When Lady Emilia's eyes opened, she saw that she was in a strange chamber with a cold, hard floor that served as a constant reminder of her situation. As she tried to piece together what had happened to put her in this predicament, panic shot through her veins.
Lady Emilia's heart fell when she realized she had fallen straight into the trap set for her. Memories of Lady Austine's menacing sneer, the poisoned drink, and her frantic attempt to flee came flooding back.
Ruthven Mansion ---
While roaming the Party, Duke Matheo noticed that Lady Emilia was not there and hurried to her room, only to discover a note from her advising them to call off their engagement.
As Duke Matheo perused the letter's contents, his heart fell, every word striking a fatal blow to his aspirations. His mind was confused with confusion and incredulity as he tried to make sense of what he was reading. The love of his life, Lady Emilia, could quietly and silently call off their engagement. How could she do that?
Duke Matheo was frantic with fear, trying to make sense of what was going on. There was something that seemed a bit too planned about Lady Emilia's choice, both in terms of timing and suddenness. There seemed to be more going on here than what was initially apparent, even though it didn't add up.
Despite the turbulence of his feelings, he knew he had to track out Lady Emilia, confront her, and demand explanations. He went out to solve the enigma that threatened to destroy them, a burning determination in his heart.
As he questioned each servant, his uneasiness increased because their answers provided no hint as to Lady Emilia's location. Though panic tore at his insides, he resisted giving in to hopelessness. He increased the scope of his search and looked everywhere inside the home with a steely determination to find her.
His mind was racing with possibilities as he went from room to room, each one more horrifying than the previous. Had Lady Emilia departed voluntarily? Was she in any danger? Had she been abducted against her will, or even worse?
As Duke Matheo hurriedly looked about the mansion for any indication of Lady Emilia, his pulse was racing with concern. His worry increased with every minute that went by, driven home by his beloved's uncomfortable absence.
Duke Hudson and Duchess Philippa, meantime, were frantic with worry, their thoughts running through the worst-case scenarios. They accompanied Duke Matheo in his quest, and as they went through each room and hallway of the mansion, their collective concern was evident.
Daniel, a dependable member of their household and one of the servants, moved forward. He told Lady Emilia's parents, his demeanor somber, that he would do everything within his ability to assist in the search for their daughter. He committed to gathering intelligence and organizing the other staff to help find her.
With appreciation visible in their eyes, Lady Emilia's parents nodded, putting their trust in Daniel and the rest of their domestic staff. They all agreed that they would stop at nothing to locate Lady Emilia and return her home securely.
Desperation set in as the hours passed and Lady Emilia remained absent. Duke Matheo's heart was heavy with the weight of the unknown, and his thoughts were a maelstrom of anxiety and doubt.
When Duke Matheo was alone in his chamber waiting some news,
Princess Ashley accepted an opportunity to gain Duke Matheo's devotion by taking advantage of Lady Emilia's disappearance. She felt that now Lady Emilia was not involved, she could take advantage of the Duke's weakness and gain his affections.
Princess Ashley steeled herself and walked up to Duke Matheo, her eyes glistening with calculating charm. She pretended to be worried about Lady Emilia while quietly slipping into Duke Matheo's feelings and thoughts.
"Duke Matheo, I can't help but worry about Lady Emilia. I know it must be so distressing for you, not knowing where she is," she said in a gentle and seductive voice.
Reeling from the shock of Lady Emilia's departure, Duke Matheo found comfort in Princess Ashley's company. Her compassion for him resonated with him, and he was glad of her company during this trying time.
Duke Matheo said, "Thank you, Princess Ashley," with a note of appreciation in his voice. "Your support means a great deal to me, especially now."
With a charming smile and radiant eyes, Princess Ashley expressed her happiness. She was aware that she was getting closer to her objective of gaining Duke Matheo's love with every second that went by. She also had the willingness to take advantage of other people's misery in order to achieve her goals.
Princess Ashley's face grew wide with anticipation as she held out the glass of wine to Duke Matheo. With the intention of rendering him unconscious and strengthening her hold on the situation, she had deliberately added sleeping tablets to the drink.
But when Duke Matheo extended his hand to take the glass, a thought of suspicion flashed across his mind. He felt uneasy about something about the setting, and he was unable to get rid of the uneasy sensation that came over him.
Duke Matheo's piercing eyes darted over his shoulder to reveal the sleeping pill bottle that Princess Ashley was holding. His intuition went into overdrive, and he had the sickening realization that he was being manipulated.
Duke Matheo accepted Princess Ashley's glass of wine with a fake smile and nod without skipping a beat, all the while keeping a close eye on her actions. He was aware that he would have to wait and see if he could learn the real reason behind Lady Emilia's departure and Princess Ashley's intentions before giving in.
Duke Matheo's thoughts whirled with schemes and intentions as he raised the glass to his lips. He was determined to expose Princess Ashley's deceit and save Lady Emilia from any danger, so he wouldn't allow her treachery to continue unchallenged.
Duke Matheo acted as though the supposed sleeping tablets had taken a hold on him, letting his eyelids drop a little and his motions grow lethargic. He kept up a front of sleepiness so as not to catch Princess Ashley off guard.
Duke Matheo, his senses still keen and acute, watched Princess Ashley's reactions carefully, watching for any hint of success or satisfaction that may reveal her actual motivations. He maintained his vigilance, prepared to act quickly if circumstances demanded it.
Princess Ashley's eyes gleamed with joy at the success of her scheme, and her voice oozed triumph as she spoke. "It's official, Duke Matheo will be mine," she thought to herself, a smug smile on her lips. "Once he's under the influence of the sleeping potion, he won't be able to resist me."
She looked across the room with a measured look, confidence stoked by the knowledge that she would win. "Lady Emilia will soon be out of the picture," she said in a contemptuous tone. "And then, Duke Matheo will have no choice but to turn to me for comfort and companionship."