The Other Option

She paced and paced. Tossed and turned. Swirled and wandered about. Still, there is no sign of Duke Dallas.

The cloud welcomed its evening glow, the sun emerged its new, exquisite shade of hue still, the Duke was yet to arrive.

A bath was run for Ember. And, it was a tender one indeed. The bathtub held rosewater, roses sprinkled on it, and different flavors of shampoo awaited her before the bathtub.

She had a graceful bath, but it wasn't something she had desired.

Even as she was washed by a rather reluctant househelp, she couldn't help the sighs that had escaped her lips, thinking about her brother and how it must have been terrifying for them to finally declare her dead.

However, something was odd. She had known Barrett to be a curious, stubborn man. He wouldn't just give up on his search for her after merely four days.

Had the Duke disguised something else to be her dead body, hence causing them to believe her demise.

Either way, she awaited the Duke like a woman would await the arrival of her husband from a long trip. Hers was different, though. If anything, she was ready to hurl herself at him the minute he walked through those doors.

However, until the moon appears in the sky, the Duke's huge manor doesn't receive him. And, when it did, he had appeared rather exhausted, his attire stained with blood and blood coats his lips and his chin.

He sauntered into his manor, headed for a back door by the end of a hallway. Once he was inside this mysterious room, he discarded his attire into the fireplace, watching it burn to ashes.

And, that night, he had laid on a single-seater couch and allowed himself a night's rest.

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The harsh sun shining brightly onto Ember's face didn't get her to wake up. Instead, it was the harsh grumbling of her stomach, mumbling and set to be fed that got her flipping her eyes open to the bright morning.

It took a few seconds for her to whip her head around and notice the Duke's absence. Then, she realized she had slept off whilst waiting for him.

Ember rose to her feet, ignoring the continuous grumbling of her stomach as she made it through the hallway, in desperate search for the Duke.

Of course, she was not familiar with the route of the house, and even when she did pay a visit once, she sneaked in through a secret door and sneaked out in the dark.

Laughter pierced through the hallway, and Ember immediately stood still, struggling to catch where the laughter had come from.

Of course, it belonged to the Duke. Who else would manage to make even a laughter sound so beautiful?

Ember traced the Duke's laughter into the breakfast room. And, as she burst in, just about to scream at the Duke for keeping her waiting, her words froze in her throat.

Sitting elegantly before the Duke in the breakfast room was Lauren, in a beautiful lilac dress, cross-legged, biting into a biscuit as she chatted with the Duke comfortably.

The Duke whipped his head to her.

"Oh. She is here."

Lauren abandons her half-eaten biscuit into the food tray and jolts up, wrapping Ember in a tight embrace.

Ember never reciprocated it until Lauren pulled away. She was too stunned to reciprocate it.

"How are you? I was sick and worried about you."

Lauren touched her face to examine her properly.

"W-what are you doing here?" Once Ember finally found her voice, she asked.

"I invited her." The Duke interrupted their conversation, sipping from a cup of tea. His coat was gracefully ironed.

"I thought it was necessary to have you meet a family before we leave."

The Duke finished, putting down the cup of tea on the food tray.

Ember frowned at him.

"Leave? To where?"

She had accepted the Duke was full of surprises. Moreover, he had faked her death to her family just to have her to himself. But, what more surprises could he have?

"Out of town."

He responded so casually that one would think he merely spoke about the weather.

"Why? I never said I wanted to leave."

Ember snapped. He needed to stop making decisions for her if he wanted her to remain with him.

"Well, that is not up to you, sadly. We are leaving in a week. This place is not safe for you."

Somehow, he was right. The vampire was still out there roaming around. She would put her life at risk if she remained in Belmont. But, who said she couldn't put up a little fight before backing down from the argument?

"Since when have you started making decisions for me?"

The Duke shrugged, choosing to ignore her question.

"Moreover, I have families here. I can't leave this place without their knowledge. At least, they have to know I'm alive."

Ember had blurted that out without remembering that Lauren stood right there, in the room with them. But, when Ember flashed her gaze to her, Lauren had given her a look that said she was aware of her fake death.

"I can't leave here. This place is my home."

Ember concluded.

The Duke suddenly jerked on his feet, closing the space between them, cupping her face in his palms.

"Jesus Christ, Ember. Listen to me this once. I know what I mean when I say this place is not safe for you. Not even Hadham is safe for you. And I swear to report back once we are settled there if that's what you worry about. Surely, they wouldn't fret when I introduce myself as your husband."

Ember frowned.

"My husband?"

"Yes." The Duke responded matter-of-factly. "Or, you don't suppose I don't intend to make you my wife?"

"God, this is wrong! I can't marry you yet."

Ember pulled away from him.

"What? Then, what was the purpose behind you asking me to compromise you?"

Ember gave no response, pinching her nails anxiously. Everything was coming to her like a load of bricks collapsing onto her. She needed time to think and compose herself.

"Or, do you need me to do more? Should I put a child in you?"

Lauren swallowed behind the scenes, feeling like a total third wheel.

"N-no, I—"

Ember breathed.

"Give me a moment, please. Let me take all these in. I don't know what to do. Your options are way too difficult for me."

The Duke sighed.

"Very well, then. I will provide another. You can leave right now. Back to your dear brothers."

Ember gazed up at him, alongside Lauren, who was contemplating slipping out of the breakfast room, away from their love quarrel.

"You can leave with Lauren to meet your brothers. However, you will never see me again. As you walk out of here, you will be walking out of my life as well."

Ember swallowed.

"What do you say?"