People always say, "Follow your heart. Chase your dreams and your ideas. If you've got a goal, grab it. If you have something to say, say it—or don't. Someone insults you? Give it back to them. Do whatever your heart tells you."
But the shit I did today in front of the Corallia Duke, driven by my emotions… I'm not sure I deserve to keep breathing after that. Yeah, he insulted me, and shouldn't I have stood my ground? Shouldn't I have fought back? Instead, I let my anger turn me into a fool, and now I'm standing here, wondering if the right thing would be to just disappear completely.
"You dare insult my father!" A young man shouted in anger.
But standing for myself meant that now I am stuck in a match with the heir of Corallia Duchy- Lev Corallia, the eldest of the children of Duke Edgar Corallia and Vivianne and Pearl's older brother and my former Brother-in-Law.
So now, how did I end up here? For that let's go a few minutes or hours back, I don't remember how much time has passed since I left the car. It all happened as follows...
[Few hours earlier....]
After greeting the butler who opened the door for me and my father, we entered the Corallia Mansion. It was very big in size almost comparable to my Mansion in the Whiteclark Duchy. What can you expect, it is a Duchy also after all.
Entering through the big doors many maids greeted us as we entered the hallway. The mansion hallway stretched out before us, grand and almost intimidating in its elegance. Polished marble floors gleamed under the soft, golden glow of crystal chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling. The walls were lined with ornate wooden paneling, intricately carved with patterns of vines and leaves, giving the space an old-world charm.
As I was in a daze looking at the intricate patterns and the beautiful maids, who were blushing while looking at me. 'What can I say MILFs for the Win'.
"Welcome," A deep voice resonated in the hallway, taking me out of my daze. I looked at the figure before me, a man around the same age as my father wearing a dark blue coat with a white shirt below it and completing it with a black trouser. His azure blue eyes were looking at us with a welcoming shine. His lips curved up in a warm smile. His bluish silver was reaching his neck.
It was Edgar Corallia, The Duke, the man of water himself. Beside him were three more people, a boy around my age or a bit older sharing his father's azure blue eyes but his hair a shade of black. He was wearing a black coat and white shirt, with brown trousers. His sharp face showed no emotion and he did not even look at me or greet me.
The other two, a beautiful girl around my age, her silvery blue hair framing her oval delicate face, her eyes a shade of teal. Her elegant figure was covered by a beautiful blue dress piece with a corset around her abdomen. She was the epitome of beauty, more beautiful than any other girl on Earth. It was none other than my or I mean Lucian's fiancee, Vivianne Corallia.
She averted her gaze from me with a faint blush as soon as we locked our eyes together. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes which I can understand I guess. Moving my attention towards a little girl behind her, she was likely the youngest.
She had the same hair as Vivianne, silvery blue colour and she shared her father's azure eyes and she was wearing a green dress. She is actually so cute that I wanted to pull her chubby cheeks. I used to do that shit when Neo was 7 years old.
I remember him complaining to my mother about me and she would scold me. 'Ah, I miss those days'. Anyway, let's focus on the task in front. But what do I have to do anyway? The engagement should be broken so I am not required at all.
My father, Arin Whiteclark, most likely brought me along to re-establish the engagement but sorry I don't have plans for getting engaged now even if it meant breaking this girl's heart. I don't have time for this, I don't know how Neo is doing back on Earth.
"Your Grace, Duke Edgar, it is good to see you again" My father spoke up while extending his hand for a handshake.
"Likewise, Duke Arin" He replied while shaking my father's hand.
"I, Lucian Whiteclark, greet the Duke," I said maintaining a formal tone, bowing my head.
He then brought his gaze towards me and with a smile asked, "How are you boy?"
"It's been more than four months since I saw you last"
"I am fine, your grace"
"Boy, you don't have to maintain formalities with me," He said in a warm tone.
'Did he really break my engagement? He seems like a warm man' I thought.
"I understand," I said still maintaining the formal tone.
"Let's go talk in my chamber now, shall we?" He asked gesturing towards a room.
"Yes," my father replied with a smile.
As both my father and Duke Edgar went ahead, I followed behind them. While walking I sneaked a glance at the trio who followed after. Their gazes were fixed on me so It made me quite uncomfortable, to say the least.
