The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

”Is this truly for me?” Roman asked, his eyes wide with wonder as he peered inside the finely carved wooden box.

”Indeed,” August replied, leaning down slightly. ”It is a wooden gun. It is completely harmless, as it doesn’t fire anything dangerous. However, it will prove quite effective in honing your aim and precision.”

”I love it! I have never received such a magnificent present before,” Roman exclaimed, his gaze darting up to his mother. ”May I accept it, Mama?”

”Of course, my sweet,” Eilika reassured him with a tender smile, reaching out to gently ruffle his dark hair.

Turning back to the guest, Roman offered a bright, polite beam. ”Thank you, Uncle August, for such a nice gift.” He then glanced at his mother before turning around and running outside.

The servants scrambled out of the way as Prince Sylvian strode into the mansion, his breathing ragged.

”Your Highness!” Eilika gasped in shock, her hands instantly clasping together at the sight of the royal prince.

”Where is Damian? I need to speak with him immediately,” Sylvian demanded, resting a hand against his chest as he caught his breath.

”What happened? Damian is upstairs,” Eilika stated, glancing anxiously at Joanna, who immediately turned and hurried toward the Duke’s chamber.

”Did something happen at the palace?” August inquired, stepping forward.

”Don’t even ask,” Sylvian remarked, shaking his head with a grim expression.

Eilika’s brows furrowed in deep worry, a knot of anxiety tightening in her chest.

After a short while, Joanna returned with a solemn expression. ”The Duke has summoned everyone to the study.”

”Alright. Let’s go,” Eilika said, taking the lead and guiding them through the quiet halls toward Damian’s study. Upon entering, they found the Duke already waiting for them.

Louis quietly shut the doors behind the group and locked them, taking up a guard position near the entrance.

”My mother revealed to my father that Liliana committed fraud, and she demanded that you be punished for it,” Sylvian began without wasting a second, his voice tense as he recounted the scene. ”Father sent me directly to you. He still trusts you and refuses to believe you would do such a thing, but he needs answers. Mother claims she possesses hard evidence against Liliana. Do you have any idea what she might be holding over you?”

”Your uncle held evidence against Liliana,” Damian began, his tone heavy and deliberate. ”The day we reached the palace, Maurice headed to Xavier’s house to conduct a thorough search. We anticipated that the Queen would try to wipe out any trace of her crimes. Maurice managed to retrieve a file detailing how Liliana accepted bribes from merchants and orchestrated various illicit dealings, all of which was kept entirely hidden from me until now.”

Maurice stepped forward, his expression grave. ”The Duke is compiling a complete record of the late Duchess’s misdeeds before presenting the full truth to the King and the people of Varos.”

”But won’t that severely damage your reputation, Damian?” Sylvian asserted, frowning with concern. ”No one will readily believe that you were entirely oblivious to what Liliana was doing behind closed doors.”

”I don’t fear the consequences,” Damian stated, his voice resolute.

”Father won’t allow you to reveal such a truth. Besides,” Sylvian paused, turning his gaze toward August, ”he was involved with Liliana once. If this comes out, countless lives will be ruined. I don’t understand why Mother brought your name into this, but none of this is right.”

”Because Her Majesty resents us for helping Prince August,” Eilika answered coldly.

”What?” Sylvian frowned, taken aback.

”Eilika, let it be,” Damian commanded from behind his desk.

”No. Prince Sylvian needs to know that you were slapped the very day we presented the evidence Prince August left behind to the King,” Eilika countered, refusing to back down. ”She harbors a deep hatred for us. She believes Damian destroyed her life, despite him being her brother-in-law’s son.”

Sylvian swallowed hard as the realization hit him. He turned to Damian, his voice laced with guilt. ”I apologize...”

”You have nothing to apologize for, Sylvian. She was merely upset at the time,” Damian replied calmly.

”She wasn’t just upset,” August finally interjected, his eyes dark with warning. ”She is biding her time. She will look for the first opportunity to eliminate either you or Eilika.”

