1 Prolouge.

"Mocked and ridiculed, i shall fight back".

A sudden collection of gasps filled the candlelit hall, followed by a defining silence as the spectators held their breath in anticipation.

"Shameless!" came a roar from a young man standing in the middle of the gathered curious crowd.

A woman lay at his feet, and he stared at her in undisguised disgust.

"You truly have no shame. I thought you had changed, but it seems you have reverted to your old ways. Apologize to Lady Valeria now."

Murmurs erupted from the crowd as well-dressed socialites, wine glasses and flutes in hand, watched with fascination, disgust, scorn, and mockery in their eyes. The women whispered in the ears of their husbands, fiancées, and companions. Their assessing gazes were drawn to the young woman who lay in a heap on the floor, a mass of dark tangled strands in disarray, her gaze fixed on the cold marbled floor.

"Brother-in-law, please calm down. Forgive my big sister; you know she's with child," the woman who stood next to the young man pleaded, tugging his arm and looking up at him with kind, docile eyes. He looked at her for a moment, and a flicker of light appeared in his angry eyes, only to flicker back to hatred as a tear slid down the woman's face. He whipped back to the woman on the floor, his finger pointing accusingly.

"You venomous wretch. Your sister has always been so kind to you, even when you show her nothing but cruelty. You should count yourself lucky to have a sister like her, not to spread rumors and destroy any chance of her getting married. You are the reason her fiancé left her!" His voice grew louder as his confidence grew from giving comfort to the crying young woman now tucked in his arms.

"I don't know why I tolerated your insolence for so long, but not anymore..." A vein throbbed on his temple.

"I, Lord Magnus of the Vermilion House," he began, each word thundering and resonating on the stone-cold walls of the decorated hall, "hereby declare today the cancellation of this engagement between Lady Lucinda and i, and free her from the role of being my fiancée. The Vermilion household will not welcome such cruelty to brethren. So, I sever all ties with her today."

The hall was so silent that the dripping of the wine earlier poured on the said woman was evident as she stilled. Chaotic uproar ensued as the socialites ate up this gossip.

"Not only that," The voices reduced to a near whisper, "I have also decided to announce that, in relation to the scandal that left Lady Valerie with no suitors, I will fill that role and get married to the youngest daughter of the household."

Lady Valerie looked up at him in shock and stuttered, "But bro-in-law... Lord, what about my sister? She's with your child."

He looked down at the frail woman in his arms and wondered how someone could be so kindhearted to care about their hater. It was evident to him he had made a good decision.

"I care not for what happens to her now, even if she grovels and begs—"

A manic chuckle sounded, and everyone turned to see the young woman on the floor's shoulders bounce and shake in unrestricted laughter.

"Beg you?" came the cold but calm words, and her laughter became louder as she rose from the floor. Under the numerous candlelights, they could all see the stained patches of light red wine which had poured on her by Lord Magnus, creating stains on her white dress adorned with blue beads and intricate design stitchings. She stood to her full height before them, ignoring her drenched hair that stuck to her face and how much she reeked of alcohol.

"Beg you?" She chuckled again, covering her mouth with her fingers as if she had told a secret joke. "Why should I grovel when you have given me such a gift?" The new couple raised their brows at her words.

"Sister, what are—" Lady Valerie began.

"It was exhausting being in the presence of you filths," the crowd gasped at her audacious words. "How dare you!" he bellowed.

"Calm now, Lord, or you might scare your new bride," she glanced briefly at the young woman who was dressed more than herself; the supposed bride-to-be as she waved him off. Her voice was so calm and serene that it made everyone feel like they were the joke and not her.

"Sister, how can you talk like that?" Only a look from Lady Lucinda made her step sister shut her mouth. Seeing as his new fiancée was getting intimidated by the bold woman before them, he announced.

"Leave the Vermilion household this instant. This engagement is called off," he waved to their surroundings, showing how this whole arrangement for their wedding eve party was all for nothing now.

"Don't you just love to hear yourself speak?" she studied her fingernails, looking bored and uninterested. "Enough of this insolence," a middle-aged woman stepped out of the crowd.

"Oh, if it isn't the mistress of the Verbena household," Lucinda said with a mocking tone.

"You are a disgrace to this family. You are no longer welcome back to the verbena house. Go and never return."

"Don't flatter yourself; I've graced you all enough with my presence," her lightly painted lips curled into a smirk. She stood straight and announced, "I, Lady Lucinda, have nothing more to do with the Vermilion household nor the Verbena house. All ties have been cut off, and even if these households burn to the ground, I shall trample and dance on their ashes... on second thoughts, that's too much of an honor." Her head was raised high in authority, and as if in sync with her, thunder bellowed outside the stone walls, along with the sound of sudden patters of rain hitting the windowpanes.

The spectators were amazed at such bold words, unbecoming of a lady, that spilled from her lips. The families were seething at this point.

Lucinda was about to turn around before she remembered something. "Oh, and don't worry about getting your filthy claws on my mother's property; it is now all signed in my name." Their jaws dropped.

"So..." her hand dropped to her still-flat stomach, "Me and the baby will not be needing your help. And I do not claim such trash to be the father of my child." And under the shocked gazes of the Vermilion family, Verbena family , and shocked socialites, Lady Lucinda turned and sauntered away, her head held high, steps firm and graceful despite her drenched appearance, and she left the hall like a black swan on rebirth.

Outside the hall, in the garden amidst the showering rain, Lady Lucinda walked towards the fountain where a young man stood with an umbrella. On getting to him, he opened the umbrella to shield them; he gave a bow. "Greetings, My Lady."

She nodded in retaliation and turned to look at the moon high in the sky, the rain making the view a bit hazy. Her engagement was just canceled the night before her wedding. But she stood unbothered.

"Do you think I went too far back in the hall?" Though she couldn't see her bodyguard then, Lady Lucinda knew he was also a spectator there.

"No, my lady. Actually..." he paused, "it's good to finally have you back." His lips pulled up in a grin.

As the rain continued to fall around them, Lady Lucinda finally turned to her loyal bodyguard. Her voice was unwavering, and her resolve was clear.

"Would you stay with a woman now scorned by society and waste away your life? Or would you leave now and spare yourself the trouble and shame inevitably to come along with me?" She questioned, her words resolute despite the pouring rain.

The bodyguard met her gaze, his dedication evident in his response. "It is not my place to say this, but pardon me, my lady. But would you want to stay with a young man, regardless of whether my duty was to protect you or you dismissed me of my duty and spare yourself from scornful rumors? You have my undying loyalty, my lady, and so does your child. My life is devoted to protecting you both until I draw my last breath."

She fully turned to him then, her face reflecting a mixture of gratitude and determination. With the only genuine smile she displayed that evening and in a long time, she said, "It's good to be back, Sir Connor."

The young man's grin stretched wide, mirroring her own. He escorted his lady to the loaded waiting carriage, where the driver held the reins, ready to depart. The night air was cool and heavy with the scent of rain as they left the Vermilion household behind.

Lady Lucinda knew her life had taken a drastic turn, but she was unafraid. As they rode away into the night, she swore vengeance if she ever crossed paths again with those who had wronged her. The rain continued to fall, cleansing the past and offering a fresh start to a woman who had boldly severed ties with her old life, embracing a future that was uncertain but filled with determination.