Eloise

Chapter 3: The Banquet (2)

The carriage arrived at the royal palace along with other noble carriages branded with their proud insignias representing each family.

After a while, the carriage came to a halt and the door opened from the outside. Nathaniel was the one who got out first then held his hand out on her.

Eloise was thankful enough that no matter how cold their relationship was, he was still considerate that he never let her attend a social event alone.

Other nobles getting out of their respective carriages automatically turned their attention at the Duke of Fleiss' black carriage. Its dark color contrasted the gold falcon insignia and made it stood out more. But what really caught their attention was the dazzling man in a white tuxedo holding out his hand to the woman inside the carriage.

He has the kind of face that makes everyone stop on their tracks and focus on him. His usual stoic face now shows gentleness as he stares at his woman. His eyes were fixated on the Duchess as she carefully steps out of the carriage and naturally clung her arms at his as they entered the venue.

The Duchess' beauty was also outstanding as she stands beside him. She really is a remarkable beauty that could take someone's breath away. They look good together. Seeing them standing beside each other was like witnessing a painting come to life.

The celebratory banquet was prepared meticulously from the decorations to the array of wines and delicacies, everything exudes extravagance.

As soon as they entered the hall, the lively chatter gradually died down and the attention shifted to them. Eloise felt the lingering stares at the back of her head along with whispers of contempt. Even when they just arrived, she already feels exhaustion engulfing her body. Her feet felt heavy as she followed his husband's lead.

Afraid of meeting the others' measuring gazes, Eloise dropped her head and focused on her footsteps. Every second passed by, she felt herself shrinking under their stares.

They were openly condemning her for not deserving that spot beside him. Yet, she cannot refute them. In fact, she was well-aware of it. The Duke of Fleiss who is at the prime of his life married a worthless woman like her. Given his looks and influence, he could easily swoon any girl in the Kingdom.

"Raise your head."

His cold baritone voice snaps her out of her reverie. She lifted her face and glanced at him to make sure her ears are not fooling her.

"You're the Duchess of Fleiss. They are the ones who shall feel nervous under your gaze."

He didn't look at her but she still felt the sincerity beneath his words. She felt her cheeks heating up as she tried to hide her face from the crowd.

What's wrong with him? Did he used to act like this before?

Her memory was fuzzy. He was acting cold and distant like he was in the past but she cannot seem to remember what happened to the banquet clearly.

Did anything changed?

The nobles who heard his words flinched as they stirred away. The Duke of Fleiss just indirectly shot them a warning to not mess with his woman.

A smile stealthily spread across her lips and the heaviness on her heart lifted. He spoke those words with a stoic face, yet she felt the warmth of his words. He must have felt her anxiety and tried to resolve the situation in a simple manner.

At the end of the hall, two figures sitting in luxurious seats in a raised platform caught her eyes. Their steps halted a few steps away as they bent down and lowered their head.