Become The Duke's Wife Or Die

The screams outside grew louder and louder throughout Wereal.  Tears broke out as the announcement of the execution was dropped.  Lyra rebelled because she wanted to talk to Duke Kleo.  But her plea was like a cloud of smoke in the air, dissipated quickly.

"I beg!" she pleaded, pounding on the door, now begging the guards to free her.  Her knuckles were bloody, scarred from abrasions.  "Let me out!  I'll talk to Lord Kleo!  I beg, please!  I want to ask forgiveness for the two maids who are about to be executed.  He will listen to me!"

But unfortunately, her screams did nothing, except for a hoarse and sore throat.  Her body collapsed again, accompanied by several maids she didn't recognize.  She wanted to meet with Ella and Gena to share all the fears that gripped her heart.  Her shoulders were shaking, like convulsions.

The atmosphere in the room grew even more horrifying, as if a mist of death erupted from all sides, escaping from between the walls, spinning around to strangle Lyra.

Her knees buckled even after hearing the last two screams out there, indicating that the execution had indeed been carried out.

The maids in her room instantly screamed at the same time, hugging each other and crying.  This incident happened again.  They had to lose their friends because of Duke Kleo's cruelty.

Hope and optimism faded, then disappeared in an instant.

The bedroom door opened, revealing the gloomy figure of Mrs. Melisa.  Her eyes were puffy, swollen, and red.  "I have come to send a message from His Grace, My Lady."  Her voice was filled with hatred, which was aimed directly at Lyra.  "He said that this is the last warning for you.  If you don't want this to happen to your friends, then you better not mess around anymore."

She left the doorway, closing back Lyra's chance for freedom.

The air felt colder than before, now filled with not only paranoia but also guilt and deep sadness.

Slowly Duke Kleo had taken everything from Lyra, stifling the things that were supposed to be alive.

The sun was rising.  The light shone and spread across Eastlandor after battling the thick fog in the morning.  The flower buds slowly bloomed, the withered leaves were fresh again, and the grass suddenly turned green after previously glistening with the dewdrops.

A beautiful sunny day, a great time to go out and ride, the one thing Lyra had requested Duke Kleo for.  She had done what he wanted. They had slept together.  But why was the end of her matter this bad?

"Do I even have a chance to collect the promise?"  she whispered, put her face on the bed, cried all day, and was reluctant to touch the food that was prepared for her.  "But do I even have the right to that?  I killed two people this morning.  I am a useless person."

There were still several maids guarding her in turn, who looked at her curtly and disgustedly.  But none of them she knew.  There were no Ella and Gena.

"Do they hate me too?"  Lyra sobbed, shaken again.

Noon.  A maid returned to her room to provide lunch, a tray containing a variety of menus that were quite tasty, but not as delicious as usual.

"My Lady," said a maid half-heartedly.  "You must eat your lunch soon."

But Lyra didn't give any response, except for a small sob that didn't stop a long time ago.

"Even if you cry you won't be able to bring back our friends' lost life," said another maid, with a very flat face.

More tears rolled down Lyra's cheeks as she consciously felt the various stabs of hatred from the maids around her. She knew Duke Kleo would isolate her.  However, she never thought he would take such an extreme method.

'But it's my fault,' she thought.

She turned weakly at the maid who was criticizing her, doing nothing but lying looking out the window, lost in thought until evening.

Duke Kleo didn't visit her at all, nor did he just pass the news through the servants.  They are both isolated in two different places with no access to communication.

She still hadn't touched the food served, making the maids even more irritated at having to bring the food back whole.  This is called waste!

A maid bluffed by slamming the tray while serving dinner for her, making a fuss, and startling the other maids.

"Here is your dinner, My Lady," said the maid in a mocking tone.  "I hope this time you eat it.  Soon His Grace will be home.  I hope you don't make another problem for us."

The bedroom door slammed, with the maids changing shifts to look after Lyra.  They all shot the hate gaze at her, mocking in silence.

Lyra hugged her knees. She was not only isolated but also hostile.  Everyone hated her now, putting her into a disgusting villain, a painful experience she had just gone through, and this was all she got when getting into trouble with Duke Kleo.

"My Lady, finish your dinner quickly," one of the maids said shortly after.  "His Grace is here, and will probably check on you soon."

Lyra tried to get up, trying to eat a little of the food that was served to her, just so the maids wouldn't get in trouble for it.  However, her body was too weak at that time, making it collapse, and fell asleep.

The maids sighed sadly at the sight, changing expressions suddenly.

"Has she fallen asleep?"  asked a maid, asking one of her friends who was checking on Lyra.

"Yes," nodded the other maid.  "She fell asleep.  Looks like she's exhausted by the situation she's in right now."

"Until when do we have to treat her this cruelly?  It breaks my heart to see her hurt."

"We have to do it anyway," said one of the maids.  "This is all for Wereal, for all of us."

Duke Kleo got off the horse, walking briskly towards his room to clean himself up.  Stefanus followed behind him, parting around a corner to do the same.

Mr. Bertus approached his master, bowing in respect.  "Hot water is ready, My Lord," he nodded formally.  "Dinner has also been served," he continued.

Duke Kleo burst through the door to his room, spreading his arms out as Mr. Bertus took off his robes as well as the royal suit on his body.  His eyes were stern and cold, with lips as thin and straight as a sword.  He had returned to his former nature, which was violent and hard to touch.

Mr. Bertus didn't stop sighing, forcing himself to look fine even though he was really tired.  An eyebrow suddenly rose after seeing his master's stiff gesture.

"My Lord," he said, having finished removing Duke Kleo's outer suit, leaving only a white shirt.  "Isn't there something you want to ask?"  he continued, looking convinced.

Duke Kleo glanced at him, snorted, and said nothing, except incoherent mutterings containing tirades about various things.  His broad, stocky back sunk behind the bathroom door, looking haughty and ignorant.  Various problems had filled his mind, as well as the excessive anger he had exploded all day.

His steps were firm and agile, approaching the bathtub.  But soon his footsteps stopped after hearing Mr. Bertus say something from behind the door.

"Miss Lyra hasn't touched her food all day, My Lord."  His voice sounded weak.  "You have to do something because her body already looks weak."

Duke Kleo closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and gritted his teeth.  He had vowed never to take care of Lyra again unless he punished her with a happy marriage.  However…

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