Alicia descended the grand staircase, her fingers delicately lifting the hem of her flowing sapphire dress. Her smile was soft, almost ethereal, radiating warmth and serenity. She could feel the weight of their gazes—the nobles, the commoners, the aristocrats—all gathered in the great hall to welcome the victorious Duke Edward. Her heart thrummed with anticipation, a rare hope blooming within her.
Her husband had finally returned from the war.
Perhaps now, after years of cold distance and strained silences, they could move beyond their indifferent marriage. They were older, wiser—surely time had softened the sharp edges between them. Hadn't she proven herself time and again? She had managed the duchy in his absence, safeguarding their lands and people. Surely, he had seen her worth by now.
She paused at the top of the stairs, her gaze drifting to the castle gates. The rhythmic clatter of hooves and the steady march of soldiers filled the courtyard, the air electric with triumph. Her breath hitched when she spotted him.
There he was, leading the procession like a figure from a dream—Duke Edward. His golden hair, now streaked with hints of silver, glinted under the pale winter sun. His posture was rigid, his face stern yet strikingly handsome. Time had sculpted him into a man of authority.
Alicia's heart swelled with cautious optimism as she descended the final steps. Her smile softened into something more intimate, a silent offering of peace. When Edward dismounted his horse, her steps quickened, her voice gentle as she greeted him.
"Welcome home, my Lord," she said, her words laced with warmth, the hope in her eyes unmistakable.
But he didn't return her smile. His piercing gaze, cold and detached, cut through her like the chill of the winter wind. Alicia's breath faltered, her confidence wavering.
"We have a guest," Edward said flatly, his tone devoid of warmth or familiarity. He stepped aside, gesturing toward the figure descending from a carriage behind him.
Alicia's heart sank.
A woman stepped into view, her beauty striking in its simplicity. She had jet-black hair and luminous emerald eyes. In her arms, she carried a boy—a child no older than five—with hair as golden as Edward's and eyes that mirrored his father's cold intensity.
"This is Katarina," Edward continued his voice firm yet eerily calm. "A servant who saved my life during the war." His gaze softened as it shifted to the boy. "And this is our son, Theodore."
Alicia's world tilted, the foundation of her carefully constructed composure cracking beneath her. She stared at the boy, at his golden curls and innocent face, a perfect reflection of Edward. Her lips parted, but no words came.
Edward turned back to her, his expression unyielding. "Katarina and Theodore will be staying here. I trust you will treat them with the respect they deserve."
Respect? The word echoed in Alicia's mind, mocking her. She could barely breathe as she watched him lift the boy into his arms, his once-stoic face softening with a smile she hadn't seen in years. He spoke to the child in a tone so tender it felt like a blade to her chest.
"Katarina," Edward said, his voice warm as he addressed the woman, "Come, I'll show you around."
And just like that, they walked past her. Katarina, her son, and Edward—the man who was supposed to be hers.
Alicia remained frozen in place, her hands trembling at her sides. The snow outside began to fall heavier, the cold seeping into her bones as the family disappeared into the castle.
The nobles, servants, and vassals who had gathered to welcome the Duke exchanged confused glances. Their gazes flickered between Alicia and the retreating figures. Whispers erupted, their words indistinct but laced with curiosity and pity. Yet none of them stayed to comfort her. One by one, they followed Edward, offering congratulations and compliments.
Alicia stood there, alone in the grand hall, her chest heaving as disbelief and heartbreak clawed at her. Her voice, when it finally came, was little more than a whisper, lost to the icy air.
"Why…" she murmured, her hands clenching into fists. "Why wasn't I enough?"
Her mind raced back to the nights she had spent waiting for him, her heart clinging to the hope that they could rebuild what had never truly been there. She had believed in his return, in a future where they could be more than strangers. But now…
Now she stood in the shadow of a family that wasn't hers, a family that shattered the fragile dream she had nurtured for years.
A faint voice called out to her, breaking her trance. It was one of the servants, a young girl with wide, sympathetic eyes. "My Lady, shall I prepare some tea for you?"
Alicia blinked, her gaze dropping to the marble floor. She inhaled sharply, forcing herself to stand tall, to hold on to the last remnants of her dignity.
"No," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt. "I need some air."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and stepped outside, her heels crunching against the snow-covered path. The cold wind bit at her skin, but she welcomed it. It was a stark contrast to the numbness spreading through her heart.
