The Reborn Duke's Hated Bride

mering so violently she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Her hands trembled against the gr

simply accept her rejection. He would not walk away. He woul

, revealing the landscape beyond. A vast garden stretched below, its hedges trimmed to perfection, its fountains sparkling in

been a baron, a man of modest means but grand ambitions. He had spent his life climbing the social ladder, making

w. Killed by the very man wh

s, her jaw, her lips. She was beautiful in this life. She had not been beautifu

r of a king, even if that king had been a monster. And t

meant

d, her body tensing. But the footsteps passed, fad

think. She n

the cold stone floors. The servants glanced at her with curious eye

had probably never been read. She scanned the titles, looking for s

n she f

ed it from the shelf and opened it to the first page. The w

en her obsession in her past life. The novel tha

was living

haking. The pages blurred as tears filled her eye

al heroine. The woman who was supposed

el's timeline was still early, still in the exposition phase. Dan

aside. Her hands were still s

he needed informatio

nd out who had pushe

n. The flowers bloomed in riotous colors, their fragrance heavy in the ai

s hurrying across the path. The girl gasped and stumbled back, dropping the ba

ing to her knees to gather the fruit. "Please f

to gather the apples. "It is all

han fifteen, with a round face and a smattering of freckles across her no

" the girl whispered. "You shou

e trying on a mask that did not quite fit. "I am not so grand

arly uncertain. "Lydia,

the name on her tongue.

lushed pink. "Th

he girl to her feet. She was about to turn away when a th

The push. Th

almost forgotten. She had been murdered. Someone had

was dead, and D

ad done i

ell me something. Have you heard any rumors about s

paled. "Unusu

e disappearing. Or dy

e been whispers, my lady. About women being found dead in the river. They say... th

rt stopped.

hrough the city. They say it is hung

t river. She had drowned in that river. And now s

be a co

meone hun

canopy above her, her mind churning with questions. Who had killed

e novel that had become her obsession. She had rea

s. It had not mentioned a ghost that haunted the river.

ifferent. This was not p

changing, if new elements were being introduced, then he

e needed to be smarter.

ed garden. The moon was full, its pale light casting silver shadows across th

en she

in shadow. She could not make out their features, but

ood ra

breath catching in her throat. Her ha

there? What

clutching it like a weapon. Her heart was hammerin

heard a knock

d, her eyes fixed on the door. The

oice called. "

he servant girl

lowered the candlestick. She cross

pale in the candlelight. She was clu

is was delivered for you. It

n Wingknight. The man who hated her fath

the seal with a flick of her thumb. The words swam

ke of Wisteria to answer for the crimes of your father. You will present yourself at the Du

g. Her breath came in

ydia, her eyes

"The Duke wants to see me. He wants

white. "What wil

think. She had three days. Three days to pr

the trembling in her heart. "I will go, and I wi

hat had not been there before. A fire that pr

she said softly. "But he has

, her eyes wide wit

to the kitchens and fetch me some tea. I have

anika closed the door and leaned

prepare for the man wh

find a way to

come the heroine

uld no

uld no

failed, she

y died once. She w