1 Chapter 1

It was then... Autumn realized while looking at her child's sleeping face that marriage was a bitter pill to swallow. She knew that her life was about to end. Caressing her child's face and whispering how beautiful Scott was, she wanted to remember and savor her last moments with him.

The door slowly screech when Patricia came inside with her hands full of tea. She slowly put the tea cup on the bedside table while looking at Autumn as if she wanted to tell her something. The silence was a bit long while the jewelry box were playing its role in the background. Autumn who was trembling in hatred, holding her tears faced Patricia with eyes full of questions.

Patricia was taken aback. She realized that Autumn knew something was up. She wanted to escape but her toes numb.

"Wh... why... Patricia?" Autumn mustered her strength to utter such words yet she could not look at Patricia.

Patricia who was facing Autumns back fell on her knees. "I love him. I love, William!"

"You love him to the point that you have to kill me?"

Patricia paled. "I..."

"I know everything my dear friend. I know that you and William committed adultery. I also know that you are barely a month pregnant. I just don't get it why the blimey you have to kill me."

"Autumn, I am sorry."

"Let's not talk this over in Scott's bedroom. He is too young to hear everything else. Let's go the the meeting room, and please bring that cup of tea with you. I am delighted to drink the arsenic you poured in."

Autumn stormed to the meeting room leaving a shocked Patricia who was trembling in fear. Her thoughts were shattered. Her inner self were all screaming.

"How did she know?"

"William betrayed you!"

"You will be hanged"

"You will die, Patricia!"

"William loves you! Autumn is just insane!"

"Those are only predicaments,. Patricia!"

"Kill her!"

Trembling in fear, she brought the tea with her and went inside the meeting room. Autumn was looking at the glass window. Her pride, her arrogance, her soft spoken voice, her undying determination, her priceless nobility,. Patricia hated it. Everyone love Autumn. Everyone. Patricia hated it so bad that she wanted Autumn to disappear. The only thing she can do was to steal all the love Autumn had away from her but Autumn did not perished. Patricia is still a shadow.

"I love William and he is my everything," that's what all Patricia could say.

"I love you, too and that is why I let you and William betray me but I did not know you hated me this much that you wanted me killed instead of letting me stay with my son."

Patricia screams in anguish, "If only you have chosen the Crown Prince instead of William, I wouldn't be doing this! You have everything! You as the daughter of a duke, a royal blood, a next in line queen and I, a mere daughter of a fallen baron who can't even maintain my social status have been in your shadows for a long time. You don't know anything: how I suffered and endured all the years in pain as if I am a street rat! How my father betrothed me to an old marquis geezer, so my family's status remain and here you are! You married the duke that I love instead of the Crown Prince who was willing to break his engagement for you! You ruined me, Autumn! You ruined everything!

Autumn sighed, "I never ruined you, Patricia. I chose William because we were betrothed young. Frederick, the Crown Prince and Elizabeth were engaged since young, too. It was never our choice to begin with and you know that Elizabeth and I are cousins. She loves Fred and I can't take him away from her. I also love, William too. I wouldn't have tolerated any of this if I am not in love with him. William is the only choice I made for myself. For all this bloody hell things, I also know that you are not in love with William. You need William but not love."

"What are you talking about, Autumn?" Patricia who was angry now trembling in fear. She knew that William was listening.

William, who was hiding at the back door, couldn't believe on what he was hearing. "Autumn loves me?"

"Your father was pushing you to get a man who can bring your family's status from poor to riches and that is the reason you chose William because you knew that he likes you. I also damn know that you love my brother but brother chooses the ducal house and married Fred's sister instead, so you ought those vengeance on me. I turned a blind eye because you are the only friend I have and no matter how rough things are, I promised that I will always be by your side. I love you more than anything else, Patricia."

Silence took place. Patricia didn't know what to say. Maybe she was wrong after all.

"Please take care of Scott and love him with all your heart. Tell William that I love him, too. You, Scott, and William are the only choices I had in life which I will never regret.

Autumn reaches the tea Patricia made and before Patricia could stop her, Autumn drank all the tea. Autum fell on ger knees holding her stomach and puke a huge amount of blood. Her vision started to blur. William ran beside Autumn who is now coughing blood and in extreme pain. Patricia fainted in shock. The maids took her out of the meeting room and lay her in a guest room.

"Autumn, darling! Hear me out! Don't close you eyes! No! No!Please honey! Call a physician! Call a physician!" William was screaming. The knights in the ducal house went to the hospice. He couldn't withstand this. How can Autumn sacrificed her life for Patricia and his happiness. It was then that William realized that Autumn truly loved him. He was succumb with the idea that Autumn love Fred instead of him.

Autumn whose life is fading away closes her eyes. She heard William's loud screams and her maids who are now sobbing. "Madame, please wake up."

"Madame, hang in there."

"Autumn, please!"

Then there's no more...