Jewelry Box

Ch. 2 A Contract Offer

Victoria

“You look beautiful, my lady,” Nora and the other maids squealed. I smiled uncomfortably at their excitement.

The least I felt was happiness. The fresh memories of what happened still played like a recorder in my mind.

I turned and faked a smile at everyone present in the room.

“Shall we go?” I suggested. Nora and the rest started guiding me out of the bedroom.

Today was the so-called engagement party. It was a year before my wedding and my awful marriage to James.

If I wanted to avoid this and make the Kendrick family pay, I would need a plan. So far, my only plan was to cancel the engagement in front of everyone. To embarrass the Kendrick family before the royal family.

But what would be my excuse?

I walked down the familiar hallways while biting my nails. A nostalgic feeling crept into my chest, making my eyes watery.

“Remember, you will go in alone,” Nora mumbled from the side. “Mr. Kendrick will meet you.”

I hummed an answer. How could I not remember?

In my past life, it was embarrassing. I showed up alone, and Kendrick showed up late.

His excuse for being late was work, but it was a lie from that jerk. I already knew he was with that woman.

Clenching my fists , I continued walking down the stairs. As I turned the corner, I noticed a figure in the garden. I halted and stared at the men.

“My lady?” Nora called, but I ignored her. A small idea started popping into my mind.

“I will be back,” I said, and dashed in the opposite direction towards the garden.

It might be crazy what I’m about to do, but I need this plan to work. I would have to take advantage of the person who is in front of me.

“Hey!” I called.

The man turned around as he heard my voice. It was a stupid move, but I had no other choice. So, doing the most unladylike thing, I wrapped my arms around the man and kissed him.

I expected him to push me, but he kissed me back the same way, with hunger, desire or, better say, more passionately?

I groaned as his tongue invaded and explored my mouth. My legs were ready to buckle if this continued.

“Lady Victoria!” I heard the head maid yell from behind. Breathlessly, I slowly back away only to be greeted with the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. With soft pants, I kept my hold on him.

I could barely stand before him.

He gazed down at me with no emotion. Was that a good or bad thing?

Although confused, I waited for a reaction after someone else arrived.

“Lady Victoria! What are you doing?” the head maid retorted as her heels clicked on the concrete floor.

“Please play along,” I whispered close to his face. The man just stared at me.

“What?” I snapped around as the head maid halted in her tracks. I faked a smile and leaned my head on his chest. “Don’t you see I’m busy?”

The head maid and everyone else looked at me in shock. Their baffled looks made me suppress a smile that threatened to escape.

I know a word about this was getting delivered to everyone inside, especially my father. I could even imagine the duke’s family appearing any second.

“My lady, what is wrong with you?” Nora said with worry. They all looked confused, but I wasn’t.

It was a stupid move; I have to admit it. I didn’t even know who the man was.

I just impulsively ran to him because he looked good from behind, and he was the only choice right at that moment.

“What’s happening here?” a familiar voice said.

I darted my eyes to the side and saw James’s mother walking with her entire congregation of hypocrites our way.

I unconsciously gripped the man’s shirt. This needed to work. I need to free myself from this engagement.

“Oh my,” I smiled, looking down and acting embarrassed. Worried he wouldn’t follow along, I spared the man a glance. His eyes were glued to the group of people.

Please don’t ruin things.

“What’s the meaning of this, Victoria?” James’ mother asked. “Why are you in someone else’s arms?”

“I can explain,” I whispered innocently. If she thought I was a naïve and stupid girl, I wasn’t anymore.

“Explain then!” James’ mother grumbled.

I bit the inside of my cheek and looked up. Unexpectedly, the man was looking down at me. He was really handsome.

“VICTORIA!” James’s mother screeched.

“I─”

“It’s just as you see it, duchess,” the man cut me off. Confused, I looked at him. “Can’t you see with your eyes?”

I tensed as the man wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to his chest.

My heart beat erratically. I could feel my face flush.

“W-What do you mean?” the duchess stuttered. “Victoria!”

