Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Reginald stepped inside the room, looking calm and almost too composed. All the fear Vivianne had felt up until that moment turned into rage.

“What is the meaning of this, Reginald?” she demanded, her voice on the verge of outrage.

Without a single word, Reginald closed the door behind him in an almost casual motion and walked toward her with disconcerting ease. But it was the faint smile on his lips that unsettled her the most.

“Vivianne, my dear,” he said softly, “there is no need to be so upset. I assure you, I have no intention of harming you.”

Vivianne’s eyes narrowed, her disbelief palpable. “How can you say that? You’ve kidnapped me, locked me up—how could you not intend to hurt me?”

Reginald’s smile widened, though it did little to reassure her. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I could never harm the woman I love.”

The words struck Vivianne like a physical blow, her shock giving way to an intense, burning anger. “Love? How dare you speak of love when you’re holding me prisoner? You’re nothing but a manipulative monster!”

Reginald’s expression shifted slightly, a hint of hurt in his eyes, though it was quickly masked by a veneer of calm. “You misunderstand my intentions. I simply need to ensure that things go as planned. I can’t let you go—not yet.”

Vivianne’s heart sank at his words. “What are you talking about? What do you plan to do with me?”

Reginald’s gaze softened slightly, but there was a steely resolve behind it. “For now, you must stay here. I need to make sure that everything is set up properly.”

“What is?” she demanded again.

Then, it hit her. She was too consumed in the situation she had found herself in, but she realized all at once that he was the one who had brought her to private sitting room to make sure that she saw Edward in the arms of another woman.

“It was you… wasn’t it?” she gasped, incredulous at the person he had become, at the malice that could emanate from someone.

“What was?” he asked, amused. “I’ve done a lot of things. I can’t possibly know which one you mean, my dear.”

“Edward.” She said his name like a prayer, hoping against all hope that he would come for her, but she knew that was impossible. No one could know where she was. Reginald would make sure of it.

Reginald clicked the top of his teeth with his tongue, making a strange sound before speaking, almost in an effort to amuse himself even more. “Edward?” he echoed. “Everything he did, he did to himself. I merely presented him with an opportunity. From what we saw, he jumped right into it head first.”

She shook her head, unable to believe that all of it was true. Sensing her skepticism, Reginald continued talking. “I had to make you see, Viv. You’re not yourself; I understand that. We usually aren’t when we’re in love. I know that from my own experience. I am also not myself right now.”

“You most certainly are not,” she snarled. “Otherwise, you would have never done this.”

“I suppose so.” He nodded. “But I could see then just clearly as I see now that you are madly in love with that man. While it is driving me insane because I do not think he deserves you, I cannot do anything to change the way you feel. I can only show you the error of your ways and hope that you still have a reasonable head on your shoulders. That is, after all, one of the things I love most about you.”

She frowned, shaking her head. “I cannot believe what I am hearing. You have me locked up in a room, chained to a wall, and you talk of love?”

He smiled as if everything were normal. “Yes, I do admit that the circumstances are a bit… odd. But I told you, I could see that you would have allowed that man to persuade you into believing falsities, such as that he loves you. I assure you that he loves no one but himself. And you would just end up being hurt over and over again by him.”

He walked over to her, trying to near her, but she retreated in fear and disgust. He nodded, seemingly with understanding.

“All right. I deserve that. But know that I’m doing this because I love you, because I want to show you that I’ve changed and that no one deserves you but me, because I know what it is to have loved and lost you, and I assure you that I will never make that mistake again.”

“You are mad if you think that I will stay here, not for you or for anyone else,” she told him angrily.

“I have made sure of that,” he replied calmly, gesturing at her chained ankle. “And I have all the patience in the world to wait for you.”

“Someone will come looking for me,” she snarled. “You know they will.”

He shrugged. “That depends.”

She swallowed heavily, not knowing how far his deceit ran. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said,” he replied with an eerie serenity. That was how she knew he had been planning this for a very long time. It made her shudder with fear. “No one will look for you if they, say, think that you eloped… with me.”

“Eloped?” she gasped, then she burst into laughter. “No one in their right mind will think that.”

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “Not many people know what happened between us. I have asked around. You kept it a secret, which serves my purpose perfectly. Your parents might know, although I doubt it. And Aurelia surely does, but one person won’t make much of a difference.”

“Edward will seek me out,” she insisted.

“Maybe in the beginning,” he affirmed. “But when time goes by, a month, two, or even five and you are still not back, do you think that he will wait for you that long?” He tilted his head a little to the side, as if in an effort to take a better look at her, and in turn, make her do the same. “Come now, Viv. Are you really that na?ve?”

Vivianne’s entire body trembled. “Do you really plan on keeping me here for that long?”

