Camilla walked away from the dining room. She needed some fresh air. The smell of spilled soup and the whole cliche performance gave her a small headache. She walked down a long hallway on the second floor of the huge mansion. At the end of the hallway, there was a large stone balcony. She pushed the glass doors open and stepped outside.
The afternoon sun was still bright, but the dark clouds from earlier had disappeared. A gentle breeze blew through her hair. Camilla rested her hands on the cold stone railing. She looked down at the large, paved courtyard in front of the main gates.
She heard the loud sound of horses running. A few seconds later, a large, black carriage pulled into the courtyard. It was made of dark wood and had the silver crest of the Benson family painted on the side. Six guards riding brown horses surrounded the carriage. They looked tired and covered in dust.
"The male lead is back," Camilla whispered to herself. She leaned over the railing to get a better look. She was curious to see the man who caused the original Lady Camilla to take her own life.
The carriage stopped right in front of the main doors. A guard quickly jumped down from his horse and opened the carriage door.
A young man stepped out. He wore a neat, dark blue military uniform. He had plain brown hair and a very ordinary face. He stood up straight and looked around the courtyard with a confident expression. He placed his hand on the handle of the sword at his waist.
Camilla frowned. She rested her chin on her hand. She looked at the young man with deep disappointment.
"Is he the one?" she asked herself. She let out a long sigh. "I do not know what the original female lead saw in him. He looks so boring. He is not ugly, but he definitely does not look like a mighty General. He looks like a local tax collector."
She felt a wave of boredom wash over her. She decided she did not want to watch anymore. She turned her back to the courtyard and walked back inside the house. She left the balcony, missing what happened next.
Down in the courtyard, the ordinary-looking young man did not walk into the house.
Instead, he turned back to the open carriage door. He reached inside. Another guard brought a large wooden wheelchair with metal wheels. The young man carefully helped the second passenger step out of the carriage.
The second man leaned heavily on the young man's shoulder. His left leg was tightly wrapped in thick white bandages. He sat down slowly into the wheelchair. His face was pale from pain, but his eyes were sharp and fierce.
Back inside the house, Camilla was walking slowly down the hallway. She admired the expensive oil paintings on the walls. She was busy calculating how much money she could get if she sold the golden candle holders.
Suddenly, a young maid walked quickly around the corner. When she saw Camilla, she stopped moving. She nervously grabbed her white apron. News of what happened in the dining room had already spread through the house. The servants were terrified of the new Lady Camilla.
The maid bowed her head very low. She did not dare to look into Camilla's eyes.
"My... My Lady," the maid stuttered, her voice shaking slightly. "The General has arrived. He is waiting for you in the drawing room."
Camilla stopped walking. She looked at the top of the maid's head. "The drawing room," Camilla repeated. She nodded her head once. "Alright. You can go."
The maid quickly turned around and ran away as fast as she could.
Camilla continued walking. She put her hands in the pockets of her blue dress. "The drawing room," she thought. "Where is that?"
The Benson mansion was incredibly large. It was like a maze. There were dozens of hallways, staircases, and wooden doors. Camilla took her time. She opened three different doors, but they were just guest bedrooms or small libraries. She was not in a hurry. She did not care if the General had to wait. If he wanted to divorce her, he could wait a few more minutes.
After ten minutes of wandering around, she finally heard the low sound of men talking. She followed the voices to a set of huge, double doors made of dark wood. The doors had silver handles. Two guards stood outside, holding long spears. When they saw Camilla, they quickly opened the heavy doors for her.
Camilla walked inside. The drawing room was massive. There were many guards standing in the room. They all wore their military uniforms. The uniforms were covered in road dust. It was obvious they had just come straight from the army barracks. Their faces were serious and hard. When Camilla entered, they all turned their heads to look at her, but no one said a word. The atmosphere was very tense.
Camilla looked toward the center of the room. Standing next to a large fireplace was the young man she had seen from the balcony. He still looked ordinary and boring.
"So, he is ready to talk," Camilla thought.
But then, she noticed the young man was not the center of attention. He was standing slightly to the side, holding a leather folder.
Camilla moved her eyes. Sitting right in the middle of the room was a large wooden wheelchair.
Sitting in the wheelchair was a man.
Camilla stopped walking. Her breath caught in her throat for a second. Her eyes grew wide.
"Oh," she thought to herself. Her heart actually skipped a small beat.
The man in the wheelchair was absolutely stunning. He had thick, dark black hair that fell slightly over his forehead. His skin was lightly tanned from the sun. He wore a dark red tunic, but the drawstrings were a bit opened because of the heat.
Camilla stared at him. "So this is my husband?" she thought to herself.
She realized her mistake. The ordinary young man she saw from the balcony was just the General's aide and personal guard. This man in the wheelchair was Lord Damon Benson, the Tyrant General.
Camilla could not stop looking at him. In her original life, she had met many handsome men, but Damon was different. He looked strong and dangerous.
She continued her admiration in her mind. Her thoughts were loud and clear. "Just look at him. See that sharp jawline. It looks strong enough to cut a diamond. And those broad shoulders. They fill up the entire chair."
Her eyes moved down to his chest, which was visible through the open buttons of his shirt.
"And that double door chest," she thought, a small, approving smile appearing on her lips. "He is built like a brick wall. Look at those muscles. I think I am starting to understand the original female lead. If I had a husband who looked like a god of war, I too would not let him out of my sight. It makes perfect sense now why she cried over him."
Across the room, Damon sat in his wheelchair. His left leg shot waves of sharp pain up to his hip every time he moved. He was in a terrible mood. He had almost died because his saddle broke in the middle of a fast ride.
Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice. The voice did not come from the room. It sounded like it was echoing directly inside his head.
[Just look at him. See that sharp jawline... And those broad shoulders... And that double door chest...]
Damon frowned deeply. He looked around the room. The guards were silent. His aide, Kade, was quiet. He looked at the doorway. His wife, Lady Camilla, was standing there. She was staring at him, but her mouth was completely closed. She was not speaking.
[I think I am starting to understand the original female lead. If I had a husband who looked like a god of war, I too would not let him out of my sight.]
Damon blinked. He rubbed his forehead with his fingers. He felt a throbbing pain behind his eyes.
"Am I going crazy?" Damon asked himself in his mind. "The doctor gave me a strong medicine for the pain. Maybe it is making me hear things. I am hearing whispers in my head."