Chapter 9

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Felix's heart raced as he entered the palace grounds, his footsteps echoing in the empty courtyard. 

He couldn't wait to see Aurelia; even though he had only been away for a few hours, it felt like an eternity to him. 

Running past the fountain, he made his way inside the palace, the silence weighing heavily on him.

Despite the late hour, the air felt unusually somber, casting a shadow over the usually lively palace. 

Determined to see Aurelia, Felix hurried to her room, a bouquet of roses clutched tightly in his hand. 

He paused for a moment, considering knocking, but the thought of surprising her made him grin

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He paused for a moment, considering knocking, but the thought of surprising her made him grin. With a smile, he pushed open the door and called out her name.

However, what he saw inside the room stunned him. Aurelia lay on the bed, her face streaked with tears, while a female servant embraced her in a comforting hug. 

Austin stood nearby, his usually happy expression replaced with one of grief as tears streamed down his face. 

The other servants stood in a corner, their faces reflecting a mix of sadness and helplessness.

Felix's heart clenched at the sight, his mind racing with questions. "Aurelia, what happened? Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he rushed to her side. 

The room was filled with a heavy silence, broken only by Aurelia's sobs and the soft weeping of the servants.

Gently, Felix reached out to touch Aurelia's hand, his heart breaking at the sight of her pain. "Please, tell me what happened. I'm here for you," he whispered, his voice filled with love and reassurance. 

He turned towards Austin, his impatience mixed with anger and worry. "Sir, what happened? Please, tell me why is she crying? Why isn't anyone telling me anything?" he pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation.

Austin sobbed, struggling to compose himself before speaking. "Mr. Hawthorne arrived this morning, unexpectedly. He found out that the reason the portrait was taking so long was because Aurelia was intentionally delaying it," he explained, his voice trembling with emotion.

Felix felt a surge of anger and disbelief. "What did he do? What happened after that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The master dragged Miss Aurelia by her hair and then... he hit her with the candle holder," the lady servant replied, her voice filled with sorrow and disgust.

Felix's eyes widened in horror, his hands clenching into fists. He rushed to Aurelia's side, pulling her gently towards him. 

She hid her face in his chest, her body shaking with sobs. Felix lifted her chin, brushing away the hair to reveal her tear-stained face. 

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