daughter." I begged him helplessly.
"I did nothing. You are the one causing problems." He responded calmly.
"I...I...I... Is there not another way, my daughter doesn't want this and I don't want her to do things she doesn't want." I tell him.
"Marquess, This marriage will happen. The emperor has already given his support and I have no intention of having it called off." He warns me.
The warning was so clear. He was telling me that I would face huge consequences if I broke this engagement, but those consequences meant nothing compared to my daughter's happiness.
"What must I do for you to break this engagement?" I asked him desperately.
"Would you do it?" he asked calmly.
"Yes, for my daughter I would do anything." I started.
"Would you kill your wife for her?" He asked as he played with the ring on his index finger.
"What?" I asked terrified.
I hadn't expected him to ask me such an outrageous demand.
"That's her mother...my wife...I cannot kill my wife. Please anything except that." I beg him.
I can't kill my wife. She would hate me for killing her mother and I won't be able to live without her by my side. How could I kill the woman I love? The mother of my child.
"You see, having Latrice as my wife is my way of protecting my duchy. And you want me to give it away when you were the one who accepted my terms." Duke Orisis said as he sighed.
"I'm disappointed that you came here asking me to do outrageous and ludicrous things." he added.
"Please Duke Orisis." I begged him.
"Unfortunately, this marriage will go forward as we planned for it. So please refrain from asking me such absurd favours. " he said getting up.
"I do hope that I hear from you in regards to the wedding plan. Goodbye, Marquess." He said as he walked out.
"What. Did. I. Do? " I asked myself as I felt my heart sink.
I trapped my daughter in a trap that she will never be able to escape. I'm a bad father, a selfish and disgusting man.