Chapter 7
1183 Words
Draven's POV
Adele sat quietly across from me, avoiding my eyes while pretending to focus on the untouched tea in front of her.
Last night she could barely stop complimenting my appearance. Now she looked ready to throw herself out the nearest window from embarrassment.
A servant placed fresh pastries onto her plate. "Thank you," she murmured.
The moment the servant stepped away, Adele glanced toward me carefully before looking down again.
Her fingers tightened around the porcelain cup.. Looking nervous.
"You have been unusually quiet this morning," I said calmly.
She nearly choked on her tea.
"I am simply tired."
She lowered her head quickly, avoiding my eyes again.
"I apologise for last night," she muttered. "It will not happen again."
"I found your honesty refreshing."
Her expression immediately filled with horror.
"I…would prefer not to discuss this further."
Before I could answer, footsteps approached from the hallway.
Jasper entered the dining hall carrying a dark leather folder beneath one arm.
His expression already told me the investigation was complete.
Adele noticed him immediately and straightened slightly.
"Good morning," Jasper greeted politely.
She offered a nervous smile. "Good morning."
His gaze flicked briefly toward her before returning to me.
"My Lord. Your documents arrived."
I rose calmly from my chair.
"Continue breakfast," I told Adele as she looked relieved
I walked toward my study with Jasper following silently behind me.
The moment the doors shut behind us, Jasper placed the folder across my desk.
"I verified everything personally," he said.
I open the file slowly. Inside rested an old charcoal sketch of a tired-looking woman.
"Adele Vale," Jasper said quietly. "Born on the twenty-fifth of June to Baron Darius Vale and one of his servants."
His gaze lowered toward the sketch.
"The woman in the portrait is her mother."
"Of course. That sounded exactly like Darius.
Use a servant girl for pleasure. Abandon her afterwards." I murmured coldly.
An illegitimate daughter was sold into another woman's marriage to save her dying mother.
And despite discovering the truth, the first emotion I felt was not irritation. It was admiration.
"Lady Liora had refused the arrangements and so Miss Adele accepted the arrangement in exchange for medical treatment for her mother," Jasper explained further.
"Should we remove her quietly? We can petition the council for fraud and false marriage claims," Jasper asked.
"No."
Jasper's eyes widened at my response. I closed the file slowly.
"For now," I said calmly, "Adele remains exactly who she is."
Till we find out how to make Darius Vale pay for his crime.
Adele's POV
The manor felt unbearably quiet after breakfast.
Servants moved through my room, folding dresses and replacing flowers, while I stared out the window.
Heat rushed into my face as I remembered what I did last night.
A maid walking beside me noticed that I was lost in thought.
"Is something troubling you, My Lady?" she asked carefully.
"I think I might die from boredom," I admitted.
The maid looked startled before speaking hesitantly. "Would you perhaps like us to show you around the estate?"
"That sounds perfect."
Relief crossed her face immediately. As another maid came forward.
"There are gardens behind the eastern wing," the first maid explained brightly. "And the library overlooks the lake."
"Elara knows the estate best," another maid added.
Elara forced a pleasant smile.
"Of course. I would be happy to guide Lady Liora. But I'm afraid chores need me more than you do."
Something about her voice felt sharp
beneath the sweetness. Still, I ignored it.
"Come on…don't be rude to our lady, I hope you know Lord Draven won't like to hear that you refused his Lady?" The first maid said as Elara turned and glared at her.
"If that's so, how about I show you around," She said with a forced smile as she walked forward.
The other maids walked with me through the estate grounds while explaining different parts of the manor.
We saw the paintings and statues. We also went to the Stables.
Now this interests me.
I stepped inside to see the stable workers moving between stalls and carrying buckets and brushes while horses shifted calmly behind wooden gates.
An older stableman noticed me first and bowed quickly.
'Is that my lady? It's an honour, to have you here.
"You do not need to bow," I said with a small laugh.
The men exchanged surprised glances.
One of them scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, My Lady, we weren't expecting you so we didn't clean up much,"
I smiled more naturally this time.
"It's much better this way." That broke some tension and made them happy.
One stable boy eagerly began showing me around while explaining the names of different horses.
Then I noticed the black horse standing alone near the far end.
Massive and Beautiful.
Its dark coat gleamed beneath the sunlight spilling through the windows.
The entire stall seemed colder around it.
"That one is stunning," I said softly, stepping closer.
The reaction around me changed instantly.
The horse watched me carefully as I reached out my hand.
The stablemen stiffened instantly.
"My Lady stepped back…"
I placed my hand gently against the horse's neck, looking at the stablemen. I was unsure what his fear was.
Nobody moved for a long second.
The massive black horse stood completely still beneath my touch.
Then slowly, it lowered its head toward me. Its soft breath brushed against my palm.
One of the stablemen blinked hard in disbelief.
"That's impossible…"
"He never allows strangers near him."
Another stared at me with wide eyes.
"Lord Draven spent months taming him."
The horse nudged my shoulder lightly, calm and obedient, as if it had known me for years.
Silence filled the stable.
"Well," I murmured while stroking the horse carefully. "I'm glad I could tame a bad boy like you."
The workers continued staring at me like I had performed magic.
"I want to climb him."
Absolute horror crossed every face around me.
"My Lady, no."
"Lord Draven will kill us."
"You should climb one of the calmer horses first."
Elara suddenly stepped forward.
"Perhaps Lady Liora deserves a little freedom," she said smoothly.
Several stablemen stared at her in shock.
A moment ago she looked ready to drag me away from the stall herself.
Now she smiled sweetly.
"My Lady is clearly confident."
Something about the look in her eyes unsettled me briefly.
Still, I ignored it.
"I'm not certain how to ride," I lied confidently.
I had ridden once when I was twelve.
For approximately four minutes before falling into the mud.
Ignoring the protests around me, I carefully climbed onto the horse's back.
For one brief moment, everything felt perfectly fine.
Elara stumbled suddenly against the horse's side.
"Oh no."
The horse bolted forward in fright.
Screams erupted behind me as the stable doors burst open.
Wind slammed against my face while the horse raced across the estate grounds at terrifying speed.
"HOW DO YOU STOP THIS THING?" I screamed.
The horse charged straight toward the forest.
And did not slow down.
- Writer
