The Lady in Red

Chapter 1

Damon woke up with a headache from the heavy drinking at last night's party, which had been hosted by the crown prince to celebrate his engagement.

He got out of bed and took a bath, and afterward, he put on the clothes the maid had laid out for him. Once he was dressed, he stepped outside, where his parents were waiting for him.

"You slept in," his father remarked, to which Damon simply shrugged.

The three of them had their own appointments for the day. His mother was heading to the palace to assist the queen in preparing for an upcoming tea party, while he and his father were on their way to a Marquis' mansion for a discussion.

After dropping his mother off at the palace, Damon and his father continued their journey to the Vandeleur estate. As they traveled in the carriage, Damon gazed out the window, lost in thought about the past few months and the lady in red.

Since that fateful night, he had been searching for her, and fortunately, he remembered her face well, so finding her shouldn’t have been difficult. Yet, despite his efforts, he had still not managed to track her down.

Upon arriving at the Vandeleur mansion, Damon and his father were escorted by the guards through the grand entrance towards a large door. Though the Vandeleur family held the title of Marquis, not Duke, their wealth and assets were certainly impressive.

As the door opened, they were greeted by a lavish dining table laden with an array of food. There, standing beside his wife and two daughters, was the Marquis, his face beaming with a wide smile as he welcomed them.

"Greetings, Duke Lancaster," the Marquis said, extending his hand to Damon’s father, who returned the gesture with a smile.

"Thank you for having us, Marquis Vandeleur," his father replied courteously.

Damon and his father took their seats next to each other, and the Marquis’ family settled in around the table.

"We’ve prepared plenty of food for both of you, since it’s already lunchtime, and it would be rude not to offer you something," the Marquis said, turning toward the maids standing at the side of the room. "Where's Lilith?"

Lilith—such a beautiful yet peculiar name, Damon thought. According to folklore, Lilith was said to be a female demon or vampire.

"The other maids mentioned she’ll be here any moment, my lord," one of the maids replied.

"She’s so slow," muttered Odessa, the Marquis’ daughter, who sat next to her mother.

Damon’s attention shifted to the door as it opened, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw who entered. The Marquis' daughter, Lilith, was none other than the lady in red from the party months ago.

A smile crept across Damon’s face as he took in her appearance. She wore a long, elegant burgundy velvet dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline, complemented by sparkling jewelry, and her hair was styled in a messy bun.

"I apologize for being late, Duke Lancaster, Lord Lancaster," she said gracefully.

"No problem, my lady. Please, have a seat," his father replied, smiling warmly.

The lady quickly sat beside her sister, who was quietly smiling at the table.

"Now that everyone is here, let's eat!" the Marquis said cheerfully, and the group began their meal. Damon couldn’t help but watch the lady in red, who sat focused on her food, her elegance evident in every movement.

After the meal, the Marchioness and her daughters, including the lady in red, excused themselves from the table. Damon’s gaze lingered on the woman as she left the room.

"Before we get into the main agenda, how about we discuss the marriage proposal I sent to you, Duke Lancaster?" the Marquis asked, breaking the silence.

"Marriage proposal?" Damon echoed, confused.

"Yes, my lord. I sent your father a proposal for you to marry my daughter, Odessa," the Marquis explained.

Damon looked over at his father, who was sipping his tea.

"I appreciate the proposal, Marquis, but I’m not the one who will decide my son’s marriage," his father said calmly. "It’s his decision who he marries. Besides, he’s still young and should enjoy life a little longer."

The Marquis let out a sigh. "Alright then. If you insist," he said, turning back to Damon. "But please, do consider it."

Damon smiled. "I can accept the proposal."

The Marquis’s eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Yes, but under one condition."

The Marquis raised an eyebrow. "What condition?"

"It’s not Lady Odessa who I want to marry," Damon said, his voice firm. "It’s the lady in red from earlier."

The Marquis’s smile quickly faded. "I apologize, my lord, but Lilith is not someone you should marry."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Well... she’s mentally unstable. She’s simply not suited for marriage," the Marquis explained.

Damon chuckled lightly. "From the way she behaved earlier, she doesn’t seem mentally unstable to me." He stood up. "If it’s not her, then I won’t accept the proposal. Excuse me," he said, turning and leaving the room.

He asked a guard outside to guide him somewhere to sit, and the guard led him to a quiet garden. Once the guard left, Damon wandered around, looking for a bench.

Suddenly, he froze when he spotted the lady in red, sitting alone on a picnic blanket.

Damon smiled, his heart lifting. "There you are," he muttered under his breath.

To be continued.