The Duchess's Desire의 모든 챕터: 챕터 31 - 챕터 40

The knock on the door echoed throughout the Duke's private study, pulling both Victoria and the Duke back into the harsh reality that had been momentarily forgotten. The moment was fragile, too delicate to last, but for a brief instant, everything had seemed possible. Now, as the door swung open, reality came rushing back.The Duke straightened his posture, though his eyes never left Victoria’s. His jaw tightened in silent frustration, but there was something else there too—something that hinted at how he wasn’t quite ready to let her go. Not yet.Victoria was still reeling from the kiss, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath shallow. She felt as though her skin was still tingling from where his hands had touched her, the heat of his presence lingering like a shadow around her. But she didn’t know how to deal with the sudden shift—how to navigate the uncertainty that had flooded in with the interruption.The door creaked open, revealing a servant standing in the doorway, her exp

Victoria barely had time to react before the Duke spun around, his eyes narrowing with a sense of urgency. The sound of the crash echoed in the stillness of the hallway, followed by frantic footsteps that grew louder with each passing second. Her pulse quickened as the Duke’s hand gripped her wrist, pulling her toward a nearby room.“Stay close to me,” he said, his voice low, edged with a tension that she had never heard before.Victoria’s mind raced. What was happening? The peaceful atmosphere of the Duke’s estate had been shattered, and now everything felt off-balance. She could hear muffled voices and shouting, the sounds of chaos coming closer. It was almost as though the very walls of the manor were closing in on them.“Is it Isabella?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as they hurried through the hallway, the Duke’s hand tight on her wrist.The Duke didn’t answer right away, his face tense as he led her down another corridor, away from the sounds of the chaos outside.

The air felt thick with tension as the sound of footsteps grew louder outside the door. Victoria’s pulse quickened, her breath shallow and frantic. The Duke’s eyes flicked toward the servant, then back to her, his grip tightening on the weapon at his side."Stay quiet," he murmured in a low voice, his command firm. He took a step toward the door, his body blocking her view of the hallway outside. Victoria’s stomach twisted, a feeling of foreboding crawling up her spine. She felt like she was suffocating in this room, the walls closing in with every passing second.The servant stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide with fear. “Your Grace, the police… they’re demanding to speak to Lady Victoria.”Victoria’s mind raced. The police? Her body stiffened. She hadn't done anything illegal, but with everything that had transpired—the secrets, the lies, James’s death, Isabella’s manipulations—she couldn’t be sure of anything anymore. The situation had spiraled so far out of control that it felt

Victoria’s heart pounded in her chest as she was dragged through the dimly lit hallways of the manor. Her mind was a blur of conflicting emotions—fear, anger, confusion—but above all, a desperate need for control. The masked men, silent and forceful, had taken her without a word, their hold on her unyielding. They didn’t seem to care that she was struggling, that she was screaming for help, or that she was desperate to escape. Every step they took only deepened the feeling of helplessness gnawing at her soul.Her mind was consumed with thoughts of the Duke. What had happened to him? Was he still fighting Isabella, or had he been overpowered? She had to get back to him. She had to be there for him—if he still needed her.They reached a door at the end of the corridor, a heavy wooden structure adorned with intricate carvings. One of the men pulled it open, and with little ceremony, they shoved her inside. The moment she stumbled into the room, the door slammed shut behind her, and the l

Victoria’s mind raced as she lay back on the cold, narrow cot. The flickering candle beside her cast dancing shadows on the walls, every movement a reminder of the claustrophobic room she was trapped in. She had long since stopped crying, long past the point where tears felt like an option. Now, it was just anger—a fire deep within her chest that refused to be extinguished.She couldn’t help but replay everything that had led her here: the lies, the manipulation, the betrayal. Isabella, Lord Thomas, even the Duke, all of them playing their parts in a cruel game of power. But Victoria had never been a mere pawn. She wouldn’t be. Not now, not ever. She had already lost so much—her freedom, her dignity—but she wasn’t going to lose herself too.With a sudden surge of determination, Victoria pushed herself off the bed. The room was small, barely enough space to pace, but she needed to move. To think. There had to be a way out. There had to be someone, someone who could help her. She couldn