I cleared my throat and faced her.

“I’m sorry, duchess, but as you can see, I am in love with someone else,” I smirked.

The duchess’s face turned red from all the anger she was trying to control. Bitting on my lip, I tried to suppress a chuckle.

“What?” another familiar voice said from the side.

Moving my eyes, I find Kendrick with a scowl on his face. But that was not the interesting thing. The most interesting thing was the woman next to him. The b***h who got between us in the past.

“Victoria Lombardy!” Kendrick yelled. “What’s the meaning of this?”

I flinched at his yells, but tried to remain composed. It wasn’t the time to back down, not after what he did to me.

“It’s just as you see it, James. I have someone else I like,” I said, and turned to face the stranger completely.

All the guests present started murmuring among themselves. I balled my hands and kept my head high as James scowled angrily.

“You’re my fiancée!” James retorted.

I watched him walk towards me and angrily raise his hand. As I close my eyes and embrace a hit, I hear several gasps.

Confused, I opened my eyes and blinked.

“Don’t touch her!” the man before me growled. My hands loosened on the sides as I looked at both men having a silent argument among themselves.

“ENOUGH!” someone yelled. “Stop this!”

My heart stopped as I heard the angry voice of my father.

“Victoria, what’s the meaning of this?” my father asked.

I flinched behind the stranger.

“Victoria, tell me what’s all this?” he asked again. I nervously gripped my dress and moved to the side.

“I’m sorry, Father,” I said and raised my head. “I can’t continue with this!”

Half was true; the other half, well, it was fake.

“I can’t marry James,” I explained, staring my father dead in the eyes. Mustering my courage, I looked around at everyone. Every face, glare and whisper, “I like someone else.”

There was complete silence as everyone waited for my father to say something, but another guest opened his mouth.

“Interesting,” I heard the familiar voice say from behind the crowd.

I knew that voice. It’s the king, King Florian.

“Duke Lombardy, I think we should listen to this young couple’s explanation, don’t you think?”

My father stared at the king for a while before slowly acknowledging him.

“Care to explain to me, Duke Graham, what’s all this about?” my father asked, making me tense. What did he say?

My eyes darted towards the man next to me. Did he just say Duke Graham?

No way! This must be some mistake!

I turned to look at the duke, who just stared at my father with a blank face.

If this is the person who I think it is, then I might have ruined my plan.

My hands started shaking as I nervously clasped them together to hide my fear. No way, how could I make this kind of mistake?

“It’s exactly as Lady Victoria said,” the duke answered. “We are lovers.”

My eyes almost rolled out as I looked at him in shock. I didn’t know how I should feel. Should I feel relieved or worried?

“I have the best intentions with Lady Victoria, Duke Lombardy. I hope you understand this,” Duke Graham answered.

I shifted my eyes, worried about my father’s reaction, but he looked calm instead.

“Victoria?” my father said as his eyes met mine. I jolted, startled. “What about you? What do you want?”

This was my chance to cancel the engagement. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and get my determination straight. Opening my eyes again, I looked straight into my father’s eyes.

“I wish to cancel my engagement to the Kendrick family,” I said loud and clear.

All the guests started whispering as James’ mother fainted on the side. I kept my gaze on my father. I needed his approval for this to be sure that he was on my side.

“Very well, doesn’t that answer all the questions?” the king suddenly intervened.

I snapped my head and saw the smirk plastered on his face. Why did I feel uneasy?

“If Lady Victoria wants this, then why not give her what she wants, Duke Lombardy?”

My father hummed and walked closer to us. My hand darted to the long coat Duke Graham was wearing.

“We will need to talk about this,” my father whispered with a warning. Duke Graham remained stoic as he let go of James’s shirt.

I watched my father and the duke stare at each other. What was crossing between them, I don’t know, but so far I have taken my first step to vengeance.

“You b***h!” James suddenly screeched, lunging for my arm. But before he could touch me, my father stepped between us, blocking him with a fury I had rarely seen.

“Who are you calling a b***h?” my father growled, his grip on James tightening until the man’s face drained of color. “Get out of my sight!”

