Page 91 of Taken By the Beastly Duke

"And how dare you claim to love me, Theodore? How dare you sit there and pretend that all of this… this madness is because you care for me? If you truly loved me, you would have wanted my happiness. You would have supported my marriage, not plotted to destroy it. And why now, huh? Why now, after all these years? Why now, when I’m married and happy, are you suddenly declaring your feelings? You let me grow old as a spinster, watched me live my life without saying a word. And now…now… when I have finally found happiness with Anthony, you decide to reveal your affections? Why didn’t you speak up before? Why didn't you ask for my hand then? Why didn’t you say something when it would have mattered? Why stay silent?!" She screamed at him, her whole body shaking with the violent emotions growing inside her. "What kind of friend are you, Theodore? What kind of man claims to love a woman but does nothing for years, only to show up when it’s too late, to ruin everything?"

He swallowed, his hands twisting in his lap as he attempted to reach out to her with words once more. "I… Victoria, I couldn't. I didn’t know how to… I couldn’t find the words then. But when I saw you with him, I couldn’t bear it. You don’t belong with him. He’s wrong for you, and I had to act. You know me. You have known me for years. We… are perfect for each other."

"And that’s it, isn’t it?" she snapped, her voice cutting through the rattling of the carriage. "It’s all about you, isn’t it, Theodore? Your feelings. Your desires. You cannot bear to see me happy because it wasn’t you who made me happy. You’re trying to ruin everything I have because of your own selfishness. So don't insult me by pretending all this is for me. At least have the guts to be a man."

Theodore’s expression faltered, and for the first time, she saw the cracks in his composure.

He looked at her, truly looked at her, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something- shame, perhaps- in his eyes.

"I didn’t want to hurt you," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I only wanted to save you from making a mistake."

She shook her head slowly, her chest tightening with the overwhelming mixture of anger and disappointment.

"This is not love, Theodore," she said, her voice strained with the weight of her emotions. "What you are doing to me now... it’s not love. It’s manipulation. You dint kidnap someone you love. You don't against the wishes of the one you love. You celebrate with them in their happiness. And you are ruining not only my happiness but any shred of respect and dignity I had managed to get." She looked him in the eye, her gaze unwavering. "You say you’re saving me from a mistake? No. The only mistake was trusting you."

Her words seemed to cut through him, and for a moment, he appeared to be lost for a reply. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his hands clenching and unclenching as he struggled to find some response that could justify his actions. But there was nothing he could say.

The damage had been done.

They continues in silence for a while as the carriage continued to run down the road, the bumpy terrain only adding to the uncomfortable tension between them.

Victoria once again turned her head away from him, staring out into the dark, endless night, her heart heavy with betrayal. There was no turning back now.

Whatever friendship they had shared was gone, shattered like glass.

And no matter how much Theodore tried to convince her otherwise, no matter how many times he apologized or promised that she would one day thank him, she knew deep in her heart that she would never forgive him for this.

And then his voice broke the silence, dripping with cold certainty as he looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "Very well then, we’ve agreed," he said, as though the entire conversation had been settled by his mere decree.

Victoria’s eyes snapped with fury.

Agreed?

Agreed to what?!

She could hardly believe her ears.

His condescending tone, as if her thoughts and feelings were a mere trifle to be dismissed, as if this whole abhorrent situation had been decided without her say, was infuriating beyond measure.

She felt the blood rush to her face, her pulse quickening with rage. How dare he speak to her as though she were a child, as though her will meant nothing!

Without thinking and driven by pure madness, she launched herself at him, her hands raised, fingers curled like claws, intent on raking across his smug, self-assured face.

"You insufferable- " She bit back the words, holding onto the little control she had left as her body surged forward, her fury fueling her every movement.

But Theodore had seen her coming.

His reflexes allowed him to dodge just in time, her hands swiping at the empty space where his face had been moments before.

Victoria, however, did not stop.

Her anger urged her forward, and she spun on her heel with surprising speed.

She rushed toward the carriage door, her heart pounding as she reached for the handle, desperate to throw herself out into the cold night air and away from this madness.

Away from him.

But Theodore was faster.

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