Theodora’s heart hammered. She dabbed at her watery eyes with the handkerchief that smelled just like Alexander. She felt as though she was underwater, holding her breath for his answer.
Surely, he will do what is right and just.
But Alexander remained silent.
Her father’s voice rose. “Do not just stand there like a fool! You have compromised my daughter, have you not? You have met her in secret. You have ruined her. The proper thing to do is to marry her.”
“Father, stop,” Theodora said, her voice cracking with emotions. “You do not understand?—”
“I understand perfectly,” he snapped. “I understand that you have behaved recklessly and that this man has taken advantage of you.”
She turned to see Alexander’s jaw tighten.
“I did not take advantage of her,” he finally said.
“Oh?” Lord Dowell sneered. “Then what would you call it? Meeting my daughter in the privacy of your home? Allowing her to write about you in that ridiculous notebook? ‘Experimenting’ with her like some common?—”
“Enough!” Alexander’s voice boomed in the library and Theodora flinched, but her father only smirked, sensing an opening.
“Then do the honorable thing,” Lord Dowell said, “and marry her.”
Theodora’s breath caught. She looked at Alexander again, willing him to speak, to say something,anything, that would save her from the fate her father had planned. Alexander’s eyes flicked to hers.
And she inhaled sharply.
“Oh no,” she whispered under her breath.
Alexander brows gathered as he looked at her apologetically. Theodora shook her head and backed away from him.
“I cannot marry her,” he said, his eyes not leaving hers as he spoke.
Theodora felt the world collapse around her. Her vision blurred again but this time her tears felt different. For a moment, she couldn’t hear anything at all, just a sharp and relentless ringing in her ears.
Her father looked just as stunned as she was. “What did you say?”
Alexander turned to him, completely expressionless. “I said I cannot marry her.”
“You arrogant?—”
“Stop it! Please!” Theodora yelled
Her father froze then turned his attention to her.
“You disgraced yourself, Theodora. You threw yourself at a man who clearly does not want you.”
Alexander flinched at that, but he didn’t speak or argue.
Theodora stared at him in disbelief; she was unable to move or breathe.
“Alexander,” she whispered. “Is that truly how you feel?”
He did not look at her.
“Yes, Theodora…I am sorry,” he said quietly before he walked out of the library.
Theodora’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She watched Alexander her last sliver of hope slipped away with him.
Her father let out a short, cruel laugh. “Well. There you have it. Apparently, the Duke did not care about you at all. Now that he has taken what he wanted from you?—”
