Chapter 98 - Ninety Eight
The butler burst into the room, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "My Lord," he stammered, his voice filled with urgency. "Duke Ryan...The Grand Duke... His Grace is here."
Count Edmund was taken aback by the news. "Why is he here?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of fear.
The butler shook his head, his expression filled with uncertainty. "I don’t know, Your Lordship," he replied. "But he doesn’t look happy."
Count Edmund’s face paled. He knew that Ryan was a man to be feared. He was powerful, ruthless, and he held the fate of the entire duchy in his hands.
"Tell him I’ll be right down," Count Edmund said, his voice trembling slightly.
The butler nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Count Edmund turned to his wife, his eyes filled with fear. "What have you done woman?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Countess Helene’s face was also pale. She knew that they were in trouble. "I don’t know," she replied, her voice filled with uncertainty. "I didn’t do anything."
Count Edmund held his gaze, his resolve hardening. He took a deep breath and stood up, his body trembling slightly. He walked towards the drawing room, his heart pounding in his chest.
A heavy silence hung in the air of the opulent drawing room as Ryan sat with his back ramrod straight and his legs crossed. He was here for one reason and one reason only: Cassandra.
In the sitting room, Isabella was practicing her piano skills, her fingers dancing across the keys of the grand piano. She was playing Chopin’s "Nocturne No. 21 in C Minor." The delicate melody filled the air, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in the drawing room.
Count Edmund entered the drawing room, his face pale. He saw Ryan sitting there, his posture commanding, two guards standing beside him, their swords drawn, their armor bearing the duchy crest. Davis standing at the other side of the room, his expression grave.