Later that night, as the moon hung high in the inky black sky, Violetta sat hunched over her desk in her study, the flickering light of the lantern casting a warm glow over the scattered papers and ledgers that littered the polished wood surface. She had spent the better part of the evening attending to the myriad duties and responsibilities that came with managing a vast and prosperous duchy, a task she took great pride in and devoted herself to with unwavering diligence. A sense of satisfaction and accomplishment washed over her as she finally finished the last of the documents, setting down her quill with a soft sigh.
Just as Violetta leaned back in her chair, stretching the kinks out of her muscles, a soft knock sounded at the heavy oak doors of her study. She glanced up, a note of annoyance flickering across her lovely features as she called out, "What is it? Can't you see I'm tired?" Her voice was a low, slightly irritated rasp, a sound that held a clear note of displeasure at being disturbed during her work.
The door creaked open, revealing one of her maids, a young girl with a nervous, almost frightened expression on her face. "Your Grace," the maid began, her voice a low, hesitant murmur. "Forgive me for disturbing you, but...Duke Vrost is here to see you." The maid's words were a low, apologetic whisper, a sound that held a clear note of trepidation at being the bearer of such news.
Violetta's eyes narrowed, a flicker of irritation and a hint of something darker, more disdainful in their depths as she gazed at the maid. "I see," she murmured, her voice a low, cool rasp. "And I trust you informed His Grace that I do not entertain gentlemen at this late hour?" Violetta's tone was a clear, almost imperious command, a sound that brooked no argument or disobedience.
The maid swallowed hard, her eyes wide with fear as she gazed at Violetta. "Y-yes, Your Grace," she stammered, her voice shaking slightly. "I did inform the Duke about that, but...he insists on waiting until you agree to see him. He says he'll stand out there all night if he must." The maid's words were a low, frightened whisper, a sound that held a clear note of concern and unease as she felt the Duchess's gaze upon her.
Violetta felt a surge of anger and frustration rise up within her, her hands clenching into fists at her sides as she listened to the maid's words. It seemed that one overbearing, arrogant man wasn't enough - now she had another to contend with. She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to rein in her temper as she considered her options.
After a long moment, Violetta unclenched her fists and rose to her feet, her silk skirts whispering softly around her legs as she moved towards the door. "Very well," she said, her voice a low, tight rasp. "I will meet with him." She paused, a sudden, wicked thought occurring to her. "Tell me, girl, does the Duke appear...sober?" Violetta's tone was a low, almost mocking drawl, a sound that held a clear note of disdain and a hint of something darker, more dangerous beneath the surface.
The maid nodded, a look of relief and gratitude flashing across her face at Violetta's decision. "Yes, Your Grace," she murmured. "The Duke is quite...composed. He seems to have an urgent matter he wishes to discuss with you." The maid's words were a low, hesitant whisper, a sound that held a clear note of uncertainty and a touch of fear at the thought of the Duchess's reaction to the Duke's persistence.
Violetta nodded curtly, a look of grim determination settling over her face as she smoothed her skirts and prepared to face this new challenge. "Then by all means, escort him in," Violetta commanded, her voice a low, regal rasp. "I will meet with him and see just what it is that he wants at this ungodly hour."
Moments later, the heavy oak doors of Violetta's study swung open, revealing Cassian standing in the doorway. He stepped inside, the doors closing with a soft, ominous click behind him, a sound that seemed to echo the finality and inevitability of this meeting. Violetta watched as he approached her, his long, powerful strides eating up the distance between them until he stood mere inches from where she leaned against the table, her hands gripping the edge tightly.
Cassian's face was a mask of rare vulnerability, his usual bravado and arrogant confidence stripped away to reveal the man beneath - a man haunted by sadness, frustration, and a deep, aching sense of loss. His piercing icy blue eyes, usually so sharp and challenging, now held a soft, almost imploring look as he gazed down at Violetta, his gaze searching, desperate.
He reached out, his large, calloused hands covering Violetta's slender ones, his fingers curling around her own in a silent, almost pleading gesture. Violetta felt the rough, warm texture of his skin against her own, a stark contrast to the smooth, delicate hands of a Duchess. She tried to pull away, a sudden, instinctive revulsion rising up within her at his touch, but Cassian held fast, his grip tightening slightly as he refused to let her go.
