"I hope you understand," she said, her tone softening slightly, "that my daughter's well-being is my only concern. She may act strong, but Selena has endured more than most realise. I won't allow her to be hurt again.
Alex nodded, his expression turning more serious. "I can respect that," he said. "But if I may speak freely, Duchess, Selena is stronger than you give her credit for. Tonight alone proved that much."
Yes, he truly believed that. She was a mess during the carriage ride home, she was stressed after doing what she did but most would not dare to make such a public announcement. It was like he thought, even by Selena's standards, that was bold.
The Duchess blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his words.
"She stood before a room full of people who despise her," Alex continued, his voice calm but firm. "And she held her ground. That kind of courage isn't common."
The Duchess's gaze softened, and for a moment, her usual stern mask slipped. "Yes," she admitted quietly. "She is brave. Reckless, but brave."
They stood in silence for a moment before the Duchess straightened, her composure returning. "This will be your room," she said, gesturing to the door behind her.
"Thank you," Alex replied, inclining his head.
The Duchess hesitated as if there was more she wanted to say, but in the end, she simply nodded and turned to leave.
As the door closed behind her, Alex leaned against the wall, exhaling softly. The Whitlock family was more complex than he had anticipated, and Selena... Well, she was proving to be more than just a spoiled noblewoman.
He couldn't deny that the kiss earlier had surprised him—not just because of the act itself, but because of the fire behind it. Selena had acted with a boldness that defied the image he had formed of her, and it intrigued him more than he cared to admit.
Still, he reminded himself, he was here for a purpose. Selena's connections to the court and her reputation for scandal made her a valuable tool in his investigation. But that was all she was—a tool.
He pushed off the image of her kiss from his mind and began to prepare for the night, his mind already turning over the information he had gathered so far.
There were whispers among the lower-ranking nobles, hints of hidden alliances and secret dealings. And then there was Selena herself, who seemed to be unknowingly entangled in something far larger than her personal vendettas.
As he settled into the guest room, Alex couldn't help but wonder: how much more would he uncover about the Whitlocks—and about Selena—before this was over?
Selena paced back and forth in her grand bedroom, her silk nightgown rustling softly with each hurried step. She had tried lying down and closing her eyes, but her mind refused to rest.
The events of the evening replayed themselves in her head over and over. Her declaration at the banquet had been bold, scandalous, and thrilling, but now, in the solitude of her room, reality came crashing down.
Her engagement to Nicholas wasn't something she could simply dismiss with a public announcement, no matter how satisfying it had been to humiliate him.
This wasn't just a personal matter—it was a political arrangement involving powerful families and the royal court. Her impulsive act had undoubtedly ruffled feathers among the aristocracy, and she knew she'd made enemies of more than just Nicholas tonight.
She sank onto her bed, burying her face in her hands. "What have I done?" she muttered. The engagement had been hanging over her head like a noose, but breaking it off wasn't as simple as cutting the rope.
She had no illusions about the lengths to which Adrien, her cousin and the Crown Prince, would go to maintain the arrangement. Selena groaned, falling back against the pillows.
Adrien would push back—she was certain of it. Her cousin had always been calculating and cunning, and the engagement was more beneficial to him than anyone else.
It kept Nicholas, a powerful noble from the North, firmly tied to the Crown's interests. Breaking the engagement would weaken Adrien's influence, and that wasn't something he would let happen easily.
Plus the whole Clara situation...
Her thoughts turned to the Queen, her aunt. If she was going to make this work, Selena needed the Queen's support.
The Queen had always been kind to her in a distant, formal way, but that kindness didn't mean loyalty. Selena would have to approach her carefully and present her case in a way that aligned with the Queen's own interests.
She sat up abruptly, determination hardening her features. "I have to see her," she said aloud. "I have to go to the palace."
But how would she get an audience with the Queen? Walking into the palace unannounced wasn't an option, especially after the chaos she'd caused at the banquet.
Adrien would undoubtedly hear about her arrival before she even reached the gates, and he'd make sure to intercept her. No, she needed a plan—a way to outmanoeuvre her cousin and get to the Queen without interference.
She would have to ask her mother to send a letter to her sister. What choices did she have? She was not sure, she was nervous.
Yes, she told herself that she would stand up for herself in this life. She told herself that she would not be taken advantage of! But now that she was here, her heart was racing. She never did something like this before and she was freaking out!
Perhaps she could frame it as a matter of personal growth, an effort to atone for her past mistakes. The Queen might be more receptive if she believed Selena was trying to turn over a new leaf.
But would that be enough? The Queen wasn't easily swayed by emotional appeals. Selena would need to offer something in return, something that would make the dissolution of the engagement advantageous for the Crown. What could she possibly offer?