Deviating from the original plot

Chapter sixty-six

"And you allowed it!" he roared back, rising from his chair. His towering frame loomed over her. "A true Ashford would never have faltered so easily. You should have bent him, charmed him, and controlled him if you must. But instead you let him slip away like water through your fingers."

Her breath hitched, but anger flared in her chest. "You don't know what he is like. No one does! He was—."

The Duke cut in. "Then you are of no value to me. Do you understand, Celeste? No value. I could have bartered you for power beyond imagining. Now you are nothing but a stain on this house."

Her voice shook, but she did not lower her gaze. "I guess we are both alike then, like father, like daughter."

For a moment, the Duke simply stared at her, stunned by her audacity.

"You will regret those words," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "If you cannot bring honour to this house, then I will find another way to wring worth from you."

Celeste's breath caught, unease curling in her chest at the venom in his tone.

✦ ✦

"You don't think he is going to sell me out, do you?" Celeste asked her maid.

"I hope not." Clara answered as Celeste lay in bed.

"I really don't care about all this; I just want to be free from all this..." Celeste said,

"Don't worry, you will get through all this." Clara encouraged

"Thank you," Celeste sighed.

The next few days passed in a blur. The capital swelled with gossip–whispers fluttering through parlours and echoing in banquet halls. The Crown Prince had declared his broken betrothal, and now word spread that his gaze had fallen upon another.

Hope rekindled among the noble houses. Ladies began sending letters by the dozen, each sealed with careful wax, each written with trembling hands, desperate that it might be they might be the one.

"Burn every single one of them," Cassius ordered coolly, tossing yet another unopened letter aside.

"Yes, Your Highness," his attendants replied at once, gathering the missives into baskets bound for the flames.

Cassius leaned back, eyes narrowing as the fire consumed them. Out of the sea of names and pleading words, he sought only one. But hers never came.

"She must have heard by now," he muttered, his voice low, almost to himself. "Is she not intrigued by my... new freedom?" His lips curved into a faint, determined smile. "Then I suppose I shall be the one to make the first move."

✦ ✦

Evelyn sneezed loudly, nearly spilling her tea.

"My lady!" her maid exclaimed, hurrying to her side. "That was no ordinary sneeze. You've not taken ill from those late-night wanderings, have you?"

Evelyn waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Just... unsettled. As if something unpleasant is about to happen."

Her maid frowned. "Then I'll prepare ginger broth, just in case."

But Evelyn's unease did not leave her. Not that day. Not even the next.

The following morning, her maid burst into her chamber in a fluster. "My lady–you must come at once!"

"What now?" Evelyn groaned, setting aside her book.

"The Crown Prince, he is at your estate!"

Evelyn nearly dropped her book. "What do you mean the prince is here?"

She darted left out of her room and went to the top of the stairs only to glimpse Cassius himself below in the foyer, standing with an air of authority while conversing easily with her parents.

"Holy mother of light..." she hissed under her breath, recoiling from the sight. "This is a disaster."

She spun on her heel and bolted back into her room, slamming the door shut.

"A disaster?" Her maid echoed in disbelief. "My lady, this is the Crown Prince! You are the woman he admires!"

"Do I look like I'm happy about this?" Evelyn snapped, her voice sharp with panic. "Don't add to my headache. Go downstairs. If they ask, tell them I'm ill."

Her maid hesitated, wringing her hands. "But-"

"Do it," Evelyn ordered, pointing to the door.

Meanwhile~

"You are always welcome in our estate, Your Highness," Evelyn's mother said warmly, her smile practically glowing. "You must have come to see our daughter, haven't you?"

"I have," Cassius replied with a courteous nod. "I hoped to speak with her... and to formally request the chance to court her."

"Oh dear..." her father muttered under his breath.

But his wife's eyes lit up. "How wonderful! I always knew you and Evelyn shared something special. She may not say it outright–she likes to pretend otherwise–but that is only because she is shy, I hope you don't mind."

Cassius's lips curved faintly. "I know, I am familiar with that side of her," he said with a knowing smile.

Her mother quickly motioned to a maid. "Go fetch Evelyn at once."

Moments later, the maid descended the staircase, bowing apologetically. "My lady begs pardon. She has taken ill and cannot receive visitors."

"Ill?" her mother gasped. "But she seemed perfectly fine yesterday."

"She... did not want to trouble you with her condition," the maid explained smoothly.

Her father, however, caught on immediately. He turned to the prince with a diplomatic tone. "It appears Evelyn is indisposed today, Your Highness. Perhaps you might return another time."

Cassius considered this for a beat, then inclined his head. "Very well. Tomorrow, then. I shall bring the finest herbal teas to aid her recovery."

"That would be simply wonderful!" Her mother gushed as the prince offered a graceful bow and departed.

The doors had barely closed before her father rounded on his wife. "We must tread carefully. You cannot be so careless with him."

"Careless? "He is the Crown Prince," she countered dreamily. "And Evelyn has clearly caught his heart. Our daughter is just... too modest to say so herself."

Her father frowned. "Evelyn said she wants nothing to do with him."

"She's playing hard to get," her mother dismissed with a wave. "Tomorrow he returns, and I will have everything perfectly arranged for him." With that, she bustled away, already lost in her plans.

Left alone, her father rubbed his temples with a heavy sigh. He knew his daughter, and there was no shyness in her refusal.