“W-what?” James stammered, stumbling back.

“Leave, James,” I ordered coldly, refusing to even look at him.

“You’re my fiancée! How could you betray me like this?” he shouted as the king’s guards closed in.

My temper snapped.

“Really? You dare ask me that?” I strode toward him, every step dripping with rage.

Before he could react, my hand whipped across his face with a sharp crack, drawing shocked gasps from the crowd.

“You’re asking me how could I?” I spat, fisting his collar. “You’ve been f*****g that b***h!”

James froze, wide-eyed, as I pointed directly at the red-haired woman lurking among the guests.

“What, did you think I knew nothing?” I laughed bitterly in his face. “Yes—cheating with her.” My hand dropped from his collar. I lifted my chin and sneered. “She’s your real woman, isn’t she? Melissa.”

The guests murmured, scandal flooding the air. My father’s expression twisted in shock as I delivered the final blow.

“Yes, Father. He’s been with Melissa all along.”

Rage rolled off him in waves as he turned his glare on James.

“Is this true?” he demanded, his voice booming.

James stuttered, paling by the second.

“It’s—it’s not! Of course not!” he protested, stumbling backward. But my father barked orders, his men already moving, and I simply watched James’s cowardice unfold.

This would be the talk of the century.

When the crowd finally dispersed, I exhaled, exhausted. Alone—or so I thought.

“That was quite a scene,” a voice murmured.

I spun, gasping when I saw him. “Duke Graham?”

My tongue betrayed me with a stutter. His cold blue eyes bore into me, arms crossed in quiet authority.

“Care to explain what just happened, Lady Victoria?”

Cursing under my breath, I lowered my gaze to the stone floor. How could I have dragged him into this? Of all people.

Every woman in the empire knew Duke Graham, the infamous cold-blooded duke. Feared, loathed, avoided. His hands were stained with more blood than anyone else’s, and no one dared stand in his shadow for fear of losing their heads.

“So?” His voice broke the silence, heavy and unyielding.

I forced a smile and bowed. “Forgive me, Your Grace. I never intended to drag you into my mess.”

The truth was bitter—I had acted recklessly, desperate to save myself. Perhaps even shortening my own life in the process.

For a moment, he said nothing. Then, a low sigh escaped him.

“The Duke will question me about our relationship,” he finally stated.

I blinked, startled.

“You intend to go along with this farce?”

He raised a brow. “Isn’t that what you asked of me when you threw yourself at me?”

I froze.

Half-true, but not what I wanted. Straightening, I met his piercing gaze.

“No. I only wanted to break off my engagement. Nothing more. I’m sorry for using you.”

His expression didn’t shift, his face unreadable. I turned away, uncomfortable under his silence.

Then his voice cut through the air.

“Then let’s make it real. Let’s enter a relationship.”

I snapped my head toward him, stunned. “Excuse me?”

He caught my chin, forcing me to meet his enigmatic eyes.

“A contract marriage. Beneficial for us both.” A smirk tugged at his lips, sharp and dangerous.

My breath hitched. Beneficial for him? For me? What was he after?

“I have no intention of forming a contract with you,” I shot back, swatting his hand away.

“But I do.” His smile deepened.

Heat crawled up my neck despite myself. Damn him—he was infuriatingly handsome, dangerously tempting.

“Think carefully, Lady Victoria,” he murmured. “With my power, I can give you everything you want. Even vengeance.”

His words sank into me like a blade. He was right—if I wanted revenge, I needed power. Real power. Breaking off my engagement was only the first step. To destroy the Kendricks, I’d need someone like him.

“Think about it,” he whispered, his lips brushing my hair before he walked away, leaving me trembling in his wake.

I stood frozen, watching him vanish through the glass doors. My chest rose and fell in uneven breaths.

But then a flicker in the corner of my eye. A shadow, lingering, watching.

Someone was still prying.

I clenched my fists. Duke Graham would have to wait. For now, I had a mess to untangle, and vengeance to plan.