Duke Of Darkness

CHAPTER 6

Rafael sat in the dimly lit study, accompanied only by a half-empty cup of wine and the dancing shadows of candlelight on the walls. His eyes were fixed on the piece of paper before him, but his thoughts wandered far, drifting to times when his life had been different. He remembered the early days when he secretly worked to help the Hurbret family recover from the brink of economic collapse. Back then, despite being a noble family, their wealth was almost just a name if Rafael hadn’t intervened.

Using his influence and connections without the Hurbret family’s knowledge, Rafael infiltrated the kingdom’s trade routes, ensuring that every Hurbret venture yielded unexpected profits. He disguised himself as a mysterious broker, facilitating lucrative trade contracts and transactions. When gold began to flow back into the family coffers, Frederick claimed it as the result of his strategies and cunning. Annette, on the other hand, welcomed the news with a genuine smile that warmed Rafael’s heart.

Yet, no one knew that behind it all, Rafael was the one keeping the family’s economic wheel turning. There were no applauses, no praise, and he never expected any. Instead, insults were what he often received. But Rafael didn’t care. He did it for Annette, for the promise he made to Sir Laurent. Yet now, these memories felt bitter. His thoughts returned to Annette’s face, which once shone with affection and gratitude when she looked at him.

Rafael let out a long sigh, his eyes clouded by daydreams. Time had changed Annette. The woman who once sat by the fireplace, sharing sweet stories with him, now spent more time alone, preoccupied with her matters. Even when Rafael tried to draw close, offering small gifts of silver trinkets he knew she liked, Annette only nodded without genuine interest.

Once, Rafael had approached Annette in the sitting room with a small velvet box. When he opened it, the delicate silver bracelet inside gleamed under the candlelight. “I know you like silver, so I bought this for you,” he said, trying to bridge the cold distance between them.

Annette looked at the bracelet, her full lips curving into a thin, hollow smile. “Thank you,” she said, but her voice was flat, lacking the enthusiasm Rafael had once known. Then, with a graceful motion, Annette rose from her chair, walked to a small table in the corner, and took another box. She opened it, revealing the sparkle of diamonds adorning a luxurious pink pendant necklace.

“You know, Uncle Frederick gave me this,” she said, lifting the necklace with admiration. “He said diamonds like these represent the status and power of nobility. Something only those in power can possess.”

Rafael froze; his fingers, still holding the silver bo,x, felt numb. There was something in Annette’s eyes—something he had never seen before. The admiration she once showed him had been replaced by a look seeking the shine of diamonds and superficial grandeur. Rafael’s heart sank like a stone thrown into the water, disappearing into silence.

“Annette, I—” Rafael tried to speak, to call back the memory of the woman who once loved him deeply, but his words faltered as Annette placed the necklace around her neck and turned to the mirror.

“Sorry, what did you say?” Annette asked without turning, her voice drifting and hollow.

Rafael looked at their reflections in the mirror. There, he saw a woman with eyes fixated on the glimmer of wealth and a man whose smile could no longer hide the wound in his heart.

“I just want you to be happy….” Rafael finally said, his voice soft like a whisper. Without waiting for a response, he walked away, leaving the warmth of the room that now felt cold and unfamiliar.

Laughter floated from the terrace of the Hurbret family home and carried on the breeze scented with flowers in the late afternoon. Annette sat gracefully on a carved wicker chair, dressed in a dusty pink silk gown that shimmered under the sunlight. Across from her, Countess Glory, a young woman married to a count, smiled broadly, her large hat adorned with delicate feathers, sipping tea from a gold-rimmed porcelain cup. Their conversation was accompanied by the soft clinking of plates and spoons.

In the garden, just a few steps from where Annette and her guest sat, Rafael rubbed his hands against the soil. The scent of leaves and roses he had planted lingered, sticking to his rough, scarred skin. He felt eyes on him from the terrace but focused on his work, trying to ignore the discomfort creeping into his chest.

“Miss Annette, who is that man?” Countess Glory asked, her voice dropping slightly as if sharing an intriguing secret. Her almond-shaped eyes observed Rafael bent over the plants.

There was a moment of silence. Rafael, though bowed, could feel the air around Annette tense for a moment. A small hope flickered in his heart, reminding him of times when Annette would proudly introduce him to others. But that hope quickly faded when Annette let out a short sigh.

“Oh, him?” Annette answered in a voice that turned cold, sounding as though she were speaking about someone insignificant. “He’s just the gardener who works here. He helps take care of the flowers in the garden.”

Rafael’s world seemed to pause for a moment, his heart pierced by the painful words. It hurt not because Annette failed to acknowledge him, but because of the cold tone and disinterest in her voice. It was as if he truly meant nothing. All his efforts over the years—helping the Hurbret family rise from hardship, fighting in the dark against fierce beasts, rebuilding the family’s name—were wiped away in a single brief sentence.

Countess Glory glanced at Rafael once more, her lips curving as if dismissing his presence. “Ah, I see,” she said, then turned back to Annette with a long-winded tale about jewelry, a count, a young duke, and a grand party in the capital.

Rafael placed the trowel on the ground, his fingers clenched until his knuckles turned white. He lifted his head, looking at Annette from afar. The woman who once gazed at him with eyes full of love now looked elsewhere, as if he had never been part of her life.

Rafael decided to leave his work early. He walked through the garden, his steps suddenly heavy, and each blade of grass beneath his feet felt sharp. As he passed the large window of the terrace room, he saw Annette’s silhouette laughing with Countess Glory, as if nothing had ever happened between them. That laughter, which once sounded like his favorite song, now felt like a taunt that pierced his ears.

He entered the house through the back door, moving through the dim hallway toward his study. Once the door was closed, Rafael leaned back against it, his eyes staring at the ceiling as darkness began to fall. The image of Sir Laurent appeared in his mind, with a gentle voice that had always offered support. “Take care of Annette….” The words whispered in Rafael’s heart.

He had kept his promise, giving everything to the Hurbret family. But now, he wondered how much more he would have to sacrifice before he was completely broken.