SOPHIA

"Sophia."

I turned and saw Nathan standing behind me. With his mask still on, I couldn’t see the expression on his face, but the grim set of his lips told me whatever was coming would be bad.

"What happened?" I grabbed his arms. Patted him. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

He gently took my hands and squeezed. "I’m fine, butterfly. We need to go back inside. I have something to tell you."

I felt a pit in my stomach as he led me back into the foyer, and then up the wide marble staircase.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Somewhere private. Don’t worry. The governor knows we’re here."

We reached the next floor, and he took me to a room at the end of the hallway. When he opened the door, my impression was dark wood and worn leather, the smell of old books and bergamot, and the heavy feel of masculine energy.

"This is the Governor Devine’s study," said Nathan. "Like I said, he knows we’re here." He took me to the large stone fireplace. Flames crackled and danced casting shadows onto the walls. He gestured for me to sit in one of the large red leather wingback chairs that faced the hearth.

When I sat, it felt like I was being swallowed by the chair. I scooted to the edge and gripped the armrests.

Nathan squatted down in front of me. He removed his mask, and then helped me remove mine. He smoothed my hair back. Rubbed his thumb across my chin. Then he took my hands into his.

"Jace and Penelope are dead."

I stared at him. My mind wrangled with the words he’d spoken. But the concept was too unreal. "That can’t be true."

"They fell from the roof. It looks like Penelope might’ve pushed Jace. I don’t know." He squeezed my hands. "The governor asked me to handle the investigation, but I refused. It’s not ethical to investigate the death of my lover’s husband. The governor’s been a friend of the Stoneharts for a long time. I told him the truth. That I was entangled with Jace’s wife."

Entangled. It seemed so strange to think about the outside world’s opinion about Nathan and I. With him, I felt completed. Loved. Safe. Like everything in the world was soft and warm. But outside that bubble was the reality. I was married to Jace Willowmarch. I was in love with Duke Nathan Stonehart. On the surface level, others would view that as morally corrupt.

But did any of that matter now? Jace ... Jace was gone. I didn’t like him. Didn’t want him. I thought I would have to fight for the divorce. Now I was a widow. How strange that in this second-chance life, Jace’s had ended so abruptly. In the other life, I would die in three years. Killed by Penelope.

Yet, she was dead.

Everything had already changed so much.

What did that mean for the future?

"Jace is dead," I whispered.

"Yes," he said gently. "And so is Penelope."

"They ... they were the people who jumped off the roof?"

"Yes. Hopefully the investigation will reveal what happened to them."

"I’m supposed to be sad." I looked at him. "But I don’t feel sad at all. Am I awful?"

"You’re allowed to feel however you want. Right now, you’re dealing with the shock of it all. Later, after you’ve processed, you might feel differently. I know you wanted him out of your life, but now that he is, you’re still allowed to grieve."

"I have to tell his parents. And arrange his funeral."

"The governor has already sent someone to inform the Willowmarches about their son’s death. Don’t worry about the funeral arrangements. I’ll help you. Or give those duties to Jace’s parents. There’s not a rule that says you have to do it."

"Nathan." I felt the knot in my throat. The overwhelming need to cry. He wrapped his arms around me, and that care was enough to release the valve of my emotions.

I cried.

Not necessarily for Jace or for Penelope. But for myself. Grief was there, yes, but this was relief.

I was free.

***|***|***

SOPHIA

Two days later, the results of the investigation were sent via messenger to the duke’s residence. Apparently the whole thing was expedited because the deaths happened at the governor’s mansion.

It was the afternoon. Nathan and I were sitting in the living room. We were playing chess, and I was losing badly.

Hune came in with the envelope and handed it to Nathan. He pulled out the report and started to read. After a few minutes, he handed me the pages.

"They had a brown powder on their clothing. It’s a poisonous mushroom that causes hallucinations. It’s likely that they were suffering from these effects and ended up going over the edge of the roof. Penelope landed on top of Jace, so they think she might’ve pushed him." Nathan reached over and patted my knee. "They’ve determined these were accidental deaths."

"They’ll release bodies," I said. "I’ll have to visit the Willowmarches to coordinate the funeral services."

Nathan and Hune shared a look. Then Nathan got up from his chair and came to sit next to me on the sofa. "There’s something I must confess to you, Sophia. I will never lie. And I will never keep secrets. You can ask me anything any time. And I hope you will do the same."

"I will," I said. "What do you have to confess?"

"Sit, Hune."

Hune took the chair Nathan had vacated. Nathan nodded toward him. "Tell her."

"I arranged things so that Mr. Willowmarch would die." He cleared his throat. "That is to say, a death that looked like an accident."

I stared at Hune. Absorbed what he said. Turned to look at Nathan. "You told him to do that?"

"Yes."

"But what happened on the rooftop wasn’t not in our plans. It turns out that Jace arranged his own death," said Hune.

I looked at the fussy man who didn’t look like he could kill a fly much less arrange a murder. "What do you mean?"