The Duke's Revenge Bride

Chapter 3

A rush of air filled my lungs as I jolted awake, my heart pounding wildly. Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and gentle, casting a soft glow over the room. My hands trembled as I took in my surroundings—the familiar four-poster bed, the delicate floral curtains, the faint scent of lavender from the sachets tucked around the room. I was... home?

"Lady (Y/N)!" a familiar voice exclaimed beside me, breaking through my shock. I turned to see my maid, Elara, her expression filled with worry as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright? You looked so restless in your sleep. I've been trying to wake you for ages."

Without thinking, I reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, relief washing over me like a wave. Her warmth, her familiar scent—all of it was real. I wasn't on a cold, unforgiving guillotine stage, facing death. I was here, in my bed, safe.

"Oh, Elara," I whispered, my voice filled with gratitude. "I had the wildest dream... or maybe a nightmare. It felt so real."

Elara gently patted my back, her voice soothing. "There, there, my lady. It must have been terrible if it left you so shaken." She pulled back to look at me, a reassuring smile on her face. "But you're safe now, and I'm here. Whatever it was, it's over."

I exhaled, feeling the tension gradually ease from my shoulders. But as I looked around the room, memories of the nightmare flickered through my mind—the betrayal, the humiliation, the cold bite of the guillotine. Every painful detail felt seared into my mind. But then, something else dawned on me: I recognized this moment, this day.

This was before everything. Before I had married Asher. Before Amelia's betrayal. I had been given a chance to rewrite my story, to change the fate they had tried to trap me in. The memory of my last vow filled me with a renewed sense of purpose.

"Elara," I said, my voice steadier now, as I pulled back and looked into her concerned eyes. "There's so much I need to do."

I pulled back from Elara's embrace, my mind still swirling with the lingering remnants of my nightmare—or perhaps, of a life that had somehow been undone. I took a steadying breath, trying to grasp what felt real and what didn't.

"Elara," I asked slowly, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice, "what... what day is it?"

She looked at me with a mix of concern and confusion. "It's just a few days before Lady Amelia's debut, my lady. Have you forgotten?"

Amelia's debut. My heart raced as memories surfaced, reminders of everything that had happened afterward—her charm, her lies, the schemes that had led me into the darkest places imaginable. But here, in this moment, she hadn't done any of it yet. I had returned to a time when she still played the innocent, my supposedly beloved stepsister. I was at the very beginning, with every terrible thing still waiting to unfold.

I rose from the bed on unsteady legs, making my way to the vanity mirror across the room. The polished glass reflected my face, but it wasn't my expression I focused on. Instead, my eyes trailed down to my neck, to the soft skin where I had felt the cold metal of the guillotine pressing, threatening to end me. My fingers brushed the place as if to check, as if I could still feel its bite.

But my skin was unmarked, untouched by the nightmare I'd lived through. I let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of it all crashing down upon me. I was alive, back before the betrayal, before everything was taken from me. And now... I had the power to change it.

"My lady?" Elara's voice brought me back to the present. She looked at me, concern creasing her brow. "Are you feeling unwell? You seem... different."

I looked back at her, grounding myself in her familiar, gentle presence. She had been with me through everything, loyal to the last moment. And now, she was here with me again, as I stood at the crossroads of my fate.

"I'm alright, Elara," I said, trying to steady my voice, though I could hear the determination creeping into it. "I'm more than alright." I turned back to the mirror, meeting my own gaze with a fierceness I hadn't felt in a long time. "This time, things will be different."

I stood before the mirror, steadying myself with slow breaths as Elara helped me into a fresh gown. My mind buzzed with thoughts, recalling every detail, every choice, every moment that had led to my ruin. Amelia's debut was where it had all begun, the night when she first cast her charm over the nobility, including my husband, Asher. At the time, I had thought her performance innocent—a young girl eager to make her place in society. I had no idea it was the start of her web of lies.

As Elara buttoned the back of my dress, I felt myself transported back to that evening. Amelia had arrived radiant, and I'd seen nothing but pride in her as my stepsister. I trusted her, celebrated her, all while she eyed the life I'd built with quiet envy. And Asher... he'd hardly looked away from her. I remembered dismissing the flicker of jealousy I'd felt, brushing it off as something innocent. I never would have imagined the lengths they'd go to betray me.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. One of the butlers entered, bowing respectfully before speaking. "My lady, Lord Asher is waiting for you in the garden. He requested your presence."

I felt a surge of bitterness at the mention of his name, my fingers tightening around the fabric of my gown. I remembered this moment, the start of my marriage's unraveling. Asher had insisted we meet in the garden to discuss Amelia's upcoming debut, but I'd found him standing there with her instead, speaking in hushed tones, a smile on his face that I hadn't seen in ages.

"Thank you," I replied evenly, the butler nodding as he backed out of the room.

Elara gave me a final, reassuring smile as I gathered my composure. I was determined not to make the same mistakes again. Asher and Amelia wouldn't catch me unaware this time. I had seen their true colors, their lies and deceit. This time, I would be vigilant.

With a steadying breath, I smoothed my gown and made my way to the garden, every step reinforcing my resolve. They thought they could play me for a fool, that I was too blind or trusting to see their betrayal. But I had been given a second chance, and I intended to use it wisely. This time, I would not let them ruin me.