Chapter 2 · After My Death, the Vampire Duke Fears the Dark

Chapter 2

After a moment, the footsteps were drawn away by another woman's gentle call, and the whole corridor slipped back into silence.

My back was rigid as I fixated on the spot where the sound had come from.

No one spoke.

Had I only imagined it?

My eyelids grew heavier by the second, and I weakly let my eyes fall shut.

My body tilted to the side, and I collapsed to the floor.

*****

Three days before, when Lydia returned, it had drizzled.

I was coughing so much that I couldn't straighten up, and the black streaks on my wrist had crept up to my fingertips.

The butler knocked on my door, shooting me a look of disdain. "Mrs. Blackwood, Duke Victor requests your presence in the front hall. Ms. Nightshade has returned."

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and changed into a long, high-necked dress.

The front hall was lit up.

Lydia was wearing a white chiffon dress, looking gorgeous.

"Hey, Evelyn. It's been five years, and you've gotten so much thinner," she called out, her eyes crinkling with a smile as she came over and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

Was it really that obvious?

I didn't say a word.

Victor strode down from the study on the second floor.

The way he looked at Lydia was so gentle, like he looked at me on our wedding night five years ago.

"Lydia, you must be tired from the journey." He talked to Lydia in that soft, pampering tone, as if she were his most cherished treasure.

We had been married for five years.

Never had he spoken to me with such gentleness.

I stood beneath the massive crystal chandelier, as if I were nothing more than a forgotten shadow.

"I heard the underground ballroom is all set up and gorgeous, but Evelyn refused to go." Lydia's lips stirred, her shoulders slumping as she dropped her gaze. "Victor, did I do something to upset Evelyn?"

Victor frowned and shot me a cold gaze. "Don't bother with her. She's always been like that, arrogant and rude."

My nails dug into my palms, but I didn't try to defend myself.

I had explained it so many times. I was worn out.

"You two go ahead and talk. I'm heading back to my room." I turned and walked upstairs, keeping my back straight.

Behind me, their soft voices floated through the air, each word stabbing straight into my heart.

Back in my room, I opened the hidden compartment by my bed.

Inside, there was a thick pile of old prescriptions and my most recent diary, reading: [The light‑fear backlash is down to the third layer. Seven years of life remain to me.]

I stared at my own gaunt reflection in the old mirror.

It didn't matter anymore, as long as Victor could be alive.

*****

That night at the family party, I sat at the very end of the table.

After a few rounds of drinks, one of Victor's attendants accidentally knocked the heavy curtains aside.

A thin beam of scorching sunlight slipped through a finger-wide gap and landed right on Victor's forearm.

The sizzle of searing flesh rang out.

Victor let out a muffled groan, his forearm blackening as the acrid smell filled the air.

The hall erupted into chaos.

"Close the curtains," someone shouted.

Without a second thought, I shoved my chair aside and rushed over, pulling out the last spare suppression talisman from my sleeve.

I slapped the talisman right onto his scorched skin.

The charred marks visibly faded.

Victor jerked his head up in shock, his eyes locked hard on me. "Where did you get this?"

Before I could get a word out, a pair of delicate hands suddenly reached over and cradled Victor's forearm. "Victor, are you okay?"

Lydia's eyes brimmed with heartache as she stared at the talisman, her tone bursting with both surprise and joy. "All these years, I've been searching for ancient ways to suppress the curse. From now on, let me take care of you."

Victor's gaze drifted over to Lydia.

I stood there, my hand frozen in midair.

It finally dawned on me that all I'd done could never measure up to a single word from Lydia.

The butler had appeared behind me, his voice low. "Mrs. Blackwood, Duke Victor says that staying here will make you an eyesore to us. Please return to your room."

Chapter 2

After a moment, the footsteps were drawn away by another woman's gentle call, and the whole corridor slipped back into silence.

My back was rigid as I fixated on the spot where the sound had come from.

No one spoke.

Had I only imagined it?

My eyelids grew heavier by the second, and I weakly let my eyes fall shut.

My body tilted to the side, and I collapsed to the floor.

*****

Three days before, when Lydia returned, it had drizzled.

I was coughing so much that I couldn't straighten up, and the black streaks on my wrist had crept up to my fingertips.

The butler knocked on my door, shooting me a look of disdain. "Mrs. Blackwood, Duke Victor requests your presence in the front hall. Ms. Nightshade has returned."

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and changed into a long, high-necked dress.

The front hall was lit up.

Lydia was wearing a white chiffon dress, looking gorgeous.

"Hey, Evelyn. It's been five years, and you've gotten so much thinner," she called out, her eyes crinkling with a smile as she came over and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

Was it really that obvious?

I didn't say a word.

Victor strode down from the study on the second floor.

The way he looked at Lydia was so gentle, like he looked at me on our wedding night five years ago.

"Lydia, you must be tired from the journey." He talked to Lydia in that soft, pampering tone, as if she were his most cherished treasure.

We had been married for five years.

Never had he spoken to me with such gentleness.

I stood beneath the massive crystal chandelier, as if I were nothing more than a forgotten shadow.

Victor frowned and shot me a cold gaze. "Don't bother with her. She's always been like that, arrogant and rude."

My nails dug into my palms, but I didn't try to defend myself.

I had explained it so many times. I was worn out.

"You two go ahead and talk. I'm heading back to my room." I turned and walked upstairs, keeping my back straight.

Behind me, their soft voices floated through the air, each word stabbing straight into my heart.

Back in my room, I opened the hidden compartment by my bed.

Inside, there was a thick pile of old prescriptions and my most recent diary, reading: [The light‑fear backlash is down to the third layer. Seven years of life remain to me.]

I stared at my own gaunt reflection in the old mirror.

It didn't matter anymore, as long as Victor could be alive.

*****

That night at the family party, I sat at the very end of the table.

After a few rounds of drinks, one of Victor's attendants accidentally knocked the heavy curtains aside.

A thin beam of scorching sunlight slipped through a finger-wide gap and landed right on Victor's forearm.

The sizzle of searing flesh rang out.

Victor let out a muffled groan, his forearm blackening as the acrid smell filled the air.

The hall erupted into chaos.

"Close the curtains," someone shouted.

Without a second thought, I shoved my chair aside and rushed over, pulling out the last spare suppression talisman from my sleeve.

I slapped the talisman right onto his scorched skin.

The charred marks visibly faded.

Victor jerked his head up in shock, his eyes locked hard on me. "Where did you get this?"

Before I could get a word out, a pair of delicate hands suddenly reached over and cradled Victor's forearm. "Victor, are you okay?"

Victor's gaze drifted over to Lydia.

I stood there, my hand frozen in midair.

It finally dawned on me that all I'd done could never measure up to a single word from Lydia.

The butler had appeared behind me, his voice low. "Mrs. Blackwood, Duke Victor says that staying here will make you an eyesore to us. Please return to your room."