"What?!" Sophie's eyes widened and she looked up at the duke to see if he was joking but even with the mask still on his face and covering him, she could see that Duke Romanov was serious.
Leland expected such a surprise to come from her. "The proposal I am presenting you is a proposal for marriage, Miss Hansley. The two of us would both benefit if this were to happen."
She placed a hand on her chest. "But I am already married."
A sad smile formed on Leland's lips as the memory of Sophie in Hauntingen with her husband appeared in his mind. The fact that Sophie was also looking for her wedding ring was a signifier of her relationship with Duke Romanov as well.
So Leland's answer was this as he looked her in the eye.
"I am aware of that… but do pardon me if my words seem harsh and brash," Leland carefully enunciated each word. "However, if your husband was still around then you wouldn't be here with me right now, Miss Hansley. I came to the conclusion that you are a widow."
Sophie bit her lip and felt the wave of sadness overcome her.
Leland would feel the same exact thing for a different reason.
If Nicholas happened to be alive and well, Sophie would still be with her husband and so she wouldn't have to suffer like this. She wouldn't have returned to Hastings and experienced such cruelty from her relatives.
Right now, Sophie and Nicholas could have felt joy at knowing that they would have a baby together, and the fact that Duke Romanov reminded her that Nicholas was gone only made her feel close to tears.
Leland was also unhappy about bringing up Sophie's late and foolish husband. If Nicholas was alive then Leland would perhaps not have felt the need to intervene in Sophie's life in such a way like this one.
It meant that if the man didn't die, then perhaps there would be no chance of ever becoming mates with her. Sophie's heart belonged to Nicholas and Leland could do nothing about it except to accept the fact.
Such was the case if Nicholas were still alive and well, but because the man was gone and out of the picture… Leland believed that it was necessary that he became Sophie's mate to protect her.
It was only one man missing and yet Nicholas evoked sorrow in both Sophie and Leland.
Leland waited patiently for her to finish.
"However, you cannot simply ask me to just marry another man. I married my husband because I love him and even if… I am to assume the benefits of marrying a duke like you, Duke Romanov would offer me great wealth and fortune… I still cannot accept it."
"You do not have to love me." Leland managed to say out, despite every part of him longing for such love. He was jealous of the moments where he had seen Sophie treat her late husband with such tenderness and longing.
"Huh?" Sophie's eyes widened and she batted her eyes worriedly. Did this man only want her for something else? She stepped back warily and thought about the chances of running away from the study to avoid him.
"This is a marriage of convenience, Miss Hansley, so you do not have to fear any unwanted conduct," Leland said. "When I attended my meeting with the others in the capital, I experienced some social exclusion from the others."
"Exclusion among the nobility?" Sophie batted her eyes in confusion. She was familiar with the feeling of being ostracized by others in Cawden Academy that she felt a small wave of sympathy for the man.
"Yes. I come from outside the kingdom of Riga so people do not take it so kindly of me and with the fact that I am a man who is still unwedded even at this age, they do not think of me in a good light," Leland explained. "This face and my mask didn't help me either. They became so suspicious of me and my intention. That is why I wish to take you as my wife for that purpose alone."
"Well… there are many other women here in the castle," Sophie pointed out. "It does not have to be me."
Leland shook his head and looked at her sincerely. "I need it to be you, Miss Hansley. You are the one who has lived here in Riga and you also seem to be an educated woman so I believe that you can elevate my status."
Leland wanted and needed Sophie's love for him, but for now, he chose to say that he didn't need her love. What mattered right now was simply creating a proper way for Sophie to be safe. It wasn't only for matters that pertained to the unknown danger that she may encounter.
While Leland's influence as an Alpha made the lycans respect his orders not to attack… Another pack or tribe might be unwilling to do such a thing and obey his orders.
That was why becoming mates was so necessary for Leland's eyes. It was not only to protect Sophie from any humans trying to hurt her, but it would also protect and shield her from the threats of his own people and that of other kinds.
Sophie bit her lip and knew that there was another fact that could make Duke Romanov change his mind and so she straightened her back and said.
"Duke Romanov, you cannot marry me. I am pregnant with my husband's child," Sophie said with a hoarse voice, as she stared at the man bravely.
.
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From Missrealitybites:
Finally! Sophie told Leland that she was pregnant. Do you think Leland will accept her anyway.. or would he feel annoyed by the fact?
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l