BiteBound *completed*

Chapter 33.3

I continued on to read, burying my nose into the ancient pages when I've burned through two books about Mary.

While loving the same gender wasn't exactly appropriate at the time, it was nice to know that Arthur's older brother did go on that date with William Gold. It was never confirmed by the older brother if he did play for the same team or not, but from the way he seemed happier around the Knight family, Arthur came to the conclusion that everything on his side of the deal was executed perfectly.

Then came Arthur and Mary's side.

At first, Mary seemed confused and even hesitant to be around Arthur. While they kept their secret meetings in William's protected rose garden, Mary and Arthur grew to eventually enjoy each other's company.

Eventually, the rose garden meetings were then leveled up to real outings. Nightly picnics by the bay, fancy dinners at the most well named restaurants; their fondness for each other then began to blossom into what I could now see was true love.

Arthur didn't even wait for an entire year when he finally proposed to Mary.

Of course, she accepted and was then removed from living with the other maids. While William had her living under his roof in a proper room for a bride-to-be, Arthur had to deal with the obstacle for the family approval.

He first told his older brother; to which he congratulated him for finding his love.

Then, he told his other brother.

While he was worried for a possible backlash from the rest of the family, He was happy for Arthur having found a partner he can call his wife.

When his parents eventually found out about the secret betrothal, he was surprised at the positive reaction he received from his mother and father.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about his grandparents and greats before them.

Not only did they disapprove of him marrying Mary because of her status, but the fact she was a human didn't make it any better.

He was prepared to surrender everything just to have his Mary.

His status, his riches, the roof over his head and the protection he was granted since birth; he was ready to lose his own last name.

Nothing mattered to him so long as he could make Mary his wife.

That is, until the devastating news came crashing through the doors of the church.

As he waited under the holy roof with the pastor, checking his watch every five minutes to find that Mary was nearly half an hour late. At first, he thought she had cold feet and had left him at the altar. Just as suspicion came to his senses and was about to go out looking for her, his older brother barges in the church with the most tragic news.

Mary Holloway had been found dead in the forest outside of London.

She was wearing her wedding dress that was gifted her by William Gold, carrying nothing but the note in her glove that was apparently sent from "Arthur".

"He" had told her to meet him in the forest so they could runaway together; ditching the plan to marry in the church like they decided months in advanced. Instead of being met by her husband-to-be, she had been attacked by another monster.

Blood and dirt had stained in her beauty, her heart ripped out as the killer's trophy.

Arthur could not believe the words that came out of his older brother's mouth.

He was so convinced that he was lying and making up stories; it wasn't until he ran out of the church to see the body for himself.

There he remained for the entire night, holding her lifeless hand as he cried out in pain for his loss. He wanted to die with her, putting his life in jeopardy as the sun was nearing to rise.

It took his brothers, William, and his father to force him back to safety. Back to the mansion and locked in the basement so he wouldn't commit something stupid.

The news had reached all of England, a gruesome murder case was quickly put to a close since the killer had escaped.

And while the world continued on with the rest of their lives, Arthur's entire life had come to a complete stop. He grieved and grieved— that year's worth grief growing into great hate towards his own Grandparents and Greats. He was completely convinced they sent someone to have her killed. It had to explain to her death, it was all too coincidental.

By the end of the second book, I was left in tears, sobbing for the loss he endured that night.

I promised myself after Mary's death I would not fall in love again. Even when we spoke on the last night before our wedding, I promised her that she would be my forever one and only.

My soulmate and heart.

It is now 1833 and I hate myself for promising her something like that.

They say that time heals when it comes to loss; I personally refuse to believe in something so melodramatic.

But as I was in town with William for his own marriage arragements, that's when I saw her eyes on a vibrant poster.

"Octavia the Silk performer, coming to a circus near you!"

No.

It wasn't possible.

That woman was not Octavia. That was my lover Mary.