"Hello," I tried to break the awkwardness. The little girl blushed and ran behind her sister while the sister avoided my gaze and fidgeted with her fingers.
"Hello, Lucian, how have you been?" the only reply I got was from the brother, his name? Yeah, Mother told me it was Lev Corallia, my Brother-in-Law or former Brother-in-Law. He is one year older than me. So he is currently 17 years old and the heir to the Corallia Duchy. Next year he will attend the Magic College in Calston.
He had a slight smile on his face but I could see that he was not actually happy to see me. I don't know why. I smiled at him too and looked at Vivianne and Pearl and nodded my head at both of them. Then I started walking towards the chamber once again and they followed after.
***
As she looked at the boy before her, Vivianne could notice that he had changed. Before he felt distant and not wanting to talk with her and ignoring her. But now he felt not distant but different, as if he changed as a person. He was now a contrast to his previous demeanor.
She knew from the letter that her Mother-in-Law sent, where she detailed about what had happened. She knew he had lost his previous memories.
'Did he get more handsome?'
She thought her face burning up. The boy was walking along with her elder brother Lev, talking amiably as if the events that had happened four months ago had not even occurred. Well, he does not know what he did due to the memory loss. 'So... maybe perhaps I can reconcile?' she thought as she looked at the boy before her again.
"Haha, so that's what happened," Lev let out a small chuckle at Lucian's words, clearly amused.
"Yeah, now it's pretty hard to do things without Mother clinging onto me" Lucian replied with an awkward smile, scratching the back of his neck.
"Well brother you disappeared for a week, what do you expect? Even Vivi was worried, you know?"
"Huh?" Vivianne let out a startled voice at her brother's words. "W-what? brother?"
"Well you were quite worried about him when he disappeared, right~?" Lev added his voice tinged with mischief.
"I mean-"
"We are here"
But before Vivianne could reply, Lev intervened and reminded them that they had arrived at the Chamber. Vivianne could do nothing but look at him, her face flushed from embarrassment. 'Idiot brother'
Lucian did not respond much or look at her, he maintained his distance and just followed after Lev.
***
This brother of hers, he is quite good at teasing but not better than me. I am a better teaser than him. I still remember vividly when I teased Neo as he liked a girl from his class, the best reaction that I've gotten in my whole 20 years of previous life.
And by the way, why is this little girl staring at me so intensely? Did this guy perhaps do something wrong? Well I hope can get this body's memories back or else I will be struggling a lot. But how?
"Come inside" Shattering my thoughts, Duke Edgar permitted us to enter his chamber.
Duke Edgar's study chamber is massive. The walls are lined with towering bookshelves, packed with old leather-bound volumes that smell of dust and wisdom. Heavy drapes cover the tall, narrow windows, casting the room in a warm, amber glow, while the faint scent of burning wood from the fireplace lingers in the air. In the center of it all is the duke's desk, a huge, imposing piece of dark wood, its surface polished to a shine.
There were two pairs of blue sofas before the desk where my father sat quietly, his arms crossed. I made my way towards him and sat beside him. The trio of siblings followed after and sat across us on the other sofa.
"Pearl," Duke Edgar called out, "Can you leave? We are about to have some important talk with Uncle Arin and Big Brother Lucian."
"No papa I want to stay!" Pearl retorted, her eyes staring at me with intensity.
'What did I do wrong?'
"Sigh"
"Anna" Duke Edgar shouted.
"Yes, Your Excellency?" Upon hearing his call, a woman in her early thirties appeared near the study chamber doors. She had dark brown hair and grey eyes. She wore a traditional maid attire.
"Take Pearl to her room" He commanded.
"Yes," she replied as she approached Pearl, "Young lady please come with me"
"No! I want to stay!" Pearl retorted puffing her cheeks.
The next instance I saw was Pearl being dragged away by Anna, as she cried helplessly. Well, the scene was quite cute. The maid bowed before us and left the study chambers.
Duke Edgar now sat beside his son and daughter, facing us. His face now held a look of indifference, as he stared me down. This man just before was smiling warmly like a loving father, but now had the presence of a man that exuded authority. His aura was similar to that of my father.
"Now then, shall we start?"
'Now he looks like a man who would definitely break my Engagement'