Kayden sat alone in his study, staring at the royal decree. His fingers tightened around the parchment.
Marriage.
He had always known it would happen one day. As a noble, as a duke, he had a duty to his house.
And yet, the weight of it pressed heavily on his chest.
He thought of Ruby. Every single day. Even now, his heart ached with the memories—the warmth in her voice, the gentle way she laughed. It was foolish, pathetic even, to hold on to something that was never his.
This marriage was nothing more than duty.
He would provide for Stella. As a husband should. As a knight must. He could give her a grand estate, beautiful gowns, rare jewels—everything but love.
And she deserved love.
The thought unsettled him.
Would she be happy in a loveless marriage? Would she suffer, knowing her husband's heart belonged to another?
"No," he told himself. "She's a wise woman. She must know what this marriage truly is."
Even so, something about it didn't sit right with him.
In Stella's Chamber
Stella sat by the window, her fingers curled around the edge of the engagement decree.
Her feelings were tangled in a mess of emotions.
She was happy. She had loved Kayden for so long, admired him even before she met him. The thought of being his wife should have made her heart race with excitement.
But instead, she felt… uneasy.
Did he want this? Or had he been forced into it?
What if he hated this marriage?
The thought made her chest tighten. She didn't want to be an unwanted bride. She didn't want him to look at her with cold indifference, thinking of someone else while standing beside her.
She needed to know the truth.
That night, she sat by candlelight, pen in hand, as she wrote a letter.
"Duke Kayden, I request a meeting with you. Please choose the time and place at your convenience. I only wish to speak with you."
She sealed the letter and handed it to her trusted maid.
Tomorrow, she would finally hear his answer.
.......................................................................................................
The next day, Stella received a reply.
Duke Kayden had agreed to meet her at a café in the afternoon.
Her hands trembled slightly as she held the letter. A meeting… just the two of us.
Her heart raced—not just with nervousness but also excitement.
Wanting to look her best, she chose a simple yet elegant dress, but her maids had other ideas. They were far more excited than her, treating this like a romantic date between newly engaged lovers.
"Oh, Your Highness, we must add a few bows! Maybe this pearl necklace too!"
"She already looks stunning! Look at her beautiful hair—so long and soft!"
Blush dusted Stella's cheeks as they complimented her, carefully arranging her brown locks and adding delicate touches of makeup. She had insisted on keeping it light, but her maids made sure she looked breathtaking nonetheless.
When the time finally arrived, Stella stepped into the royal carriage, her heart pounding in anticipation.
Calm down, Stella. He isn't yours yet.
Upon arriving at the café, she spotted Duke Kayden waiting outside. He stood tall in a dark coat, the afternoon sun catching the strands of his black hair. His light blue eyes met hers, and for the first time—he smiled.
It was warm. Unexpected.
Her breath hitched.
Kayden stepped forward and extended his hand, offering to help her down. But nerves got the best of her, and instead of taking it, she hastily hopped off the carriage.
The maids gasped in horror.
"Pftt—"
A soft chuckle escaped the duke before he quickly masked it.
Stella's face burned with embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry!" she stammered.
Seeing her flustered expression, Kayden felt something unfamiliar tighten in his chest. But he quickly dismissed the thought.
"Shall we?" he said smoothly, leading her inside.
They took their seats, and soon, a waiter arrived. Without hesitation, Kayden placed the order.
"Two sweet dandelion teas," he said.
Stella blinked. "Why two?"
Kayden raised an eyebrow. "One for you, of course."
Stella frowned. "But I don't drink tea. I'll have coffee instead."
There was a brief pause.
Kayden hadn't expected that.
Coffee was rare in this era, and certainly not a common choice among nobles. But Stella, coming from a modern past life, loved it. She had never been a fan of overly sweet drinks.
Kayden studied her for a moment before chuckling to himself.
"You keep surprising me, Princess."
At that moment Stella felt something fluttering in her stomach.
"Is it that surprising for a lady to drink coffee?" Stella asked keeping her face straight.
Kayden noticing the red hue on her cheek said, "It's not that surprising for a lady to drink coffee but its surprising if you drink it."
Stella now confused didn't know how to reply to that "maybe your a bad judge of character."
Kayden never heard someone say that to him "Am I, your highness?"
"Y-yes"
His teasing was twinkling her making her blush to ears she almost forgot why she wanted to meet him. But the atmosphere got cut down due the waiter serving our drinks.
Stella hesitated for a moment, gripping the warm cup in her hands before finally gathering the courage to speak.
"…Are you okay with this marriage, Your Grace?"
The words hung in the air between them.
Kayden didn't respond immediately. He simply stared at his cup, his expression unreadable. The silence stretched long enough that Stella wondered if he would even answer at all.
But then, after what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.
"I once loved someone."
His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to it—one that spoke of wounds not yet healed.
"Ruby Everstone."
His grip tightened around the porcelain cup, his jaw clenching slightly. His usual composed demeanor wavered just enough for Stella to see it—the pain he carried.
"It was foolish, really," he continued, a scowl forming on his face. "A love I never voiced. A love that never had a chance to begin with."
Stella felt her chest tighten.
She had known this. She had read every word of his heartbreak in Destiny Never Fails. She had cried for him before she had even met him. And yet—hearing it from his own lips, seeing the pain in his light blue eyes—it hurt.
More than she expected.
She curled her fingers into the fabric of her dress, willing herself to stay composed. I knew this from the start.
Kayden let out a bitter chuckle. "This marriage is nothing more than duty. A necessary obligation. You deserve more than that, Princess."
Stella lowered her gaze. Her heart ached, but she refused to let it show.
She had wanted to be the one to change his fate—to be the warmth he never had.
She had believed in the possibility of healing, of moving on.
And she still did.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up and met his gaze, her deep blue eyes unwavering.
"…I see," she said softly. "Love isn't something one can easily forget. But, Your Grace..." She offered a faint smile. "Even wounds heal with time."
Kayden looked at her then, truly looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time.
For a brief moment, he said nothing.
But Stella held onto hope.
Maybe—just maybe—one day, he would no longer look so heartbroken.