Epilogue
FOXTOWN'S COBBLESTONE streets glittered under fairy lights strung between Victorian lampposts, transforming the historic district into a Valentine's Day wonderland. And much to the delight of the park's visitors, snow had also started to fall, which only made everything magical.
It was as if the angels in heaven were also rejoicing over the fairytale-like marriage of the Duke of Windtowne and his young blushing bride, and just thinking about this had many a woman sighing dreamily.
Oh, to be in the duchess' shoes, even just for a day!
A woman dressed in an unfashionable gown stood by the entrance to welcome newly arrived visitors, her face a picture of, well...
"Welcome to Foxtown!"
She had been saying those words every so often, but why did her face look like she had mistaken her toy poodle's droppings for chocolate?
"My name is Fontana, for those who don't know, I'll be playing different roles throughout the month—-"
She broke off when a gentleman dressed like a dandy suddenly went up to her, saying, "I'm Ernie, a writer for The Texas Social ." He showed her his wristband as proof, which was indeed the color provided for members of the press. "Is it true that you tried to get between Lucius Young and his wife?"
Fontana's first instinct was to scream. But since her father had confirmed that they'd be bankrupt if not for the Youngs buying their company—-
Fontana forced herself to smile teasingly. "Since one of the roles I'm playing in Foxtown is that of a desperate social-climbing baron's daughter—-"
The crowd of visitors who stood close enough to overhear her words laughed at this.
"I think you can answer the question for yourself."
While Fontana continued to bend over backward in entertaining guests while painting herself the villain, Lucius and Tassy were back in the cozy confines of Foxtown's lone detective agency, and Constable Dill stood before them as the reluctant bearer of bad news.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace. You failed to identify the correct suspect."
Tassy turned to her husband in shock. "Does that mean she lied to me?"
"I believe it does."
"How could she lie to me? I can't believe it!"
"I can't believe it either," Lucius deadpanned while wondering at the same time how his wife could be so brilliantly resourceful and strategic at curating complex itineraries for the most demanding of clients...but be so woefully gullible in catching fake criminals, even with their hands already in the cookie jar right in front of her.
It was just too damn adorable for words, and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted his wife.
Now.
Tassy started in surprise when Lucius suddenly shot to his feet. "Lu—-" Her voice trailed off when his coppery gaze blazed down at her with in need.
Oh no.
She knew that look, unfortunately. Her husband had once told her she was 'insanely' gullible...and how that trait of hers never failed to turn him on.
Lucius raised a brow at the constable, who knew right away what the duke was asking of him.
However...
"I'm sorry, Your Grace," Constable Dill apologized gloomily, "but all rooms are currently booked."
Tassy let out a strangled gasp when she realized what the conversation was all about. But just as she started tugging her husband's sleeve—-
"I just remembered," Constable Dill exclaimed. "We do have the supply room at the end of the hall—-"
"We'll take it," Lucius said right away, and Tassy could only turn red while Constable Dill started whistling under his breath.
They were on the move in the next second, with Tassy forced once more to keep up with her husband's long-legged stride. "Seriously? Why can't we just go to our suite—-"
Lucius looked at her oddly. "Because I can't wait that long."
And so off they walked, faster than before even, and all Tassy could do was bite back a laugh even as her heart overflowed with love and joy. They had been married for there months now, and she woke up every day, thinking that surely life couldn't get any better...but it did.
Each day, God helped her see why every bad thing that happened in the past had a purpose. If Fontana had not set her eyes on Xylan, she would never have allowed herself to even look at Lucius. And if Lucius had not hurt her so badly, she would never have to learned what it meant to ask for God's comfort and truly trust in His plans.
Each day, she had a new reason to feel thankful, and—- oh my goodness!
Everything happened so fast. One moment they were still in the hallway. The next thing she knew, Lucius had locked them inside the supply room, her world plunged in darkness, and her husband kissing her hard...just before spinning Tassy around and pushing her up against the wall.
"We're a little tight on space here," Lucius whispered into her ear, "but we can make it work, don't you think?"
He was already pushing the skirts of her gown up as he spoke, and before she could answer him, he had already thrust inside of her—-
Aaaaah.
His every thrust had her senses spinning.
"Are you aware that there exists a cognitive dissonance and heightened arousal when—-"
"S-Stop turning me on," she moaned.
A sadistic smile curved over his lips. "Never, baby girl."
She had no chance to answer yet again, with his fingers slipping inside of her mouth as he thrust harder and deeper into her.
Oh yes, Tassy thought dazedly. We could make this work very, very hard—-I mean, well, indeed.
