Back at her family's palace, alone in her chambers on the eve of her wedding. Her heart heavy, she absentmindedly fingers the wedding dress that hangs in the corner of her room, her thoughts still caught up in the mystery of the stranger. Was he real? Was it all just a dream?
With a sigh, Adela turns away from the dress, her gaze drawn to the mirror that hangs on the wall. She catches her reflection, her eyes shining with a deep sadness, and for a moment, it's almost as if she's looking at a different person.
The Adela in the mirror is not the same girl who had confidently declared her independence just weeks ago. She looks tired, weary, defeated. And that realization scares her.
At that moment, Adela made a decision.
She knew that she could not face a lifetime of unhappiness, so she began to pull out a small, secret stash of coins she'd been saving for emergencies. Enough, she thought, to buy her freedom – or at least the illusion of it.
"If I cannot find happiness here," she murmured to herself, "then I will find it elsewhere."
As Adela sat lost in her thoughts, her door swung open. It was Duke Constantine, his gaze sliding over the room with a smirk on his face.
"Ah, the bride to be," he said, his voice dripping with false warmth. "Are you ready to fulfil your duty to the kingdom?"
Adela's resolve hardened in that moment.
"Yes, Duke Constantine," Adela replied, her voice icy cold. "I am ready to fulfil my duty, but make no mistake – I am not doing this for you."
Constantine's smirk faltered, but only for a moment. "Oh, my dear niece," he said, his eyes flashing with malice. "I never thought you were. But don't forget, my dear – if you fail to uphold your end of the bargain, the throne will be mine."
Adela narrowed her eyes, clenching her jaw against the urge to retort. "I will not fail," she said firmly. "The throne will remain with the rightful heir."
Constantine chuckled, a sound that sent a chill down Adela's spine. "Very well," he said, turning to leave. "But remember, dear niece, power is a dangerous game, and not everyone can be trusted. Even those closest to you."
His words hung in the air long after he'd left the room.
******
The evening sun filtered through the high windows of the palace dining hall, casting warm rays of light across the table. Adela sat beside her parents, a tight-lipped silence hanging over the room.
Lord Benjamin cleared his throat. "So, everything is set for tomorrow, then?"
Lady Elisabeth nodded, her expression taut with worry. "Yes, the preparations are complete." She turned to Adela, her eyes searching. "Are you certain you're ready for this, my dear?"
"It's not as if it would be cancelled if i weren't, mom. You need not ask." She replied sharply.
Adela's sharp retort stung like a whip across the room, the tension in the air growing thicker. Lady Elisabeth winced, her fingers gripping the tablecloth tightly.
"Adela," Lord Benjamin warned, his voice quiet but firm. "Your mother only asks out of concern for your well-being. She's worried about you."
Adela let out a breath, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her emotions. "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't mean to snap. I…I.
"You what? Are you just about to defend yourself, daughter? If you care to know, you're not doing any of this for us. It's for your children and their future. Stop making it seem as though we are punishing you in some sort of way." Adela's mother offered.
The words were a slap to Adela's face, the harshness of her mother's words cutting deep. But she knew, deep down, that her mother was right. This wasn't about her, not really. It was about securing a future for her children, a legacy for her family.
"I know," Adela murmured, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm sorry. I'm just…so tired." She looked up at her parents, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"You are never tired, my daughter. Tell me, is something really bothering you? Should your mother leave us?"
Adela's throat constricted, her heart pounding against her chest. Should she tell them about the stranger? Should she confess her fears and doubts about the future?
"There is…" Adela hesitated, her words catching in her throat. "There is something that's been troubling me." She looked down at her hands, gnawing at her lower lip.
Lord Benjamin exchanged a glance with his wife, a silent understanding passing between them. "You can tell us anything, Adela," he said gently.
So, instead of confessing her feelings for the stranger, Adela takes a deep breath and says, "I'm just nervous about the wedding, is all." It's not a total lie, but it's not the whole truth, either.
Adela's mind is racing, her thoughts tumbling over one another in a dizzying swirl as they look suspicious. She glances up at her parents, searching for the right words to express herself.
"It's just…I've always known I'd marry Maximillian. It's what's been expected of me since I was a child. But now that it's actually happening…" Adela trailed off, biting her lip. "I can't help but wonder if this is really what I want. Oh, I forgot my feelings don't count. I will just leave for my hotel suite. Please don't be late tomorrow.
Before getting to the hotel, she dropped by the cemetery, hoping her nanny could do something for her by keeping the stranger. Quiet, unfortunately, she found no one and decided to leave.
"Tomorrow is my wedding," she said, yelling to no one in particular.