The moment the carriage door closed, Isolde finally sat on the soft cushion.
"Move."
At her command, the coachman urged the horses forward.The estate gates creaked shut behind them, sealing away the man standing within it.
She sat there in an upright position her hands lay on her thighs.With a indifferent face.
Only when the manor disappeared from view did her fingers begin to tremble.
She closed her silver eyes.
Lucien's expression resurfaced in her mind. Not the smirk she had grown accustomed to. Not the lazy, arrogant curl of his lips when he flaunted wealth or status.
It was something else.
Something real... something soft, Melancholic and seemingly..... ashamed.
Isolde burrowed her eyebrows.
'Was he acting?...' She thought.
No it can't be. He was really different from a month ago.
Today he still reeked of alcohol but he walked with pride not the usual arrogant strides.
He never used to bow back to me, but he did today.
When she first heard about rumors that he had stolen thesis, she had believed them.
Because it was really not possible for him to write the thesis with his talent.
But she didn't hope for it to be a lie.
What she hoped for was him to repent.
Their engagement had been a political arrangement between House Vaelric and House Blackhart. From the beginning, she never expected affection. Respect would have sufficed.
He had tried to buy her smiles with jewels, gowns, rare artifacts.
But She had returned every single one.
All she wanted was simple.
Repent.
Stand upright as a man worthy of the name he bore.
Even if there will be no love in this marriage , she would still stand beside him. That was her duty. That was her resolve.
But every time she held expectations he betrayed her, always.
Until today.
"I am truly sorry…"
She had prepared herself for rejection,anger and prideful reproach.
But he apologized.
He has never once apologized to anyone.
But today he apologized, not a casual or fake one. But a real one filled with emotions I never expected from him.
Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her gloves.
Her eyes softened.
He even swore on his house.
It was not a small matter if broken he would lose everything he valued his wealth that he flaunted, his arrogant pride for being a duke's son.
'If I get expelled… I will publicly confess everything.'
He had not sworn to succeed.
He had sworn to confess if he failed.
That subtle difference gnawed at her.
It was not the promise of a man confident in victory.
It was the resolve of someone prepared for defeat.
Someone truly willing to change and repent...
"A month…" she murmured.
He had one month before the Academy reopened.
One month to transform from a mediocre mage propped up by influence into someone capable of standing before the sons and daughters of noble houses.
It was simply impossible.
She knew his talent.
Or rather—his lack of it.
Even with relentless effort, magical aptitude could not be rewritten overnight.
Unless—
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Unless he had been hiding it.
But that made no sense. What benefit would there be in pretending incompetence for years?
No.
The more likely answer was simpler.
Desperation.
He really wants to change and live as a decent man.
He wants to be someone worthy enough for....me.
She was not some maiden swayed by a few gentle words.
And yet—
When he had said, "All I ask from you is one last chance…"
Her heart fluttered for the first time.
Even now she can't seem to calm her heart.
Because she wanted to believe him.
Even after all the disappoints. She wanted for his change to be true.
No matter what even though she loved the sword and knightly duty more than anything else.
She still secretly hoped to find love in her marriage.
If he truly stayed the way he was today, even if he gets expelled, if he still stays that way and repents, she would truly be willing to be his wife. Perhaps.....she too could come to love him...
For the first time she truly prayed for him to not betray her.
He even mentioned....her death. He looked really sad.
She had heard about the story of how he became the scoundrel he was today.
His mother Sylvie von Blackhart, Duke Dorian's only love after her death he never remarried. She had heard he was a gentle and kind as a kid but he had changed after her death. He slowly started to become what he was today. He started to drown in alcohol to hide his pain.
Isolde exhaled softly as the carriage entered the gate of house Vaelric
"Please....do not betray be again"
Isolde said in a very soft tone.