Diana leaned back against the plush office chair, the soft creak of the leather the only sound in the quiet room. The morning sun streamed through the tall windows, casting a golden glow over the desk piled neatly with documents.
She placed her quill down, satisfied after reviewing the latest reports. With a content sigh, she turned her gaze toward the ornate mirror on the wall, catching her reflection. Her soft smile deepened as she noticed the view just beyond the mirror—the garden outside bursting with colorful blooms.
The sight reminded her of the stability she had fought to maintain. It was in this serenity that she found herself thinking of Julian. Despite the pressures of their titles and responsibilities, their love had always been a quiet constant in her life. He had loved her for who she was, not for the title she bore or the duties she upheld.
A light knock at the door brought her out of her reverie. The butler, a man of years and dignity, stepped inside. However, something in his hesitance made Diana raise an eyebrow. He bowed deeply, fumbling with the corner of his gloves.
"Your Grace," he began carefully, "Lady Ausben... requests an audience."
Diana's smile faltered ever so slightly, but she quickly masked it with her usual composure. She sat upright, folding her hands on the desk. "Does she?" she said softly, though the edge in her tone was unmistakable.
The butler hesitated, his voice faltering. "She insisted that—"
"You needn't excuse her behavior," Diana interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. "I understand her... disposition well enough. There's no need for pretense."
Her gaze drifted back toward the mirror, her reflection steady and unwavering, even as her thoughts churned. She didn't blame Lady Ausben entirely for the way things were. The woman was a product of circumstances just as much as anyone else, though her actions had often been unforgivable.
In truth, Diana thought Lady Ausben was pitiful. The once proud daughter of the Duke of the North had been reduced to a political pawn, married off to the Duke of the South in an arrangement that stripped her of agency. It was no surprise that bitterness had consumed her over the years, especially when the cracks in her husband's affections began to show.
Diana's fingers brushed against the edge of the desk, her thoughts drifting deeper. Lady Ausben's resentment had turned to obsession when she discovered that her husband, Ricardo, was capable of love—just not with her.
That love had been for Katarina, Diana's mother, who had entered the household under tragic circumstances. Katarina had been caught in Lady Ausben's schemes and given off to Marquis Ardelaine to rid herself of a rival. But fate had a cruel sense of humor, for even after Katarina's marriage, Ricardo's affection for her never wavered.
When Diana was born, and Katarina passed away shortly after childbirth, it was not Marquis Ardelaine who raised her but Ricardo, who had always cherished her as his own. His love for Diana was a quiet rebellion against Lady Ausben's bitterness, a reminder that she had failed to win his heart even after Katarina's death.
The butler cleared his throat awkwardly, bringing Diana back to the present. She rose from her chair gracefully, smoothing the folds of her gown. "Very well," she said. "Prepare the drawing room."
As the butler left to make arrangements, Diana allowed herself one last moment of reminiscing. She thought of Ricardo, of his strong yet gentle presence, and the way he had always treated her with unwavering kindness. His final words to Julian before his passing still echoed in her mind.
*****
"Julian," Ricardo had said, his voice steady despite his weakened state. The fire in the study crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across his face. Diana had been in the adjoining room, just out of sight, though she could hear every word.
"You and Diana are bound by more than duty," Ricardo continued. "I see it in the way you look at her, the way you protect her without hesitation. She is not just a ward of this family, nor a responsibility passed down. She is your equal. Your partner. Promise me that you will honor her not because of an obligation, but because of who she is."
Julian's voice was thick with emotion when he responded. "I will, Father. I swear it."
"And one more thing," Ricardo added, a rare smile crossing his face. "Don't forget to laugh with her. The world will demand much from both of you, but love is not meant to be heavy. Let her lighten your burdens, and do the same for her."
*****
Diana's hand rested on the back of her chair as the memory faded, a small smile tugging at her lips. Ricardo had seen her for who she truly was—a person, not just a pawn. And Julian, despite the challenges they faced, had honored his father's wishes in every way.
"Lady Ausben may never understand love," Diana murmured to herself as she stepped out of the office. "But that does not mean I will let her destroy it for others."
As she made her way to the drawing room, she braced herself for the confrontation ahead. After all, she was the Duchess of Edelline.
*****
Slap.
The sharp sound echoed through the grand chamber, silencing the crackle of the fire in the hearth. Diana stood tall, her posture unyielding, though her right cheek stung from the blow. She refused to waver as her mother-in-law glared at her with fury. It's quite a normal occasion that she gets used to. At least for her husband, she will treat this woman with respect as she deserves.
"You vile seductress!" the older woman spat, her voice trembling with rage as she grabbed Diana by the arm. "How dare you? You clawed your way into Julian's bed, into this family—like the scheming snake you are!"
Diana clenched her jaw, suppressing the surge of pain both from the slap and the accusation. Her brown eyes remained fixed on the distraught woman before her, calm yet filled with an unspoken understanding.
She understood deep down the resentment that came from her selfishness, just like her inability to receive the love she desperately sought from the man who swore a lifetime oath to love and cherish her.
"I did not seduce Julian," Diana said quietly, her voice even, though the words carried a weight that cut through the air.
"Liar!" her mother-in-law shrieked, striking her again, though this time with less force. "You think I don't know your kind? A bastard child of a disgraced marquis, thinking you can steal my son's name, my son's future!"
Diana's breath hitched but her expression didn't falter. She couldn't blame the woman—not entirely. The years of torment under the previous duke had fractured her mind. This anger wasn't entirely hers; it was a festering wound left untreated, lashing out at anything it could reach.
"You're right," Diana murmured after a moment, her voice soft but steady.
Her mother-in-law froze, her hand suspended mid-air as if the words had robbed her of the strength to deliver another strike.
"I am the illegitimate daughter of Marquis Ardelaine," Diana continued, her tone devoid of malice, but not without conviction. "And I am the Duchess of Edelline because of an agreement—not love, not choice. But I will not apologize for standing here, for doing what is necessary to keep this house from falling apart in his absence."
"Necessary?" the older woman hissed, tears welling in her eyes. "You don't belong here! You don't belong with him—"
"And yet I am here," Diana interrupted, her voice rising for the first time. Her calm composure cracked just enough to reveal the strength beneath. "Where were you when he left for war? When this house needed someone to lead, to keep it together? I didn't choose this life, but I have chosen to endure it for the sake of this family, for the sake of his name."
Her mother-in-law trembled, her fury dimming into confusion and pain. For a long moment, the room was silent, save for the distant hum of the wind against the windows.
Diana took a deep breath and stepped back, her cheek still red but her gaze unwavering. "Hate me if you must. Blame me if it eases your grief. But I will not let you destroy what he and I are fighting to protect."
With that, Diana turned and walked out, leaving the room with heavy and unresolved grief. She closes the door of her bedroom door, hugging her knees as she takes a deep breath.
She wants to scream in frustration that it's not her fault. The fact that woman shouted at her makes her wonder, Is she the reason for the Edelline family current chaos? The Witch of East. People call her a strong independent woman but she knows herself, deep down she is just a 22-year-old girl, trying to live.
Diana can only hope Julian will return soon. She misses him.