forgotten desires || anthony bridgerton

CHAPTER 9

"That pompous arse. What was he thinking practically fawning over Ayera in public? Has that man no care for any dignity?" Anthony's sword clanked against Benedict's.

"Yeah did he not know that job is yours?" Benedict struck back.

"Quite hilarious brother, why don't you shove that sarcasm up your arse and help me out here?"

"Seems a lot simple to me. You are jealous."

"Ofcourse I am jealous! I never denied that."

"Oh?" Benedict quirked his eyebrow.

The sound of metal against metal reverberated throughout their surroundings.

"Then what is the problem exactly? You seem to have already diagnosed it."

Anthony groaned, "it is driving me insane that she has returned. Why on earth did she have to put my entire plan in disarray like that?"

"And what a wonderful plan that was...a marriage that put a business transaction to shame. Got to applaud you for that brother."

Anthony continued on without paying any heed to his brother's blunt humour. "I truly despise her for this. For everything."

"You Despise her? For what exactly?"

Anthony huffed in annoyance, "what does it matter?"

"No, you despise her? Anthony you were the one who refused to even meet her eyes anymore...after the incident."

Their swords cut through the air, loud clanks punctuating their words.

"Well, it didn't prove quite a hurdle for her to leave."

"Yeah it did not after your made it clearer than a crystal you didn't want anything to do with her."

Anthony halted in his tracks. Sweat on his brows, tamed fire in his eyes and taking heaving breaths he exclaimed softly, "not like it would have changed anything, would it?"

He stormed away.

Benedict turned to Colin and shook his head. "Why doesn't he just confess to her now?"

"Stubborn," Colin offered.

"I wonder what Ayera sees in him."

***

Anthony sat in his study, fingers tracing the indentation left on the papers which were beneath the letter he had written to Ayera, conveying his condolences on her Father's demise. A sudden pain shot across Anthony's heart as memories of his own breached his mind. Love is death, love is death, love is death, he kept reminding himself. No, love has no place in marriage, especially for him. He glanced at the clock, the soirée's starting. He picked up his coat and put it back in the closet. He couldn't give his heart false hope at the sight of her, it had been through so much, already battered and bruised, it wouldn't survive another betrayal by his own mind. Ayera Hughes, stung, like poison injected in his veins, but she would be happier, safer, away from his reach. Atleast Lady Danbury would be content. And as for Anthony, his love wasn't meant to gain fruition. It had to be tucked away in a dark void from where there is no return. What a cruel destiny that squanders his hope again and again. Universe had given him another chance at a happy ending, found a love lost, and then taken it back in a fleeting second, ripping the healing heart back to agony. Love didn't seem to be in his cards this time as well. He could hear their malicious laugh ringing in his ears, the writers of his fate. Anthony covered his ears, shaking and looked up to see the pendulum oscillating. He put his hands at his side as the clock announced the hour and the commencing of the soirée. Henry wooing her with his poetry, while Anthony began his search for a bride.

"Mother," he called when Violet returned that night.

"Oh Anthony! I thought you were accompanying us tonight."

"I was occupied elsewhere. Besides it would have been a thorough wastage of my time."

"Ayera was there."

Anthony ignored her and asked, "have the preparations of the ball began?"

His mother, slightly taken aback at the oddity of the question in the moment replied, "no not yet."

"Good. Invite Edwina Sharma along with her family. And a week before the ball to spend the time with us at our country house."

"The diamond of the season?"

"And the new Viscountess, if everything works out."

"But Anthony, what about Ayera?"

"What about her?" He deadpanned.

Violet still in shock by his previous revelation, managed, "I- I thought you, I mean you surely would want to-"

"Ten years is a long time mother. Her affairs don't concern me nor should mine her. Now will you kindly see to my request?"

"Dear, I still think you're being very reckless with all this."

"I have made up my mind." His face was set in stone.

"Very well, then I shall dispatch the invitations tomorrow," Violet sighed in resignation.

He took his mother's hand and placed a delicate kiss on it. Goodbye, Ayera.

A/N: fyi I wouldn't be writing Kate Sharma. Edwina is an only child in the story. Sorry I love Kate (wife fr) but this is my girl Ayera's moment.