Elizabeth Windsor and Anthony Bridgerton despise each other with a passion, but a turn of events lands them to form an agreement. They would help one another find suitable partners, but what happens when they realize they're each other's perfect mat...
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Betrayal.
One word. Eight letters. A term usually reserved for enemies, for those in combat, or on some occasions, it's reserved for unfaithful friends. One word can hold a grand burden and place the world onto one's shoulders like Atlas. It's a term that can usually be read about in novels or heard about during afternoon strolls, but experiencing it beforehand and becoming its carrier, it was a tragedy of grand proportions meant to be sentenced to a life of perdition.
As Elizabeth walked up the stairs in search of Edwina, there's a mixture of remorse and anger burning her from the inside out. She was beyond infuriated with Anthony for calling her name at the most inconvenient of times. Beyond closed doors would have been preferred, but even then, she would have hated him for it.
"Lizzie, perhaps you should wait until tensions have lowered," Victoria suggested as she struggled to catch up with her.
Adelaide scoffed, "Tensions will never lower. Avoiding the issue would make everything worse, especially because he so foolishly said the wrong name in front of everyone."
"Does that mean the wedding will be canceled and Lizzie and the viscount will be forced to wed?" Aurora pondered her thoughts aloud, narrowing her eyes in perplexity. "But, what will happen to Edwina and the Duke?"
"The viscount and I will not marry," Elizabeth finally spoke up, but lowered her voice when reaching the room Edwina and the Sharmas were in. "I need to speak with Edwina to try to remedy this chaos, but I need you all to give me some privacy."
"It's not like everyone does not already know," Adelaide's love for gossip made her unwilling to agree with her sister's demand, especially when it was the one thing she expected to happen sooner than later. "Everyone at the church keeps talking about it. You three are surely to be in the next Lady Whistledown-"
"Adelaide, please. You are not helping," Victoria sighed heavily and grabbed ahold of her arm before she could get a chance to run off. "We will be out in the garden waiting for you, Lizzie. Take all the time you need."
Elizabeth nodded with gratitude and watched as her family walked away. As much as she wanted them to stay to make everything easier, she knew this was something she needed to do on her own. This was her mess, her responsibility, and her betrayal to attempt remedying.
With a deep breath, she gently knocked on the door. Muffled voices could be heard, but she was able to distinguish Edwina's above the rest.
Kate opened the door slightly and frowned upon seeing her, "It is not the right time, Elizabeth..."
Elizabeth.
For the first time, she didn't refer to her as Lizzie. She called her by her full name and while it may seem like an insignificant thing, it created a barrier between them. It closed a door that had been opened ever since they first met during that one trip to India.
