Chapter 10: Duke’s Deception
The day of the banquet passed quickly in Seraphina's mind. She tried to recall everything she had said to the man with whom she had a passionate love affair, her face turning contemplative.
"Hey, Seraphina!" Count Alaric's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Yes, Father?" Seraphina responded quickly.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, irritation clear in his tone.
"What is that…" she trailed off, noticing that her grip on the cup had loosened, spilling tea over the rim. Her face flushed red with embarrassment as she quickly wiped her hands with a handkerchief.
"It's okay. I guess Lady Seraphina was a little surprised," the Duke of Everwyn remarked, his eyes casually glancing at her.
"Well, I heard that you got sick after attending the banquet," he continued.
"Ah, yes," Seraphina replied softly.
"I'm sorry. I should've visited you as soon as I heard the news, but something urgent came up," the Duke said, a smile on his lips but no warmth in his eyes. It was an obvious lie; he didn't care for her at all.
"That's fine. I heard that a Duke has a lot of work to attend to, so it's only right that you get your job done first," Seraphina said, trying to match his insincerity with politeness.
"Lady Seraphina's consideration is very generous," the Duke replied.
With that, he sat down across from her. Despite the ample space, he stretched out his feet, placing his shoe tip against hers.
"I think we will be a couple that fits well," he said.
"Cough!" A cough spilled out from Seraphina's mouth at his words. She had choked on a piece of refreshment and continued to cough, her face turning bright red.
"Seraphina!" Count Alaric's sharp voice pierced through her ears, condemning her behavior. He did not appreciate her actions and quickly responded in her stead. "Yes, I couldn't agree more. The more I look at the two of you, the more I believe that you'll make a wonderful couple."
"Is that what Count Alaric sees?" the Duke asked, his lips thin. As he took a sip from his mug, instead of looking at his tea or the Count, he stared intensely at Seraphina.
His index finger slowly skimmed the handle of the smooth teacup. Seraphina's face flushed red, noticing his blatant stare. His gaze was so intense it seemed as if he could see through her clothes.
She had many questions for him, but those were best asked in private. Why was he here? Why hadn't he revealed his identity at the banquet? And why had he just listened to her remarks, which might have been rude?
Still weak from her recent illness, Seraphina had been forced out of bed to meet the Duke. Her body could not handle the sudden rise in blood pressure and stress. The room started to spin, and she felt her head fall backward. The chair she was sitting on, more of a stool than a regular chair, offered no support, and she collapsed backward powerlessly.
Thud!
"Seraphina!" Count Alaric shouted.
"Lady Seraphina!" the Duke called, sounding surprised.
Listening to the Count's angry voice and the Duke's shock, Seraphina knew she would have to apologize again.
When she woke up, the back of her head felt numb.
"Ah…"
She must have hit her head when she fell. Putting her fingertips to the back of her head, she felt a slight bump. Even a slight touch was painful, and it would probably take over a week to recover. Slowly, she looked around with a pale face.
Seraphina gazed out the window. It had been daytime when she passed out, but now it was dark outside. Her unchanged clothes bothered her, but she didn't have time to care. She had to catch up with the Duke, who might have already left. There was a lot she wanted to say, and at this rate, it was clear that her wedding would proceed with many misunderstandings.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone