The Duke's Wife {Wallflower #1}

Chapter 36 (Pic of Jacob)

Chapter 36

A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.

- William Penn

True love doesn't happen right away; it's an ever-growing process. It develops after you've gone through many ups and downs, when you've suffered together, cried together, laughed together.

- Ricardo Montalban

*Rhea*

Rhea gazed at the outside world, watching as shimmering snowflakes fall. She distantly heard the sound of the Hemmingway's butler, Jamison, converse with her parents. She sighed, refusing to acknowledge them, knowing they were waiting just right out the room.

She knew they were concerned about her . . . well, her father probably wondered over the state of her circumstances, seeing as how she was with child, yet, without a husband.

She couldn't help but feel bitterness and despair over her situation. How was it that she could feel so much self-pity? She thought disgustedly.

Ever since she had arrived . . . no, that was not quite the term she would use - ever since she was sent here, back to her family home, without so much as an explanation or goodbye, she had been dwindling to a state of carelessness, of both body and mind. She had been so distraught over Hadrian's actions that she had cried for days on end.

After her pitiful display, though, Rhea had withheld her hope that Hadrian would realize his mistake and come back for her; she had a desperate need to believe this of him, and she had, for an entire month. She had pined and waited anxiously for him, but after a while Rhea had to face the hurtful truth of her position.

Hadrian had abandoned her. He hadn't loved her. He probably never had.

To think that she had imagined any feelings he might've had for her was too much for her to bear, so she forced herself away from that line of thought.

She continued to gaze out of the window; the snow had fallen for days now, as it usually did around the end of December. Rhea surveyed the room and couldn't believe that she had been in this same exact room mere months ago, awaiting her parents to announce her betrothal to the Duke of Vale. Had that been almost a year ago now? Had time gone by so quickly?

With everything that had happened; Beckham's vengeance against Hadrian, her own kidnapping and attempted murder, and her pregnancy, Rhea felt as if she had been pulled apart at the seams of her biological make-up.

Once she had finally let go of the grief and denial, she had finally come to acceptance. Acceptance of the fact that Hadrian no longer wanted her as his wife, despite everything they had gone through, despite her pregnancy with his babe.

Of course, her parents knew this just too well. They had known when Rhea had failed to return to the Duke's manor after a fortnight's stay, and it was confirmed after a month had passed. Rhea knew they were terrified of the gossip that would surface on her behalf from the ton, but Rhea failed to care for any of the frivolous matters and rumors of society.

Frankly, Rhea no longer cared for anything but her babe, and her close friends.

Rhea's lips curled up reluctantly to the side. Thinking of her friends had also left her thinking about their reaction when they found out what the Duke had done.

"That toad!" Leia shouted, "I'll cut off his balls, I will!"

"Leia!" Rhea gasped, scandalized, despite the utter satisfaction that statement had brought her.