Their bodies were mere inches apart, the heat of his chest brushing against the soft swell of Violetta's breasts, a contact that made her feel suddenly, unbearably aware of every curve and contour of her body. She could feel the power and strength that emanated from him, a raw, masculine energy that both terrified and thrilled her in equal measure.
For a long, charged moment, they simply stared at each other, the air between them crackling with a mix of tension, anger, and a hint of something darker, more primal. Violetta's breath came in short, sharp gasps as she struggled to maintain her composure, her heart pounding a staccato rhythm against her ribs as she met Cassian's gaze head-on. She could see the sadness and frustration that swam in the depths of his eyes, a look that tugged at something deep within her, even as her mind recoiled from the very sight of him.
"Duke Vrost," Violetta said at last, her voice a low, icy whisper. "What are you doing here?" Her words were a clear, almost imperious demand for an explanation, a sound that held a note of barely restrained fury and a hint of something else, something softer and more vulnerable that she struggled to suppress. "And pray tell, why have you seen fit to disturb me at this hour?" Violetta's tone was a low, biting rasp, a sound that cut through the heavy silence of the room.
Cassian's eyes began to glisten with unshed tears as he gazed down at Violetta, his heart aching with a pain that threatened to consume him whole. Unable to bear the icy fury in her violet eyes a moment longer, he did something utterly uncharacteristic - he wrapped his strong arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest as he buried his face against the soft skin of her shoulder. Violetta stiffened, a gasp of shock and protest dying on her lips as she found herself suddenly, inexplicably trapped in Cassian's embrace.
Tears began to stream down Cassian's chiseled cheeks as he clung to Violetta, his broad shoulders shaking with the force of his emotion. "Violetta," he choked out, his voice a low, broken rasp. "Tell me, do you...do you hate me so much that you would marry a fallen noble, a man from a family that betrayed the king and all that he stands for?" Cassian's words were a low, anguished whisper, a sound that held a desperate, almost frantic note of pain and betrayal.
He pulled back slightly, just enough to gaze into Violetta's eyes, his own a stormy, heartrending mess of sorrow and despair. "Is this your way of punishing me, of making me pay for my sins?" Cassian's voice was a low, bitter laugh, a sound that held a clear note of self-loathing and a deep, abiding sense of hopelessness. "If that's true, then you should know...it's working." His words were a low, strangled whisper, a sound that cut through the heavy, charged air of the room like a knife.
As he spoke, Violetta could feel the hot, salty tears that streamed down Cassian's face, could feel the way his body shuddered and trembled against her own. She could see the raw, unadulterated agony that swam in the depths of his icy blue eyes, a look that made her heart clench and ache in a way she herself couldn't quite explain.
Violetta's eyes flashed with a fury that could no longer be contained as she glared at Cassian, his tears and anguished words doing little to sway her resolve. With a sudden, violent surge of energy, she clenched her teeth and shoved hard against his chest, putting all of her strength and anger behind the blow. Cassian stumbled back, caught off guard by the sudden force of her actions, his arms falling away from her waist as he struggled to maintain his balance.
"Is that your pathetic attempt at trying to manipulate me, Cassian?" Violetta snarled, her voice a loud, enraged shout that echoed off the walls of her study. "Do you really think I would fall for such a cheap, transparent ploy?" She was panting, her chest heaving with the force of her fury as she glared at him, her violet eyes blazing with a fire that could not be extinguished.
Violetta took a step towards him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her body trembling with barely restrained rage. "I am marrying Lucien because there is little I have to give him in return," she spat, her words a loud, bitter shout. "There will be no expectations placed upon me as a woman, no pressure to bear his children, no need to put on the act of a loving, devoted wife." Violetta was practically screaming now, her voice a loud, anguished cry that held a note of desperate, almost manic relief. "I will be free, Cassian. Free from the expectations, the demands, the constant, suffocating pressure of being a dutiful wife. Free to live my life on my own terms, without the constant interference and control of a man." Violetta's voice broke on the last word, a single, bitter tear sliding down her cheek as the weight of her words sank in.