August walked toward Sylvian, his posture sharp and imposing. ”Tell Father to change her punishment into a death sentence. That’s the only way to stop your evil mother. She didn’t even hesitate to order the massacre of the entire Spencer family. Do you truly think she will let Damian and Eilika live in peace?”

”August, lower your tone. You shouldn’t say such things to Sylvian,” Damian interjected, his voice firm with warning.

”Are you a fool, Damian? Criminals like her should be executed before they cause more destruction. And whatever transpired between me and Liliana should never be used as ground to defame you,” August asserted, turning his intense gaze back to Sylvian. ”Do you want to see them dead? If not, then tell—”

Damian slammed his palm onto the wooden desk, stopping August in the middle. He marched over and shoved August back. ”Don’t force him into something he isn’t meant to carry. I know what my aunt is capable of, and I am fully prepared for it.”

”August is right,” Sylvian admitted softly, staring blankly ahead. ”My mother won’t stop. I’ve never seen that look in her eyes before... the look she gave today. She’s changed. She doesn’t care about anyone anymore.”

”Let’s decide this tomorrow,” Damian said and walked past them before taking Eilika’s hand and leaving.

~~~~~~

Damian let out a heavy sigh as he leaned back into the recliner, closing his eyes for a moment to let the sudden exhaustion wash over him.

”Sylvian is a soft man. August keeps pushing him, overwhelming his mind and thoughts. Witnessing his own mother’s constant scheming will break him,” Damian stated, his voice laced with concern.

”Then how do you plan to stop her?” Eilika inquired, stepping closer to him. ”The affair Liliana had with August must never come to light. I warned you. Roman’s life will be at stake as well. I don’t care what happens to us, but nothing can happen to him or Mother. Let the King decide how to proceed. But Sylvian can be the one to carry this truth to His Majesty.”

Damian contemplated for a moment before shaking his head. ”I’ll go to the King and explain everything to him myself. I don’t want Sylvian involved in this.”

”That works as well,” Eilika agreed softly, sitting beside him and resting her hand gently over his.

”I’m sorry,” Damian muttered after a long pause, leaning his head back.

”Why are you apologizing?” Eilika asked softly.

”Because you have no fault in any of this,” he admitted, his voice strained with guilt. ”I wanted to give you a life where you didn’t have to worry about a thing, yet time and again, my late wife’s mess resurfaces to ruin everything for us.”

”You’re right. The Queen’s Chapter must end. Before she brings trouble to innocent lives, she needs to meet her end. As for Liliana’s truth, I will reveal it soon,” Damian answered, his gaze resolute. ”It’s important to give the truth to the people who suffered. And I know Roman will understand as well.”

Eilika hummed softly in agreement. ”I stand with you.”

Damian wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close into a comforting hug. ”I know.”

~~~~~

August was taking a drink of water when a knock sounded at the door. Turning, he found Sylvian standing in the doorway.

”Do you hate me?” Sylvian asked quietly.

”What about you?” August replied, lowering the silver glass onto the table with a soft clink.

”I used to, but not after I got to know you,” Sylvian admitted, stepping further into the room.

”Well, I still hate you,” August stated sharply, his eyes cold. ”You always treated me like the villain.”

”You acted like a villain most of the time,” Sylvian countered, though his tone held no heat. ”Look, I came here to apologize. Let’s not fight. I don’t stand with wrong, either. Your mother suffered injustice at the hands of mine. I genuinely wish to help Damian. I don’t want anything to happen to him or Eilika, neither of them had anything to do with whatever happened.”

”Exactly,” August said, his gaze fixed on Sylvian. ”But your mother will never see it that way. Her hands are already stained with the blood of innocents. I’m not trying to provoke you into doing anything wrong. I merely want you to demand that Father punish the Queen. She needs to face execution to save innocent lives, otherwise, she will just keep destroying them.”

Sylvian hummed and said, ”Then, I’ll go back tomorrow in the morning. Also, make sure there’s no one alive who knows about you and Liliana.”

”Don’t worry. I don’t leave clues behind,” August stated.