Chapter 5 Caught in Defiance

The moment the heavy door clicked shut behind Marie, a suffocating silence reclaimed the room, and Luna was entirely alone once more. She resumed her restless pacing back and forth across the rug, but an unbearable boredom quickly began to gnaw at her very sanity. She knew perfectly well that she shouldn't dare leave this chamber, especially not after remembering the dark, lethal promise in Rex’s eyes the last time he had laid down the law. Yet, the stifling confinement was driving her mad. She simply could not bear to be caged in this gilded prison for another solitary second.

Immensely grateful that her battered muscles had recovered enough to allow her to walk unassisted, Luna finally snatched up her heavy velvet coat. Draping it over her shoulders, she tiptoed slowly toward the towering bedroom door. Holding her breath, she turned the latch, cracked it open just a sliver, and boldly stepped out into the unknown.

The grand corridor was completely deserted. She crept forward, her wide eyes darting around, half-terrified of being caught and half-mesmerized by the extraordinary, elegant 17th-century architecture surrounding her. Down the hall, she noticed a brilliant stream of natural light spilling from a massive, arched window. Drawn like a moth to a flame, Luna drifted closer, and a bright, genuine smile slowly bloomed across her pale face.

She closed her eyes, tilting her head back to bask in the warmth. “Finally… I can actually breathe in some fresh air,” she whispered. She let out a long, contented sigh—only to nearly jump out of her skin when a sudden, unexpected tap landed squarely on her shoulder.

“Oh, my deepest apologies!” a cultured male voice exclaimed, as Luna scrambled backward in absolute shock, her heart leaping into her throat.

“W-who are you?” Luna stammered fearfully, instinctively pulling her coat tighter. Aside from her terrifying husband and her gentle maid, this stranger was the very first person she had encountered in this era.

“You must be Duchess Lyra,” the dashing man said, his lips curling into a warm, disarming smile as he politely extended an elegant, gloved hand toward her. “Please, allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Victor Rochefort, a Marquess of this region.”

Luna hesitated for a long, agonizing moment, her modern instincts clashing with aristocratic etiquette, before she finally, gingerly accepted Victor’s outstretched hand.

“It is very nice to meet you,” she offered with genuine politeness, as the nobleman shook her hand with a firm, confident grace.

“Victor…” Luna murmured softly, testing the aristocratic name on her tongue.

“You may simply call me Sir Victor, Your Grace.”

A second later, feeling profoundly out of her depth, Luna hurriedly slipped her hand from his grasp, causing Victor’s smile to widen in subtle amusement.

“As it happens, I am currently here to handle some rather tedious tax matters concerning the Ashaven region. Duke Rex has very kindly permitted me to lodge at the estate for a few days,” he explained smoothly.

Luna merely nodded, completely unsure of what else she was supposed to say to a 17th-century Marquess she had just met in the middle of a forbidden hallway.

“Lady Lyra? Are you quite all right?” Victor inquired, his smooth tone suddenly dipping into genuine concern.

“Yes, of course. Why do you ask?” Luna replied, fiercely trying to project a casual, unbothered air.

"I do not know why… but you seem so very different from what I have heard whispered in the rumors."

Luna took a slow, cautious step backward. She desperately did not want this unpredictable conversation with a stranger to drag on a second longer, especially since she now knew entirely too much about the real “Lyra's” notorious reputation.

“Please, do not worry, Lady Lyra. I truly mean absolutely no offense. It is just that I have heard your name mentioned in society circles quite often…” Victor, quickly picking up on Luna’s sudden unease, raised a placating hand to reassure her.

“Aren’t you currently with that Duke?” Luna blurted out.

Victor’s brow furrowed in utter bemusement for a moment. “That Duke?” Then, a rich chuckle escaped him. “Ah… do you mean your husband, Duke Rex?”

“Yes, that guy,” she replied, the modern phrasing slipping out in her sheer awkwardness.

“His Grace is quite busy out and about in the territory; he has a mountain of pressing tasks to finish. For now, I am merely helping to oversee a few minor matters here at the estate. Oh, and please do not worry—this vast mansion is strictly divided into two separate areas. One half is the Duke's private residence, and the other serves as his administrative work area. I am currently lodged far away in the west wing, which is specifically set aside to accommodate guests.”

