“Oh, but it is! You see, I endured all your brother’s torture, his infidelities and his insults because one day I would be the Duchess of Kittridge. I would be one of the most powerful women in England. And now, to my luck, he’s gone and you’re the new Duke.” She laughs. “And I want you. I will still get to be a Duchess. We could be so happy together. You only have to take what I’m offering you.”

She opens her arms wide, baring her body to me. I cringe and turn my face to the side, refusing to look at her. “Celia, I answered your call tonight and I came here hoping to prevent you from doing anything suicidal. If this was just a game for you to get me to bed you, then you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life. I thought we could be friends but now I know we cannot. You need to seek help. Visit a therapist.”

“I don’t need a fucking therapist,” she snorts. “I need you to accept me. I called you tonight to show you how good we can be together.”

A vein in my neck throbs as I point a finger at her. “Listen to me carefully. I will never marry you. You will never be my Duchess. And the next time you call like this, I won’t come; no matter what the situation is, I won’t come for you ever.”

She smirks as I walk away from her. “Oh Damien, you have yet to learn so much.”

Her laughter rings in my ears as I make my way out of her house.

Aaliya

I STARE AT MY REFLECTION in the mirror, hoping I’ve managed to conceal the dark circles under my eyes. It’s criminal to attend a glamorous event without having any sleep the previous night. But now nothing more can be done. I place a hand above my heart, hoping the pain goes away or at least settles before I see Damien. The possibility that Celia seduced him has lodged an arrow deep inside my chest. It’s like a flaming dart, burning inside me. And no matter how much I try and talk myself to see Damien’s point of view, I simply cannot. The thought of him with Celia makes me want to empty the contents of my stomach.

In spite of that, I have no alternative but to go forward and see my mission through. I’m more resolved than ever to get Damien to remember me. And that starts at the gala tonight. It gives me the perfect opportunity to interact with him.