“No.”
The word came immediately.
Sharp.
Final.
The Duke didn’t even hesitate.
Ophelia stared at him.
“I didn’t even finish my sentence.”
“You don’t need to.”
Wow.
That was actually impressive.
She had never met someone so committed to being so unreasonable.
Ophelia let out a slow breath.
“Okay… let’s try this again.”
No one spoke.
Everyone was watching her now.
Especially Alekxander.
That somehow made everything much worse.
“I need to leave this house,” she repeated, slower this time.
“At least for a while.”
The Countess frowned slightly.
“For what reason?”
That was a good question.
One she unfortunately didn’t have a perfect answer to.
“I…”
She stopped.
Because saying “I think your house is trying to kill me” didn’t sound like something that would go well in this conversation.
Ophelia glanced at Alekxander.
Just for a second.
But he caught it.
Of course he did.
His gaze didn’t change, but something in his expression told her one thing clearly:
Don’t say too much.
Right.
Got it.
Ophelia looked back at her family.
“I need air,” she said finally.
The Duke’s expression didn’t move.
“You have an entire estate.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It is.”
“It’s really not.”
The tension was starting to build again.
Ophelia could feel it.
Everyone here was used to control.
To silence.
To people doing exactly what they were told.
Unfortunately for them…
She wasn’t that version of Ophelia.
“I’m not asking to leave forever,” she added.
“Just for a little while.”
“No.”
Again.
Same tone.
Same answer.
Ophelia blinked slowly.
“Do you only know one word?”
Emily made a small choking sound behind her.
The Countess looked like she regretted everything.
But the Duke,
The Duke looked angry now.
“Enough.”
Oh.
Now it was enough.
Ophelia crossed her arms.
“You’re not even giving me a reason.”
“I don’t need to.”
That did it.
Something in her snapped slightly.
“Actually, you do.”
The room went quiet.
Too quiet.
Because that wasn’t something the original Ophelia would have said.
Not like that.
Not with that tone.
The Duke took a step forward.
“You are in no position to question me.”
“And you’re in no position to keep me locked up without explaining why,” she shot back.
Her heart was beating fast now.
Too fast.
But she didn’t stop.
“I almost died,” she continued.
“The least you can do is tell me what’s going on.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then,
Alekxander moved.
Just one step forward.
But it was enough to shift the entire atmosphere.
“She’s right.”
Ophelia blinked.
Oh.
Well that was unexpected.
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion.”
“And I don’t recall needing permission,” Alekxander replied calmly.
This man really woke up and chose violence every day.
Ophelia almost respected it.
Almost.
The Countess stepped in again.
“This is unnecessary…”
“What’s unnecessary,” Alekxander cut in, “is pretending nothing is happening.”
That shut everyone up.
Again.
Ophelia looked between them slowly.
Because now,
Now she was sure.
This wasn’t just about her being “sick.”
They were hiding something.
Something serious.
Alekxander’s gaze shifted back to her.
“You want to leave?”
She nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Then you will.”
The words were simple.
But they landed hard.
The Duke let out a cold laugh.
“You don’t get to make that decision.”
Alekxander didn’t even look at him.
“I already did.”
And just like that,
Everything changed.
The tension snapped.
The Duke’s expression darkened.
“You’re overstepping.”
“And you’re delaying.”
Silence again.
But this time it felt different.
Like something was about to happen.
Something bad.
Ophelia felt it before it even started.
That same cold feeling creeping into her chest.
The whispers.
Faint at first.
Then louder.
“Don’t let her leave…”
“She’ll remember…”
“Stop her…”
Her breathing hitched.
Not again.
Please not again.
The room blurred slightly.
Her vision shifted.
Another memory.
The same hall.
But darker.
Quieter.
Empty.
She saw herself.
No,
The original Ophelia.
Standing exactly where she was now.
Arguing.
Desperate.
“I don’t want to stay here!”
The Duke’s voice echoed.
“You have no choice.”
Then,
Alekxander.
Standing between them.
Tense.
Angry.
“If you keep her here, she won’t survive.”
The memory twisted suddenly.
Voices overlapping.
Faster.
Louder.
“Too late”
“She knows”
“Get rid of her”
Ophelia gasped sharply as the vision broke.
She stumbled back.
Her body felt weak again.
Like all the strength just left her at once.
Emily caught her arm immediately.
“My lady!”
But Ophelia couldn’t focus.
Because now,
Now she knew something for sure.
This wasn’t new.
This had already happened.
Maybe not exactly the same way.
But close enough.
Too close.
Her eyes slowly lifted.
Everyone was watching her again.
But only one person looked calm.
Alekxander.
He stepped closer this time.
Not too fast.
Not too slow.
Just enough to reach her.
“You’re not safe here,” he said quietly.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just… certain.
Ophelia swallowed.
“I know.”
The words came out softer than she expected.
The Duke scoffed.
“This is ridiculous.”
No one answered him.
Not even the Countess.
Because now…
Even she looked unsure.
Ophelia took a small breath.
Then said it again.
“I’m leaving.”
This time,
She didn’t look at her family.
She looked at Alekxander.
And he nodded.
Just once.
Like that was enough.
The Duke stepped forward again.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Alekxander finally turned to him.
And for the first time since Ophelia met him,
There was no calm left in his expression.
Only something colder.
More dangerous.
“She is.”
Silence dropped again.
Heavy.
Final.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Then slowly,
The Duke stepped back.
Not much.
But enough.
Enough to say:
This wasn’t over.
Not even close.
Ophelia felt it immediately.
That quiet shift.
That silent warning.
She didn’t win anything.
She just… delayed something.
Something worse.
Alekxander looked back at her.
“We leave in an hour.”
Ophelia blinked.
“That fast?”
“Yes.”
No explanation.
Of course.
She let out a small breath.
“Okay.”
Emily looked like she was about to cry again.
“My lady…”
Ophelia turned to her gently.
“I’ll be fine.”
That was probably a lie.
But it felt like the right thing to say.
Because staying here?
That felt worse.
Much worse.
As everyone slowly started moving again, the tension didn’t leave the room.
It stayed.
Heavy.
Watching.
Waiting.
Ophelia glanced back once.
At the hallway.
At the place where her vision happened.
And for a split second,
She saw it again.
The other Ophelia.
Standing there.
Watching her.
Silent.
Then gone.
Ophelia’s chest tightened.
Because now she understood something clearly.
This wasn’t just her life anymore.
She didn’t just take someone’s place.
She stepped into something unfinished.
Something dangerous.
And whatever happened before,
Was about to happen again.