ONE MONTH LATER
"We just received a call from the hospital, Mr. Young," Milton reported. "Dr. Chen says Mrs. Young's surgery was a complete success, and results have exceeded all expectations."
"And the burns?"
"There will be no disfigurement," Milton was eager to assure his boss. "In a month's time, there won't be any visible scarring at all. It's as if the fire - and the accident - never happened." Milton's voice awkwardly trailed off at the way his boss's penetrating gaze narrowed. As expected of the great Benedict Young, Milton thought in a mixture of awe and dread. The billionaire had an almost supernatural ability to sense when something was amiss.
It was just too bad that the only time his boss hadn't seen through a person's lies was when he married his wife.
Milton shoved the thought away as quickly as it had surfaced. Stop thinking of Mrs. Young that way, you idiot!
"Milton?"
The thread of impatience in his boss's voice had Milton hastily completing his report.
Please inform Mr. Young that he should expect a slight change in his wife's appearance. This cannot be helped, unfortunately.
Milton took pains to relay Dr. Chen's warning verbatim, but his boss's chiseled features remained unreadable.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, sir."
"Contact Dr. Chen. Let him know I'll be assigning our own security detail outside my wife's room. No one's to speak to her without my approval."
Benedict waited until his assistant's footsteps receded before reaching for the report his security team had provided him.
Subject: Stella Tyler
Age: 25
Status: Single
Grantee ID: 08158
Aid provided: Juvenile records sealed and received funding to complete two-year course in Chapman Community College
Current Employment: Hotel Regalia, executive room attendant, two years to present
Family History
Father: Irving Tyler, deceased (workplace accident, 20 years prior)
Mother: Pippi Tyler, primary income is late husband's pension, known history of substance abuse, pattern of relationships with younger men with criminal backgrounds, currently admitted in an undisclosed rehabilitation clini,
Incident Report:
1. Subject sustained facial injuries defending mother from assault of current partner (Ripley Echols, 31, unemployed, prior conviction for burglary)
2. Subject admitted to Cliff Thompson Medical Center (facial trauma, possible concussion)
3. Fire outbreak at 3:16 AM resulting in massive structural damage and casualties. Surviving patients transferred to nearby medical facilities. Cause under investigation at time of report.
Benedict watched the document disappear strip by strip into the shredder. The woman described in the sterile bullet points was the antithesis of Lana, whose delicate beauty masked a viper's soul.
When he had first met Lana, she had ticked all the boxes for him, and it was no wonder she did. Everything he knew of her was a lie. Lana had simply studied him like he was a subject to be mastered, and Lana's equivalent to a diploma was his ring on her finger.
Even though five years had already passed, bitterness and rage still burned inside Benedict whenever he found himself recalling how expertly Lana had maneuvered him into marrying her without a prenup. Since then, she had taken pleasure in making his life a livil hell. But for the sake of the thousands he had in his employ, not once had Benedict even considered divorcing her.
She was his lifelong curse.
Or so Benedict had thought.
Until now.
The limousine glided to a stop at the hospital's private entrance, and Milton could only watch in silent awe as his boss handled the intrusive presence of the paparazzi with cold-blooded ease.
Standing six-foot-five and with a powerful frame sculpted by years of professional-level training in martial arts, Benedict Young was a terrifying force of nature that commanded instant silence from the crowd. Milton could see the desperate questions dying on reporters' lips, and all they could do was frantically snap photos as the billionaire strode by.
Inside the hospital, his boss continued to command attention and cause chaos, but this time of a different kind. A nurse almost walked into a locked supply closet, having lost herself in the cerulean gaze of his boss (which Milton himself admitted was rather magnetic). A woman at the coffee machine jumped at the sight of the billionaire, and Milton could only wince as he watched coffee spill on her nerveless fingers. (How long would it take for her to realize she had burned herself?)
Same old, same old , Milton thought with a mental shake of his head. How long would it take for women to realize that Benedict Young would never fall for such tricks?
Oblivious to the disruption his mere presence had caused, Benedict's attention was fixed solely on his destination. It was the largest and most expensive suite in the hospital, and listed on the digital screen next to the door was the name of the attending physician and the patient.
Dr. Kelvin Cheng
Lana Young
Benedict entered the hospital room and claimed the chair beside the bed. Hours passed before the woman stirred. He remained motionless, watching as confusion flickered across what little he could see of her face between the bandages. It took her several long moments to realize she was not alone, and despite her mummified appearance, her shock was palpable when her gaze finally met his.
Let the games begin.
The End
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