Theodore sat at the edge of his chair, fingers pressed against his temples, his thoughts tangled in a relentless loop.
One month. That was all he had.
It wasn't enough. But he had to make do with whatever he was given..
Selene was slipping from his grasp, and the moment that deadline arrived, she would be gone—forever.
He had spent years building his world, conquering businesses, and securing power. Yet now, the only thing he truly wanted was standing at the precipice of leaving him, and there was nothing in his arsenal to stop it.
Unless…
There had to be a way. A reason to make her stay beyond the contract. Right now, only that contract was binding them seeing that even the duchess disregarded the marriage itself.
And if logic wouldn't sway her, perhaps something simpler would? His answer was.. Dates.
He called for Anna, the only person close enough to Selene to offer insight.
The maid arrived with reluctant steps, her fingers clutched around the fabric of her sleeves. "Your Grace?"
Theodore wasted no time. "Tell me what she likes."
Anna blinked. "...My Lady?"
"Yes." He leaned forward slightly, his expression severe. "If I am to convince her to stay, I need to give her reasons to want to."
Anna shifted uncomfortably. "My Lady is...not easy to persuade.."
"I'm not asking for easy," he muttered. "I'm asking for effective."
Anna thought for a moment, then hesitantly spoke. "She values sincerity. And—"
"That's not enough," Theodore cut in. "I need specifics."
Anna flinched but continued, her voice steadier now. "She enjoys music, particularly the violin. She likes quiet places, gardens more than ballrooms. And she hates meaningless flattery."
Theodore absorbed the information, nodding slowly.
"Then I'll take her to places she enjoys," he decided. "Give her something she cannot easily leave behind."
Anna hesitated. "...Dates?"
"If that's what it takes." He mumbled.
For the first time, Theodore saw something odd flicker across Anna's face—something resembling amusement.
"My Lord," she said carefully, "forgive my boldness, but...have you ever courted someone before?"
Theodore stiffened slightly. "...Not in the way I need to now."
Anna looked like she wanted to laugh, but wisely, she held it back. "Then I will help." She hasn't been by her side for long—but she wanted to keep the lady she serves within the confines of the residence.
As it was clear to her that her precious lady wouldn't survive the world outside as she was too meek..As selfish as it was.
A plan was forming, one meticulously crafted, with structured movements. Theodore was determined that he would make her fall for him again—or, perhaps, for the first time.
But fate had other intentions.
Before Theodore could finalize his strategy, his aide entered the chamber, urgency written across his face.
"My Lord," he said, bowing quickly. "There is an issue requiring your immediate presence at the northern estates. The situation is delicate, and—"
"I'm not leaving," Theodore snapped.
"My Lord," the aide continued carefully, "It can not be handled remotely. If that wasn't the case, I would've deslt with it myself.." He uttered, praying that his choice of words would persuade his master.
Theodore exhaled sharply.
_Damn it._
He turned to Anna, frustration in his gaze.
"Prepare everything while I'm gone," he ordered. "When I return, we begin."
Anna nodded quickly, sensing the tension in his voice.
Theodore clenched his jaw, dragging a hand through his hair.
His plan had barely begun, and already, the world was demanding his attention elsewhere.
But this time, he wouldn't let time slip through his fingers.
No matter what, he would return—and when he did, Selene would have no choice but to see him differently.
---
The annex had always been a quiet place—a space seemingly untouched by the clamor of the main estate, timeless, hidden beneath the drooping arms of the old willow tree. It was here, beneath the swaying branches, that Selene found solace once more.
And here, the cat she had tended to greeted her with a new change.
The feline lay curled beneath the sheltering roots, her body curved protectively around four tiny kittens, their fur no more than tufts of fragile warmth.
Selene's breath hitched.
She knelt beside them, careful not to disturb the small creatures nestled against their mother's belly.
"You've been busy, haven't you?" she murmured, her voice barely above the whisper of the breeze.
The cat blinked at her, slow and unbothered, then pressed her head against Selene's palm as if offering comfort instead.
Selene swallowed thickly.
Had it truly been this long?
She traced the delicate curve of the mother cat's ear, feeling the soft tremble of life beneath her fingertips.
"I miss mine too," she admitted, the words spilling from her lips before she could stop them.
The weight in her chest pressed deeper. Her child. The one she had lost. The one whose absence still clung to the edges of her heart like a half-forgotten dream.
Grief had always felt like something best carried in silence, a burden too heavy to share. She had to live on, knowing that grief didn't always come in with a loud knock. Sometimes, it quietly slips in, rearranges the furniture, and teaches you how to sit with it.
But here, under the willow, speaking to a creature who knew nothing of titles or loss, she let herself go.
Tears welled in her eyes, and the cat, sensing the sadness in her, nuzzled closer.
Selene exhaled shakily, brushing her knuckles across her damp lashes.
"I don't even know if I should still think about it." The confession was hushed, barely heard. "But I do...I always do."
The kittens stirred, mewling softly, their tiny paws stretching before curling again in sleep.
Selene shut her eyes.
She hadn't thought she would cry. She hadn't meant to let herself feel this much. She thought she was strong enough to withstand this again.
But some wounds never truly healed.
A rustling sound snapped her from her thoughts.
Her head jerked up.
Beyond the willow's shade, in the thick underbrush leading to the forest, something stirred.
A presence telling someone is here.
The quiet no longer felt comforting—it felt watchful.
Selene stiffened, her gaze scanned everywhere.
Someone was there.
And she wasn't alone anymore.