The morning sun warmed the entirety of Rose Ind, its delicate white sands shimmering with an enchanting golden glow.


    However, in Evadne''s bedroom, where shey, the windows were shrouded with luxurious, thick velvet curtains, blocking out all traces of daylight and plunging the room into darkness.


    Such an environment was a haven for someone who had been tossing and turning all night, so exhausted that sleeping till the end of the world seemed usible.


    Yet, Avery found himself waking up early.


    gued by nightmares, he woke up drenched in a cold sweat.


    As he opened his eyes, his face was ashen, and his trembling hand hurriedly reached for the warmth beside him.


    Feeling Evadne''s soft, warm body, he finally let out a sigh of relief, struggling to sit up in bed.


    The bed was a mess, but not from a night of passion-it was a testament to Evadne''s violent struggle the night before.


    In the end, he had restrained himself, not taking what wasn''t freely given.


    Avery leaned weakly against the headboard, gazing at the beautiful, delicate face of the woman sleeping beside him. A smile of contentment and happiness yed at his dry, pale lips as he gently stroked her beloved face.


    Lingering, reluctant to let go.


    He hummed softly, a rough and gravelly voice singing a love song in an awkward ent, a song he adored, meant for her ears alone.


    His chest felt tight with unspoken emotions, each note he sang fractured and fragile, barely holding together.


    Evadne couldn''t hear him.


    But he knew, if he didn''t sing to her now, he might never get another chance.


    "Good morning, Evadne," Avery whispered, leaning in to kiss her forehead.


    He longed to call her "Mrs. Chambers."


    But for some reason, he couldn''t bring himself to say it.


    Deep down, he knew, even though they had shared a bed, even though they had gone through the motions of a wedding, Evadne had never truly been his.


    In the final moments, he couldn''t lie to himself any longer.


    A knock at the door broke the silence, and a servant entered, carrying a tray.


    "Mr. Chambers, it''s time for your medication."


    The servant barely managed to suppress a gasp upon seeing a stark, crimson gash across Avery''s chest, the te nearly slipping from his grasp. "Mr. Chambers! You''re injured! I''ll call a doctor right away!"


    "It''s nothing," Avery dismissed.


    The wound was raw, possibly even infected.


    But Avery merely lowered his gaze putting on his gold-rimmed sses with an air of indifference. His eyes were bloodshot, his expression weary and hazy.


    He picked up a small te of painkillers, swallowing them all at once, then


    prepared an adrenaline shot with practiced ease.


    Truth be told, it was the pain that had woken him that morning.


    Every throbbing ache was like a death knell in his ears.


    "Avery."


    A cold, deep voice called out.


    Avery squinted towards the source, finding Hans'' tall, imposing figure striding towards him.


    "Your dream is over. Thaddeus and


    that agent from the Ashbourne


    family, Mr. Avery, have arrived


    l.ne


    on the


    ind. I need to take Ms. Evadne away now. Those are Sir''s orders."


    Avery''s calm was unsettling as he fixated on Evadne''s sleeping face.


    "You can take Evadne, but not now," he stated firmly.


    Hans'' eyes narrowed. "You dare defy Sir''s orders?"


    "I said, not now," Avery insisted, covering his mouth as a severe cough rattled his


    frame.