Getting this document signed by Nicholas would be the first step, but the real victory lay in having it officially annulled by the Queen. That was the end goal.
Nervous? Excited? There were too many emotions. Some of old Selena's feelings lingered. She felt pain, she felt distress... She took a deep breath trying to ignore it.
When Selena's carriage came to a stop in front of the gates of Nicholas's manor, she stepped out with poise, the letter in hand and determination etched across her face.
The grand gates, adorned with intricate ironwork and the Northern Duke's crest, loomed before her. She approached confidently, expecting the usual formality that came with her status.
But the guards stationed at the entrance moved to block her path, their expressions stern. One of them, a tall man with a closely trimmed beard, raised his hand in a gesture of refusal.
"Halt, my lady," he said, his tone polite but firm. "The Northern Duke is not receiving visitors today. We cannot permit you to enter."
Selena blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected resistance. She had never been stopped at his manor before. No matter how strained their engagement had become, her status as his fiancée had always granted her access. But now, it seemed even that privilege had been stripped away.
"Not receiving visitors?" She repeated, her voice laced with incredulity. "I am his fiancée. Surely you understand the importance of my visit."
The guard stiffened at her words but did not waver. "I'm sorry, my lady, but we have strict orders. No one is to enter without explicit permission, regardless of their relationship to the Duke."
Her grip on the letter tightened, her irritation bubbling to the surface. She hated calling herself his fiance, but until this letter got signed, she had to bear that title. Taking a deep breath, she planned to reiterate herself.
Taking a deep breath, Selena decided to push further. "Then send word to the Duke," she said, her tone sharpening. "Inform him that Lady Selena Whitlock is here with urgent business."
For some reason, she knew... She knew that he was not rejecting visitors, he just rejected her visit. Whatever, after this, I never have to see his face again.
She was expecting a rejection, she was prepared to raise hell. She was not leaving this place without getting that signature. She learned many things from those loan recovery folks when she was hiding from them! She was not letting this go!
Selena stepped into the grandiose manor, the sound of her heels echoing against the polished marble floor. The guards had relented and let her in, though she wasn't sure why.
Perhaps Nicholas wanted one last chance to assert his dominance, to gloat over her defeat. But Selena didn't care anymore. She was here for closure, and nothing else.
She was too familiar with this place... Selena got insulted so many times here.
The butler led her to the living room, a spacious area adorned with opulent furnishings that screamed wealth and power.
Nicholas stood by the fireplace, his back turned to her. The glow of the fire cast flickering shadows across the room, making his tall figure seem even more imposing.
For a moment, Selena hesitated. She had expected this encounter to be easy—a clean break, a final declaration of her freedom.
She had braced herself for an expression of disdain or disgust, the usual contempt he reserved for her. Instead, when he turned to face her, his expression was nothing like she had imagined.
Surprise flickered across his face, quickly followed by something else—something softer, almost warm. Was that... Happiness? Selena's heart skipped a beat, and she cursed herself for the strange unease that settled over her.
"Selena," he began, his voice tinged with an emotion she couldn't quite place.
But she didn't let him continue. "Stop," she said sharply, holding up a hand. Her voice was steady, but inside, her heart was pounding. Her palms were clammy, and an unfamiliar nervousness coiled in her chest.
This was not the original Selena's feelings, her heart wasn't racing with romantic anticipation. She was scared, she felt that something was off. These were her own feelings.
"I'm not here to argue," she continued, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "And I have no interest in interfering with your relationship with Clara. That's your business, not mine."
She reached into her bag and pulled out the letter she had drafted. The neatly folded parchment felt heavy in her hands, a tangible representation of the severed ties she had come to finalize.
"Here," she said, stepping forward and thrusting the letter toward him. "If you sign this, our engagement will be annulled."
Nicholas didn't move. His expression shifted to one of disbelief, as though he couldn't comprehend the words she had just spoken. He stared at the letter, his hand hovering hesitantly, but he made no move to take it.
Selena frowned, her irritation flaring. Why was he making this so difficult? With a swift motion, she shoved the letter into his hands, forcing him to hold it. He looked down at the parchment as if it were a foreign object, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"There's more," Selena said, her voice quieter now. She reached into her bag once more and pulled out another letter, this one carefully handwritten on fine stationery. She placed it on the table.
This letter... She explained what Selena had to endure. He must know it. And with it, she hoped that the original Selena would get some closure.
"I'm leaving it here because I want to say goodbye. Not just to you, but to the person I used to be. Consider it a record, or a reminder. I don't care if you read it."
She straightened, folding her arms as she waited. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she maintained a mask of indifference.
Nicholas's gaze shifted from the letter in his hand to the one on the table. For a moment, he seemed frozen, caught between shock and something deeper.