She stopped at the edge of the courtyard, her eyes lifting to the darkening sky. Snowflakes danced in the air, delicate and fleeting. Alicia closed her eyes, letting the cold seep in, hoping it would numb the pain threatening to consume her.
But no amount of cold could mask the warmth of the tears that slipped down her cheeks.
"I was a fool," she whispered to the wind, her voice trembling. "A fool to believe he could ever love me."
The snow continued to fall, covering the world in its silent embrace. Yet within Alicia's heart, the storm raged on.
*****
Alicia barged into Edward's office, her chest heaving with a mixture of fury and despair. She froze when the sharp sound of a child's cry pierced the room. Theodore, seated on the Duke's lap, flinched at her sudden entrance, his small body trembling.
"Shh, it's alright," Edward murmured, gently rubbing the boy's back. His voice was soft, tender—a tone Alicia hadn't heard directed at her in years. Theodore buried his face in Edward's chest, seeking comfort, while Alicia stood paralyzed by the scene before her.
Katarina appeared almost instantly, her emerald eyes filled with concern. She glided across the room, taking the boy from Edward's arms. "Come, my darling," she cooed, her voice soothing as she carried him out, sparing only a glance at Alicia before disappearing down the hall.
The silence that followed was suffocating, broken only by the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth. Edward's demeanor shifted in an instant. His tender gaze hardened into something cold and unforgiving as he turned to face his wife.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his tone like ice.
Alicia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Meaning? I'm your wife, Edward. Your wife. I have every right to—"
"My wife?" he interrupted, his voice dripping with disdain. "You are nothing but an incompetent woman who shames this house with your petty outbursts. Look at what you've done—you frightened my son."
Alicia's breath hitched at his words. "Your son?" she spat, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "What's so good about those commoners you've brought into this house? I am the daughter of Marquis Lyfean, Edward! Not some lowly mistress!"
The words barely left her mouth when the sharp crack of a slap echoed through the room. The force of the blow sent Alicia stumbling, her hand flying to her cheek. She stared at Edward, stunned, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and heartbreak.
"You dare speak of Katarina that way?" Edward's voice was low, deadly. "If it weren't for your father saving my mother's life, I would never have taken you as my wife. Do you think your title gives you worth? You're nothing, Alicia. Nothing but the illegitimate daughter of a marquis—a burden I've carried far too long."
Alicia's chest tightened, her vision blurring with tears she refused to let fall. Slowly, she turned to look at her reflection in the tall mirror by the wall. Her hand trembled as she traced the red mark on her cheek, her skin already beginning to bruise.
This is who I am now, she thought bitterly. A wife in name only.
She turned back to Edward, her voice barely a whisper but laced with defiance. "And what are you, Edward? A man who hides behind a mistress and a child, abandoning his wife in the cold? You call me a burden, but you're the one who cannot face your failures."
For a moment, Edward's face darkened, but he said nothing. His silence cut deeper than his words ever could.
Unable to bear it any longer, Alicia's trembling hand reached for his face. She cupped his cheek as if searching for a trace of the man she once hoped he could become. But all she felt was coldness.
Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Why did you marry me, Edward? Was it out of duty? Pity? Or was it just a convenient way to repay a debt?"
Edward pulled away, his expression unreadable. "It doesn't matter," he said coldly. "What matters now is the future of this duchy—and that future lies with Theodore."
Alicia's hand fell to her side, her nails digging into her palm as a fresh wave of anger surged within her. Without another word, she stormed out of the room, her steps heavy with the weight of her broken pride.
The servants outside called after her, their voices blending into the background noise of her racing thoughts. She ignored them, ascending the grand staircase as tears blurred her vision.
Upon reaching her bedroom, she slammed the door shut, the sound reverberating through the halls. She leaned against it, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to steady herself. But the moment she was alone, the dam broke.
She slid to the floor, burying her face in her hands as sobs wracked her body. The bruise on her cheek throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her chest.
Why? she thought, her mind spiraling. Why wasn't I enough? Why did he choose her over me?
The weight of her pain was suffocating, but exhaustion soon took over. She dragged herself to the bed, her body heavy with despair. Without bothering to undress, she collapsed onto the sheets, her tears soaking into the fabric.
She closed her eyes, willing herself to disappear into the darkness, to escape the unbearable reality of her shattered world.
And there, in the quiet solitude of her room, Alicia finally succumbed to a restless, troubled sleep, the echo of Edward's words haunting her dreams.