“Oh…” Luna breathed, her mind spinning as she could only manage a painfully brief response.

"Am I perhaps talking far too much?" he asked with a charming, self-deprecating smile.

Luna quickly shook her head, waving off his concern. “No, it is perfectly fine. I am just… really not used to being here yet.”

"That is only natural. This secluded estate is indeed a far cry from the bustling city center. But..." He shifted his gaze forward, looking past her shoulder toward the massive window. "Isn’t the view from here absolutely magnificent?"

Luna turned her head to follow his gaze. Through the intricate glass panes, a breathtaking, vast expanse of a meticulously cultivated garden stretched out before them. It was overflowing with vibrant, colorful flowers arranged in immaculately neat rows. A gentle, sweeping breeze made the delicate petals sway and dance softly, as if they were cheerfully waving hello. The warm, golden sunlight of the late afternoon filtered majestically through the sprawling ancient trees, catching and glinting off the mirror-like surface of a serene pond nestled deep within the center of the grounds.

“It really is… incredibly beautiful,” Luna murmured, her tense gaze finally softening at the sheer, untouched tranquility of the landscape.

Sneaking out today was undeniably much better than remaining utterly cooped up and suffocating in that terrifying man’s bedchamber, left entirely to the mercy of her own dark thoughts. At least for this one, fleeting moment, Luna felt a profound sense of calm wash over her battered soul.

“Are you also out here just to catch some fresh air?” she asked, casting a brief, curious glance at Victor.

Victor closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. “Actually, you are currently standing in my absolute favorite spot in the entire manor, Lady Lyra,” he replied, a light, melodic chuckle rumbling in his chest.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” Luna offered a sheepish smile, though internally, she didn't regret claiming the magnificent view for a single second.

“There is absolutely no need to apologize. In fact, I am quite happy to share such a view.”

Luna turned her attention back to the sprawling park. This place… it was truly like something ripped straight from a fairytale. She searched her fractured memories, desperately trying to remember the last time she had ever laid eyes on a view this stunningly vibrant.

Even in her old, modern life, her exhausted days had been endlessly squandered glaring at a sterile computer screen. The only time she ever ventured outside was to be immediately swallowed by the glittering, artificial lights of a cold, noisy, and unfeeling city at night.

“Do you happen to remember if we have ever formally met before, Lady Lyra?” Victor asked suddenly, his velvet voice effortlessly shattering Luna’s quiet reverie.

“Have we… met before?” she echoed hesitantly, a nervous furrow returning to her brow.

“Perhaps the memory escapes you. We have actually crossed paths a few times during noble gatherings alongside Duke Rex.”

Of course Luna had absolutely no memory of it, but Victor’s casual mention of her supposed husband immediately sent her fragile thoughts violently crashing back to Rex. She desperately didn't even want to think about that dark, imposing man, but merely hearing his name spoken aloud was more than enough to make the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end in primal terror.

A spike of pure adrenaline pierced her veins. She suddenly remembered that she needed to get back to her gilded cage immediately, before anyone could discover that she had blatantly, secretly disobeyed the Duke's strict orders.

“Sir Victor, I—I think I really must return to my chambers right away. Please, excuse me…” Panic bubbling in her chest, Luna hastily gathered the heavy velvet hem of her dress. Without even waiting for the Marquess to offer a reply, she spun on her heel and practically fled down the corridor.

Victor stood in the warm sunlight, silently watching Luna’s retreating form until she completely disappeared around the sharp stone corner.

Luna’s frantic footsteps echoed rapidly against the silent, polished floors of the hallway, her pace quickening as if she were desperately trying to outrun her own spiraling thoughts. The moment she finally reached the heavy oak door of her bedchamber, Luna practically threw her weight against it, wildly turning the brass doorknob and pushing it wide open.

However, the breath was instantly violently stolen from her lungs. Standing right there in the center of the room was the absolute last person she had ever expected to see.

Imposing, lethal, and radiating a dark, suffocating fury, stood the very man she least wanted to face in her moment of blatant defiance: Rex Raimonds. He was already there, his piercing eyes locked onto the doorway, silently waiting for his disobedient wife to return.