“Like I told you, it depends on the circumstances, and in the end, on your own behavior. I also know of your father’s gambling debts, and that you are required to marry in order to save your family name.”

“How do you know that?” she gasped.

“Words gets around, Viv,” he said simply. “And bad news travels twice as fast. You know that yourself.” He sighed heavily, then concluded, “I think this has been a difficult conversation for you. You probably need rest. Then, once I have set everything up, we shall talk more—hopefully under more favorable circumstances.”

He turned and walked over to the door. Vivianne felt another surge of anger course through her entire body. She grabbed the chains with her hands, her frustration reaching limits beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

“This is insane, Reginald! Let me go!”

Reginald’s eyes remained locked on her, a mixture of sadness and determination in his expression. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Vivianne. There are matters that must be resolved first. Trust me, it’s for the best.”

As he turned to leave, Vivianne’s cries echoed through the room, her voice breaking with the weight of her despair. Reginald closed the door behind him, leaving her alone with her thoughts and her chains, the flicker of hope she had once held now overshadowed by the grim reality of her situation.

***

“Lord Wilmington,” Edward greeted Reginald’s father with a respectful nod. “Thank you so much for seeing us on such short notice.”

Lord Wilmington was a man of commanding presence, his demeanor serious and composed. His sharp features were softened by an air of genuine concern, revealing a depth of character beneath his stern exterior.

“I would never refuse a man in such a state of urgency.” Lord Wilmington nodded, gesturing for Edward and Jonathon to take a seat on the chaise lounge in his parlor. “May I offer you some refreshments, gentlemen?”

“No, thank you.” Edward shook his head politely. “We do not mean to take up much of your time. We come with a specific purpose in mind, and that is to ask you if you have seen or spoken to your son since last night.”

“Reginald?” the man asked as if he had ten sons and wasn’t exactly certain which Reginald they spoke of. “He hasn’t been home since yesterday evening. He mentioned to his mother and me that he had urgent business to attend to and that he would be away for a week or so.”

Jonathon, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. “Do you know where he went or who he might be meeting? Any details could be crucial in finding him.”

The man shook his head. “He didn’t provide us with any specifics, just that it was of great importance. We assumed it was related to his business dealings.” He paused for a moment, then he asked, “Why do you need to speak to him so urgently?”

Edward’s frustration was evident, but he kept his composure. “We have reason to believe that Reginald might be involved in something quite serious. His sudden departure is suspicious, especially given the timing. We’re concerned for his safety as well as for others who might be affected by his actions.”

He’d tried to make it sound as inconspicuous as possible, and he hoped he’d managed to do that.

“Concerned for his safety?” the man echoed. “Are you certain?”

“You know that Lady Vivianne is missing,” Edward reminded him, and Lord Wilmington merely nodded.

“Terrible business,” he said softly. “Those two girls have always been like daughters to me and my wife. I cannot imagine what their parents must be going through.”

From the way he said those words, Edward was certain that the man knew nothing. There was genuine concern in his eyes, a sadness that only those who truly care about someone could feel. Edward knew that well.

“Yes, and because you live so close by, we were hoping to speak to Reginald and see if perhaps he noticed something suspicious taking place last night or any of the previous days,” Jonathon added, to soften the situation.

“I wish I could help you more, gentlemen,” Lord Wilmington said, rising from his seat. “But like I said, Reginald has been away, and I have no means of contacting him. You will simply have to wait until he returns.”

“Then we shall do so.” Edward also got up, and Jonathon followed suit. The two men shook Lord Wilmington’s hand.

“Thank you again for seeing us,” Edward said courteously.

“You are very welcome. I do hope that Vivianne returns home safe and sound. It is a crazy world we live in. I cannot even begin to imagine what could be happening to her right now.”

Edward nodded silently, and the two of them were escorted out by the family steward. Upon climbing into their carriage, Edward sighed.

“Now what?” Jonathon asked. “It seems we’ve hit a dead end.”

“William is still our main suspect,” Edward reminded him. “We need to keep a close eye on him. I do not trust him.”

“All right.” Jonathon nodded, and the two men headed back to Edward’s townhouse.

Neither was particularly keen on talking during the short carriage ride. They sat in silence, both lost in his own thoughts.

Edward felt a deep, gnawing sense of responsibility. If only he had been more vigilant, more perceptive to the dangers lurking around Vivianne. If only he had seen through Reginald’s manipulations sooner. The thought of her in danger, potentially suffering because of his failure to protect her, was almost unbearable.

When they reached his home, he noticed a carriage parked there. He immediately recognized it as belonging to Vivianne’s family. The two men exchanged a meaningful glance, then rushed into the house.

His own butler greeted him, taking their coats. “There is a lady here for you, my lord.”

“What’s her name?” Edward asked breathlessly.

“Well, that is the thing, my lord… she refused to announce herself, demanding to see you, nonetheless.”